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California University
Volume 15, Number 16 JuNe 17, 2013 Read the JouRnal online: www.calu.edu/news/the-journal
Alumni Inspire Class of 2013
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nspiration and advice from three distinguished alumni highlighted Cal U’s 176th Commencement, held at the Convocation Center. Interim President Geraldine M. Jones ’72, ’80, who has been associated with Cal U for 45 years, conferred degrees upon nearly 1,300 students, including those whose diplomas were awarded in absentia. “I am proud of you, our graduates, for your hard work and the sacrifices you made to get to this point,” President Jones said as she presided over her first spring Commencement since being appointed to lead the University. “Remember to help others. Ponder how you can lend a hand or make a difference. No matter what career path you choose, those special moments you spend helping others will shape you into a great human being.” Dr. Deborah Ann Shanley ’74 addressed the master’s degree candidates May 17. The dean of the School of Education at Brooklyn College since 1998, her current work focuses on creating collaborations and partnerships with New York City schools and cultural institutions as vehicles for extending teacher preparation beyond academic walls. Mark Camillo ’76 spoke to the bachelor’s and associate degree candidates on May 18. After serving for 21 years in the U.S Secret Service, he is currently a senior fellow at the George Mason University Center for Infrastructure Protection and senior vice president for strategic planning at Contemporary Services Corp., a national leader in event security and crowd management. Shanley praised Cal U for providing her with a needed sense of family and community. She said the
Shantae Motley (left) and Michael Mocilan wave to family and friends before receiving their degrees during undergraduate Commencement at the packed Convocation Center.
faculty was very student-centered and involved with research and partnerships with schools and other community agencies. “This range of scholarly pursuits, a series of opportunities to ask questions, the encouragement to fail in pursuit of finding another path of inquiry was
the Cal U experience that I know,” she said. “It was the Cal U faculty that provided guidance for us to find meaning in the most critical circumstances, which led to a development of resilience. This resilience has sustained me throughout my career.” — Continued on page 2
200 ‘Rise & Shine’ to Support Scholarships at Annual Gala Apple Collaborates on Conference
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xecutives from Apple Inc. and educators from Cal U will collaborate Thursday and Friday to present “Fueling the Learning Experience,” a free conference exploring how laptops, iPads and mobile computing are transforming education from kindergarten through college. Conference sessions in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre and “smart” classrooms across campus will examine topics ranging from “The Flipped Classroom” and “iBooks for Faculty” to “Instructional Design for Novices” and “iOS Development and Management for IT Staff.” Separate paths will be geared to educators and IT staff/instructional design specialists. Various sessions will be led by three Apple executives; administrators from the tech-savvy Elizabeth Forward School District; Cal U educators C.J. DeJuliis, Dr. Jodi Dusi, Dr. Marcia Hoover, Michael Meyer, Dr. Katherine Mitchem, Ryan Sittler, Dr. Thomas West, Dr. Stephen Whitehead and Dr. Joseph Zisk; and graduate student Megan DeVries. Speaker biographies, a complete conference schedule, registration information and more are available at www.calu.edu.
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ore than 200 people took up the challenge to “rise and shine” at the 20th annual President’s Gala, held June 1 at the Omni William Penn hotel in Pittsburgh. “The theme for tonight’s event is a call to action,” Interim President Geraldine M. Jones told the guests. “We asked you to ‘rise to the occasion’ and ‘shine as a scholarship donor’ — and you have done just that.” Since its inception in 1994, net proceeds from the gala has grossed about $1.4 million, with net proceeds providing scholarship support for deserving Cal U students. Andrew Stockey, anchor and sports director for WTAE Channel 4 Action News, served as master of ceremonies for this year’s black-tie event. In that role he introduced winners of the President’s Gala Faculty Awards: Dr. John Nass, who was honored for teaching; Dr. Carol Bocetti, for research; and Dr. Cassandra Kuba, for service. The late G. Ralph Smith II, who taught in the English Department for 30
President Geraldine M. Jones and Andrew Stockey, anchor and sports director for WTAE Channel 4 Action News who served as master of ceremonies at the gala, address the guests at the Omni William Penn hotel in Pittsburgh.
