WINTER
2011
CALU REVIEW
The California University of Pennsylvania Magazine CAL U REVIEW Vol. 39 - No. 1 The Cal U Review is published quarterly by the Office of Marketing and University Relations and is distributed free. Third class postage paid at California.
CHANCELLOR Dr. John C. Cavanaugh
FROM THE PRESIDENT
When our graduates leave campus after Commencement, there’s no telling where they may go. Many brand-new alumni depart from Cal U believing they have a path mapped out — but like most of us, they find that time and circumstances sometimes have a way of changing even the best-laid plans. A new location may beckon. An unforeseen job opportunity may arise. Family or financial matters may prompt a reassessment or inspire new goals. This edition of the Cal U Review shares the stories of three alumni whose career paths took an unexpected turn. All three landed in New York, “the city that never sleeps,” where each of them has found more than a measure of success. This trio proves a point I’ve often made: No part of a high-quality education is ever wasted. These days, the average worker can expect to make several career changes between that first “real” job and retirement. That’s why Cal U provides every student with a strong foundation in transferable skills such as research, higher-order thinking, problem-solving and effective communication — solid building blocks for any career. We also offer lifelong assistance to alumni through our Career Services office. Graduates who are looking for employment or contemplating a career change can meet with a counselor for resumé help, interview tips or pointers on effective networking. Career Services also works to introduce job-seekers to alumni and other employers with open positions to fill. These services, free to all alumni, are just one of many reasons to visit our beautiful campus. No matter when you graduated, or where life has taken you since then, please remember that you are always welcome here. With warm regards,
BOARD OF GOVERNORS Kenneth M. Jarin, chairman Aaron Walton, vice chair C.R. “Chuck” Pennoni, vice chair Leonard B. Altieri III Rep. Matthew E. Baker Gov. Tom Corbett Paul S. Dlugolecki Rep. Michael K. Hanna Sen. Vincent J. Hughes
CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA President Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr. Geraldine M. Jones, provost and vice president for academic affairs Dr. Lenora Angelone, vice president for student affairs Dr. Charles B. Mance, vice president for university technology services Ron Huiatt, vice president for university development and alumni relations Robert Thorn, interim vice president for administration and finance Craig Butzine, interim vice president for marketing and university relations COUNCIL OF TRUSTEES Leo Krantz, chair Robert J. Irey, vice chair Peter J. Daley II ’72, ’75 Jacqueline A. Davis, student trustee James T. Davis ’73 Annette Ganassi Lawrence Maggi ’79
Michael Napolitano ’68 Gwendolyn Simmons Jerry Spangler ’74 Aaron Walton ’68 The Hon. John C. Cavanaugh, chancellor, ex-officio
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dr. Harry Serene ’65, president Tim Gorske ’62, vice president Dr. Lorraine Vitchoff ’74, secretary Deanne Zelenak ’79, treasurer Rosemary (Rich) Bucchianeri ’69, immediate past president Jim Lokay ’02 Dr. Roger M. Angelelli ’64 Lawrence O. Maggi ’79 Mary Jo (Zosky) Barnhart ’84 Don Martin ’89 Joseph Dochinez ’51 Dante Morelli ’02 Kimberly (Mahaffey) Fahey ’97 ’99 Michael Napolitano ’68 Barbara (Williams) Fetsko ’75 Melanie (Stringhill) Patterson ’82 B. Christina (Kost) Fosbrink ’01, ’03 Fritz Retsch ’62, ’66 Josh Fosbrink ’01, ’03 Dolly Rozzi ’64 Dr. Paul Gentile ’62 James Stofan ’71 Alan James ’62 Lynne Stout ’94 Len Keller ’61 Dr. Tim Susick ’76 Dr. Anthony Lazzaro ’55 EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr., president Geraldine (Johns) Jones ’71 Ron Huiatt
Leo Krantz Linda (Hootman) Serene ’64 Dr. Michael Slavin ’74
STUDENT MEMBERS Ashley Baird Josh Giffen
Chase Loper Jason Springer
STUDENT ASSOCIATION, INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jacqueline Davis Nicole Lowry Rachel Fletcher Katie Mercadante Walter D. Harris III Marc Roncone ’03 Robert Irey Dr. Donald Thompson Sam Jessee ’90 Michael R. Wagner Bonnie Keener Joshua Wright Jim Lokay ’02 EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Dr. Lenora Angelone ’89,’92,’97 Dr. Nancy Pinardi ’95, ’96, ’98
Angelo Armenti, Jr. President California University of Pennsylvania
Marie Conley Lammando Jonathan B. Mack Joseph F. McGinn Sen. Jeffrey E. Piccola Guido M. Pichini Harold C. Shields Thomas M. Sweitzer Ronald J. Tomalis Christine J. Toretti
Leigh Ann Lincoln Larry Sebek
FOUNDATION FOR CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Linda H. Serene ’64, president Annette M. Kaleita ’55 Dr. David L. Amati ’70, vice president Gary Kennedy ’58 Michele Mandell ’69, secretary Robert Lippencott ’66 Paul Kania ’87, treasurer Lawrence O. Maggi ’79 Roger Angelelli ’64 Michael A. Perry ’63 William R. Booker ’74 Dr. Saundra L. Stout ’72 Thomas Crumrine ’64 Steven P. Stout ’85 Nathaniel W. Dixon Dr. Lorraine G. Vitchoff ’74 William R. Flinn ’68 Ben Wright Richard C. Grace ’63 EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr., president Ron Huiatt Dr. Harry Serene ’65 EDITOR Christine Kindl WRITERS Wendy Mackall Bruce Wald ’85 Jeff Bender
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PHOTOGRAPHERS Greg Sofranko Josh Stepp Jared Wickerham
Lindy Kravec Colleen C. Derda
S. C. Spangler Dave Miller Anthony Carpinelli
COVER STORY: A plot twist straight out of Shakespeare led Sheryl Stebbins ’76 to New York City and a 30-year career in publishing.
inSide Departments
Features
Alumni Spotlight
14 – 15
Alumni CAlendAr
18 – 19
plAnned giVing
22
CAmpuS ClipS
24 – 25
SportS roundup
28 – 29
mileStoneS
31 – 34
Lawyers continue to learn
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The Institute for Law and Public Policy offers continuing education for lawyers, publishes scholarly journals and provides training for justice professionals.
Centers of activity
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The Center for Civic Engagement facilitates community service, while the Entrepreneurial Leadership Center/ Student Incubator gives new businesses a boost.
Winter Commencement
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Two distinguished alumni urge winter graduates to live by a code of ethics and be tenacious about achieving their goals.
Artworks return to campus SITES exhibition explores our solar system Visitors will see Earth’s neighbors in a new light when California University hosts Beyond: Visions of Planetary Landscapes, on display through April 12 in Manderino Gallery. Created by artist Michael Benson and organized for travel by SITES, the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, the exhibit’s astonishing views of the solar system’s planets and their moons come primarily from NASA and European Space Agency missions.
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Paying it forward, sisters donate a pair of much-loved paintings, including a depiction of Old Main commissioned for an alumni couple more than 40 years ago.
Intramurals build memories
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More than eight decades after the first teams played, the intramural sports program continues to grow.
Benson mines planetary databases for his source material, then pulls together the images to create seamless photographs of unprecedented clarity and realism. For details, including gallery hours, visit www.calu.edu and search for the keyword “SITES.” WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 3 �
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY “
I wouldn’t trade any of the experiences I’ve had for anything.
ALumnI LIVE ThEIR dREAmS In ‘ThE CITY ThAT nEVER SLEEpS’
ShERYL STEbbInS ’76 pubLIShIng pROfESSIOnAL
One works in publishing and has met dozens of best-selling authors. Another manages the action at Radio City music hall. A third keeps readers in suspense with his novels and short stories. meet alumni Sheryl Stebbins ’76, Joseph A. Onorato ’76 and C.J. henderson ’73. They all have successful careers in new York City — and they credit Cal u for encouraging them to dream big.
Plot twist leads to Publishing
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n the original manuscript for her life, Sheryl Stebbins ’76 was supposed to be a teacher. The Erie, Pa., native had graduated from California State College with a degree in communications education and begun teaching at a high school near her hometown. Then a plot twist straight out of Shakespeare took a star-crossed couple out of town and sent Stebbins’ career in an entirely new direction. “I taught high school for about two years, and at the same time I was working part time at a Waldens bookstore,” recalls Stebbins. “The manager and assistant manager fell in love — unbeknownst to their spouses — and ran away together, so there was no one to manage the bookstore.” About the same time, Stebbins decided that teaching wasn’t really for her. So she “stepped forward and begged for the job.” It was the start of a career in book selling and publishing that has lasted more than 30 years.
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“I wouldn’t trade any of the experiences I’ve had for anything,” she says. In the current chapter of her life, Stebbins is editorial director for Kaplan, a well-known publisher of test preparation materials. She also has worked for WaldenBooks, Aperture, Merriam-Webster and various divisions at Random House. “I would say the turning point in my time at California State College, and probably in my life, was when I got involved in theater,” she says, because it got her involved in campus activities. She worked with fellow alumnus Joseph A. Onorato ’76 as the stage manager for Once Upon a Mattress,
which he directed. She credits the late Roger Emelson and others in the theater department with “having a profound effect” on her life. “I was so convinced that when I left California I was going to be a teacher,” Stebbins says. “By chance I wound up at the bookstore, and I ended up in a really different place. But I feel like being in publishing has really taken the best advantage of what I know how to do.” In 1980 she was promoted to assistant buyer at the WaldenBooks home office in Stamford, Conn. In 1987 she became director of buying, with a staff of 50 and a budget of $1.6 billion for 1,150 stores.
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Stebbins then worked for two publishers before joining Random House in the mid-1990s, becoming director of marketing in 1997. For three years, she worked with “just about any author who had a best-seller.” Her favorite? “I would say that would be Tom Brokaw,” Stebbins says of the former NBC Nightly News anchor and author of The Greatest Generation, about veterans of World War II. “He was someone I got to know, and I got to work with him on marketing plans and putting everything together for his book,” she says. “As I told my friends and family, he is exactly who you think he is. There is no pretense; he is a stand-up guy.” Stebbins left Random House in 2007 and worked as a ghostwriter and freelance editor before being hired by Kaplan in 2010. She credits Cal U with instilling a commitment to hard work that has led to a successful career. “I would say I learned how to work hard at Cal U. I benefitted from the teachers I was fortunate to learn from, the students I became friends with, and just from the overall atmosphere of the campus.” Stebbins says that gratitude and her fond memories of Cal U make her more than willing to pay it forward and help others with their career goals. “I’m happy to talk to anyone who wants to come to New York. I have contacts throughout the publishing industry, and I’m happy to mentor anyone who really wants to be here.”
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If you love what you’re doing, it’s so easy to come to work every day.
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JOSEph A. OnORATO ’76 STAgE mAnAgER — RAdIO CITY muSIC hALL
behind the scenes at Radio city
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he annual Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall in New York City is a legendary spectacle. A cast of hundreds. Special effects that include snow and fireworks. A live Nativity. “The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.” A realistic Santa’s Workshop, with a 25-foot-high shelf lined with life-size ragdolls. And, of course, Santa himself, bursting onto the Great Stage with 36 leggy Rockettes as his “reindeer.” There is a lot to manage in the months before and during the performances, which take place during November and December at the landmark hall. It’s all in a day’s work for stage manager Joseph A. Onorato ’76, who has worked at Radio City on The Christmas Spectacular and many other shows since 1989 (with a five-year break to tour with some national productions). Because of the sheer size of the show, he is one of nine stage managers who work on The Christmas Spectacular.
“A stage manager’s responsibilities start long before a show goes into rehearsal,” Onorato says. One of the biggest jobs for the Christmas show is “taping the floor” of the rehearsal rooms to outline the set pieces, which are too large to move into the rooms. “So when the choreographers are working, even though they don’t have the exact elevation of the steps, they know exactly where every step Continued on page 6
WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 5 �
BRIGHT LIGHTS, BIG CITY
Joseph A. Onorato stops for a photo with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.
Continued from page 5 is on the floor of the rehearsal room,” he explains. Long before the first rehearsal, Onorato and his fellow stage managers are busy scheduling costume fittings, making sure scripts are ready and working with the director on a rehearsal schedule. “Everything that happens backstage is all coordinated through stage management,” he says. Onorato’s path to the big time started with an interest in directing. He directed two student productions at Cal U — A Little Bit of Magic as a sophomore and The St. Valentine’s Day Revue as a junior. Both, he recalls, were staged in what then was called Dixon Dining Hall. As a senior, Onorato directed Once Upon a Mattress, which was performed as a mainstage production in Steele Hall — an impressive honor for a student director, he says. Onorato graduated with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education communications. He taught high school in New Jersey before deciding to pursue a career in theater. That led him to Ohio University and a Master of Fine Arts in directing.
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As part of the MFA program, Onorato completed an internship at the American Place Theater in New York City in 1981. He moved to the city for good in 1982, “with $200 and not knowing a soul,” he recalls. It took him a year to land his first theater job, as a stage manager for a troupe that performed for young audiences. “At California State College, I got a lot of theater-for-young-audiences experience, mostly as a performer,” he says, “and at Ohio University we toured a show that went around to different schools in Ohio and West Virginia.” That job led to off-Broadway productions that eventually ended up on Broadway. A fellow stage manager tipped him off to an opening at Radio City, and he started the job seven years after he first moved to New York. Onorato blends his love of theater with his background in education by teaching at the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University. He’s had a 15-year run at the New York drama school, and he also has taught at the University of California at San Diego and at Marymount Manhattan College. “My basic background come from California University,” Onorato says. “And then my graduate work built on that, and then I learned even more of the craft after coming to New York City. All the pieces connected and fit for me. “I love what I do. If you love what you’re doing, it’s so easy to come to work every day. How could you not love to come to work at Radio City Music Hall?”
outside the box — and in PRint
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n The California Effect, a young man with big dreams goes to college in order to have a “real job to fall back on,” but he ends up in New York City as he pursues his passion for writing. The title isn’t available at any bookstore, but the story is real for C. J. Henderson ’73, a kid from Bridgeville, Pa., who credits his four years at Cal U with changing his life. “I never got any encouragement at home and very little in high school — dribs and drabs. Most of it was a
In their own words To see video clips of these three alumni in New York, visit www.calu.edu/alumni
hideous experience,” Henderson says. “And California changed all that. … Everything started there.” Henderson says he always knew he wanted to be a writer but figured he needed to get a degree, since writing “was not what you would call an instantly lucrative profession.” “I’m very much the instructor; I need an audience,” Henderson explains. “So teaching seemed like a good idea.” He enrolled at California State College in 1969 and majored in secondary education with a minor in drama. After he graduated, he took a teaching position in West Virginia, but quickly realized that a traditional career was not for him. “I couldn’t do it,” Henderson says. “I had my horizons opened at California. I did have talent, but the world was trying to force it into a little box to do something ordinary and normal. I was getting my corners shaved to fit very nicely into a little box, and California just disintegrated the box. And I couldn’t fit in such a world anymore.” A few years later, he was in New York City, “chasing writing jobs.” Today, Henderson has written or co-written about 70 books — mostly in the mystery and horror genres. He is probably best known for his Jack Hagee and Teddy London detective series. He wrote The Things That Are Not There, which introduced supernatural detective Teddy London, in four months’ worth of lunch hours while working at a day job for a legal publisher in New York. “I knew no one was going to buy it,” Henderson says. “I had been effectively trounced by the publishers I was working with who said this was a stupid idea. And I didn’t care. As I told one of them,
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You have to work hard to be the best.
