Cal U Journal - November 17, 2014

California University

Volume 16, Number 16 NoV. 17, 2014 Read the JouRnal online: www.calu.edu/news/the-journal

Gutman Grants Aid Student Research

G

Meteorology club members gain practical experience such as launching a weather balloon at the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh.

C

Meteorology Chapter Tops in United States

al U’s meteorology club has added another honor to its portfolio. The Southwest Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Meteorological Society again has been named Outstanding Student Chapter of the Year.

The chapter will be recognized at the 95th AMS annual meeting, set for Jan. 4-8 in Phoenix, “for its long-standing educational outreach, its strong, multifaceted focus on member education, and exemplary interaction with other local chapters.”

The club received AMS Chapter of the Year honors in 2008-2009, and it was recognized as the National Weather Association Chapter of the Year in both 2007 and 2010.

“This honor not only helps our club, but it’s also a great reflection on the entire meteorology program,” said club president Joshua Gebauer, a senior. “Throughout the meteorology community, AMS is a very prominent organization where all the leading research comes through.

“Because students from all across the country see this, they will be excited and want to come to a school that has a successful club being recognized by the AMS.”

Holiday music, theater From left, Nick Franczak, Emily Bittner and Jason Cap rehearse for the Cal U Department of Theatre and Dance’s performance of ‘Miracle on 34th Street, The Musical’ Dec. 4-6 in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre. For more information on this and other holiday musical offerings, see page 4.

Founded in 1919 and headquartered in Boston, with a second office in Washington, D.C., the AMS has a membership of more than 14,000 professionals, researchers, scientists, broadcasters, educators, students and weather enthusiasts.

At the group’s national conference, members of Cal U’s club will join others representing successful student and adult chapters for a panel discussion about how to achieve success.

Cal U students will describe their club’s educational outreach to K-12 schools, meteorology efforts on campus, participation in the annual StormFest educational event and the popular Colloquia Series of speakers, Gebauer said.

Led by educational outreach chair Jason Dohoda, club members regularly visit area schools. They have traveled as far north as Brockway, Pa., to teach younger students about all aspects of earth science.

In addition to weather forecasting for on-campus groups such as CUTV, the club provides a “Weather on the Web” service through its YouTube page.

— Continued on page 3

raduate students Morgan Lauff and Kelly Rogers, along with undergraduates Steven Hensel and Sean Wineland, are the 2014-2015 recipients of Jesse B. Guttman Student Research Grants.

The research grant program rewards young scholars at Cal U who are actively pursuing new avenues of academic achievement within their specific disciplines of study.

The program was established to honor the late Jesse B. Guttman, who along with his brothers, Leo and Howard, founded the Guttman Oil Co., Guttman Realty and Mon River Towing. These companies, now under the umbrella of the Guttman Group, employ numerous individuals in the Mon Valley.

Lauff is a school psychology major.

Her project is an equivalence study of children’s memory, using a scale that compares traditional and digital formats.

Her faculty mentor/sponsor is Dr. Angela Bloomquist, associate professor in the Department of Psychology.

Rogers, also a school psychology major, is examining the equivalence of digital assessments of the NEPSY-II Subtests with the traditional (paper) format in school-based evaluations. Her faculty mentor/sponsor is Dr. Dana Schneider, associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences.

Hensel, a geology major, is researching the relationship between spatial and temporal rates for a laterally incising stream. His faculty mentor/sponsor is Dr. Kyle Fredrick, associate professor in the Department of Psychology.

A biology major, Wineland is studying the effect of temperature on the rate of tail regeneration in the northern dusky salamander, Desmognathus fuscus.

His faculty adviser is Dr. Brian Paulson, professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences.

Hensel’s and Wineland’s project results will be presented in spring 2015 at an academic event being planned by Cal U’s Center for Undergraduate Research. Lauff ’s and Rogers’ findings will be presented next fall at the Student Scholarship and Creativity event.

A six-member team of faculty members selects the Guttman grant recipients. The team includes selection chair Dr. Daniel Harris, of the Department of Earth Sciences; Dr. Rebecca Hess, of the Department of Exercise Science and Sport Studies; Dr. Kurt Kearcher, English; Dr. Elizabeth — Continued on page 3

Page 2

NoV. 17, 2014

Attorney Maps Path to Career in Law

S

tudents seeking a career in law should take a variety of undergraduate classes and then choose the law school that best fits their goals.

