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California University
Volume 18, Number 16 NoV. 21, 2016 Read the JouRnal
online:
www.calu.edu/news/the-journal
New Name, Same Committed Service
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al U’s newly renamed Office of Military and Veterans Affairs remains committed to providing a full array of services to an important segment of the Cal U community — all active-duty service members, members of the National Guard and military reserves, student and alumni veterans, and eligible dependents. “The name is a little longer, but it was necessary to be more inclusive,” said Capt. Robert Prah, director of the former Office of Veterans Affairs. “We wanted the name to encompass every Cal U military person and make sure they know the office is here to serve them in any way we can.” In addition to approving the name change, University President Geraldine M. Jones signed a proclamation declaring the week of Nov. 7-11 “California University of Pennsylvania Military and Veterans Appreciation Week.” “Our administrators, faculty, staff, students and alumni have a proud history of service in the U.S. armed forces, both in times of peace and in conflict,” she said. “California University is committed to providing services and support to all members of our military family.” Nearly 200 military veterans attend classes on Cal U’s campus, and more than 500 service members around the world are enrolled in Global Online, Cal U’s Internet-based learning community. The Office of Military and Veterans Affairs provides these students and their families with assistance in many areas, including financial aid, academic advising,
University President Geraldine M. Jones signs a proclamation designating Nov. 7-11 as ‘Military and Veterans Appreciation Week’ at Cal U. Looking on (from left) are senior Rachael Hough, a meteorology major, Air Force veteran and National Guard member; Capt. Robert Prah ’06, ’10, director of the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs; Sgt. 1st Class Jesse Maund ’11, an ROTC instructor at Cal U; and senior Delroy Blake, a technology management major, Army veteran and National Guard member.
counseling and career guidance. An active Veterans Club offers information and opportunities for networking and community service. In addition, the office regularly hosts testing for the prestigious German Armed Forced Proficiency Badge; honors veterans with a campuswide display of outdoor banners each fall; and provides a color
guard for University functions such as the recent presidential inauguration, Homecoming Parade and Homeland Security Conference. The office in Manderino Library, Room 317, even has computers equipped with military ID card readers, to make it simpler for student service members to register for correspondence
classes or travel vouchers. “Our office is the place that any military-related person on this campus can come to for help,” Prah said. “Many of them do, but the office’s former name had a connotation that we were more for older students or people who were done serving. “We are the Cal U resource for anything military.”
Speaker Notes Cal U Support for Military, Veterans
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During his keynote address at the 43rd annual Cal U Veterans Day Dinner Lt. Col. Jon Brierton ‘94 praises Cal U for its commitment to the University’s past and present military members.
t. Col. Jon Brierton ’94 believes that southwestern Pennsylvania and Cal U are special places for service members. He returned to campus Nov. 9 to speak at the 43rd annual Veterans Day Dinner. “In our area there’s an abundance of support for the military, and Cal U obviously plays a significant part in that,” he said. “Quite a few great veterans hail from this University and its ROTC program, which has produced many commissioned officers with great results.” After serving two overseas deployments and holding a variety of leadership and staff positions, Brierton now is the installations management directorate strategic planner for the Office of the Chief of Army Reserve, based near Washington, D.C. Among the Cal U alumni he singled out for praise were Lt. Gen. Alan R. Lynn ´79, director of the Defense Information Systems Agency and commander of Joint Force Headquarters at Fort Meade, Md., and Col. Lance Oskey ´91, commander for U.S. Army Cadet Command’s 7th Brigade. “Military students get their start here,” Brierton said. “Cal U is a stepping stone into the real world, where the University faculty and ROTC cadre shape their character and establish a solid foundation that’s rooted in personal values, principles and higher education.” — Continued on page 2
Still ‘Military Friendly’
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al U has been recognized as a 2017 Military Friendly® School, a designation that recognizes Cal U’s commitment to military service members, veterans and their families. The designation is awarded annually by Victory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs®, STEM JobsSM and Military Spouse magazines. It is designed to help service members and their families make the best use of the Post-9/11 GI Bill and other federal benefits by selecting a college where they can acquire the education needed to pursue a civilian career. Cal U has received the designation each year since 2010.