years, received the President’s Emeritus Faculty Award. President Jones presented the Lillian M. Bassi Core Values Award, among the University’s most prestigious honors, to Drs. Ivan ’41 and Adelaide Ivill ’38 Guesman, lifelong educators whose philanthropy has touched Cal U in numerous ways. The
couple donated a guest room at the Kara Alumni House in memory of their parents, and they have supported scholarships for Cal U students. Ivan Guesman was unable to attend the gala, but Adelaide Guesman was on hand to accept the award. — Continued on page 2
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Alumni Advise, Encourage Class of 2013 — Continued from page1 She urged the master’s degree candidates to serve responsibly for the greater good. “Pursue a meaningful life with passion and purpose,” Shanley said. “Cal U has provided you with the knowledge, skills and disposition to be someone great. Now it’s in your hands.” Camillo also reflected on his life’s journey and events that led to his career in counterterrorism. Then he spoke candidly to the undergraduates. “Don’t take anything for granted,” he said. “After you complete your graduation victory lap, you’d better get busy, because you’re about to enter a competitive job market. The world is more flat than ever, and we are now in a global market. You now have a newly minted credential to add to your tool kit. There’s a career for you out there — go get it!” Like Shanley and President Jones, he congratulated the families and friends of the graduates for the sacrifices they made to help the graduates reach this academic milestone. “They did it!” Camillo said to a cheering audience. Before undergraduates received their diplomas, Alexandra Brooks and Keith Fuller, chairs of the Senior Gift Drive Committee, presented President Jones with a check for more than $10,000 contributed by graduating seniors and their families. Nearly $50,000 has been raised for an endowed scholarship since the first senior class donation was delivered at the spring 2010 Commencement. “Those of us who worked on and contributed to the 2013 Senior Class Gift Drive certainly embrace the idea of a lifelong relationship with Cal U,” Fuller said. Afterward the graduates filed out, happiness permeated the Convocation Center and the courtyard outside its doors. Amijo Frazier earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in history. “I’m super excited to be here for Commencement, since it has taken me many years to get to this point,” she said. “It’s a great day for everyone.” Robert Zajack earned his Bachelor of Science degree in biology, magna cum laude, three years after leaving high school, where he got a head start by earning 12 college credits. His mother, longtime Cal U employee Neldene Zajack, earned her associate degree in technical studies with a minor business, but
At left, Interim President Geraldine M. Jones proudly accepts a check for more than $10,000 contributed by graduating seniors and their families at the 176th Commencement in the Convocation Center. The check was presented by Alexandra Brooks and Keith Fuller, chairs of the Senior Gift Drive Committee. Below, Dr. Deborah Ann Shanley ’74 urges the master’s degree candidates to serve responsibly for the greater good during her address at the graduate Commencement ceremony. Mark Camillo ’76 tells undergraduates to be ready for a competitive job market.
she opted to stay in the crowd because “it was Bob’s day.” Robert Zajack said graduating with his mom “gives me the ‘we did it’ feeling rather than the ‘I did it’ feeling,” adding that his father will earn a bachelor’s degree from Cal U this summer . “Probably my favorite aspect of my time at Cal U was how personal, approachable, and down to earth my biology professors were. They made me feel right at home,” he said. Lucie Fremeau earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in communication studies, magna cum laude, with a concentration in public relations. Her Commencement weekend began on May 16 when she spoke with
President Jones, who was visiting graduates at lunchtime in the Natali Student Center. “The fact that the President is personally talking to all the graduates is why I love it here,” said Fremeau. Before the graduates filed out of the Convocation Center, President Jones reminded the Class of 2013that their relationship with Cal U never ends. “As you prepare to walk across the stage this morning to receive your diploma, please pause for a second and give yourself a mental pat on the back,” Jones told the graduates. “May your life be filled with continued successes, just enough challenges to make it interesting, and abundant joy.”
More than 200 ‘Rise & Shine’ at Gala — Continued from page1
Above, President’s Faculty Award recipients Drs. John Nass and Cassandra Kuba proudly display their awards with Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones. Awardee Dr. Carol Bocetti was leading a study-abroad trip and could not attend the event. At left, Adelaide Ivill Guesman ’38, the 2013 recipient of the Lillian M. Bassi Core Values Award along with her husband, Dr. Ivan Guesman ’41, who was unable to attend the gala, reflects on the couple’s memories of being students at California State Teachers College.