That was the advice from attorney A. Tereasa Rerko ’79, who spoke Nov. 6 at a free event sponsored by the American Democracy Project at Cal U. “You can be in any major before going to law school,” the attorney said.

“The most important thing is to take classes that help you (learn to) write.

Honing your writing skills is priceless, because you’ll use them all the time as a lawyer.”

In legal practice since 1984, Rerko is a partner at Quatrini Rafferty, Attorneys at Law, in Greensburg, Pa. She represents injured workers and disabled claimants in her practice, which concentrates on workers’ compensation and Social Security disability claims.

She is a former member of the American Bar Association and a current member of NOSSCR, the National Organization of Social Security Claimant’s Representatives. She has been listed in “Who’s Who in American Lawyers” annually since 1997.

Attorney A. Tereasa Rerko ’79 advises students to hone their writing skills to succeed in law school.

In addition to writing classes, courses that improve a student’s analytical and “people” skills have value for would-be attorneys, Rerko said.

“I joke that I have a counseling degree on the side, because of all the talking I do with people. You also want to take any courses that make you think and use logic to solve problems.”

Although she watches some of the many law shows on television, she reminded students that cases are not solved and big verdicts handed down within an hour.

“Mundane is the word I would use to describe practicing law. It’s usually not glamorous, but helping people in need can be very rewarding.”

She said she enjoys the flexibility of working for a small legal practice, but acknowledged that some students might prefer a larger employer. “The sky’s the limit with a law degree,” she said.

Rerko was invited to speak by Dr. Melanie Blumberg, a professor in the Department of History and Political Science and the campus coordinator for the American Democracy Project. Both Rerko and Blumberg are strong advocates of community service.

“I feel it’s very important to give back to the community, and I strongly encourage that you students do the same,” Rerko told the audience. “You can be the smartest person in the world, but law school admissions staff are looking for well-roundedness. Everyone is, or should be … doing things for their community or society.”

Senior Keith Taylor, a marketing major with a minor in pre-law, said he enjoyed Rerko’s talk.

“This was definitely worth it, because she gave you a good feel of what you’ll need to do even to try to get into law school,” he said. “(She explained) the skills … you need to sharpen.”

Campus BRIEFS Scholarship, Creativity on Display Student Scholarship and Creativity Day will take place from 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Tuesday in the Convocation Center’s south wing. At this poster session, students will display their research findings, class projects or literature reviews.

Free and open to the public, tomorrow’s event is sponsored by the Research Subcommittee of the Faculty and Professional Development Committee.

Presidents Visit from Overseas

Dr. Barbara Alice Mann, a scholar and author of Native American studies, answers questions from Cal U students after speaking to a capacity crowd Nov. 6 in Eberly Hall.

Speaker Expands Understanding of Iroquois

A

lthough Native Americans were given full U.S. citizenship in 1924, it wasn’t until the passage of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act of 1978 that they could express themselves freely.

As part of Cal U’s annual celebration of Native American Heritage Month, Dr. Barbara Alice Mann, an associate professor in the Jesup Scott Honors College at the University of Toledo, discussed the plight and persistent spirit of North America’s indigenous people.

In particular, Mann shared insights on the vibrant Iroquois people when she spoke to a capacity crowd Nov. 6 in Eberly Hall.

“It was dangerous to say who you were really,” said Mann, a scholar of Native American studies, an author and an elder of the Ohio Bear Clan, Seneca (Iroquois), a Native American group with ancestral ties to the southern shores of Lake Erie.

“People will make things true on paper when they’re not true on the ground. Native Americans were sort of hiding in plain sight.”

Mann said that even in a constantly changing world, the Iroquois hold on to their beliefs and traditions.

“For the Iroquois, ‘twinship’ is the abiding

principle that organizes nature,” she explained.

The principle holds that everything that exists does so by halves; a thing is only complete when it is paired with its naturally reciprocating half.

“The notion that a tradition or belief is old so it’s not useful is just not true. “ Designated by Congress and the president, national Native American Heritage Month celebrates the heritage and contributions of the first Americans to the history and culture of the United States.

“We are very excited to be able to bring a respected Native community representative to the region, and an important part of this program is to start this conversation with dialogue,” said Dr. Clarissa Confer, director of the LaDonna Harris Indigenous Peoples Institute at Cal U and an associate professor in the Department of History and Political Science.