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C. J. hEndERSOn ’73 fuLL-TImE WRITER
‘You know, I already have a job I hate; I don’t need you turning the thing I love into something I hate.’” Finally, it was published — by Putnam, no less, one of the largest publishers of genre fiction. There are now eight books in the series, which has been translated into several other languages. There is an option for a film. One of the secondary characters has her own anthology collection and comicbook series, and there is talk of a movie. A full-time writer for about 20 years, Henderson currently is working on a variety of projects. Elder Signs Press wants a zombie series. The Jack Hagee books are coming back into print, and Moonstone Books wants new novels. Tor Books, the publisher for Henderson’s latest series featuring detective Piers Knight, wants new material. And Dark Quest Books wants him to write Masters of Tarot.
“And I want to do that because they’ll build two games around it and there will be money, money, money, and my wife will be happy and not change the locks,” he says with a laugh. Now that he has achieved his dream, Henderson has a sound piece of advice for anyone who aspires to make it big: Work hard. “People say, ‘I want to be the next Stephen King.’ Well, you know what? Until he dies, you don’t get to be the next Stephen King. So if you’ve got the patience to wait your turn, while you’re waiting, work hard. You have to work hard to be the best.” � For more information about C.J. Henderson, or to read some of his short stories, visit www.cjhenderson.com. By Wendy Mackall, assistant communications director at Cal U
WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 7 �
fresh Ideas for Justice professionals ThE InSTITuTE fOR LAW And pubLIC pOLICY OffERS COnTInuIng LEgAL EduCATIOn — And mORE
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ontinuing education is mandated for Pennsylvania lawyers, whether they work in a big-city practice or a small, private law firm. The Institute for Law and Public Policy at California University meets the need for continuing legal education by offering board-approved seminars for legal professionals three times a year. “These are thought-provoking courses — and they’re topical,” says Dr. Charles Nemeth, chair of Cal U’s Department of Professional Studies as well as the institute’s director. Assistant director Laurel Kotch Manderino networks extensively with law firms to identify topics that attorneys will find both relevant and intriguing. “We’re always looking for something a little bit different, something that can prompt a debate,” Nemeth explains, citing a recent seminar on issues associated with energy extraction in the Marcellus shale.
Dr. Charles P. Nemeth, J.D., Ph.D., LL.M., directs the Institute for Law and Public Policy from his office at California University’s Southpointe Center, near Canonsburg, Pa.
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“We try to stay on the cutting edge with the topics, and most participants walk away feeling intellectually exhilarated.” Instructors may be Cal U professors, including Nemeth, or respected practitioners with expertise in subjects such as fiduciary ethics or elder law. Nemeth states frankly that his own presentations reflect a conservative viewpoint — a stark contrast with the liberal perspective put forward on many campuses. He challenges attorneys to think deeply about their profession’s “first principles” in seminars such as “Cicero and the Law” and “Aquinas on Crime.” “Not many people would consider engaging lawyers in a class based on the work of St. Thomas Aquinas or Cicero, the Roman philosopher and lawyer,” Nemeth says, “but I want to bring that richness, that depth of thought to the modern world of lawyering.” Continuing legal education (CLE) seminars are offered at California University’s Southpointe Center, near Canonsburg, Pa., or at other Pennsylvania locations including Gannon University in Erie, Allegheny College in Meadville and Rosemont College near Philadelphia. All courses offered by the institute are approved by the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board, the body responsible for administering the rules and regulations for continuing legal education in the commonwealth. Because the institute is an approved PACLE provider, it can streamline the process of certifying CLE hours for seminar participants. The institute has provided approved CLE hours for attorneys in West Virginia, New Jersey, New York and Florida — and Nemeth hopes to expand its reach through the mid-Atlantic and into the South. Eric Wojtkun, a supervisory special agent for the FBI, says he would love to give the institute a case study to dissect. “I’d be there in two heartbeats,” says Wojtkun, a West Point graduate who earned his master’s degree in Legal Studies: Homeland Security through Cal U’s Global Online program. The Internet-based program helped Wojtkun, of northern Virginia, make the transition from a military
career to his work as a crisis management adviser for FBI field offices. Nemeth and his teaching colleagues offer a rare blend of academic training and real-world experience, he says. “What you get are practitioners guiding your development as a thinker who can digest complex issues.” Training and publications Continuing education for lawyers is just one aspect of the multi-faceted institute. Professional development also is available for justice professionals such as police, and corrections officers, human service workers, security specialists and courthouse personnel. Specialty courses offered recently focused on criminal investigation, use of force analysis and hostage negotiations. In addition, the institute publishes a peer-reviewed academic journal, The Homeland Security Review, three times a year. Each edition features “scholarly coverage of some facet of homeland security,” Nemeth says. Submissions are reviewed by two or three members of an advisory board that includes academics, legislative specialists, military veterans and police officers. Nemeth describes a second thrice-yearly publication, The Monitor, as a “think-tank piece.” Each issue of the free newsletter addresses a hot-button issue such as immigration or the role of religion in American life. “In each edition we take a topic that’s on the newspapers’ front page and try to get people thinking about it,” he says. “The institute makes a recommendation on this controversial topic — and we frequently hear back from people about what we’ve concluded.” � By Christine Kindl, communications director at Cal U
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & TRAINING The Institute for Law & Public Policy offers a variety of professional development and training opportunities. For registration information, class times and other details, visit http://institutes.calu.edu/ilpp or call 724-597-7401.
Continuing Education Legal Seminars* MARCELLUS SHALE SEMINAR Moderated by John A. Caputo March 25, 9 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. CONSOL Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pa. Cost: $169 (includes lunch) BECOMING A DIGITAL LAWYER: The What and How of Social Media and Digital Devices for the Practice of Law Presented by Michael V. Quatrini, Esq., and L. Anthony Bompiani, Esq. April 29, 8:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Cal U Southpointe Center, Canonsburg, Pa. Cost: $99 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: Avoiding the Top Ten Worst Pitfalls, for Corporate and General Lawyers Presented by Barbara E. Johnson, Esq. April 29, noon – 2 p.m. Cal U Southpointe Center, Canonsburg, Pa. Cost: $69 (Lunch-and-Learn Seminar) These seminars were still in the planning stages at press time. Look for information at http://institutes.calu.edu/ilpp or call 724-597-7401. Additional seminars may be added: LAW, ETHICS & RELIGION IN AMERICA Ave Maria School of Law, Naples, Fla. MYTH AND OPPORTUNITY IN MARCELLUS SHALE: An Industry Perspective Cal U Southpointe Center, Canonsburg, Pa.
Groupcasts for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute Hosted by the Institute for Law and Public Policy, in partnership with the Washington County Bar Association, at Cal U Southpointe Center, Canonsburg, Pa. For course information and registration, visit www.pbi.org. Feb. 1 March 8
Feb. 11 April 11
March 2 April 13
March 7 April 21
Continuing Education Seminars For Law Enforcement
The Monitor is a free publication. To request a copy, contact Laurel Kotch Manderino at manderino@calu.edu or call 724-597-7401. The subscription rate for The Homeland Security Review is $179 per year for U.S. subscribers, $219 for foreign addresses. Direct business communications and subscription orders to: Editor, Homeland Security Review Institute for Law and Public Policy California University of Pennsylvania Southpointe Center, 135 Technology Drive Canonsburg, PA, 15317
BASIC CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATOR COURSE ** Presented by Cmdr. Ron Freeman, Det. Brian Kohlhepp, Wayne Reutzel, Sara Hochendoner and Lt. Robert Bellan March 21 – 25, at Beaver County 911 Center, Ambridge, Pa. Cost: $395 (includes continental breakfast each day) ADVANCED LATENT PRINT ** Presented by Wayne Reutzel April 20 – 21, at Beaver County 911 Center, Ambridge, Pa. Cost: $195 (call for discount information) A MODEL USE OF FORCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR POLICE AGENCIES Presented by Edward W. Bogats Jr., MPM, ABD, FBINA 222nd Session April 28, at Beaver County 911 Center, Ambridge, Pa. Cost: $119 * Approved by PACLE, the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board ** Approved by the Pennsylvania State Division, International Association for Identification WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 9 �
Survey says … Students happy they chose Cal u nATIOnAL SuRVEY Of STudEnT EngAgEmEnT fIndS A SuppORTIVE CAmpuS EnVIROnmEnT
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ORE THAN EIGHT OUT OF 10 California University students say they would choose Cal U again. That’s just one of the findings from the latest National Survey of Student Engagement, or NSSE, administered on the Cal U campus. The survey asks students to report their participation in activities reflecting good educational practices; their sense of achievement and satisfaction with their school; and their estimates of educational and personal growth since they started college. Cal U administers the standardized survey in odd-numbered years to first-year and senior students. The findings are compared with results from all NSSE participants that year, and with responses from participating schools within PASSHE, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The Provost’s Office has analyzed results from the 2009 survey and found: • Cal U has a supportive campus environment. The mean scores for firstyear and senior students in this category exceeded both the NSSE and PASSHE averages. • Seniors say that Cal U offers “active and collaborative” learning and studentfaculty interaction. Although scores for first-year students lagged, seniors scored Cal U higher than the mean for both NSSE and PASSHE schools. • Academic advisement was rated “good” or “excellent” by 77 percent of the students surveyed, exceeding the NSSE and PASSHE scores. • The entire educational experience was rated as “good” or “excellent” by 87 percent of Cal U students, and 81 percent said they would go to Cal U again.
Compared to their peers, the survey found, Cal U students use the Web more often to access course materials and take classes — developing skills that may prove valuable in the 21stcentury workplace, where Web-based resources play a significant role. They also scored above average for using e-mail to communicate with instructors; preparing two or more drafts of papers or assignments; working with faculty on projects other than coursework; and working with other students on projects in class. “I do agree that the University offers adequate student support,” says Ryan Morris, a marketing major who expects to graduate in May. “I have used the Writing Center a lot through the years on different papers, and it has been a tremendous help. I also have used Career Services to get help with my resumé. “Cal offers more than a wellrounded education,” he adds. “If you end up getting involved through different groups and organizations, as I have through athletics and the Alumni Association, you are able to meet a lot of interesting people. That will only benefit you in the future.” One survey result highlights the pressing need for student scholarships: Although the average Cal U student works off campus for 9.8 hours per week — a number consistent with NSSE participants nationwide — 39 percent of Cal U students say they spend more than 15 hours per week working for pay at an off-campus job.
In Madagascar, Cal U students encounter a new landscape as they learn to conduct field research. Dr. SummerArrigo Nelson (right) led the trip and hopes to return with students in 2012. 10 CAL U REVIEW WINTER 2011 �
In contrast, just 29 percent of other PASSHE students reported working 15 hours or more. “I find it difficult to balance work and my studies mostly around holidays, because my work hours increase,” says Cal U junior Kristen Diethorn, a history major who works in the Financial Aid Office as well as off campus. Nevertheless, she would choose Cal U again. “My experience here has been everything I hoped for,” Diethorn says. “The faculty are so helpful, and they love the subjects they teach. That makes it easy to learn. “ NSSE has been gathering information about the quality of the campus experience for more than a decade. In 2009, nearly 364,000 U.S. college and university students from about 640 participating institutions completed the survey. � By Christine Kindl, communications director at Cal U
LIghT in the Darkness
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alifornia University students showed their true character at a vigil held in memory of Jeron Grayson, a Hampton (Va.) University student who was fatally shot at an off-campus apartment last semester.
More than 400 students gathered Oct. 21 on the Quad to remember Grayson and to take a stand against violence. Student leaders and clergy made brief remarks, then students lit candles and marched in a solemn procession to the scene of the shooting in California Borough. The vigil was organized by the Black Student Union and the Office of Greek Affairs. After students prayed and left their candles at the crime scene, they returned to campus for a presentation by author and motivational speaker Will Keim, followed by informal meetings with counselors and clergy. The anti-violence message was reinforced six weeks later when Cal U Men United, a new group on campus, sponsored “Breaking Chains: To End Violence,” a frank discussion with Darnell Drewery, a certified crisis responder from Pittsburgh, and Cornell Jones, head Protestant chaplain at the State Correctional Institute of Pittsburgh and pastor of Iron Cross Ministries. “The solution has to begin with yourself,” BSU president Ronald Taylor told the students at the vigil. “We have to hold ourselves to a higher standard.” �
Holding candles are students Maya Beyand (left) and Donita Petite.
Students walk from the Quad through the community.
WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 11 �
One center supports civic engagement …
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iane Williams wants to spotlight the service work done by Cal U students. As director of the University’s new Center for Civic Engagement, she also wants to document their efforts. “The center and I are here to serve as a resource for students,” says Williams, who joined the Cal U staff in mid-October. “My goal is to communicate with community agencies and service organizations, and to be the liaison between them and the students. I want to help benefit both communities. “Whether they do community service through student government, Greek organizations or our athletic teams, it’s going to flow in here,” she adds. “I will keep track of the overall hours for our campus.” The student-oriented center reflects Goal 8 of the University’s current
strategic plan, which calls for Cal U to foster civic engagement. Establishing an office for community service is an explicit element of the plan. The center’s work has already begun. Through a grant from the AmeriCorps Community Fellows program, 10 Cal U students have pledged to complete 300 service hours over the course of the academic year. In November the center’s community fellows did chores for local residents as part of the national Make a Difference Day. And in January, more than 150 people took part in Cal U’s annual Day of Service honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “I really think students are giving their time, but we’re just not hearing about it,” Williams says. “Service is definitely one of my passions in life, and I have a great opportunity here to give back to the campus community.” �
Diane Williams
Students and alumni may visit the Center for Civic Engagement in Carter Hall, Room G-35. To contact director Diane Williams, call 724-938-4794 or e-mail williams_d@calu.edu. By Bruce Wald, information writer at Cal U
… Another builds entrepreneurial spirit
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elly Hunt is on a mission to create “an entrepreneurial mindset” across campus. As executive director of the new Entrepreneurial Leadership Center/ Student Incubator at Cal U, she is working to build relationships with business owners, including alumni who have started their own successful enterprises. “I want to help students create their own businesses. Faculty and staff, too,”
Kelly Hunt
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says Hunt, formerly of the Office of Lifelong Learning. “The center’s primary goal is to encourage entrepreneurship, and to provide the resources that new businesses need to get started.” Supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and the Office of the President, the center will be housed in a newly renovated space in Coover Hall. In addition to advice and mentoring, it will give business start-ups the office space and infrastructure they need to get off the ground, says Mike Amrhein, who was instrumental in obtaining the PASSHE grant. Hunt plans to recruit business owners as guest speakers, and to organize seminars and networking events. The center will work closely with Career Services and the Internship Center, as well as campus innovators such as NCRETE, the National Center for Robotics Engineering Technology Education.