“Ivan and I had many wonderful, wonderful years of teaching. We selected the right vocation,” she said. “I am happy that I attended California State Teachers College, CSTC … and I’m happy to receive this award.” Adelaide Guesman promised to place the engraved crystal vase on the mantel in the couple’s living room, where a number of awards, including several from Cal U, are proudly displayed. “I hope we all can speak as well and be in such good health in our 90s as Mrs. Guesman!” said Annette Ganassi, a member of the Council of Trustees, who attended with her husband, Greg Terpin. “She and Mr. Guesman have such love, compassion and respect for each other and their careers. She’s truly an altruistic alumna. “And the gala? Beautiful people, delicious food, lovely awards, great conversation, lots of laughs, terrific music — it was a great evening. I loved it!” In addition to President Jones and her husband, Jeffrey, attendees included Dr. David L. Amati, president of the Foundation for
California University, and his wife, Kathleen; Dr. Bruce Barnhart, acting provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, with his wife, Mary Jo; recent Commencement speaker Teresa Dunn, a board member for Rampart Global Inc., with her husband, Dennis; and numerous other alumni, faculty, staff, students and University friends. In addition to dinner and music by the doo-wop band Pure Gold, this year’s event included a live auction that also boosted the scholarship fund. Video presentations included what Stockey called “a highlight reel for the 2012-2013 academic year” and a touching thank-you montage featuring more than a dozen Cal U students. “Those amazing students will have a brighter future because of you,” Stockey told the guests. “My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed attending the President’s Gala,” said Michael Silva, general manager of the Cal U Convocation Center for VenuWorks. “I am very pleased that VenuWorks’ table sponsorship went to such a great cause — to help Cal U students — and I look forward to attending the event again next year.”
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Memorial Bench, Tree Dedicated
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Earth Day Cleanup Judy Zheng and other Cal U students remove trash along First Street in California Borough during the California Earth Day Community Cleanup Celebration. Event coordinator Kelsey Rufft, vice president of the Geology Club, reports that more than 100 Cal U students volunteered their time on April 22. Cleanup crews collected 43 bags of trash. In addition, seven bins of plastic and five bins of glass and aluminum were recycled. Interesting ‘finds’ included 13 tires, a car bumper and a metal post from an old fence in Wyatt Park. ‘Throughout the day many community members approached our registration table and thanked us for what we were doing,’ Rufft said. ‘We hope to do this again in the future.’
embers of the campus community joined with family and friends of the late Kody Dwire on May 16 to dedicate a bench and a tree in memory of the geology major, who died last year in a car accident. The bench is located at the flag plaza near Old Main, and the tree, a dawn redwood, is outside Dixon Hall. Dwire’s family donated the bench, and the Cal U Geology Club contributed funds for the tree. The family also has endowed the Kody Gene Dwire Scholarship Fund at Cal U. “He was a quiet kid who made quite an impression,” recalled Dr. Kyle Fredrick, associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences and the Geology Club adviser. “He made his family better, his friends better and me better.” Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones and Acting Provost Dr. Bruce Barnhart also offered remarks on behalf of Cal U at the ceremony.
Five Faculty Members Earn Merit Awards
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ive Cal U faculty members are recipients of 2013 Faculty Merit Awards. Given by the subcommittees of the Faculty Professional Development Committee (FPDC), the awards recognize Cal U professors who are engaged in exceptional research, committed to teaching, using grants and contracts, devoted to service or exploring cutting-edge technology. The awards were presented at a luncheon on May 17. Winners are Dr. Sarah Downey, of the Department of English, for research; Dr. Elizabeth Larsen, Department of Justice, Law and Society, for service and service-learning; Ryan Sittler, Department of Library Services, for technology; Dr. Susan Ryan, Department of Earth Sciences, for grants and contracts; and Dr. Craig Fox, Department of Philosophy, for teaching and learning. Each recipient received a plaque and a $1,000 award; all were recognized at Commencement. The monetary awards
Interim President Geraldine M. Jones (center) joins 2013 Faculty Merit Award winners (from left) Dr. Craig Fox, Dr. Elizabeth Larsen, Dr. Sarah Downey and Ryan Sittler after the May 17 awards ceremony. Also honored by the Faculty Professional Development Committee was Dr. Susan Ryan.
can be used for professional activity such as travel, supplies, equipment, books or periodicals, publications, or professional
memberships. Co-chairs of the FPDC for 20122013 were Dr. Craig Smith and
Professor Julia McGinnis. The Faculty Center coordinator is Dr. Kurt Kearcher. Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones thanked the members of the Faculty Professional Development Committee. “The opportunities available through FPDC for grants, travel, workshops and other initiatives encourage you, as faculty members, to engage in work and activities important to you and to your area of expertise, which leads to improved teaching and learning environments here at Cal U,” she said. “Please know that I appreciate and applaud the work of every faculty member gathered here today, as well as your faculty colleagues across campus. There is no doubt that faculty members enrich students’ lives, encourage their intellectual pursuits, and engage them in meaningful research,” she added. “I thank you very much for all you do to ensure that our students get the very best education here at Cal U.”