“One thing we are really interested in is to start to see native people not being static or being stereotyped. That’s one of the reason we bring new programs in — to open horizons and get you (students) to ask questions and look at indigenous cultures in a little bit of a different way than you have before.”

The campus community is invited to join interim President Geraldine M. Jones and acting Provost Dr. Bruce Barnhart in welcoming representatives from the Turkish Cultural Council of Pittsburgh and a delegation of university presidents from Africa, Central and Southeast Asia, Europe and South America.

An open session at 11 a.m. Thursday will focus on opportunities for research collaboration and international exchange programs for student and faculty. The event will be held in the south wing of the Cal U Convocation Center.

For more information, e-mail Elizabeth Bennellick at bennellick@calu.edu or Dr. Ali Sezer at sezer@calu.edu.

GACO Fair Draws 250 Deborah Wojcik, director of Cal U’s Government Agency Coordination Office (GACO), reported that last month’s 27th annual Procurement Opportunities Fair attracted more than 250 participants. The event was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Washington, Pa. Focused on providing businesses with contracting and subcontracting opportunities, the fair featured 70 booths occupied by government agencies, corporations, regional service organizations and area businesses. Training sessions were offered.

“Through these events businesses have access to multiple buyers for their goods and services,” Wojcik said.

Since 1985, local businesses assisted by the GACO program have reported receiving more than 49,500 contracts and subcontracts totaling nearly $3.3 billion dollars.

The next fair will be held Oct. 23, 2015, at the Four Points by Sheraton, in Mars, Pa.

Schedules Change for Thanksgiving To mark the Thanksgiving holiday, no classes will be held from Nov. 26 through Dec. 1.

The University will be closed Nov. 27-28 and will reopen Monday, Dec. 1. Classes will resume on Tuesday, Dec. 2.

Residence Halls will close at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25, and re-open at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30.

The final California Journal of the Fall 2014 semester will be available online Dec. 8.

NoV. 17, 2014

Page 3

Heim Speaks About Persian Treasures

D

Cal U is hosting a Military and Veteran Suicide Prevention Program from 2-4 p.m. today in Eberly Hall, Room 110.

Today’s Suicide Prevention Program Focuses on Veterans

E

ach day an estimated 22 U.S. military veterans die by suicide, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. That’s more than 8,000 a year or nearly 1,100 more than the combined number of casualties in both Iraq and Afghanistan since 2001.

So individuals can learn to identify the warning signs, and what they can do to help, Cal U is hosting a Military and Veteran Suicide Prevention Program from 2-4 p.m. today in Eberly Hall, Room 110.

Organized and presented by Cal U staff, the program is free and open to the public.

Capt. Robert Prah, director of the Office of Veterans Affairs at Cal U, is one of the presenters. A member of the Army National Guard, he is a suicide intervention officer and a trainer for the Army-approved Ask, Care, Escort (ACE) suicide prevention and awareness

training program.

“Suicide attempts or ideations are real, on not only our campus but across the nation,” Prah said.

“The military spends years training our reserve and active-duty service members for deployment, but re-adjusting to civilian life doesn’t take place overnight. Our intent is to bring awareness to this very important issue.”

Capt. Carolyn Clements and Jason Brosk also will take part in the program.

Clements is the assistant director and military coordinator for Cal U Global Online, the University’s online learning community. She is a trainer for Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), the Army-approved intervention training for Army leaders, chaplains and other care providers.

Brosk is a readjustment counseling therapist who works with veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs center

in McKeesport, Pa. Suicide impacts families, friends and loved ones forever, Prah said, and prevention efforts definitely are needed.

“The resources are available. There are trained professionals available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We want to share these resources with our participants in hopes they will know where to refer someone who may be in need.”

Since 2009, nearly 1.1 million veterans have enrolled at colleges and universities across the nation.

“The concern about suicide is real,” Prah added. “One is one too many.

Together we can save lives of our fellow veterans.”

Visitor parking is available in the Vulcan garage, off Third Street near the campus entrance. For more information call 724-938-4076 or visit the Cal U website at www.calu.edu.

Guttman Grants Support Student Research

Meteorology Club educational outreach chair Jason Dohoda teaches California Area Elementary School students about earth science.