“Our work is cross-disciplinary,” Hunt explains. “A new business could be high-tech, as in robotics, computer software or another science discipline. But it also could be as simple as a music major starting a disc jockey business. “There are entrepreneurial opportunities in all academic disciplines. The center can serve the University community by providing a place to bring those ideas to life. “I want to build a reputation that people who create businesses come from Cal U.” � Individuals, including alumni, who have started a business are encouraged to contact the Entrepreneurial Leadership Center/ Student Incubator at Cal U. Executive director Kelly Hunt’s office is in Coover Hall, Room 122A; reach her by e-mail at hunt@calu.edu. By Christine Kindl, communications director at Cal U
fOundATIOn fOR CAL u bESTOWS hOnORS Three awards recognize exemplary achievement and service AT ITS ANNUAL MEETING IN DECEMBER, THE FOUNDATION FOR CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA HONORED AN ALUMNI COUPLE AND TWO DISTINGUISHED INDIVIDUALS FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE UNIVERSITY. Louis J. Panza, president and chief executive officer of Mon-Vale Health Resources Inc. and Monongahela Valley Hospital, received the Society of 1852 Award. A member of the Board of Presidential Advisors, Panza worked with University President Angelo Armenti, Jr. to form a partnership that has become an enduring model for Cal U’s Character Education Institute. Since 2006 the institute has provided training in Dr. Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and other FranklinCovey programs, to the hospital’s executive staff. In return, Monongahela Valley Hospital has created an endowed scholarship fund that benefits students who study nursing at Cal U. More than 80 hospital executives have participated in the leadership program, and the endowed scholarship fund balance has grown to more than $76,000. In 2008, Monongahela Valley Hospital received the University’s Corporate Core Values Award. Panza earned a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Duquesne University. Before joining Monongahela Valley Hospital, he worked as an accountant/ consultant with the public accounting firm of Arthur Andersen LLP. The Society of 1852 Award celebrates the year of the University’s founding and recognizes an individual whose efforts have enhanced the mission of the University.
Tom ’77 and Karen Rutledge, whose philanthropy is providing scholarship aid to dozens of students, received the Job Johnson Award. For the past three years, the Rutledge Family Fund has provided fulltuition scholarships to 20 students who are married and/or have children. The Rutledges also assist students who accept internships outside the region, and they are funding a scholarship designed to create a more vital Department of Economics in the Eberly College of Science and Technology. The couple married while Tom Rutledge was a student at Cal U, and he has worked in the cable/media industry for 33 years. In 2002 he joined Cablevision Inc., consolidating 58 cable systems into a single company now serving 5.3 million customers in the New York metropolitan area. As chief operating officer of Cablevision, Tom Rutledge is in charge of cable operations and subsidiaries that include Rainbow Media, which owns AMC, the Sundance Channel, the Independent Film Channel and WE TV; a business telecommunications company; and Clearview Cinemas. Under his leadership Cablevision has completed a $5 billion fiber optic network upgrade and was the first U.S. cable provider to offer high-definition video on demand. He was inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame in 2009.
Dr. Regis J. Serinko, professor emeritus, received the Dixonians Award. Serinko began his teaching career at California State Teachers College in 1961. He taught physics and physical science for five years, then joined the new Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, teaching biology and biophysics. Serinko was acting dean of faculty and academic affairs from 1968-1970 and executive assistant to the President until he returned to the classroom in 1975. From 1982-1984 he was president of the California chapter of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculty (APSCUF). The California State College Alumni Association honored Serinko with its C.B. Wilson Distinguished Service Award in 1982. In 1985, the year he retired, he received both Cal U’s Faculty Scholarship Award and the APSCUF Service Award. Serinko’s books chronicle the history of California State Teachers College and Cal U — “the people’s college in the Monongahela Valley” — and the college’s alumni association. His latest publication, Freedom’s Heroes: The Military Heritage of Rostraver, includes stories of Rostraver Township veterans. Serinko earned a bachelor’s degree at St. Vincent College, master’s degrees from West Virginia University and the University of Pittsburgh, and a doctorate from Pitt.
Named for a University founder, the Job Johnson Award recognizes alumni who have received recognition outside of the University. �
The Dixonians Award is named for University founder John N. Dixon, who served on the Board of Trustees for 46 years. It honors those who unselfishly serve the University.
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ALUMNI S P O T L I G H T
Athletic administrator guides C.W. post pioneers
CAREER CEnTERS On mAThEmATICS
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hantey Hill ’01 says she is looking forward to returning to Cal U in September, when the Pioneers from the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University take on the Vulcan football team. It will be her first trip back to California in years, and “I’m excited to see all the changes, especially the Convocation Center,” she says. Hill has been a part of the athletic department at C.W. Post for more than eight years, first as director of sports medicine and head athletic trainer, and since 2007 as an associate director of athletics and senior woman administrator. Among other duties, she is responsible for ensuring that the entire athletic department is in compliance with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules and regulations. She educates coaches and student-athletes about university, conference and NCAA bylaws, and she administers several Pioneer athletic teams, among other responsibilities.
Hill is proud of her master’s degree in athletic training from Cal U and says she anticipates returning to the campus at some point. “I recently signed up through the Alumni Relations office to be a mentor, and I’m looking forward to any opportunity to give back to Cal U,” says Hill, who lives on Long Island, N.Y. She says she selected Cal U’s graduate program in athletic training because it is nationally accredited and has a strong reputation among collegiate athletic departments. She arrived on campus and completed the degree in a year. In 2004 she also earned a master’s degree in health education from the Teachers College, Columbia University. Hill worked at Columbia as an athletic trainer and physical education associate for two years, then ran her own sports performance training company for five years before returning to the C.W. Post Campus in Brookville, N.Y., where she had earned her undergraduate degree. Along with her C.W. Post responsibilities, Hill now is chair of the East Coast Conference Women’s Basketball Committee. She is also a member of the NCAA Division II Women’s Basketball Regional Advisory Committee and a National Association of Collegiate Women Athletic Administrators professional group. The one-time basketball player says she enjoys watching and playing a wide range of sports in her free time. �
Shantey Hill ’01
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ot everyone remembers his or her high school math teachers with affection, but Allan Bluman ’64 does. The algebra, geometry and trigonometry teachers at McKeesport High School provided the foundation that helped to form his career as a college professor and textbook author, he says. So it was only fitting that Bluman mentioned each math teacher by name when he was inducted into the McKeesport High School Hall of Fame Allan Bluman ’64 in 2010. Bluman received his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Cal U, where the mathematics professors solidified his teaching abilities, he says. After a first job at the junior high in his home school district, Bluman accepted a mathematics position at Community College of Allegheny County. He stayed at CCAC for 36 years. “I always wanted to teach at the college level,” says Bluman. The students at CCAC wanted to be there, he says, and they appreciated his “skill and drill” approach to developmental and intermediate mathematics coursework. Bluman served as chair of the math department at CCAC’s South Campus and established the mathematics laboratory, among other roles. For 20 years he led a popular series of workshops addressing math fears. “Many people with math anxieties think they have to memorize only. But they can learn how to use analytical reasoning and problem-solving skills
rather than straight memorization,” says Bluman. He returned to that topic often in teaching and in books he wrote for college students and the general public. In the early 1990s, schools across the country increased efforts for students of all disciplines to interpret research, so Bluman began teaching applied statistics courses to students in business, psychology, nursing and other programs. That work, and his observations on problems with summary notations and other areas, led Bluman to begin writing a statistics textbook that the McGrawHill Co. later published. Bluman authored a total of seven books for the publisher, including two statistics textbooks currently used at 450 colleges and universities. He received a McGraw-Hill textbook award and a CCAC award for excellence in the classroom during the course of his distinguished career. Every few years Bluman updates one of his books. A resident of North Huntingdon Township, Pa., he retired from CCAC in 2003, but remains active in several organizations in the region. �
game developer knows motocross fans
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he checkered flag is in sight. You’re coming over the last jump and must remain calm. If not, you’ll crash your motorcycle in a big way. Even if you’ve never been in a motocross race in real life, you’ll probably enjoy the new game “app” that a Cal U alumnus is introducing to U.S. audiences. Bill Ursic ’03 created a partnership for the game’s developer to market Mad Skills Motocross through a national magazine devoted to the sport. The application is now available through the iTunes store, and the game can be played on the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. “The game is easy to play, yet challenging,” says Ursic, who lives in Washington, Pa. “Adults and kids alike enjoy it.” He says a big part of the appeal for motocross fans is a player’s ability to send race times to friends, challenging them to compete. Ursic knows motocross fans. He is managing editor for several publications related to the sport, including Racer X Illustrated, a magazine with a monthly readership of 80,000.
Bill Ursic ’03
The Swedish developer Turborilla turned to Ursic to market the app, given his experience with motocross publications across the United States and Australia, Spain, Italy, Germany and other countries with large fan bases for the sport. Ursic has been working in the motocross industry since his days as an intern with the Racer X Illustrated magazine and website, both based in Morgantown, W.Va. Thinking back to his campus days, Ursic says Dr. Shirley Lazorchak and other Cal U professors prepared him well for the world of business. Today, Ursic supervises the production and distribution of programs for major motocross events across the country, in addition to overseeing the content and design of the national magazine and regional publications. In his spare time, Ursic says, he enjoys riding motorcycles — on real roads. � By Colleen C. Derda, a Pittsburgh-based writer
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moment of transition: Phi Beta Sigma member Shaine McEnheimer
Winter Commencement 2010
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fter years of study, this is your reward: A walk across the stage in Hamer Hall auditorium. Cheers from your family and friends. A firm handshake from the University President, and a diploma — the real thing, inscribed with your name. Tangible evidence that you are a graduate of California University of Pennsylvania. More than 1,300 students were awarded degrees at Cal U’s 171st Commencement. Graduate students received their master’s degrees and were vested in their academic hoods on Dec. 17. The following day, undergraduates received their bachelor’s or associate degrees. President Angelo Armenti, Jr. greeted the students, who completed their studies in August or December. He urged them to leave a legacy of good works and reminded them to remain active in the life of their alma mater. At each ceremony a distinguished alumnus took the podium to share words of wisdom with the graduates. Excerpts from their Commencement addresses are printed here. To read the |complete text of the speakers’ remarks, or to see video of the graduate and undergraduate ceremonies, visit www.calu.edu and search for “Commencement videos.”
Julia Flowers President Armenti
Undergraduate Kerri Frank waves as the ceremony begins.
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‘Embrace deeply held values’ Dr. Saundra Kiski Stout ’72,’74 retired as acting superintendent of Keystone Oaks School District after a distinguished career in education. She still serves as a consultant for the Carnegie Science Center and an adjunct professor at both the University of Pittsburgh and Washington and Jefferson College. She urged master’s degree candidates to behave in an ethical manner, no matter what career path they choose.
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When asked to deliver the Commencement address for the Graduate School, I reflected back several decades to when I sat where you are sitting for exactly the same purpose. I thought about how our lives have changed since then. … “The technological explosion has dramatically influenced … the ways we communicate and learn. Did this revolution in technology, however, change who we are as enlightened human beings? … “As I continued to reflect, I happened upon the Commencement program from the University of Pittsburgh when I received my doctorate. In the foreward written by chancellor Dr. Dennis O’Connor, I found a paragraph that actually means more to me now than it did at the time. “He wrote: ‘My hope is that all our graduates carry with them, along with their diplomas, a sense of personal ethics that attends to the well-being of others. Higher education must mean more than the acquisition of skills or the attainment of knowledge. … Higher education in the truest sense must embrace deeply held values that determine what we stand for, what we care about, who we are.’ “What a powerful statement. Given what we as citizens have endured recently in such disparate areas as politics, the corporate world, health care and even sports, we could begin to question how individuals make choices in their daily lives and if they are indeed guided by a sense of personal ethics. “In our never-ending quest for material success, many of our fellow Americans have taken moral shortcuts resulting in irreparable harm to others. … “And so … I encourage you to continue your lifelong quest for learning. Continue (to live by) your personal sense of ethics, and mentor those whose lives cross your path. … Or, as my granddaughter Abby said when she was 8 years old, ‘Make good choices.’
”
‘Be resolved to get the outcome you want’
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Armand Balsano ’74 has worked in the health care industry for more than 30 years. He currently serves as a managing director for Navigant Consulting, where he heads the Strategy Practice Division. He offered undergraduates this advice: Have a plan, be tenacious and embrace adversity as you build a career.
Have a plan for the future, but remember that the best-laid plans change, and often, appropriately so. As a new graduate you should be able to define where you want to be in your career in two, three or five years from now. … “Stay vigilant for new opportunities now and throughout your careers. Career success is very seldom a straight and linear path. Cal U provided me, and you also, with the intellectual foundation and problemsolving skills that are necessary in any career. “I am sure that you sat through many classes and thought, ‘This is not relevant to me. I will never use this.’ I am here to say that is not the case. You will use … the discipline and work ethic that it took to get through four rigorous years of college education. “Be tenacious. Being resolved to get the outcome you want is often difficult; however, tenacity is a learned behavior. Tenacity keeps a person on track toward a goal when it seems to be unattainable. Tenacity is a key trait of entrepreneurs; they won’t accept ‘no’ for an answer. …
“While there is tremendous optimism in youth, I can assure you that you will deal with your share of life’s adversity. … Whether it’s an economic downturn or a more personal type of adversity, you will face difficult times as a graduate. … When this happens, don’t allow yourself to wallow in self-pity and spiral downward, but choose to use the life lesson as an opportunity for personal growth. Embrace adversity and choose to grow from it. … “As you get ready to enter the workforce, degree in hand, remember that you are going to spend 40-plus hours a week working. If it’s something that you enjoy, you will feel rejuvenated by your contribution. If you love what you do, it becomes obvious to everyone you come in contact with. … Always remember to enjoy life’s journey — enjoy the ride!
”
Cheri McDowell (right) hugs her friend Aquene Zechender. Mary Jo Livingood, the mother of six, celebrates her graduation with her daughter Ava Marie, 2, and husband, Jason.
More than 600 undergraduates, their families and friends attended the 171st Commencement. WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 17 ��
ALUMNI N E W S GREETINGS FROM THE ALUMNI OFFICE!