Senior is Finalist in PASSHE Business Plan Contest
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future-is-now idea for the food and beverage industry earned Cal U senior James Palanza a spot as a finalist in the 2012-2013 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Business Plan competition. Palanza, a communications major, has developed a system called One Touch, which allows customers to place food and drink orders remotely at kiosks or via smart phones. The system also can be programmed to automatically pour certain made-to-order beverages. The PASSHE Business Plan competition is designed to give student entrepreneurs real-world experience in developing and pitching their business ideas. Judges select the top three winners, who receive money to assist in the startup of their proposed ventures. This year, 212 business ideas were submitted in the competition, including 13 from Cal U. Those were reduced to 58 — six from Cal U — and then to 21 semi-finalists. In addition to Palanza, Courtney Scanlon, a senior business major, placed in the top 21 for her plan, Color Me Courtney, a mobile spray tan business. Krutarth Patel, a student at IUP, submitted the winning plan, for an Internet and mobile-based marketing platform to help small businesses market
their promotions to college students. Winners were announced at an awards banquet in Harrisburg on April 15. Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones, Acting Provost Bruce Barnhart, and Kelly Hunt, executive director of the Entrepreneurial Leadership Center at Cal U, attended the event. The ELC, located in Coover Hall, coordinated entries and provided support to students in the competition. “Making it to the finals was quite an honor, and with so many entrants, it’s hard to believe I made it to the final seven,” Palanza said. “I had the pleasure of displaying and pitching my business to many people, from past PASSHE competition winners to our own President Jones. … Unfortunately, I didn’t place for any of the prizes, but if anything, all the positive feedback I received only strengthens my confidence in my concept.” Palanza plans to build on his experience by continuing to market his idea as he looks for financial partnerships with potential investors. “I’ll also be continuing to refine the concept and possibly create a campaign on the popular website Kickstarter — a financial crowd-sourcing platform for startup businesses,” he said.
Cal U senior James Palanza discusses his idea, which allows customers to place food and drink orders remotely at kiosks or via smart phones, with President Geraldline M. Jones.
Last year, Chaz Sztroin, who graduated with a degree in graphic communications, took second place overall in the PASSHE Business Plan Competition for his plan to promote mixed martial arts competitions. He currently is a co-owner of Octane Mixed Martial Arts in Charleroi, Pa.
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Alumni Named to Mon Valley Hall of Fame
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Larry Papini
Bill Lee
Bernie Floriani
or the seventh consecutive year, California University graduates will be inducted into the MidMon Valley All Sports Hall of Fame (MMVASHOF). This year three Cal U alumni are inductees: the late Bernie Floriani ’70, William Lee ’67, and Larry Papini ’56. Floriani graduated from West Newton High School in 1965. An AllState basketball standout, he was the school’s leading scorer and rebounder. At Cal U he finished with 1,267 career points and scored 28 points in the Vulcans’ 1970 PSAC championship game win over Cheyney. Floriani was a two-time Associated Press All-State and All-NAIA District 18 selection, as well as the PSAC-West Most Valuable Player in 1970. A 1997 Cal U Hall of Fame inductee, he ranked eighth nationally in rebounds in 1970 and averaged 18.4 points as a junior and 21 points as a senior. He later served as the state of Delaware’s supervisor of reading and language arts for grades K-12. Floriani passed away Sept. 26, 2005. A 1963 graduate of Charleroi High School, Lee was a scholastic quarterback and star pitcher.
He started as quarterback for the Vulcans football team from the end of his 1963 freshman season into 1966, and he helped the 1965 team rank among the nation’s top 10 in passing offense. In 1966 Lee passed for a single-game school-record 367 yards in a win over Lock Haven. He was inducted into the Cal U Hall of Fame in 2011. A PIAA licensed football official for 28 years, Lee also was a teacher and a successful businessman. He now is in his 11th year as the mayor of Speers, Pa. He previously served on Speers Borough Council and the Charleroi School Board. A three-sport star at California Community High School, Papini relinquished his amateur status in 1954 while attending Cal U and signed a Minor League Baseball contract with the Boston Red Sox. He compiled a batting average of .273 while playing for Decatur, Ill., in the Midwest League, and hit .396 for Crestview, Fla., in the Alabama-Florida League.