— Continued from page 1 Larsen, Modern Languages, Philosophy and Socio-Cultural Studies; Dr. Shirley Lazorchak, Business and Economics; and Dr. Carolyn Wass, Social Work.

Established in 1988, the Jesse B. Guttman Research Endowment is the first permanent fund for research at Cal U. Both undergraduate and graduate students, in all disciplines, are eligible to apply for the research grant funding. Each applicant must have a faculty sponsor and be enrolled as a full-time student. Applicants must submit a proposal following the program’s guidelines, and a final report must be submitted at the completion of any funded project. The research must be completed within one year.

For more information about the Guttman research grants, contact Suzanne Powers, director of Graduate Recruitment and Admissions, at powers_s@calu.edu.

r. Joseph Heim, a professor in the Department of History and Political Science, last month participated via videoconference in a one-day symposium at the British Library in London.

The library is digitizing its collection of Persian manuscripts, which date from the 14th to the 17th centuries.

Heim has studied the illustrated Dr. Joseph Heim manuscripts for many years and published several scholarly articles about them.

Heim recalled studying the manuscripts when he was a graduate student at Cambridge University.

They were created during the Timurid, Safavid and Mughal dynasties, he explained, and their exquisite and highly refined miniature paintings are among the world’s greatest Islamic art treasures.

“These Persian works are a delight for the eye. They offer a perfect world of stillness and calm, a place of royal magnificence in miniature, with exquisite use of color and calligraphy,” he said.

The symposium was featured on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in London, as well as the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) in Tehran.

Heim also is making use of a copy of the British Library’s Baburnama, memoirs of the Mughal Emperor Babur, for an article to be published next year as part of a book

by Harvard University Press.

Meteorology Club Tops in U.S. — Continued from page 1 StormFest, the annual educational outreach event at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh, is hosted in part by the club and the Earth Sciences Department, in collaboration with the Science Center. Cal U meteorology students staff the event, along with students from other majors Each year the meteorology club hosts talks by professionals in meteorology and related fields. Now in

its fourth year, free Colloquia Series presentations are open to the University community and the public.

Club members also comprise the Three Rivers Chapter of the National Weather Association. Last month students attended that organization’s 39th annual conference, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

“We try to get out there and make a positive impact,” Gebauer said.

Dr. Mario Majcen is the club’s faculty adviser. Dr. Chad Kauffman and Dr. Swarn Gill also assist the group.

Page 4

NoV. 17, 2014

Cal U Presents ‘34th Street, The Musical’

F

Students from the Department of Music have scheduled several performances as the holiday season approaches.

Holiday Music in the Air

S

tudents from the Department of Music have scheduled several performances as the holiday season approaches.

• On Tuesday the Cal U Jazz Ensemble will perform its annual fall concert at 8 p.m. in Morgan Hall auditorium. Tomorrow’s free concert is open to the Cal U community and to the public.

• At 6 p.m. Wednesday the Jazz Ensemble will perform a free concert for an open house at the Claysville Community Center. Jazz fans can hear the ensemble, under the direction of Dr. Marty Sharer, at 225 Main St. Claysville, Pa. “All are welcome to both performances,” Sharer said. “We are excited about performing on campus and then out in the community.”

• On Sunday, the University Choir will perform “The Magnificat,” by British composer John Rutter, as part of a holiday choral presentation at 3 p.m. in Morgan Hall auditorium.

Choir director Dr. Yugo Ikach said the performance will open with numbers by the Cal Singers and a cappella groups Acapella Stella and Vulcanize. Choir members and a 22-piece orchestra will follow with “The Magnificat,” a musical setting of the Biblical canticle. Freshmen sopranos Elizabeth

Brueggeman and Hannah Kovscek will be soloists.

“The Rutter piece is wonderful,” Ikach said enthusiastically. “It should be an enjoyable evening.”

• The University Choir also will be caroling at various events, including Dec. 5 at California Borough’s Light Up Night festivities, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at the Mechanic Street basketball court.

• On Dec. 6-7, the Cal U Singers will join the Washington Symphony Orchestra for “Ho Ho Ho with the WSO” performances at Trinity High School’s auditorium. The Dec. 6 concert will be at 8 p.m., and the Dec. 7 matinee begins at 3 p.m.

Ikach, chair of Cal U’s Music Department, also serves as the WSO’s music director and principal conductor. At all WSO concerts, Cal U students are admitted free of charge with a valid CalCard.