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Seattle Hosts Cal U Honors Students
ine students from the University Honors Program represented Cal U last month at the annual National Collegiate Honors Council conference in Seattle, Wash. With a theme of “Know Yourself,” the conference offered opportunities for personal discovery, networking with honors students from around the country, and exploring the “enlightened and highly progressive city” of Seattle. Cal U students organized a roundtable discussion and presented posters at the conference, which is highly selective in its acceptance of poster submission proposals. Honors students who presented posters were business major Emily Price, “Analysis and Marketing Strategy Development for California University of Pennsylvania;” environmental studies major Krysten Simmons, “Innocence Throughout Time and Art;” psychology major Taylor Dunn, “Sexual Frustration;” and pre-K education/special education major Hannah Kovscek, “Measuring the Success of Honors First-Year Seminar through End-of-Semester Assessments” (in collaboration with honors program director Dr. Mark Aune) and “Comparing Scholastic’s ‘100 Greatest Books for Kids’ to Elementary School Teachers’ Classroom Literature.” Kovscek said presenting at the NCHC conference fulfilled a goal she had set herself three years ago, while attending an Honors Program Open House as a high school senior. “Both the conference and the city itself exceeded my expectations,” said Kovscek, who said she especially enjoyed the vibe of Seattle’s Pike Place Market. “Presenting at the conference was a fantastic experience.” Business major Jared Sofranko, parks and recreation management major Bryan Moore, and psychology major Lindsay Kastroll organized a roundtable discussion, “Community Building: Increasing Retention in Honors Programs through Student Activities and Optional Committees.”
Hannah Kovscek with her poster presentation at the National Collegiate Honors Council conference in Seattle, Wash.
“Most of (the student participants) gave good ideas on ways of keeping students involved,” Sofranko said. “I would have to say that downtown Seattle reminds me a lot of downtown Pittsburgh, except with more rain,” he added. “We all kept saying it felt like we’d never left home.” Also traveling to Seattle were students Adam Andresen and Brynna Sherony, members of the Student Honors Advisory Board. Dr. Craig Fox, assistant director of the honors
program, and Dr. Cynthia Persinger, of the Department of Communication, Design and Culture, traveled with the group and presented “Words and Objects: Cultivating Meaningful Discussions About Art.” Kovscek is already looking ahead to the 2017 NCHC conference in Atlanta, Ga. “I was able to network with students and faculty from all across the world that had the same research interests as me,” she said. “Needless to say, I’m already planning on proposal ideas for next year’s conference.”
Speaker Notes Support for Military, Veterans
— Continued from page 1
Cal U students Zach Bogardus, Rachel Simmons and Shaina Hilsey collect gifts for last year’s Toys for Tots toy drive through the 96.1 KISS-FM Stuff-a-Bus program. This year’s bus will be stuffed on Dec. 1.
Students Collecting Toys to Stuff Bus
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al U students are collecting toys for needy children as the holiday season begins. Led by Student Government, more than two dozen student organizations are participating in the annual Toys for Tots toy drive through the 96.1 KISS-FM Stuff-a-Bus program. Toys and monetary donations are being collected now. At 11 a.m. Dec. 1, a Vulcan Flyer bus will park in front of the Natali Student Center, and students will stuff it with toys. This will mark the ninth consecutive year that Student Government has coordinated a Toys for Tots drive and the sixth year they’ve filled a Vulcan Flyer.
The toys will be delivered Dec. 3 to the KISS-FM Bus in Pittsburgh. “We are looking forward to collecting toys and donations from both the Cal U and local communities,” said Shaina Hilsey, president of Student Government. “Our students are well aware of those who are less fortunate, and we are eager to make a difference and help needy children enjoy the holidays.” Any member of the community can drop off a toy at boxes located in the Natali Student Center lobby or the Student Government Office, Suite 101A in the Natali Student Center. Monetary donations also are welcome. For more information, email stugov@calu.edu.