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hen was the last time you visited California? It is my hope that your answer isn’t “not since graduation!” However, we tend to become busy with our day-to-day lives after Commencement, and in the years that follow we get wrapped up in our careers, our families and our communities. I’d like to paraphrase President Armenti, who touches on this topic when he speaks to our graduating students at the Graduates Dinner, traditionally held the Thursday before each Commencement. He says, “Alma mater, in Latin, means ‘fostering mother,’ and to foster means literally ‘to bring up with parental care.’” Most of us attend college during our formative years, and at California we take very seriously the idea that your alma mater is like your mother, caring for you during your time spent here and never forgetting about you, even long after you leave. So I encourage you to take time from your busy schedule and visit your “mother” — your alma mater. Walk the Quad, wander into a classroom or visit a residence hall. Stop in at the Student Union and chat with some current students. And, of course, tour the Michael and Julia Kara Alumni House. I can promise that you will be greeted warmly every step of the way, no matter when you journey back “home” to visit your alma mater. I challenge you to consider when you can schedule time to visit your “campus family” here. Please know that the alumni house staff members are eager to help you plan your return trip! Do visit often, and encourage your neighbors, family and friends to send their college-bound students to California to help our University family continue to grow.
alumni calendar MARCH West Coast Alumni Gathering — March 17 Did you know that more than 800 Cal U alumni live in the state of California? West Coast alumni will join Bill ’63 and Diana Monroe at their home in Yorba Linda, Calif., for an alumni get-together beginning at 6 p.m. The event features an important update on the state of the University by President Angelo Armenti, Jr.
APRIL Cal U Night at the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra — April 15 Alumni and students mingle during a pre-concert reception at Pittsburgh’s beautiful Heinz Hall, then take their seats for the PSO’s performance of “Disney in Concert.” The reception begins at 6 p.m.; curtain time for the concert is 8 p.m.
Cal Pride Weekend — April 8-9 The winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award will address alumni, students and other guests at 7 p.m. April 8 in the Natali Student Center. Also on April 8, each of Cal U’s four colleges will honor a distinguished graduate. Alumni awards will be presented by the College of Education and Human Services, the Eberly College of Science and Technology, the College of Liberal Arts, and the School of Graduate Studies and Research. Throughout the day, some of our most successful alumni will visit classes and speak to students. The weekend wraps up at 9 a.m. April 9 when prospective students and their parents arrive for an Academic Open House and alumni panel discussion in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre.
MAY Atlanta Alumni Gathering — May 12 President Armenti provides an important update on the state of Cal U when alumni and University friends gather in Atlanta. With close to 400 alumni living in Georgia, this is sure to be an exciting evening. Watch for details about the time and location of this event.
JUNE Alumni Weekend — June 3-4 Members of the Class of 1961 hold their “Pioneer” Reunion Dinner at 6 p.m. June 3 in the Michael and Julia Kara Alumni House on the Cal U campus. All alumni are welcome to attend the annual Alumni Board election meeting at 8:30 a.m. June 4 in Room 206/207 of the Natali Student Center, followed by the Alumni Association Awards of Distinction luncheon at 11:30 a.m. in the nearby Performance Center. Top off the weekend at the annual President’s Gala at the Omni William Penn hotel in downtown Pittsburgh!
Golf Outing — June 6 Join us at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort for the annual golf outing sponsored by Cal U Athletics. Proceeds benefit the Athletic Scholarship Fund. MARK YOUR CALENDAR Cal Couples Weekend — Aug. 5-6 Save the date! Details will be coming soon to our 2,500+ Cal U alumni couples.
Amy Lombard Executive Director, Alumni Relations
SPEAK UP! WE’RE LISTENING. . . What do you think of the Cal U Review? The editor and staff want to know. Is there a feature you enjoy — or one you don’t? A topic you’d like to read more about? To share your thoughts, send an e-mail to revieweditor@calu.edu, or drop us a line at: Cal U Review, Box 31, 250 University Drive, California, PA 15419-1394. ONLINE? Look for California University of Pennsylvania’s official Facebook page, and follow @CalUofPA on Twitter.
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CAL POINT of PRIDE
Kara Alumni House Dedicated on Oct. 12, 2002, the Michael and Julia Kara Alumni House is a campus jewel. In addition to housing the Alumni Relations Office and the Foundation for California University, this exquisite building includes a cozy library, well-used meeting spaces and two hotel-style rooms for special guests. The Booker Great Room is frequently the venue for dinners, receptions and other social events. Dr. Elizabeth Kara Dodson donated $1 million toward the alumni house, which was dedicated in memory of her parents.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARD WINNERS President Angelo Armenti, Jr. joins Presidential Scholarship recipients at the 14th annual Scholarship Recognition Dinner in Gallagher Hall. The event is an opportunity for students to thank the generous donors who support various scholarship funds.
alumni events CAL U LICENSE PLATES ARE HERE! Take your Vulcan pride on the road with a Cal U license plate, available for a required contribution of $44. Featuring the Cal U logo in red, the plates are available to all Pennsylvania drivers, including students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the University. We are pleased to announce that $20 of each plate’s cost is a 100 percent tax-deductible donation that will be used to help fund the California University of Pennsylvania Alumni Association Scholarships. Last year, 16 students were awarded $1,000 scholarships through this fund. Among the alumni at a winter gathering in Monroeville were (from left) Cathy Connelly ’95, director of the annual fund; host Mike Napolitano ’68, member of the Council of Trustees; Jack Wardman ’70; Vito Dentino ’72; and Pete Gialmaes ’69.
To request a Cal U license plate application, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at dean@calu.edu Return your application and a check for $44, payable to “Foundation for California University of Pa.,” to: California University of Pennsylvania Office of Alumni Relations 250 University Ave. California, PA 15419
NOTE: Please be aware that you cannot choose a plate number and you cannot order specific letters or wording on your Cal U license plate. If you require additional registration cards, please send $1.50 for each card.
Gathering for a young alumni event in Lancaster, Pa., were (from left) Matthew Eaton ’08; Justin Leader ’05; Holly Weatherstein Lee; Ryan Jerico ’09, coordinator of student and young alumni programs; and Derek Hunsinger ’09.
Questions? Call the Office of Alumni Relations at 724-938-4418 or e-mail dean@calu.edu. WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 19 �
FOCUS O N W
T H E S C H O O L O F G R A D U AT E S T U D I E S A N D R E S E A R C H
office of WeB-Based programs customer service makes global online no. 1
California University of Pennsylvania
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of the SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH Dean:
Dr. John R. Cencich Graduate Program Coordinators:
Dr. Lizbeth Gillette Administrative Principals Program/ Superintendent Letter of Eligibility
Dr. Thomas West Athletic Training
Dr. Arshad Chawdhry Business Administration
Dr. Ralph Belsterling Communication Disorders
Dr. John Patrick Community Agency Counseling
Dr. Christine Peterson Early Childhood Education
Professor Jane Bonari Elementary Education, Reading Specialist Program, Mentally and Physically Handicapped Education
Dr. Barry McGlumphy Exercise Science and Health Promotion: Performance Enhancement and Injury Prevention
Dr. Charles P. Nemeth Legal Studies: Homeland Security, Legal Studies, Criminal Justice
Dr. Joseph Zisk Master of Arts Teaching
Dr. Mary O’Connor Master of Science in Nursing: Nursing Administration and Leadership
Dr. Grafton Eliason School Counseling
Dr. Kirk John
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It is an exciting time for the School of Graduate Studies and Research. I am pleased to report that the Graduate School remains the fastest growing academic body at California University of Pennsylvania. Indeed, our traditional graduate programs are enjoying unprecedented enrollments and have, quite naturally, become much more academically selective in their admissions. As you are aware, the Graduate School is also responsible for all Global Online academic programs, both graduate and undergraduate. These programs reach learners from around the world, a number of whom come to campus for Commencement ceremonies at the conclusion of their studies. As their dean, it is simply wonderful to finally meet many of these students and their families. The students are grateful for the challenging professors with whom they have had the distinct pleasure to learn, and they are both amazed by and proud of our beautiful campus. In this edition of Focus On, you will get an inside look at what goes on behind the scenes in our Office of Web-Based Programs, which serves as the foundation for this incredible success story. New Global Online programs include the Pre-College Online Program and the Pre-College Honors Portal for high school students; a master’s degree in the teaching of science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, that began in the spring 2011 semester; a new Applied Criminology track in our Master of Arts in Social Sciences degree that will begin in fall 2011; and certificates in Spanish for Law Enforcement and Spanish for Business, which also will begin this fall. All of these new programs are being instituted with state-of-the-art technology, enabling us to provide the best global learning experiences in the world. To ensure the most comprehensive learning experiences for our students, we have begun to provide more graduate assistants to support our faculty in terms of research, service and teaching. Our Office of Grants and Contracts continues to assist faculty and staff in research efforts that are having a profound effect on the region, the commonwealth and our country. And we have undertaken a new mission to facilitate scholarships and fellowships for our graduate students, faculty and staff, including the much-coveted Fulbright. To serve as dean of perhaps the most eclectic academic environment at California University is an honor and a privilege. Thank you,
Dean
School Psychology
Dr. J. William Hug Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Education
Dr. Norma Thomas Social Work
Dr. Taunya Tinsley Sports Counseling
Dr. Robert Taylor Sport Management
Dr. Laura Hummell Technology Education 2
John R. Cencich, J.S.D. Professor and Dean
stem track responds to national need for science education new online master’s degree Program focuses on teaching science, technology, engineering and math
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everal years ago, Cal U President Angelo Armenti, Jr. joined university presidents from across the country in Washington, D.C., to discuss the national decline in science, technology, engineering and mathematics education. As a result of those talks, Cal U developed a new online program for elementary and middle school teachers who want to strengthen their teaching skills in the disciplines known as STEM. “This program is critically important to the future needs of our country,” says Dr. John R. Cencich, dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research. “America’s scientific and governmental communities have identified a major shortfall in STEM-related skills that are necessary to produce young scientists. Our initiative will contribute not only to the personal development of our young people, but also to relevant research and service.” The Master of Education: STEM Education program enhances both content knowledge and teaching skills. The new program is designed for teachers, helping them to build classroom skills and develop the capacity to become teacherleaders in STEM Dr. J. William Hug education. “The future of our society is dependent on citizens who can use science, technology and mathematics to make informed decisions,” says Dr. J. William Hug, program coordinator. “This program provides teachers the opportunity to intensively study and practice the teaching skills that help us achieve that. And it allows teachers to learn new instructional strategies and immediately implement them in their classrooms.”
Cal U education student Jackie Durick explores the physics of water and air with Peyton Kisko as they work together on a science exploration project at Ohiopyle State Park. The Master of Education: STEM Education program enhances teachers’ ability to teach science, technology, engineering and math.
Courses are delivered entirely online, so participants can study wherever and whenever their schedules allow. Participants work in groups known as “cohorts” to complete the 30-credit program. Six graduate credits are offered every semester for five semesters. Program participants are expected to complete readings, observe videotaped demonstrations of high-quality STEM teaching techniques, conduct hands-on activities and then engage in vibrant online discussions with colleagues about what is working in their own classrooms. “One of the key aspects of the program is intensively studying and practicing how to engage children in inquiry experiences that enable them develop the higherorder thinking skills necessary to become productive citizens,” says Hug. Classes began in January for the spring 2011 cohort, and additional cohorts are being formed. The STEM Education track is just one of several master’s degree programs offered through Cal U’s Global Online, ranked
No. 1 in the nation for Internet-based degree programs by Guide to Online Schools (www.guidetoonlineschools.com). “Cal U is positioned well to be a strong leader in online teacher education through our master’s degree programs in early childhood education, English as a Second Language education, National Board Certification and STEM education,” says Hug. �
To learn more about the Master of Education: STEM Education and other programs at California University, visit www.calu.edu. Click on “Global Online” for a list of Cal U’s Internet-based undergraduate and graduate degree programs. For more information about the STEM program for teachers, call program coordinator Dr. J. William Hug at 724-938-4135, or e-mail elemedonline@calu.edu.
By Jeff Bender, PR and Web writer at Cal U 3
customer service makes global online no.1 for the office of Web-Based programs, students come first.
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t’s all about customer service, says Millie Rodriguez, director of California University’s Office of Web-Based Programs. Rodriguez believes that world-class service distinguishes Cal U’s Global Online program from Internet-based programs at other universities. From a student’s initial inquiry through graduation, the office strives to achieve a high level of student satisfaction. This philosophy, coupled with the number of accredited online programs, affordable tuition costs per credit and a low student-to-faculty ratio, has contributed to Cal U’s No.1 ranking among online universities nationwide. “We think of ourselves as a one-stop shop,” explains Rodriguez. “If a student or a prospect calls us with a question, we don’t transfer them all over the University. We give them an answer. If we don’t have one, we find one, then get back to the student.” Rodriguez, a 1999 Cal U alumna, completed her master’s degree at Cal U last year. She joined the University staff in 2005 to fill this newly created position and has instilled the customer service model into her entire department. She and her staff — three client service specialists, one financial aid service representative, one instructional designer and an administrative assistant — are completely “customer focused” when they communicate with their 2,000 online learners and thousands of prospective students. Donna Purtell, a client service specialist who has been with the Office of Web-Based Programs since its inception, takes pride in her role. “I always think of our position as being on the front line in leaving a lasting first impression,” she says. “Online students are truly consumers, and they demand a level of customer service that is unparalleled,” adds client service specialist Lindsay Pecosh. “Most students choose to attend our online programs sight unseen, but they do so because of the interest in and reputation of our programs and the customer service they have come to expect from us.” Rodriguez praises her team for their insight and depth of knowledge.
The Global Online program at California University of Pennsylvania has been ranked No. 1 in the nation for its Internet-based degree programs. For more information about the ranking by S.R. Education Group’s Guide to Online Schools, visit www.guidetoonlineschools.com.
“Our students come from all 50 states and 36 different countries. Our staff knows how to deal with students at a distance. They understand how to engage the students and make them feel part of the Cal U community. This is really important, and it adds greatly to student retention efforts.” Adds Kristy DeBord, another client service specialist: “Our students can walk away from a phone call or e-mail with the same satisfaction as they would if they were meeting with us face to face.” Juandra Smith, a December 2010 graduate with a Master of Science in Legal Studies: Law and Public Policy, appreciated the extra effort put forth by DeBord during her initial contact with the University. In a recent e-mail, she wrote: “Kristy, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with me two years ago. Your casual conversation about the program ended up having a major, positive influence and impact on my life. I may not have enrolled at Cal U if we had not had that conversation. At that time I was seriously considering a different institution. I'm glad I chose Cal U. Keep in mind you never know how far your communication will take someone. … ”
Millie Rodriguez, director of California University’s Office of Web-Based Programs.