For details about Cal U musical performances, contact the Department of Music at 724-938-4878 or e-mail ikach@calu.edu or sharer@calu.edu.

Tickets for the Washington Symphony Orchestra are available online at www.washsym.org or by calling 1-88871-TICKETS. Advance tickets for “Ho, Ho, Ho With the WSO” also are available at Washington Financial Bank branches, Citizens Library and Peters Township Public Library.

or the second consecutive year, Cal U’s Department of Theatre and Dance welcomes the holiday season with Miracle on 34th Street, The Musical.

Performances are set for 8 p.m. Dec. 4-6 in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre, with matinees at 2 p.m. Dec. 6 and 7.

All performances are open to the public. Children from area school districts will attend a school matinee at 10 a.m. Dec. 4 in Steele Hall.

Cal U’s performance incorporates University students and community talent. Based on the 20th Century-Fox Pictures production, its book, music and lyrics are all by Meredith Willson.

Filled with humor, spectacle and such beloved songs as “Pinecones and Hollyberries” and “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” this heartwarming musical is pure family entertainment.

The story takes place between the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and Christmas. It centers on a white-bearded gentleman who claims to be the real Santa Claus — and who brings about a genuine “miracle” on 34th Street, spreading a wave of love throughout New York City.

Dr. Michele Pagen, a professor and chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, is directing the show.

Kathy Sacco is providing musical direction, and choreography is by Maria Gismondi.

Among the Cal U students handling behind-the-scenes roles are Emily Lorence, assistant director; Alex Hagerty, company manager; Summer Gobel, dance captain; Dominic Carrola, accompanist; Kellee Cohlhepp, production stage manager; and assistant stage managers Nikki Davis, Molly Malady, Grant Prodan, Stephen Reddy and Katie Rendos.

Ticket price is $12 for patrons of all ages. Students with valid CalCards are admitted for 50 cents; a $5 deposit will be returned when the student attends a performance.

For more information, or to order tickets (with a credit card) by phone, call the Steele Hall Box Office at 724-938-5943.

Pottery Sale Open Dec. 2-4

Innovation Center Hosts Family Play Labs

T

he annual Holiday Student Pottery Sale will be held from 10 a.m. -8 p.m. Dec. 2 and from 10 a.m. -4 p.m. Dec. 3-4 in the Ceramics Studio, near Vulcan Hall.

The sale is open to the public, and complimentary refreshments will be served.

The sale features handcrafted holiday gifts including mugs, bowls, pitchers, jars and vases of all sizes. Members of the Student Pottery Association create all the handmade wares.

“This has really become a popular event over the years,” said Richard “Duke” Miecznikowski, professor in Cal U’s Department of Art and Design.

“Not only does the sale showcase the quality work of our students, but it’s also an excellent opportunity for the campus community and public to get a good start to their holiday shopping.”

For more information, contact the Department of Art and Design at 724-938-4182, or Miecznikowski at 724-938-4083 or miecznikowski@calu.edu.

S

aturday marks the first Family Play Lab at the Cal U Center for Innovation at Southpointe. The monthly series of hands-on programs is designed to give parents and their children a chance to enjoy activities involving science, technology, engineering and math.

Video game design will be the focus of Saturday’s Play Lab. Upcoming sessions focus on space travel (Dec. 13) and animation (Jan. 17).

Play Labs for elementary students (grades 3-5) meet from 9-11 a.m. Middle school students (grades 6-8) and their parents meet from noon-2 p.m. At least one student must fall within the grade range selected, and an adult must accompany all children.

All sessions take place at the Cal U Innovation Center at Southpointe, 135 Technology Drive, Canonsburg, Pa. Cost is $20 per family, payable upon registration; fees are nonrefundable. Registration is available at www.calu.edu.

For more information, contact community education manager Chris Allen at 724-873-2765 or e-mail allen@calu.edu.

Holiday shopping? Handmade items are available at the annual Holiday Pottery Sale.

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

Dr. Nancy Pinardi Interim Vice President for Student Affairs

Christine Kindl Editor

Dr. Bruce Barnhart Acting Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Craig Butzine Vice President for Marketing and University Relations

Bruce Wald Wendy Mackall Jeff Bender Writers

Robert Thorn Vice President for Administration and Finance

Office of Communications and Public Relations

250 University Avenue

California, PA 15419

724-938-4195

wald@calu.edu