Brierton emphasized the role that family plays in service members’ lives. He and his wife, the former Laurie Braun ’93, have three sons: Adam, Nathan and Jacob. “Military life is hard, and it’s especially hard on families,” said Brierton, who had to relocate his family four times between 2008 and 2010. “When a service member is deployed, the spouse is a single parent. … The time spent away from home one never gets back.” Earlier in the program, University President Geraldine M. Jones and state Sen. Camera Bartolotta offered remarks. President Jones praised Cal U’s Office of Military and Veterans Affairs for the display of 58 colorful banners that highlight veterans’ military service. “If you noticed the banners decorating our campus, you’ll know that our University takes great pride in honoring those individuals who have served our nation with distinction,” President Jones said. “We have a long history of recognizing and remembering their courage and sacrifice — and we wholeheartedly welcome those veterans and service members who join our
University family.” Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 250 students, faculty and staff at Cal U have served in the U.S. military, including a number of students who have served multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. Both President Jones and Bartolotta reminded those in attendance to simply thank a veteran. “We must understand, honor and respect their sacrifices,” Bartolotta said. “We can do so by looking a veteran in the eye and saying ‘thank you’ from the heart.” Following a longstanding tradition, the recipient of the Col. Arthur L. Bakewell Veterans Scholarship was recognized at the event. This year’s recipient is junior Zachary T. Bosh, a technology management major. The scholarship is awarded annually in memory of Bakewell, a longtime Veterans Club adviser. It is funded through the generosity of the Veterans Scholarship Fund 500 Club. Brierton closed his talk by asking all veterans at the dinner to stand and be recognized. “Freedom isn’t free, folks,” he said. “The veterans of this great nation have sustained our way of life and paved the way for the freedoms and security we enjoy every day.”
Council of Trustees Meets Dec. 7
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he California University Council of Trustees will hold its final quarterly meeting of 2016 at 7 p.m. Dec. 7 in the President’s conference room, Room 110 of Old Main.
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Cue Up Holiday Music
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Rehearsing for the Department of Music and Theatre’s upcoming performance of ‘The Happy Elf’ are (from left) sophomores Jeshua Myers and Annabel Lorence, senior Nick Franczak and alumnus Jordan Brooks ´14. Showtime is at 7 p.m. Dec. 8-10 and 2 p.m. Dec. 10-11 in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre.
‘The Happy Elf’ Opens Dec. 8
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ommunity members ages 5-55 will join Cal U students onstage and behind the scenes when the Department of Music and Theatre performs The Happy Elf. This is the first time this holiday production has been presented at Cal U. It is based on a song by Grammy awardwinner Harry Connick Jr. Showtime is 7 p.m. Dec. 8-10, and at 2 p.m. Dec. 10-11, in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre. All performances are open to the public. Children from area school districts will attend a school matinee at 10 a.m. Dec. 9. “It’s exciting for our department to do a new holiday performance,” said Dr. Michele Pagen, who directs the production. “The Happy Elf is jazzy, fun and also has a heartwarming message. “I think audiences will fall in love with it, and we are again thrilled to have many members of the community involved.” The family-friendly musical comedy tells the story of Eubie
the Elf, one of Santa’s helpers, whose rose-colored view of the holiday season is put to the test when he sets out to bring Christmas joy to a dreary town called Bluesville. Among the Cal U students handling behind-the-scenes roles are Sidney Popielarcheck, production and stage manager; Jeff Higgins, sound design; and Grant Prodan, props design. Assistant stage managers are Cal U students Alyssa Freeman and Jasmine Cornelius, along with Waynesburg Central High School senior Betty Kline. Brian Eisiminger is providing musical direction, and choreography is by Maria Gismondi ’02. 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.
al U’s talented student musicians are tuning up for performances after the Thanksgiving break. Jazz ensembles under the direction of Dr. Frank Stetar will perform holiday tunes and an assortment of jazz melodies at 7 p.m. Nov. 30 in the Performance Center, inside the Natali Student Center. The Young and Gifted Gospel Choir, directed by Dr. Randy Tillmutt, will perform its fall concert at 5 p.m. Dec. 3, also in the Performance Center. Students from the East End United Community Center will receive gifts at the program, which is scheduled to include the South African folk song “Babethandaza” and a selection of holiday favorites. Both events are free and open to community. On Dec. 3 and 4, the Cal U Choir will join the Washington Symphony Orchestra to sing selections from Handel’s “Messiah” with the orchestra at “Ho Ho Ho with the WSO.” Choir director Dr. Yugo Ikach, of the Department of Music and Theatre, is the WSO’s music director and principal conductor. The Dec. 3 concert begins at 8 p.m., and the Dec. 4 matinee at 3 p.m., both at Trinity High School in Washington, Pa. For details about performances by Cal U musicians, contact the Department of Music and Theatre at 724-938-4878 or email directors Ikach (ikach@calu.edu), Stetar (stetar@calu.edu) or Tillmutt (tillmutt@calu.edu). Tickets for the WSO are available online at www.washsym.org or by calling 1-888-71-TICKETS. Tickets for “Ho, Ho, Ho with the WSO” are available at Citizens Library and Peters Township Public Library; tickets also are available at the door. Cal U students with a valid CalCard are admitted free to WSO concerts.