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Communication and teamwork are the linchpins of customer service. Staff members routinely consult with one another on student-related issues. They also follow the customer service model when interacting with other University offices. “If they need something from us, we are happy to provide or investigate to the best of our abilities,” says Jon Kallis, instructional designer and administrator of the Desire2Learn learning management system. “And we always appreciate that the other departments are quick and happy to work with us, ultimately extending the benefits back to our students and faculty.” Jen Verscharen agrees. Although she serves as financial aid representative for the Office of Web-Based Programs, she also considers herself part of the University’s overall Office of Financial Aid staff. She regularly works with on-campus counselors to find answers to student questions and solve any problems that may arise. “Some people don’t realize that financial aid for Global Online students differs from financial aid for on-campus students because of federal regulations,” says Verscharen. “Some students expect higher financial aid awards than they receive and do not understand why. So there have been times when I have gone beyond a verbal explanation and typed a detailed breakdown of their budgets, financial aid awards and bills, so they can see how all of the math adds up.” Administrative assistant Rendie Settles understands the value of customer service, too. “I believe everyone deserves kindness in their relationships with others,” she says. “The students are the reason why we are here.” The Office of Web-Based Programs has many touch points with students. Kallis, for example, works with students or faculty members who are having technical issues. “Walking step-by-step through the problem is the best way to figure out exactly how and why a problem is occurring,” he says. “Usually this results in a quick fix over the phone for a very happy student or faculty member. It also helps me to keep track of issues that others also may encounter, so that I have an immediate answer or notes on possible ways to improve the system.” Rodriguez strives to follow industry best practices. In some cases, she modestly admits that her department may be setting the standard for service. “Over time we’ve learned a lot, and we’ve refined our processes,” she explains. “Our team meets at the end of every term and discusses policies and practices to determine what changes need to be made.” “Our Office of Web-based Programs is a world-class operation that provides timely support to our students and our professors,” says Dr. John Cencich, dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research. “The staff members step up to the plate every day of the week to provide service around the world, and they serve as a model for other universities within the commonwealth and around the country.” �
Jon Kallis, instructional designer
Kristy De Bord, client service specialist
Rendie Settles, administrative assistant Jen Verscharen, financial aid representative
By Lindy Kravec, a Pittsburgh-based freelance writer
Lindsay Pecosh, client service specialist
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msW program explores rural concerns AdvAnced generAlIst progrAm prepAres mAster of socIAl Work grAduAtes to fInd jobs In urbAn AreAs, too
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arbara O’Savage says she understands the challenges of living in a rural community, especially when you are trying to pursue an advanced degree. “Being a housewife from a small community, raising children, surviving floods, unemployment and all those good things that living in a rural community challenges you with daily, never quite afforded me the chance to attain that dream,” she says. At the age of 60, O’Savage overcame those obstacles and enrolled as a nontraditional student in the Master of Social Work program at California University — an uncommon program that offers an advanced generalist degree with emphasis on serving rural communities. “Most social work programs specialize, so having an advanced generalist program makes Cal U unique to begin with across the country,” says Dr. Norma Thomas, program director. Students in the MSW program are trained to work with a variety of clients — individuals, families, small groups, communities and organizations — because many small towns aren’t capable of employing multiple specialists. “We are located in a region made up of rural areas and small towns,” says Thomas. “We make it very clear that our course content and assignments provide some information about working in the communities where most of our students come from, and hopefully will go back to.” Students with an undergraduate degree in social work enter the program with advanced standing. Those who enter through the regular admissions process must complete classroom training plus 1,140 hours of field practicum in their first two years, which exceeds the national standard for social work candidates. The organizations where students conduct their fieldwork must demonstrate that at least 51 percent of their clients are from rural areas. Graduates readily find jobs in all areas of practice, Thomas says, and the field practicum hours become a vital reference tool for new workers. “Part of that experience is acclimating students to what it means to be a social worker and to understanding the operational social work professional code of ethics,” she adds. Because the MSW is an advanced generalist degree, program graduates can work in urban and suburban areas, as well as rural communities.
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Dr. Norma Thomas
The program’s versatility has made it an attractive option for many Cal U students. Since 2007, enrollment has grown from 38 to close to 100. Thomas credits the program’s success to the dedicated and knowledgeable faculty members who are an excellent resource for students. “These professors really live our code of ethics, and they have the grace to share their knowledge and expertise with all those who pursue this degree,” says O’Savage. “Through this program, I learned about the ‘strengths perspective’ and how to apply that principle to the most oppressed, needy populations. I also learned that being born and raised in a rural community had real value, and that we as a population do count and have much to offer.” � By Jeff Bender, PR and Web writer at Cal U
Faculty members who teach in Graduate School programs bring top-quality expertise to the classroom, pursue rigorous research, are published in their fields and proudly provide service to Pennsylvania communities, our country and beyond. Here are just some examples of the outstanding work of our scholars and public servants.
DR. RALPH BELSTERLING (Communication Disorders) is the 2011 recipient of the President’s Faculty Award for Service, and DR. CHRISTINE PATTI (Educational Leadership and Administration) will receive the President’s Faculty Award for Teaching. Belsterling has demonstrated excellence in service by his significant contributions to both the University and his discipline, and he has substantiated his service by continued professional involvement in community organizations benefitting an array of people in the region. Evaluations from both students and faculty members led to Patti’s selection for excellence in teaching, along with her efforts to develop new curricula that have markedly affected the learning process. The awards will be presented at the annual President’s Gala in June.
DR. SILVIA BRAIDIC (Educational Leadership and Administration) has published articles in the International Journal of Information and Communication Technology and contributed to the Lexicon of Online and Distance Learning. She also has written “Brain Based Learning Environments in an Online Setting,” which will be published in a special issue of Online Courses and ICT in Education: Emerging Practices and Applications.
DR. CHERYL HETTMAN (Master of Science in Nursing) has begun a two-year term as president of the National Association of Catholic Nurses, USA. The nonprofit association is an affiliate and full-voting member of the Catholic Committee of Nurses and Medico-Social Assistants, which is a member of the United Nations and the World Health Organization. Hettman describes her role as “a facilitator, to help foster a muchneeded focus on the professional development of nurses, nursing students and other health-care providers with regard to spirituality and bioethics.”
DR. GWEN PERRY-BURNEY (Master of Social Work) was awarded a $97,200 grant from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education to continue support for the R. Benjamin Wiley Partnership Program at Cal U. This college preparatory program enables high school students to work with University faculty and staff to develop academic and social skills needed to succeed in college.
DR. JACKIE WALSH (Counselor Education) is the author of “Biofeedback: A useful tool for professional counselors.” Her article was published in the American Counseling Association’s VISTAS 2010, an innovative publication produced by the association as a means of capturing the ideas, information and experiences generated by the annual ACA conventions.
DR. JOE ZISK (Master of Arts Teaching) gave presentations at several conferences relating to online teaching, including the International Society for Technology in Education conference in Colorado and the 26th annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning in Wisconsin.
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Program coordinator reaches out to mentor graduate students
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hen Jane Bonari applied for a teaching job at California University of Pennsylvania in 1987, she admits she was “just looking for a job.” “I took 11 years off from elementary teaching to raise three children,” says Bonari. “When I came back, there were not any teaching jobs available.” Bonari eventually landed a part-time job teaching math, her favorite subject, at Westmoreland County Community College in Youngwood, Pa. A year later,
she accepted a position as an adjunct professor in the education department at Cal U. “Being a math teacher, it took me a while to get used to teaching elementary studies, but I love what I do now,” she says. Today, Bonari is an assistant professor and graduate program coordinator for the Department of Early, Middle and Special Education. “I really enjoy working with graduate students and helping them, because
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I want every student to feel like they are the most important person when they walk through my door.
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assistant professor, Jane Bonari
they are sincere about what they want to do in life,” Bonari says. In addition to teaching an average of two education courses per semester, Bonari serves as graduate program coordinator, evaluating transcripts of potential students to ensure all undergraduate prerequisites have been met. She does the same for graduate students pursuing elementary teaching, special education or dual elementary/ special education certification, as well as reading specialist certification or an autism certificate. Bonari even offers class selection advice when students approach her for help. “I’m not necessarily their adviser, but I want every student to feel like they are the most important person when they walk through my door,” she says. Bonari’s dedication to teaching and her desire to help students have made her an integral part of the University. “Professor Bonari is an amazing teacher,” says Dr. John R. Cencich, dean of the School of Graduate Studies and Research. “She captures the imagination of her students and diligently works to support the mission of California University of Pennsylvania. I am proud to have her as part of the Graduate School.” � By Jeff Bender, PR and Web writer at Cal U
California University of Pennsylvania The School of Graduate Studies and Research 250 University Avenue, California, PA 15419-1394 Phone: 724-938-4187 Fax: 724-938-5712 E-mail: gradschool@calu.edu www.calu.edu/graduate A proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Integrity, Civility, Responsibility
A CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SEEKS NOMINEES FOR ITS BOARD OF DIRECTORS bACKgROund Nominations are now being sought from alumni interested in being recommended to stand for election to the board of directors of the California University of Pennsylvania Alumni Association. Elections will take place in the spring of 2011, with eight open seats to be filled. Interested alumni may self-nominate, or others may submit information on their behalf. Individuals interested in being recommended must submit their nomination form to the Nominating Committee for Board Members (NCB) so as to be received no later than March 18, 2011. The NCB will screen the candidates according to guidelines listed below and found in the Alumni Association bylaws, and will forward the names of recommended candidates to the Alumni Association board for its approval. Approved candidates will then stand for election by the membership of the Alumni Association. Those individuals elected to board seats as a result of the spring 2011 election cycle will be installed at the Alumni Association annual meeting on June 4, 2011.
QuALIfICATIOnS fOR CAndIdACY In evaluating an individual’s qualifications to stand for election to the board of directors of the Alumni Association, the NCB shall emphasize the following: • A knowledge of and commitment to the mission and goals of California University of Pennsylvania; • A record of experience and achievement since graduation in his/her chosen field; • Leadership and consensus-building skills; • A willingness to represent all alumni in providing counsel to the University; • A commitment to serve the University on a wide variety of issues encountered in its planning and operations; • A willingness to commit a significant amount of time and energy necessary for effective service; • A history of active involvement with the University; • A significant contribution to public, educational or charitable endeavors; please include philanthropic giving history. nOmInATIOn pROCESS Individuals interested in being considered for nomination to the board should complete a nomination form and an essay on qualifications and return them, along with a color photograph, to the Alumni Relations Office by March 18, 2011. The Nominating Committee for Board Members will review the information that is submitted and develop a slate of recommended candidates. This slate will be presented to the Alumni Association board of directors for its approval at its spring 2011 meeting. All California University alumni will be eligible to vote either by e-mail or mail ballot.
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ELECTION NOMINATION FORM California University of Pennsylvania Alumni Office 250 University Ave. California, PA 15419
Please attach to this form a brief essay (500 words or less) that addresses the following qualifications:
NAME / CLASS YEAR
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE
TELEPHONE
ZIP
EMPLOYER/OCCUPATION
Upon recommendation by the NCB and approval by the Alumni Association Board of Directors, your personal information (above), your essay and color photograph will be included in the official ballot materials distributed to all alumni prior to the election. 20 CAL U REVIEW WINTER 2011 �
• A knowledge of and commitment to the mission and goals of California University of Pennsylvania; • A record of experience and achievement since graduation in his/her chosen field; • Leadership and consensus-building skills; • A willingness to represent all alumni in providing counsel to the University; • A commitment to serve the University on a wide variety of issues encountered in its planning and operations; • A willingness to commit a significant amount of time and energy necessary for effective service; • A history of active involvement with the University; • A significant contribution to public, educational or charitable endeavors. Please return this form, your essay, and your photograph by March 18, 2011.
Working together Cal u for Life program provides lifelong career services for alumni
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lumni who are looking for a new job or a career change can find help through the Cal U for Life program. So can working graduates who want give back to Cal U by hiring or assisting students or their fellow alumni.
Best of all, these lifelong services are free.
Bridgett Nobili, alumni career adviser, and Sheana Malyszka, employer development coordinator, offer career services for alumni.
John Benham ’03, for example, made an appointment with Career Services after he was laid off from his job in mechanical design. A Career Services counselor helped him to revamp his resumé, search for job openings and schedule an interview with CONSOL Energy, where he ultimately was hired as an industrial engineer.
Want to know more? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions: Q: I’m job searching or thinking about changing careers. Where do I begin? A: Contact Bridgett Nobili, alumni career adviser, at 724-938-4413 to schedule an appointment. Evening appointments are available, in person or by phone or e-mail.
Q: Where do I find online resources to help with my career transition and job search? A: A good place to start is the Career Services website, www.calu.edu/ careers. At the website you can take a career assessment or use the Optimal Resumé/Interview tool to update your resumé and practice for an interview. You can find jobs or post your resumé on the College Central Network, or build your professional network through the Cal U Career Network group on LinkedIn. You also can find information and employer directories for networking events and job fairs, as well as quick tips for job fair preparation.
Q: I’m an employer. How can Career Services help me find candidates for positions within my organization? A: Simply e-mail your job postings and requirements to recruit@calu.edu, and
we will post them so Cal U students and alumni can apply. We also can refer you to resumés of candidates who meet your requirements. Scheduling an on-campus recruitment day or attending a career fair may help you to find qualified candidates, as well.
Q: What if I don’t have any jobs available? Can I still connect with students and alumni? A: Yes, we invite you to participate in our Cal U Career Network on LinkedIn. This professional networking group provides an opportunity for Cal U students and alumni to network with you as they explore their career options. You also may attend one of our networking events or host a jobshadowing experience. We would love to visit your organization or host you for a career-related class presentation.
Q: Whom do I contact if I am interested in hiring or assisting a Cal U student or graduate? A: Contact Sheana Malyszka, employer development coordinator, at 724-938-4825 or malyszka@calu.edu.