Orr Catches PSAC Scholar Award
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unior John Orr has become the first member of the Cal U baseball team to receive the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Champion Scholar Award. An outfielder, Orr accepted the award last month during the PSAC championships at Johnstown, Pa. The Vulcans placed third at that eight-team tournament. Initiated during the 2011-2012 academic year, the award is presented at each of the PSAC’s 23 team championship finals. It honors the male and female student at each contest with the highest cumulative grade-point average. The selection criteria for the awards is identical to that of the NCAA Elite 88 awards, which honor the studentathlete with the top GPA at each of the championship finals sites of the 88 NCAA championships across divisions I, II and III. A native of Shaler, Pa., Orr is a biology major with a concentration in pre-medicine. He boasts a cumulative GPA of 3.98. A two-time PSAC Scholar Athlete, he has been named to the Cal U Athletic Director’s Honor Roll each semester. Orr batted .280 this past season, with 17 starts. He helped the Vulcans win the PSAC-West championship and make a fifth consecutive PSAC Tournament appearance.
Papini quit professional baseball to become a teacher. He taught math at California High School for 41 years before retiring in 1997. Over the years, Papini served as a varsity head coach in baseball, football and both girls’ and boys’ basketball. His 1981-1982 girls’ team reeled off 19 straight wins on its way to a 22-1 record and the Section 15 championship. Lee said it’s an honor to be inducted with two other Vulcans, and he reflected on his years as a Cal U commuter student who like to hang out in Vulcan Lounge. “I got a well-rounded education that prepared me for the world, and I made a tremendous number of lifelong friends,” he said. “When I come in contact with someone I have not seen for awhile, I always take them for a ride through campus. They can’t believe it. I am a very proud alumnus.” This year’s Mon Valley Hall of Fame banquet will be held Friday in the Willow Room, Rostraver Township. The other inductees are Brian Miller Bowman, Michael Bright, Gary Cramer and writer Ron Paglia.
GRANTS AWARDED The Office of Sponsored Programs and Research reports that: • In collaboration with a team from Intermediate Unit 1, Dr. Kevin Koury and Dr. Christine Peterson, both of the College of Education and Human Services, have been awarded $358,672 for the second project year of the Cal U/IU1 English as a Second Language Professional Development Project.
Junior outfielder John Orr is the fourth Cal U student-athlete to receive the PSAC Champion Scholar Award during the 2012-2013 academic year.
Overall, Orr’s selection marks the eighth time that a Cal U student-athlete has received this academic distinction. Orr is the fourth Vulcan to win the award during the 2012-2013 year. Volleyball junior setter Abbey Freund and senior women’s distance runner Erin Kling have received this academic accolade each of the past two autumns. Also earning the Champion Scholar Award last fall was Cal U junior Stephanie Thompson, a midfielder on the women’s soccer team. In 2011-2012, Vulcan student-
athletes Kristen Orrett (soccer), and Tim Lahmers (cross country) joined Kling and Freund in winning the award. “John Orr is everything a studentathlete should be and exemplifies what we try to teach as coaches,” said head baseball coach Mike Conte. “Through his actions on the field and in the classroom, in his work habits and the way he treats others throughout the day, John has really defined what you need to do be successful as a studentathlete.”
• John Kula and Laura Giachetti, of the Department of Academic Development Services, have been awarded two Upward Bound continuation grant awards from the U.S. Department of Education. For the 2013-2014 project year, Upward Bound has been awarded $366,729 for Fayette County and $248, 771 for Greene County. The program helps to prepare eligible high school students for success in college. • Donna George and Dr. Timothy Susick, of the Department of Student Affairs, have been awarded a $5,000 grant from the Washington Drug and Alcohol Commission to host a conference about problem gambling. In addition to the University community, members of the clergy, school counselors, addiction therapists and social work professionals will be invited to attend.
The California Journal is published weekly by California University of Pennsylvania, a member of The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Geraldine M. Jones Interim University President
Robert Thorn Vice President for Administration and Finance
Dr. Nancy Pinardi Interim Vice President for Student Affairs
Dr. Bruce Barnhart Acting Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
Craig Butzine Vice President for Marketing and University Relations/ Interim Vice President of University Development and Cal U for Life
Christine Kindl Editor
Dr. Charles Mance Vice President for University Technology Services
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