Commissioner: State Police Need Higher Education
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s communities across the country strive to improve relations between residents and police, Cal U’s 9th annual Homeland and International Security Conference focused on human security and “Building Community and Police Teams to Protect and Serve Our Citizens.” State Police Commissioner Col. Tyree C. Blocker was the keynote speaker at the Nov. 2 conference in the Performance Center, inside the Natali Student Center. A 30-year veteran of the Pennsylvania State Police, Blocker commands more than 4,500 state police troopers — and he insists that education an essential component of 21st-century policing. “There is great utility for the profession of policing to partner with academia. It absolutely is important,” he said. “We can no longer operate in a vacuum. We have to have that appropriate outreach with the academic community.” Although recruiting state police troopers can be a challenge, Blocker said
he will not back down from the requirement that candidates have earned at least 60 college credits, the equivalent of a two-year degree. “We will not go backward in that regard,” he told the audience of Cal U students and faculty, police officers, and criminal justice professionals. “We are looking for thinkers and communicators, and we believe we get that from individuals who have experienced a college education.” In order to work effectively in their communities, law enforcement officers need to be trained in conflict resolution and problem-solving, Blocker said. “They need to have a guardian mentality rather than a warrior mentality.” The conference was organized by California University’s Department of Criminal Justice, in collaboration with the Mon Valley NAACP and the NAACP State Conference Criminal Justice Committee. Speakers also addressed issues ranging from multicultural awareness
and the use of drone technology to community initiatives aimed at reducing violence. Dr. Mathilda Spencer, an assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice, discussed the “implicit bias” that too often affects interactions between police and community members. “We all have preconceived notions, regardless of our background or skin color, that play into decision-making,” she said. “Awareness of these biases allows them to be addressed.” The percentage of minority police officers in local law enforcement agencies nearly doubled between 1987 and 2003, she said. Yet a diverse police department does not guarantee better police-community relations. “That does not mean we should not look to diversification,” Spencer said, “but we still have not seen a change in the police culture.” Dr. Christopher Wydra, a retired Pittsburgh police detective, teaches in the undergraduate criminal justice program offered through Cal U Global Online.
He emphasized four “principles of procedural justice”: treating people with dignity and respect, giving citizens a voice during encounters, being neutral in decision making, and conveying trustworthy motives. “This is one of many techniques that good cops have been using for a while,” Wydra said. “Building trust between the police and community is paramount, but developing that trust is much tougher than just talking about it.” The audience also heard from Hans Mumm, a specialist in the use of drones, and Cody Santiago ’14, who described a violence intervention program used in York, Pa. In 2013, the online organization NeighborhoodScout.com ranked York as the 18th most dangerous city in the United States. Three years later, York is not among the list’s top 100. “You can’t just fix things with law enforcement,” Santiago said. “You need everyone in a community to get involved, work together … and make a place stable again.”
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Doubleheaders Ahead for Basketball Fans
Cal U’s men’s team begins a new era ulcan basketball season has under first-year head coach Kent begun, and both the men’s and McBride, who has promised a more upwomen’s teams start December tempo style of play. with three Pennsylvania State Athletic McBride joins Cal U after Conference home guiding the team at Concord doubleheaders at the (W.Va.) College, his alma Convocation Center. mater, for the past five seasons. On Dec. 3 and 4 the The Mountain Lions won the Vulcans will host Cheyney Mountain East Conference and Millersville universities. Championship last season and Both doubleheaders begin completed in the NCAA with the women’s game at 1 Division II Tournament. p.m., with tip-off for the Students with valid men’s game at 3 p.m. (or 20 CalCards are admitted free to minutes after the women’s Jess Strom all regular-season home game ends). games. Ticket prices for others The home swing are $5 for adults and $3 for concludes Dec. 10 against non-Cal U students. Children Shippensburg University, with ages 12 and younger are the women’s game at 3 p.m. admitted free. and the men’s at 5. Fans who join the men’s Excitement is building for Sixth Man Club or women’s both teams as the 2016-2017 FastBreak Club at various season gets under way. levels can receive special Under the guidance of discounts and access to sixth-year head coach Jess Kent McBride hospitality rooms, where they Strom (111-35), the Vulcan can interact with coaches and women were the preseason student-athletes after games. favorite in the PSAC-West coaches poll. For more information about the booster Senior guard Miki Glenn, last clubs, contact Jenni season’s PSAC-West Athlete of the Year, and junior forward Seairra Barrett, Morrison at 724-938-5790 or morrison@calu.edu. For more information the reigning PSAC-West Defensive Athlete of the Year, both were named to on all Cal U’s varsity athletic teams visit ww.calvulcans.com. the preseason All-PSAC-West team.