HELP WANTED? LOOK HERE Career Services provides these free services for alumni: • Individualized career coaching and planning sessions with our professional staff • Career assessments • Job search, resumé and interview assistance • Job postings and resumé referral through the College Central Network, Cal U’s job posting site • Opportunities to network with Cal U alumni and employers through the Cal U Career Network group on LinkedIn (www.LinkedIn.com) • On-campus interviews • Job and career fairs • Online workshops and job search websites Career Services helps employers connect with Cal U graduates and alumni through: • Job, co-op and internship postings; resumé referrals • On-campus interviews and information sessions • Job and internship fairs and networking events • Cal U Career Network on LinkedIn • Job-shadowing opportunities By Bridgett Nobili and Sheana Malyszka, Cal U Career Services
WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 21 �
PLANNED GIVING
plan for the future with a
charitable gift annuity
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avers and investors who were able to salvage cash from the financial marketplace over the past three years are finding it hard to choose safe places for their money that will pay them a stable long-term income. Cash cannot seem to be used to buy income and guaranteed value together. Bank money-market statements now announce interest rates of zero, but the money will be there tomorrow. The federal government is a very safe place to put money, but it, too, offers low interest rates, even to those who commit to 20 or 30 years. Even stocks and bonds are rarely called “blue chip” anymore. Their prices seem to rise or fall with the certainty only of risk in a market where “bigger” is no longer “better.” Some benefactors of California University have avoided these difficulties and currently enjoy real benefits from their gifts for the Foundation for California University. These individuals or couples made gifts in return for: 1. Generous, predictable income; 2. Life-long payments, which can include the surviving spouse; 3. Secure cash flow backed by the Foundation for California University of Pennsylvania; 4. Favorable tax treatment on that income flow; and 5. An immediate charitable income tax deduction for a significant portion of the gift. They did it through their gifts in the form of a Charitable Gift Annuity. The process begins with the desire to make a generous gift to California University and a need for one or more of the benefits listed above. No one knows the length of a
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life, so income is paid from the gift throughout the donor’s lifetime. Afterward, University students and programs benefit from the remaining funds. Tables approved by the Internal Revenue Service set forth the income that can be received and the income tax results from a Charitable Gift Annuity. Age, interest rates, life expectancies and gift amount are among the factors considered. Choosing to give cash or appreciated securities can further enhance the effect of a Charitable Gift Annuity. The chart on this page shows a sampling of the annual income and the portion of it that is tax-free as the result of a $10,000 gift given at one of several ages. Note the differences between individuals and couples. Consider also that a significant charitable deduction can be taken from income taxes. Additional information is available in booklet form or on the Cal U website, www.calu.edu. Click on “Giving,” then look for the “Legacy & Planned Giving” section. To receive the booklet or a personal proposal reflecting your age and priorities, contact Gordon Core, director of planned giving, at 724-938-5985, or send an e-mail to core@calu.edu. � Results of a $10,000 gift at sample ages* INDIVIDUAL ANNUAL AGE PAYMENT*
60 65 70 75 80 85
$520 $550 $580 $640 $720 $810
COUPLE TAX-FREE PORTION*
$347 $382 $422 $482 $560 $662
AGE
ANNUAL PAYMENT*
68/64 72/68 75/71 77/73 80/76
$510 $530 $550 $570 $600
TAX-FREE PORTION*
$354 $379 $402 $422 $456
*Gifted Nov. 30, 2010. Results vary by ages and gift dates.
PAYING IT F O R W A R D
university acquires treasured paintings SISTERS dOnATE ARTWORK COmmISSIOnEd fOR ThEIR pAREnTS
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usan Channing Petty and Judy Channing Kirkpatrick remember “Old Main” vividly. “It hung over our parents’ sofa until the day our parents died,” they say. The oil painting of the iconic administration building at California University was painted by a former professor and chair of the Cal U art department. It was commissioned in the early 1960s by their aunt Elsie Channing ’24 as a gift to their parents, Wesley ’38 and Doris ’67 Edwards Channing. “Through their three moves it hung over the sofa,” Petty says. “It was always the center.” Today, the painting has another place of honor. It is back at California University, a gift from the sisters — and an example of the “talent and treasure” that can be paid forward to benefit the school. “Science Hall 1892,” a painting of what is now known as Watkins Hall, also has been donated by the sisters, and a third artwork may be given to the University as well. All three were painted by the late Angus H. Douple, who was at Cal U from the late 1940s until 1970. Petty says “Old Main” was a perfect gift for her parents, who had a deep attachment to the University. She remembers, especially, how much a degree from the school meant to her mother. “When they were both in school in the 1930s, teachers needed only a two-year degree to teach,” she recalls. “Our mother was going to go for four years, but was called to teach and did not finish. So in 1964 she decided to go back to school, and she graduated in 1967 from Cal U. She and her friend drove a good hour or so from the suburban Pittsburgh area during summer breaks from teaching. “So that answers how important that degree was to her.” Doris Channing died in 2005, and Petty took the painting of Old Main home for safekeeping. After Elsie Channing died, in 1990, each sister took one of the campus paintings that had hung in her home.
“The family thought about what to do with ‘Old Main,’” Petty says. “Since none of us were graduates of Cal U and it would be unlikely that we would hang them, my sister and I started talking about gifting them to the college — our goal being to get them off to where they would be appreciated.” Petty contacted Gordon Core, the director of planned giving at Cal U, to begin the donation process. Core emphasized that knowing the history of a donated item can enhance its worth. “From the moment my sister mentioned doing this, I’ve been all for it,” Kirkpatrick says.“If it benefits the University, I think it’s great.”
“The paintings meant a lot to my family, and I felt good about knowing that someone was so happy to receive them,” Petty says. “It makes me feel good that this was where they needed to be. “The fact that Cal U is enjoying them is warming my heart.” � By Wendy Mackall, assistant communications director at Cal U
TO mAKE A gIfT To learn more about donating gifts of personal property or collectibles to Cal U, contact Gordon Core, director of planned giving, at 724-938-5985 or core@calu.edu.
WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 23 �
CAMPUS C L I P S grant writers net $4.1 million Grant writers at Cal U submitted more than 100 proposals during fiscal year 2009-2010, the Office of Grants and Contracts reports. In all, 71 new awards were received, totaling $4.1 million. All faculty and staff members who submitted grant proposals or administered grant-funded projects were honored at a year-end reception in the Kara Alumni House. Their efforts also were chronicled in Laud, an annual publication recognizing the painstaking work of seeking funds to support research and other scholarly activities. “Win or lose, we work together as a team toward the Cal U mission,” says Cheryl Vogrig, director of the Office of Grants and Contracts. Currently, the office is administering 109 active projects totaling $5.8 million.
history-maker’s descendant visits campus Kenneth Morris Jr., the great-greatgreat-grandson of famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass, discussed his famous family, as well as modern-day slavery and human trafficking, at a free lecture Dec. 7 in Morgan Hall. Sponsored by the Frederick Douglass Institute at Cal U, the talk commemorated Douglass’ 1885 visit to South Western Normal School, a forerunner of Cal U. The renowned orator and statesman delivered “words of burning eloquence,” the campus newsletter reported, and drew an audience of more than 500 to that lecture 125 years ago.
Kenneth Morris Jr.
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Two complete robotics program Matthew Hayden (left) and Faye Bickerton put the finishing touches on an agile robot they designed and constructed for RET 260, the capstone course in Cal U’s robotics engineering technology program. Hayden and Bickerton are the first to complete the two-year associate degree program, which kicked off in fall 2009 and now has 15 students enrolled. Both students graduated in December. Each earned a bachelor’s degree as well as an Associate of Science degree in robotics engineering technology.
In “Frederick Douglass and the Value of Education,” Morris shared stories and photos passed down through his family, and he continued the family tradition of speaking out on behalf of those who are oppressed. President of the Frederick Douglass Family Foundation, Morris is also the great-great-grandson of educator Booker T. Washington, founder of the Tuskegee Institute.
uTech makes changes University Technology Services reports that “cup.edu” is gone for good and a new student information system is well on its way. When 2010 came to a close, the old “cup.edu” domain name in e-mail and Web addresses expired. All University websites and e-mail now use the “calu.edu” domain name. The conversion to “calu.edu,” which better reflects the University’s branding efforts, began more than a year ago, prior to the introduction of Cal U’s redesigned website. Soon an electronic “button” on the website’s homepage will offer one-click entry to the new student information
system via the Vulcan Information Portal, or VIP. Part of Banner, the world’s most widely used suite of administration applications for higher education, the portal now offers access to admissions and financial aid information. Modules continue to be added, and by April students should be able to register for classes through VIP. More services are on their way through the password-protected portal. “The Vulcan Information Portal will be a one-stop shop,” says Becky Nichols, director of applications and academic support for UTech Services. “Instead of going to different sites to access e-mail, grades or assignments, students and faculty can simply log in to VIP and find everything they need.”
Campus celebrates black history month
Dr. Karen Kosiba discusses her participation in the largest tornado field project in history.
Weather experts at the podium A forensic meteorologist and a tornado researcher shared their expertise with students and other weather buffs during two presentations in the ongoing Meteorology/Earth Sciences Colloquia series. Dr. John Scala, a forensic meteorologist who also works for NBC affiliate WGAL in Lancaster, Pa., described his role in legal cases involving weather. The outcome of a slip-and-fall insurance case, for example, might hinge on his testimony about icy conditions created by a recent snowfall. Dr. Karen Kosiba, a postdoctoral scientist at the Center for Severe Weather Research (CSWR) in Boulder, Colo., discussed her role in VORTEX2, the largest tornado field project in history. The project involved more than 100 scientists who conducted field experiments on severe weather outbreaks across the Great Plains. The speaker series is organized by Dr. Chad Kauffman and students in the Three Rivers Chapter of the National Weather Association, which won the NWA’s chapter of the year award for 2010. This is the second time in four years that Cal U’s meteorology club has won the NWA award.
Lectures, performances, travel and African food were featured during Cal U’s Black History Month celebration in February. Highlights included a music workshop and talk by Grammy-nominated songwriter and record producer Kendrick “Wyldcard” Dean, who has worked with artists such as Usher, Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige. Finance professor Dr. Boyce Watkins, who has discussed economics and finance on network news broadcasts and morning news shows, presented “Get Your Paper Straight,” investment advice for young black Americans. Classical music met hip-hop, jazz and funk when Black Violin took the stage in the Performance Center, and a poetry slam featured Twin Poets, awardwinning performers from Philadelphia. The Frederick Douglass Institute offered a lecture series highlighting faculty projects, the Black Student Union held a talent show, and AVI FoodSystems cooked up “A Taste of Africa” with fresh menu choices at each weekly sampling. The month was scheduled to conclude with a bus trip to the National Great Blacks in Wax Museum and the
Reginald F. Lewis Cultural Museum, both in Baltimore, Md. Black History Month events were sponsored by the offices of admissions, social equity and multicultural affairs, as well as the Student Activities Board, the Black Student Union and the Frederick Douglass Institute.
Students spend holiday in service Although the University was closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Robert G.Stanton Day, more than 150 people returned from winter break to participate in the Day of Service on Jan. 17. The annual community service project recalls the late Coretta Scott King’s visit to campus in 2003, when she asked students to honor her husband with “a day on, rather than a day off.” Students gathered in the Vulcan Theatre for a kickoff talk, then pitched in to complete projects both on and off campus. A luncheon to mark the holiday was held two days later, with keynote speaker Robert G. Stanton, a former National Park Service director and senior adviser to the Secretary of the Interior.
‘A Christmas Carol’ The Department of Theatre and Dance continued a holiday tradition with its presentation of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ a musical version of the classic tale by Charles Dickens. Performers included Cal U students and community members. Shown here in rehearsal are (from left) Maria Martik, 13, of California; Elton Bodnar, 8, of Coal Center; Mathew Fedorek, 9, of Finleyville; Vanessa Martik, 13, of California; Kristen Ross, 22, of Connellsville; Sam Silva, 23, of Uniontown; and Ryan DeFranco, 10, of California. WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 25 �
InTRAmuRAL SpORTS STILL buILdIng mEmORIES more than 80 years after the first team played, the program is more popular than ever
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“
heering crowds” turned out to support the newly organized women’s intramural basketball teams representing Town and Traveling Students, North Hall and Dixon Hall, the 1928 Monocal reported. “These intramural games excited as much interest as any intercollegiate game,” the yearbook states, even though the topranked team fell The 1928 Town and to the “more Traveling girls intramural experienced lassies” basketball team on the varsity squad in end-of-season play. The uniforms have changed, but the popularity of intramural sports endures. Last year about 1,750 men and women, mostly students, competed in one of the 15 intramural sports on campus. The number of intramural athletes is expected to exceed 2,000 this academic year. Teams still compete in Herron Hall — now the expanded Herron Recreation and Fitness Center — as well as at Roadman Park and the outdoor courts beside Hamer Hall. These days, the most popular sport is flag football. This fall it attracted 398 players — 29 men’s and five women’s teams. Two of those teams enjoyed success at the National Campus Championship Series (NCCS) Regional Flag Football Championships last year at the University of Maryland. The men’s Dynasty team finished second in the 38-team tourney, and the Lady Vulcans reached the NCCS regional semifinals. Laura Montecalvo ’10 played quarterback, wide receiver and safety for the Lady Vulcans. A two-year member of Cal U’s varsity basketball team, she is pursuing a master’s degree in school counseling.
26 CAL U REVIEW WINTER 2011 �
“
Intramurals is a way for students to develop camaraderie and great memories.
”
TOm hASbROuCK ’06, ’09
“I think intramurals is fun because there’s really not any pressure,” she says. “That’s different for many of us who played a varsity sport where … if you mess up, it’s a big deal. We all had a good time, and I’m sure we will do it again.” Randy Senior ’84, sports editor for the Ellwood City Ledger, says he has great memories of playing intramural softball at Cal U. The corresponding secretary for Sigma Tau Gamma during his college days, he covered Sig Tau intramural football for the California Times and kept statistics on the sideline at each game. Senior vividly recalls Sig Tau winning the 1982 intramural title — and then losing the 1983 championship game on a Hail Mary pass on the last play. “We took it pretty seriously. We practiced and had mesh jerseys made with our Greek letters and numbers on the back,” he says. “We would look forward to the game all day.” Senior says he and his fraternity brothers still discuss their intramural exploits at the Sig Tau annual alumni
golf tournament in Myrtle Beach, N.C., and on campus at Homecoming celebrations. “The guys get together, break out the scrapbooks and that competitive spirit is still there now like it was when we played ball together, “ he says. “Twenty-five or 30 years later, we are still talking about it. That’s pretty cool.” New intramural memories are being created every day, says Tom Hasbrouck ’06, ’09, assistant director of recreational services at Cal U. He joined the staff in fall 2009, when the renovated fitness center re-opened. Since then, Hasbrouck has added intramural activities to the schedule, and he uses social media to increase membership. Participants can register online at www.imleagues.com/schools/cup. “Intramurals is a way for students to develop camaraderie and great memories,” he says. “For many of them, intramurals is an extension of their high school athletic careers, and they approach these as if they are varsity games.” � By Bruce Wald ’85, information writer at Cal U
Cal U cheerleaders rev up the crowd at CONSOL Energy Center. Vulcan fans celebrate a goal scored by team captain Dan Tonini.
hoCkey fAnS honor CAl u VeterAnS
R
ising to their feet in CONSOL Energy Center, 2,500 hockey fans paid tribute to a former Cal U student who was seriously wounded while serving his country in Afghanistan. Spc. Patrick McIlvain, a former member of the Vulcan hockey team, was honored Nov. 11, Veterans Day, during a memorable Cal U Hockey Night in Pittsburgh. The Cal U women’s hockey team played Penn State, and the men’s team faced off against Robert Morris on the Penguins’ home ice. Pens players Tyler Kennedy and Deryk Engelland signed autographs for hundreds of alumni and University friends.
But the evening’s stars were Purple Heart recipient Brian Joseph, an Iraq War veteran who dropped the puck to start the men’s game, and McIlvain, who had left a rehabilitation facility in Virginia for the first time to attend the event. A lifelong Penguins fan, McIlvain also was invited to attend a team practice and to meet the Pens players in the locker room at CONSOL Energy Center. “Our ups and downs in here from day to day are pretty trivial compared to what these (service) men and women are going through,” player Chris Adams said after meeting the wounded serviceman. “It’s an eye-opener, for sure.”
