2012dec10journaldraft1.qxp_03-24-08 CAL U JOURNAL.qxd 12/4/12 11:51 AM Page 1
California University
VOLUME 14, NUMBER 33 DEC. 10, 2012 READ THE JOURNAL ONLINE: www.calu.edu/news/the-journal
Alumnae Will Address Graduates wo distinguished alumnae will address graduating students when Cal U holds Commencement ceremonies this weekend in the Convocation Center. Graduate students will receive their master’s degrees and be vested in their academic hoods at 7 p.m. Friday. Undergraduates will be awarded their diplomas at 10 a.m. Saturday. The doors open at 5:30 p.m. Friday and at 8 a.m. Saturday. Cal U’s 175th Commencement recognizes students who completed their studies in August and December. More than 683 undergraduates and 730 graduate students will receive their degrees, although not all will attend the ceremonies.
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The speakers Adele Lynn ’74 will address the master’s degree candidates Since 1982 she has served as the founder and owner of The Adele Lynn Leadership Group, an international consulting and training firm whose clients include many Fortune 500 names. Her work on emotional intelligence is offered through strategic partners throughout Latin America, India and Europe. Lynn lectures at colleges and universities throughout the United States. A member of the National Speakers Association, she is a frequent guest on radio and television shows in the United States and Canada.
Cal U holds Commencement ceremonies this weekend in the Convocation Center.
She is the author of six books published in 11 languages, including the critically acclaimed In Search of Honor, Lessons From Workers on How to Build Trust. Her latest book, The EQ Interview, Finding Employees with High Emotional Intelligence, was released in 2008 and endorsed by the Society of Human Resource Management. It also was featured as a cover story for Harvard Management Update. Lynn earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental science at Cal U and her master’s degree from Indiana University
Veteran Leads Effort to Help Fellow Marine hristopher Thompson’s personal mission to help a fellow veteran and Cal U student rapidly became a team effort. A senior political science major and a Marine Corps veteran, Thompson learned about a series of hardships experienced by a pair of first-year Cal U students when he met Brandy Kushto in his Fundamentals of Mathematics class at the start of the fall semester. Her husband, James Kushto, also had served in the Marines. A native of Irwin, Pa., he suffered a combat-related injury while in Afghanistan. It left him with hearing loss and other symptoms, and the military now rates him 90 percent disabled. In addition, Brandy Kushto was involved in a serious automobile accident, and the couple endured a house fire before they returned to southwestern Pennsylvania last spring. When the Kushtos met Thompson, they were living in a rental property with their daughter, Ashley. They had — Continued on page 3
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of Pennsylvania. In 2011 the Cal U Alumni Association recognized her professional achievements by presenting her with the Meritorious Award. Teri Dunn ’80 will address the undergraduates. A consultant for manufacturers, finance companies and independent dealerships in the office products industry, she has been delivering speeches and selling managed print services training on behalf of the Learning Outsource Group since 2006. She currently serves on the board of directors for Rampart Global Inc., an
engineering management resource company. Previously, Dunn enjoyed a distinguished 26-year career with Global Imaging Systems companies in Pennsylvania, Washington and Oregon. She ultimately was named global corporate vice president of marketing. As a member of the Leadership Pittsburgh program, she was named one of the city’s Top 50 business leaders in 1998. Dunn served on the board of directors for the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank and was board president from 1996-1998. In 1997 Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge recognized her personal contribution to the statewide fight against hunger, and she was honored as one of Pittsburgh’s Community Champions in 1998. In 2002 Dunn received the Alumni Professional Excellence Award from Cal U, and the following year Kentucky Gov. Paul E. Patton appointed her a Kentucky Colonel. Dunn’s work has been published in several periodicals. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from Cal U and has co-taught at Robert Morris and Duquesne universities. Both commencement ceremonies can be viewed live online at www.calu.edu . More information about Commencement, including links to directions and parking information, is available at www.calu.edu/events/commencement . For more information, contact Jodie Rooney, academic events coordinator, at 724-938-1584 or rooney@calu.edu .
Holiday Toy Drive Fills a Flyer t’s the holiday season, and Cal U students are in the mood for giving. Headed by Student Government, more than two-dozen student organizations participated in a Toys for Tots toy drive through the 96.1 KISS-FM Stuff-a-Bus program. After collecting toys and monetary donations, Cal U students stuffed a Vulcan Flyer with an estimated $7,000 worth of toys. Santa drove the bus to the front of the Natali Student Center on Nov. 29, and the first person to tuck in a gift was Acting University President Geraldine M. Jones. “If this doesn’t put you in the holiday spirit, nothing will,” she said. “Our students are amazing. They understand the importance of helping others.” This was the first time that senior Nicholas Dern, a forensics science major, had helped to gather toys. He’d even taken part in a “Santa and hot chocolate” event that raised more than $200 and collected many toys from the California community. “It’s a great opportunity to give back something and help children in
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Alexandra Brooks, president of Student Government at Cal U, joins Acting President Geraldine M. Jones in filling a Vulcan Flyer bus with toys for the StuffABus toy drive.
need,” he said. “They need to see that people care.” This was the fifth consecutive year that Student Government has coordinated a Toys for Tots drive and the second year to fill a Vulcan Flyer. The toys were delivered to the KISSFM Bus in Pittsburgh.
“Our students have donated toys, money and their time. This is a big deal to them,” said Melissa Dunn, director of student activities and leadership. The toy drive continued through Dec. 7, when more items were — Continued on page 4