Brittany Lynn (left), Micah Wilson and Amelia Lipkind prepare pottery for the annual Holiday Student Pottery Sale, which will be held Dec. 6-8 in the Ceramics Studio, near Vulcan Hall.
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he annual Holiday Student Pottery Sale will be held from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Dec. 6 and from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Dec. 7-8 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.
Softball Tops in Academics
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perennial power on the diamond, Cal U’s softball team continues to be just as impressive in the classroom. Recently, the Vulcans were listed at No. 7 in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II Top 10 AllAcademic Team rankings. In addition, 17 players received individual academic honors from the organization. Four of them earned a perfect 4.00 GPA last spring — Logan Blake, Emily Price, Kaylyn Roose and Courtney Sinclair, who also achieved a 4.00 in fall 2015. Collectively, the team achieved a 3.64 cumulative grade-point average during the 2015-2016 academic year. This was the team’s second appearance in the NFCA Top 10 All-Academic Team rankings. In 2013 the Vulcans were ranked No. 9. On the field last season Cal U went 38-6 overall and finished 21st nationally in NCAA Division II play. “We are proud of our softball team, and all of our student-athletes, for their commitment to academics,” said Cal U athletic director Dr. Karen Hjerpe. “Combined, all of our teams posted a cumulative GPA near 3.2 in the last
Pottery Sale Opens Dec. 6-8
“This is an excellent opportunity for the campus community and public to get a good start on their holiday shopping,” said Richard “Duke” Miecznikowski, professor in Cal U’s Department of Art and Languages. “The pottery sale showcases the quality work of our students. They take considerable pride in this.” For more information, contact the Department of Art and Languages at 724-938-4182, or Miecznikowski at 724-938-4083 or miecznikowski@calu.edu.
Campus BRIEFS Schedules Change for Thanksgiving So that students can observe the Thanksgiving holiday, no classes will be held from Nov. 23-28. The University will be closed Nov. 24-27 and will reopen Monday, Nov. 28. Classes will resume on Tuesday, Nov. 29. Residence halls will close at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 22, and re-open at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 27. The final Journal of the Fall 2016 semester will be available online and in print on Dec. 12.
GACO Fair Draws 270 Junior utility player Courtney Sinclair’s perfect 4.00 grade-point average during the 2015-2016 academic year has helped the Cal U softball team place seventh in the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Top 10 All-Academic Team rankings.
academic year, and we are looking forward to more all-round success this academic year.” To earn NFCA Scholar-Athlete status, a student-athlete must have earned at least a 3.50 GPA or higher during the 2015-2016 academic year.
Deborah Wojcik, director of Cal U’s Government Agency Coordination Office (GACO), reported that last month’s 29th annual Procurement Opportunities Fair attracted more than 270 participants. Focused on providing businesses with contracting and subcontracting opportunities, the fair in Washington, Pa., featured 67 booths staffed by representatives of government agencies, corporations, regional service organizations and area businesses. Training sessions also were offered. “Through these events businesses have access to multiple buyers for their goods and services,” Wojcik said. “It is an excellent networking opportunity for companies, which often leave the fair with a contract or develop relationships that lead to future business.” Since 1985, local businesses assisted by the GACO program have reported receiving more than 56,250 contracts and subcontracts totaling nearly $3.6 billion dollars.
The California Journal is published by California University of Pennsylvania, a member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. Geraldine M. Jones University President
Robert Thorn Vice President for Administration and Finance
Christine Kindl Editor
Dr. Bruce Barnhart Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr. Nancy Pinardi Vice President for Student Affairs
Bruce Wald, Wendy Mackall Writers
Office of Communications and Public Relations
250 University Avenue
California, PA 15419
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