University President Angelo Armenti, Jr. applauds as Dan Tonini (right), captain of the men’s hockey team, presents a jersey to Spc. Patrick McIlvain, who was wounded while serving in Afghanistan. With McIlvain on the ice at CONSOL Energy Center are his uncle Tom McIlvain (back left) and Max Crodic.
Fans Katie Hill and Austin Malone enjoy the game.
Pittsburgh Penguin Tyler Kennedy encourages the women’s hockey team before they take to the ice in CONSOL Energy Center.
WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 27 �
SPORTS R O U N D U P
hAIL TO hAmER! AThLETES CELEbRATE bASKETbALL ‘hOmE COuRT’ In uSE SInCE 1965
A
s the Vulcan basketball teams played their last home game of the season, student-athletes, coaches and alumni celebrated the venue that has been their home court for more than 45 years. The basketball teams will play in the new Convocation Center next season. On Feb. 19 they said farewell to the 3,500seat Hamer Hall auditorium by recalling the studentathletes, coaches, support staffs and fans who have filled the arena since 1965.
Alumni, boosters and athletes gathered for “Hail to Hamer” receptions before and after the varsity doubleheader against Gannon University. Fans received commemorative posters and viewed a film highlighting great moments in the arena. “There have been so many great games played at Hamer Hall,” said Bill Brown, head coach of the men’s basketball team for the past 15 years. “Hamer Hall has kind of been the foundation of our program, and we wanted an all-inclusive day to recognize all the people who have been part of the tradition.” Phil Stewart ’68 remembers Hamer’s early days. He was a member of Cal U’s PSAC-West championship team in 1967, and he served as an assistant coach under former head coaches Tim Loomis and Jim Boone. “It was a big deal when it was built, obviously, and it was different than most places because of the sunken floor,” he says, recalling the
Among H amer’s man Tim Brow n ’91 help y highlights: s the 1988 win the sc Vu ho PSAC cham ol’s second of eigh lcans t pionships.
first Commencement ceremony held in the new auditorium. “I’ve been privileged to watch and be a part of many championships there,” Stewart says. “My wife (Emmilou ’71), two children (Philip ’92 and Kelly ’96) and I all are alumni and received our degrees there. So I have 45 years of great memories of the place.” Annie Malkowiak ’94, ’96, a 2000 Hall of Fame inductee, not only has played and coached women’s basketball at Hamer, she also has served as the public address announcer. The 1,000-point scorer is an assistant coach under head coach Mark Swasey and an assistant director of athletic development.
Men’s basketball coach Bill Brown has encouraged alumni participation during his 15-year coaching career at Cal U.
A Winning Tradition In all, the Vulcan men’s basketball team has won three NCAA Regional titles, and the women’s team has won four. The men have won eight conference titles, and the women have appeared in the past 10 consecutive PSAC title games, winning four state crowns.
28 CAL U REVIEW WINTER 2011 �
The women’s basketball team has won four conference titles, four regional championships and one national title since 2002. Above, the 2005-2006 team wins at Hamer Hall.
“Whenever I think of Hamer Hall, a smile comes to my face,” Malkowiak says. “While it’s a little bittersweet for me, we are moving into a facility that is second to none. That’s exciting, and I just hope we can create as many great memories in the Convocation Center.” Although the basketball teams are changing venues, Cal U’s highly successful women’s volleyball team may continue to play home matches at Hamer Hall. Since 2006 the Vulcans have compiled a remarkable 62-4 home record, and the team won three consecutive NCAA Regional crowns on the Hamer gym floor from 2007-2009. “The Convocation Center is going to be an amazing addition to our campus, but we’ve always seen Hamer as our home — and it’s an incredibly nice gymnasium,” said former women’s head volleyball coach Stephanie Burner. “The team is excited to have a volleyball facility in Hamer, as opposed to a basketball facility with a volleyball court on it. This is a big advantage.” As part of the “Hail to Hamer” event, Cal U honored its NCAA Final Four men’s basketball teams of 1992 and 1996, as well as the women’s 2003 Final Four squad and the 2004 NCAA National Champion team. Basketball alumni who played in Herron Hall — Cal U’s home court prior to 1965 —also were honored. “The players and coaches who played in Herron Hall are the flag bearers for the people who came to Hamer. They really established our program,” Brown says. “This is really the close of an era of basketball here at Cal, but it’s also a beginning of a new era in terms of facilities.” Brown says he and Coach Swasey have discussed moving the annual Basketball Alumni Day to the fall. “If we conduct it with the first game, our alumni could have the opportunity to be the first ones to tip-off the new facility,” he says. “The weather would be more conducive, and this would be a special way to honor them.” �
fall sports teams finish strong
I
mpressive finishes by Cal U’s women’s golf, women’s soccer, football, men’s cross country and women’s volleyball teams propelled Cal U athletics into second place in the 2010-2011 PSAC Dixon Trophy standings as the fall season closed. • The women’s golf team won its third consecutive conference championship. Freshman Aaron Dinzeo led the men's cross country team by finishing seventh and 16th overall at the PSAC and NCAA Atlantic Regional meets, respectively.
Sophomore setter Kelly Fromknecht (above left) helped the women’s volleyball team achieve a sixthstraight NCAA Division II tournament appearance.
Junior Paula Jackson was one of the top goalkeepers in NCAA Division II with 0.34 goals against average and 13 shutouts.
• The women’s soccer team reached the PSAC championship for the first time in school history and made its second straight appearance in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional title game. Cal U finished with an 18-1-4 overall record. • Together, the women’s golf and soccer teams earned 31 points in the Dixon Trophy race, which honors the program with the best men’s and women’s athletic records. Only a school’s best 12 finishes, six men’s and six women’s, are used in the final calculation of the Dixon Trophy standings. Leading the men’s charge this past autumn was the Vulcan football team, which won a share of the PSAC-West title for the sixth consecutive year. Cal U finished 10-2 overall, 6-1 in the division, and made a fourth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division II playoffs. • The women’s volleyball team achieved a seventh straight 20-win season and advanced to the PSAC playoffs for the sixth year in a row. The Vulcans also made their fifth consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional championship match. The team finished 2010 with a 23-13 overall record. • The men’s cross country team posted its best finish at the PSAC Championships since 1986 and accounted for 11 points in the Dixon race. • One of only seven schools to have won the Dixon Trophy since its inception in 1995, Cal U placed second in the 2009-2010 standings after winning the award in 2008-2009.
Senior Adam Green capped his soccer career by playing in the Maccabi Australia International Games in Sydney.
By Bruce Wald ’85, information writer at Cal U WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 29 �
30 CAL U REVIEW WINTER 2011 �
CALU M I L E S T O N E S 50s Louis Reda ’54 lives in Harrisburg,
Pa.
60s Charles Gismondi ’64 is retired
and living with his wife, Barbara, in Elco, Pa. At Cal U he was active in the Speech and Hearing Club, Jazz Club, intramurals and Alpha Kappa Lambda.
70s Kathleen Ellison ’72 recently ran
for a seat on the Delta College Board of Trustees. Kathleen is a resident of Midland, Mich., and has experience as director of curriculum for Midland Public Schools. She worked in education in Pennsylvania and Michigan as a teacher, consultant, administrator and adjunct college faculty member.
Eminent Grand Commander of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania. SLP - Geriatrics. She lives in Granbury, Texas.
Priscilla D’Arrigo Thompson ’73 is retired. She and her husband, Mike, live in Hillsboro, Ore. At Cal U, she participated in marching and stage bands. S. Timothy Warco ’73, the coroner in Washington County, Pa., was recently installed as the Right
Rich Bucchianeri ’70, retired
superintendent of the South Park School District, shows off his Cal U T-shirt during a recent trip to Africa, where he attended a wedding at the Tribe Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.
Cheryl Mantich ’74 is retired as
an elementary school teacher in the Carlynton (Pa.) School District. She and her husband, Edward, live in Bridgeville, Pa.
Jon McCrory ’76 has received Cal U’s Pennsylvania Technology Education Lifetime Achievement Award. He is chairman of the Technology Education Department at Canon-McMillan High School in Canonsburg, Pa., and is an adjunct professor at Cal U. His father was an industrial arts professor at the University. Jeffrey Molnar ’78 is retired. He and his wife, Louise Stabile ’79,
NEW FEATURE! Have you recently explored an exciting destination while dressed in Cal U apparel? Send us a high-resolution digital image showing where you went and what you wore. Be sure to include your name, an e-mail address and the name of your destination. Your photo may appear in a future edition of Milestones! Forward submissions to mackall@calu.edu; please put the word “Milestones” in the subject line.
live in Summersville, W.Va.
Bryant Aldstadt ’79 lives in Easley,
S.C.
Harry Smith ’72, assistant superin-
tendent of the Penn-Trafford (Pa.) School District, will retire at the end of this school year. He has been in this position since 2007 and has worked for the district since 1973, when he began his career as a science teacher. He also was assistant principal at Penn-Trafford High School for 15 years.
ON THE ROAD
Mary Perozich ’71, ’73 works for
Army Brig. Gen. Alan R. Lynn ’79 has
been nominated for appointment to the rank of major general. He is currently serving as commanding general for the Signal Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon, Ga.
80s Susan Sphar-Calhoun ’80 and her husband, Ed, live in Charleroi, Pa. She majored in social work at Cal U.
Stephen Koren ’80 lives in
Sun City Center, Fla.
Artist Susan Sparks ’80 of Dunlevy, Pa., has had her works displayed in galleries such as the Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh Center for the Arts and the Butler Institute of American Art. Recently she had two works chosen for Associated Artists of Pittsburgh’s 100th annual exhibition. Mary Kathryn Hensler Toy ’81
is a preschool teacher at St. Winifred Early Learning Center. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pa. At Cal U, she was a member of Kappa Delta Pi and participated in theater productions.
In Print
Lannie Dietle ’74 has co-authored a book with Michael McKenzie,
In Search of the Turkey Foot Road: From Fort Cumberland to the North Fork of the Youghiogheny. The book, published by the Mount Savage Historical Society, traces the road and suggests that many thousands of Americans can trace their lineage to folks who settled along the Turkey Foot Road. “In its heyday,” Dietle summarizes in the final chapter, “the Turkey Foot Road was an early route west. It helped to settle the towns and environs that interest us most: Barrelville and Mount Savage in Maryland; Wellersburg, Pocahontas and Salisbury in Pennsylvania. The road also serviced points farther west, such as Springs, Savage, Confluence, Harnedsville, and so forth, all the way to Pittsburgh.”
Karen Majernik Clawson ’82 is a
biology teacher in Palm Beach, Fla. Her husband, Larry, has recently been promoted to principal of Palm Beach Gardens High School, in Palm Beach County.
Carmelita Wallace Wilder ’81, ’82 is a speech-language pathologist for the Miami-Dade County Public Schools. She and her husband, Keith, live in Pembroke Pines, Fla. At Cal U, she was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Betsy Sideris ’84, assistant
principal of St. Demetrios Elementary School in Astoria, N.Y., was recently honored for working 25 years at the school. She also has worked as a middle school teacher and high school dean at St. Demetrios of Astoria, which has more than 600 students in its nursery program through grade 12.
Carmen Gonzalez Valentin ’85
is a Spanish teacher. She lives in Pine Hill, N.J. At Cal U, she was a member of Sigma Kappa and the marching band’s flags corps.
Richard Colelli ’86, a technology education teacher in the Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania, has attained his national board certification. Tina Hoy ’88 is a project assistant
at Penn State University.
WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 31 �
MILESTONES
continued from page 31
Linda Kalafatis ’88 has been inducted into the Bethel Park (Pa.) High School Athletic Hall of Fame. She is head softball coach at The Ohio State University, where she has the most wins in school history and twice was named Big Ten Coach of the Year. At Cal U, she was a four-time letter winner and a two-time all-conference selection. She also coached women’s softball at Cal U and at the University of Akron. Donald W. Martin ’89 is the
new assistant executive director of Intermediate Unit 1, based in Coal Center, Pa. Previously he was superintendent in the Frazier School District in Perryopolis, Pa. He also has been a middle school principal, high school principal and assistant superintendent of that district.
profit drug and alcohol treatment center in Havre de Grace, Md. Previously, he supervised the intensive outpatient addiction treatment program for Greenbriar Treatment Center in Pennsylvania. Laurie Duran Crawford ’93 is a
teacher in the Fort Cherry School District in McDonald, Pa. She and her husband, Mark, live in Bulger, Pa.
Kevin Rice ’94, ’97 is assistant
director of the Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center in New Stanton, Pa.
Erin Trimble Corbelli ’98 is a
human resources business partner with LANXESS Corp. She and her husband, Joseph, live in Land O’ Lakes, Fla.
Laurie Kmetko Wright ’98 is a
president of PCI Inc. He and his wife, Isabel ’90, live in Tampa, Fla.
payroll and human resources manager for Sisters of Mercy. She and her husband, Michael, live in Pittsburgh, Pa.
90s
00s
Amy Williams Pippins ’91 married
Kelly Canistra Reshenberg ’00
Pakorn Sukijbumrung ’89 is
Christopher Pippins in 2008. They have two daughters: Sarina, born in 2008, and Callie, born July 28, 2010. Amy teaches world geography to eighth-graders in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas, Nev. Michael J. Beam ’92,
curator of exhibitions and collections and adjunct professor at the Castellani Art Museum of Niagara University, participated in the 2010-2011 curatorial panel for the “Beyond/in Western New York: Alternating Currents” project. This international contemporary art exhibition showcases the work of more than 100 extraordinary artists from the region and beyond. Michael also was the curator of “Field of Dreams: North American Baseball Stadiums by Photographer Jim Dow.” Comiskey Park, the old Yankee Stadium, Fenway Park, Candlestick Park and more will be featured in the exhibition, hosted by the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory in Kentucky in 2011. George Plesniak ’93 has been
promoted to clinical program director at Father Martin’s Ashley, a non32 CAL U REVIEW WINTER 2011 �
is a prevention specialist with Fayette County Drug and Alcohol Commission Inc. in Uniontown, Pa. While a student at Cal U, she was a member of the Alpha Sigma Tau sorority. She is married to Bill Reshenberg ’93, who works for the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons. He is a challenge treatment specialist at the U.S. Penitentiary-Hazelton. The couple has a set of fraternal twins, Bella Rae and Brady William, who were born May 6, 2008, at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC. The family lives in Uniontown, Pa. George Silowash ’01 is a cyber security analyst for the CERT Program, which is part of the Software Engineering Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. At Cal U, he was active with the Cal Times and Flipside.
Kristen Lippencott ’01 is assistant director of transfer admissions at Coastal Carolina University. She lives in Myrtle Beach, S.C. Jim Grosik ’01 is an EMI-EMC test
engineer for NTS, an independent testing and compliance management organization. He lives in Phoenix, Ariz.
Mark Stubblefield ’01 has returned to the position of athletic trainer for the Wilmington Blue Rocks, the Class A Advanced Affiliate for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball. He was the team’s trainer in 2007. Cassandra Bioni Kirby ’01,
a certified financial planner since 2009, is a financial adviser with Amy J. Braun-Bostich & Associates, a financial advisory practice of Ameriprise Inc. in McMurray, Pa.
Autumn C. Koerbel ’02 is a
technical writer at McKesson Corp. in Moon Township, Pa. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Chuck Michael ’02 is the new principal at Bullskin Township and Connellsville Township elementary schools in the Connellsville (Pa.) Area School District. Yiowa Guo ’02 lives in Richmond,
British Columbia, Canada.
Christin Hammel Boswell ’02
tional Club. She lives in Wilkins Township, Pa. Bobby Saddler ’03 is the new baseball coach at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, Pa. At Cal U, the right-handed pitcher was a first-team all-conference nominee in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. He also was named a Verizon Academic AllAmerican as a junior and senior. Elizabeth Cossick ’04 is a teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District. She lives in San Francisco, Calif. Brian Lawler ’04 is co-owner of
Asheville Physical Therapy in North Carolina. He is a certified athletic trainer with the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, a certified strength and conditioning specialist with the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a performance enhancement specialist with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Recently, he taught a continuing education course on the female athlete designed for coaches, physical therapists and trainers.
Joe Semian ’04 works as a cook in
his family-run business, Lorraine’s Family Restaurant, in Speers, Pa. The business is owned by his grandmother, Lorraine Mossburg.
Sara Kucenic-Matias ’04 lives
lives in Dexter, N.M.
in Fort Myers, Fla.
Kristine Doppelheuer ’00, ’02 is
Justin Leader ’05 is a financial adviser for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. He lives in Red Lion, Pa. At Cal U, he was on the residence life staff, was a member of Beta Beta Beta, worked in University Conference Services and was a graduate assistant in the Herron Recreation and Fitness Center.
a career counselor and employer relations coordinator at Cal U. She and her husband, Michael ’02, live in West Newton, Pa. At Cal U, Kristine was a cheerleader and a member of Sigma Kappa sorority. Kathryn Sheffler ’03 is an infant teacher for the downtown Pittsburgh, Pa., location of Bright Horizons Inc., an international company. At Cal U, she was active in residence life and the Interna-
Tara Rush ’05 of Waynesburg, Pa.,
social services director for three years at Golden Living Center, has assumed the same position at
Education In India Seniors Rachel Fletcher (elementary/special education) and Jacqueline Davis (early childhood education), student member of the Council of Trustees, will spend about six weeks in April and May at Bharatiya Samaj Seva Kendra (BSSK), an organization in India specializing in child and family welfare. At BSSK they will develop lessons and assessments that will help students to improve their skills in mathematics, reading, writing and other areas. Cal U recently signed an agreement with BSSK
— which includes a child-care center, foster family care, adoption and a community center — allowing pre-service teachers to spend up to seven weeks there working with children. Dr. Daniel Engstrom, associate dean and director of student teaching in the College of Education and Human Services, and his wife, Ronda, worked with the facility when they adopted their daughter Maya in 2008. That introduction eventually led to the signed agreement.
Rolling Meadows Nursing and Rehabilitation in Waynesburg, Pa. She has six years’ experience in longterm care and five years’ experience as a mental health therapist. Richard Ramirez ’05 is a certified
athletic trainer for BSTI. He lives in Jupiter, Fla.
Joseph Barnouski ’05 is a technology and engineering teacher in the Big Spring School District. He lives in Carlisle, Pa.
Shawn McIntosh ’08 is a group sales representative and director of game operations for the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League. He lives in Virginia Beach, Va.
she was president of the Student Accounting Association, vice president of Phi Beta LambdaFuture Business Leaders of America, and secretary of the Finance and Economics Club.
Jonathan Richie ’08 is a data
WEDDINGS
specialist for Morgantown Printing and Binding. He lives in Morgantown, W.Va.
Kary Lynn Coleman ’00, of
trainer for the Howard County (Md.) Public School System. She and her husband, Brendan Werkheiser, live in Ellicott City, Md.
Stephanie Cooke ’09 is a speech
therapist for Lincoln Intermediate Unit No. 12. She lives in New Oxford, Pa.
Greensburg, Pa., and Raymond Paul Hazen, of Monongahela, Pa., were married May 29, 2010, in St. Joseph Chapel at Seton Hill University. Kary is director of media relations at Seton Hill and a parttime faculty member in the communication departments at Seton Hill and Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. Raymond works for United Parcel Service. They are planning a trip to St. Lucia and are living in Greensburg.
Jenny Yarbrough Johnson ’05 is
Derek Fiorenza ’09 runs a charity
Shane Pulig ’06 of Adah, Pa., and
Melissa Risko ’05 works for Kaplan
Career Institute. She lives in West Newton, Pa.
Gina Palermo ’05 is an athletic
an instructor for American Military University. She and her husband, Richard ’06, live in Tabor City, N.C. Bernard Albright ’05 is a commer-
cial sales specialist for Rockwell Automation. He and his wife, Megan ’05, live in Wrightsville, Pa. Zach Schellhase ’06 and Grant
Fossum are at home in Powder Springs, Ga. Zach is a teacher for Marietta City Schools. At Cal U, his activities included S.T.A.N.D. Lacey Twigg ’06 lives in Pittsburgh,
Pa. At Cal U she was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha.
Eric Kubicsek ’08 is at home in
Munhall, Pa.
Kyle Tregoning ’08 is a teacher in
the Poudre (Colo.) School District. He and his wife, Shelley, live in Windsor, Colo.
called F4 (Fiorenza’s Food for Friends), which serves holiday meals to shelters and social service agencies in seven southeastern Pennsylvania counties as well as in the Pittsburgh area. This charity began in 2007.
Heather Delbarre Barkand ’09
works for WPD&M. She and her husband, David ’10, live in Charleroi, Pa. She was a member of the Engineering Technology Club and the webmaster for the Mathematical Association of America. She also is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
John Zetty ’06 is a medical intern. He lives in Brownsville, Pa.
10s
Lindsey Vlasic ’06 is a secretary
Todd Bosch ’10 is a data specialist
for Westmoreland County, Pa. She lives in Monessen, Pa.
Jessica Shirk Tague ’07 is a graphic designer. She and her husband, Matthew ’07, live in Pittsburgh, Pa. Richard Crum ’07 is a contracting
officer working in contract law for the federal government. He lives in Alexandria, Va.
Jon Rimmer ’07 owns and operates
The Training Rim, a personal training facility in Belford, N.J. He also has written a book, Iron: Kettlebell and Body Weight Training 101.
Jennifer Boenau Hutto ’08 is an
athletic trainer. She and her husband, Jason, live in Denver, Colo.
with Morgantown Printing and Binding. He lives in Morgantown, W.Va.
Tara Hunnell of Washington, Pa., were married Sept. 4, 2010, at Immaculate Conception Church in Washington. Shane is a corrections officer for the Federal Bureau of Prisons and a staff sergeant in the Army National Guard. Tara is a substitute teacher and homebound instructor. They are living in Adah.
Dana Pearson ’10, of Connellsville,
Pa., and Justin Widmer of
Normalville, Pa., were married June 10, 2010, at Palm Beach in Aruba. A reception was held on Palm Beach. Justin works for CSX. They are living in Normalville. Stephanie Miller ’10 and Justin
Domachowski were married July 31, 2010, at Central Assembly of God in Houston, Pa. Stephanie is a second-grade teacher in the Trinity Area School District. Justin is selfemployed. For their honeymoon, they visited Maui, Hawaii.
Paul Robert “Robby” Wise ’09
and Leah Morrison were married Jan. 1, 2011, in Greensboro, N.C. Robby and Leah are co-head athletic trainers at Birmingham (Ala.) Southern College.
Lauren Tomasiak ’05 and Doug Finke ’06 were married July 17,
2010, at St. Anne’s Church in Rostraver Township, Pa. The bride is employed with the South Park School District as a fourth-grade special education teacher. The groom is an environmental consultant at Professional Service Industries in Greentree, Pa. Following a honeymoon in Antigua, they are living in Rostraver Township.
Charles Georgi V ’04 and Elizabeth
Ann Volpe, both of Pleasant Hills, Pa., were married July 3, 2010, at
Down The Aisle Kristie R. Knox ’03, ’07 and Christopher J. “C.J.” DeJuliis ’02, ’04
were married on Oct. 2, 2010, at St. Anthony Church in Monongahela, Pa. The Rev. Robert Coyne performed the ceremony. Kristie and C.J. met on May 13, 2006, when they were introduced by a mutual friend each had met at Cal U. The wedding party included (standing, from left) Dallas McClain ’05, Steve Reiner ’02, Kevin DeJuliis, C.J. and Kristie, Beth Barakat, Lisa Knox, and Tai Conley; and (kneeling, from left) John Kifer, Luke Karcher ’03, Amanda Johnston, and Lauren Forgie. C.J. works in University Technology Services at Cal U. Kristie is an inside sales representative for Guttman Oil in Belle Vernon, Pa.
Christopher Rau ’10 is a physical
education teacher. He lives in Nashville, Tenn.
Brandon Watson ’10 is a social
worker for Pressley Ridge. He lives in California, Pa.
Mark Malloy ’10 is an enrollment
coordinator for Villanova University. He is living in Tampa, Fla.
Bethany Davies ’10, a business administration major, lives in Monongahela, Pa. Erin Peteritis ’10 is a staff accountant for Solar Power Industries. She lives in California, Pa. At Cal U, WINTER 2011 CAL U REVIEW 33 �
MILESTONES
continued from page 33
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church in Pleasant Hills. The bride is a speechlanguage pathologist and director of rehabilitation at Jefferson Hills Manor. The groom is an account executive at KDKA-TV. The couple honeymooned in Riviera Maya, Mexico. They live in Pleasant Hills. Amanda Hanzely ’07 and Herb Guthrie III ’08, both of Dunbar
Township, Pa., were married July 10, 2010, at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Uniontown, Pa. A reception was held at Hopwood Social Hall. The couple honeymooned at Niagara Falls, Canada. Amanda earned a degree in elementary education and is a teacher with the Uniontown Area School District. Herb received a degree in electrical engineering technology and is a test technician with Mylan Pharmaceuticals. They live in Dunbar Township. Natalie Elizabeth-Ann Powelko ’08
and Wilbur Swope Goodwin III were married Sept. 4, 2010, at Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Uniontown, Pa. Natalie is a substitute teacher. Wilbur is a state trooper with the Pennsylvania State Police. An eastern Caribbean cruise was being planned.
� JUST THE
FAX
Stacey Renee Glebes ’03 and James Ian Tesauro, both of Uniontown, Pa., were married Nov. 6, 2010, at St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Uniontown. Stacey is a licensed clinical social worker with Pennsylvania Professional Health Services. James works at Titlow Tavern. Following a honeymoon cruise to the Bahamas, St. Maarten and St. Thomas, they are living in Uniontown. Aimee Miran Legg ’06, of Perryopolis, Pa., and Anthony John Stock III ’02, of Merrittstown, Pa.,
were married June 20, 2010, at Jupiter Beach Resort in Jupiter, Fla. Aimee is a regional sales associate for Mylan Pharmaceuticals. Anthony is an assistant sales manager with Verizon Wireless. The couple visited San Juan, Puerto Rico, for their honeymoon and are living in Brownsville, Pa.
Sara Marhefka ’09 and Daniel Link have announced their engagement. Sara is a substitute teacher with several districts in Cambria and Somerset counties. Daniel works as a delivery technician for Rezk Medical Supply. They are planning a December wedding this year. Brian Montag, Jr. ’07 and Kristen
Danter are engaged to be married. Brian is a laboratory technician at Eastman Chemical Co. in West Elizabeth, Pa. Kristen is a contract representative for CVS Caremark Specialty Pharmacy in Monroeville, Pa. They are planning an Aug. wedding at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in McKeesport, Pa.
BIRTHS Kevin Spinola ’05 and his wife,
ENGAGEMENTS
Nina, are the proud parents of Giovanni Joseph, born Dec. 9, 2010.
Cody Lawler ’08 and Robyn
Dr. Kandice N. Jamison-Cooper
Markowitz are engaged to be married. Cody graduated summa cum laude and is an engineer at Conspec Controls Inc. Robyn is an admissions counselor at La Roche College. They live in Pittsburgh, Pa., and are planning a July 2011 wedding in Philadelphia, Pa.
’98 and her husband, Thomas J. Cooper, are pleased to announce the birth of their third child, Thomas Jr., on May 31, 2010. He joins his sister, Olivia Korpo, 4, and brother, Benjamin Jamison, 2. Kandice is the MICA specialist for Catholic Charities-Diocese of Trenton-Burlington PACT.
Send your Milestones news or address changes by fax to 724-938-5932, by mail to Alumni Relations, P.O. Box 668, California, PA 15419, or by e-mail to alumni@calu.edu. Questions? Call 724-938-4418.
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IN MEMORIAM Charles W. “Bill” Baker ’53 Joyce Ann Stedman Baker ’73 Vernon L. Bloemker, emeriti faculty, English Jaryd Burger* Brandin M. Crossey* John Danowski ’53 Joseph A. Emrick ’64 Thomas W. Glasgow, Sr. ’57 Robert H. Grimes, emeriti faculty, English Vicki L. Grimm ’91 Nancy Jean Hawk Guesman* George J. Hamilla III ’75 Patricia A. Buttermore Herbert ’53 James “Fred” Jesick ’57 Linda Stewart Kaczynski ’73 Jane S. Kalp ’38 Richard James Kara ’82 Sandra L. Krupa ’69 Helen K. Lieb ’43 John “Jack” Bernhardt Miller III ’64 John M. Minerd ’55 Rev. Robert L. Peters* Elizabeth Martha Kelly Sahady ’81 Patricia D. Sawayda ’73 Ruth M. Vojtkofsky Schubert ’72 Edward Matthew Skvarna ’66 Marguerite Swetts ’48 Eloise Bryant Thompson ’75 *No class year provided or on file
CAREER SERVICES The Career Services Office at Cal U can help alumni with job searches and companies with recruiting. Best of all, the services are free! • Cal U graduates who are interested in one-on-one career and job-search planning may call alumni career counselor Bridgett Nobili at 724-938-4826 or e-mail nobili@calu.edu. • Anyone who can identify job opportunities that might be suitable for Cal U students or alumni may contact employer development coordinator Sheana Malyszka at malyszka@ calu.edu.
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Cal U Student Bookstore 724-938-4324 | calupa.bkstr.com
WINTER
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CALU REVIEW
California University of Pennsylvania Building Character. Building Careers. 250 University Avenue California, PA 15419-1394 www.calu.edu A proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
REFLECTIONS Theatre and dance majors Kristen Ross and Sam Silva dress for a production of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ a holiday tradition at Cal U.
NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA