ITU Journal, Volume IV, Issue 2, 2014

International Technological University

Volume IV, Issue II, 2014

A WASC Accredited Graduate School

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ITUJournal

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CELEBRATING STUDENT SUCCESS “Direction is what a company gives. Purpose is what an individual defines.�

- Hubert Chang

Teaching from Experience

2014 Graduation

My Teaching Methodology

By Barbara Hecker, PhD

By Hiram Willis, PhD

ITU prides itself on having industryexperienced faculty. The University strives to give students scholar-practitioners who can share the type of real-world experience that can only be gained PG. from working in industry.

Teaching at ITU is unique. ITU has recognized that globalization is bringing about changing demographics and education opportunities.It is clear that professors have to PG. tune their pedagogy to be an effective international student instructor.

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Friday, May 3, 2013 Heritage Theatre Campbell, CA

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International Technological University

A WASC Accredited Graduate School

Celebrating Student Success

What’s Inside

Congratulations Dear Graduates,

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● Teaching From Experience ● My Teaching Methodology

You’ve finished your theses, said tearful goodbyes, and are prepared for your future. Your hard work led to this success. Graduation is the day that gives you the best chance to start being a success, to demand distinction, and to drive change.

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● Student Orientation

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● Inflection Points in Your Life ● ITU Student Graduate Reflection

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● Valedictorian Speech : “We Had an Amazing Time”

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● Talent Show ● 2014 Career Fair

We know that leadership, personality, intelligence, education, and trust matter in today’s world. You’ve developed all these skills through your studies and now you can celebrate your achievements.

I wish you a great future, and encourage you to create the changes you wish to see in the world. Everyone is the writer of his or her own future, and we all have the power to do great things. Moving forward, keep these simple message with you: Live life positively, realize your dreams and find happiness with people and work.

Congratulations to the students of Class 2014, you’ve earned it.

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Amal Mougharbel, PhD Business Administration Department Chair Editor in Chief, ITU Journal

● Explore, Dream, Discover ● Did You Know?

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● 20th Anniversary

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● Bulgaria ● The Walk of Accomplishment.....

“Global Development through Silicon Valley Education”

PLEASE SEND ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS AND FEEDBACK TO NEWSLETTER@ITU.EDU.

TEAM Editor-in-Chief: Amal Mougharbel, PhD Manager: Hubert Chang Editorial Board: Barbara Arnoldussen Patricia Wiggin James Dohnert Coordinator: Albina Pereira Designer: Kathia Rubi Nicole Liu

International Technological University

TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ITU, VISIT WWW.ITU.EDU.

355 W. San Fernando Street San Jose, CA 95113 www.itu.edu International Technological University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, 985 Atlantic Avenue, # 100, Alameda, CA 94501, 510-748-9001.

Please remember to recycle!

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ITU Journal cannot be held liable for its content. The views expressed are those of the writers only. The Editorial Board reserves the right to edit submissions.

Volume IV, Issue II, 2014

Teaching From experience Continued from page 1.

Giving Students the Tools to Succeed For Professor Hecker, the secret to becoming a successful professor is to understand how a student thinks. She believes that the key to getting the most out of students is to understand each individual learner. “You get so many different skill levels so I try to give people something no matter what their background,” explains Professor Hecker.

A True ITU Ambassador Professor Hecker is a great example of what ITU is all about. Her methods and experience are a definitive illustration of how the University gives students actionableskills that lead to getting a great job.

A Life-Long Entrepreneur Professor Hecker’s business acumen developed very early on. She successfully helped manage her family’s flower shop before she even graduating high school. “My parents owned a flower shop, and by the time I was 16 years old I was doing all the accounting for the business,” reports Professor Hecker.

Students around the world want to get an education that will hold value for the rest of their lives. Professor Hecker, and the rest of ITU’s Faculty, hopes to offer them that value by extending a pedagogy that truly prepares them for modern industry.

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My Teaching Methodology

By Hiram Willis, PhD, ITU Business Administration Professor Continued from page 1.

While my course curricula are preplanned, I have to start from the student’s experiences and educational levels, then bring them toward to the topics, concepts, and theories that I want to impart.

No student interested in an education should ever be turned away from the opportunity to learn finance. Students without a business-finance background are invited to work a little closer with me.

Many of my students are interested in working for international firms or starting their own company. Silicon Valley has benefited greatly from international students and immigrants in general. They have launched some of the most success local companies.

I like to think that I am influencing the next generation of international corporate builders.

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Dr. Hiram Willi’s backgroundincludes being​CEO and President of several US and international hightech companies, as well as being an international business consultant. His PhD is in Finance from Walden University, with an MBA from Peter F. Drucker Graduate School of Management Claremont University, and BSEE from University of Southern California. With past residences in Japan, UK, and Germany, Dr. Willis is a Bay Area resident and a Business Department Faculty.

International Technological University

A WASC Accredited Graduate School

student Orientation Why did you choose itu?

I chose ITU on the recommendation of my friends who are currently studying at ITU. Through my own research over the internet and brain storming​ sessions with my friends, I found that ITU has very diligent professors.

Academic faculty’s teaching method is very updated, in terms to the industry needs which helps in gaining immense industrial knowledge. The amount of knowledge that you gain here helps in shaping up our career.

“ITU is a member of the SAP Alliance Program which is providing a practical laboratory for SAP and most of the professors in this University are Ph.D. holders. ITU also got WASC accreditation.

“ITU will provide me with the platform to connect and interact with people from different backgrounds across the globe. It has become extremely critical in today’s world to be in the kind of environment that allows you to enjoy and learn the different prospects of education.”

“The most important reason to choose ITU is the difference in its [pedagogy]. I find ITU is exploring ideas and giving opportunities to explore more of our technical and management skills. ITU is providing different views to education, engineering, and leadership. It is helping us achieve our career and helping us gain research experience.

I like the ideas of the founder of ITU [Dr. Shu-Park Chan] to make it different than other universities and instilling a culture of exploring and exchanging new ideas at ITU. The best stop to explore more of our mind with behavioral skills, technical skills, and management skills is ITU.”

“I wanted to continue my education after moving to the USA and some of my friends recommended I apply to ITU. After doing my research and taking feedback from friends I decided to apply for ITU’s MBA Program. ITU has empowered many students and provided opportunities to find a good career. I’m looking forward to a great learning experience at ITU and hope that my education will help me to build a successful career.

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Volume IV, Issue II, 2014

“ITU offers unique training which combines academics and real word experience. Student can connect to industry even when they are still at the school. This unique way of teaching is the main reason why I chose ITU.”

“I heard about this University through a few of my friends who actually studied here. They had very good experiences with the quality of teaching and its practical orientation. Now they are well settled in good careers, so it was word-of-mouth that led me to make the decision to join ITU”.

“To pursue my future career goals, this one of the best universities​in the is heart of Silicon Valley. It helps students to choose the right career option and provides the necessary assistance to do so. It offers some of the best career choices for students working to complete a master’s degree. It also comprises of a team of some esteemed professors in the field of technology.”

“ITU is a unique University which provides industry experience in its curriculum program. This will allow students to gain industry experience while pursuing their degree. The course curriculum is also up to date with the latest technologies like cloud computing and Hadoop/Big Data”.

“I went through various CA universities and I found that courses provided by ITU is more suited to help me improve my life. The second reason I chose ITU is because its location in Silicon Valley: the World’s IT Hub. I’ve read many positive review online too.”

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International Technological University

A WASC Accredited Graduate School

Inflection Points in Your Life ITU’s Graduation keynote speaker was iconoclast Dr. Hasan Alkhatib. Dr. Alkhatib views the act of graduation in the same breath as marriage, having children, a first job, promotions, and even failures. He labels these places in time as “inflection points.” Dr. Alkhatib believes that after graduation students will reach different points in life where one must decide what to do and what to choose for future success. These points make up the “workshop of experience” for each person and hold meaningful opportunities that can ignite life’s passions.

Dr. Alkhatib urged students not to get caught up in the “clutter of priorities.”

Instead he cautioned students to focus on these special times in life with thoughtfulness and care, rather than get stuck in what they know. Inflection points are the key to life’s journey and contain rich experiences: the momentous times of one’s life.

As a fellow Professor at Santa Clara University with Dr. Shu-Park Chan, Dr. Alkhatib helped in the founding of ITU, envisioning its creation as a graduate school focused on Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurial and innovative spirit.

For 20 years Dr. Alkhatib taught at Santa Clara University, moving to executive management after teaching.

With experience as an executive at Microsoft, and time as founder and CEO of two start-ups, Dr. Alkhatib has continued in life to apply his ingenuity.

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ITU Student Graduate Reflection Describe a memorable or supportive experience you had with one of your professors here at ITU?

In my opinion, the best professors at ITU would definitely be Dr. Barbara Hecker and Dr. Min Wu. I have learned a lot from their classes, which indeed is helpful in my current worksite. Thanks to those professors.

While I prepared for my final for “CG SOFTWARE FUNDAMENTALS”, I sent an email to the professor at 6:00 AM. To my surprise, I got a reply in minutes.

Share a memorable experience with one of your friends or classmates, during your time at ITU.

We drank coffee in the classroom with a Buddha!

There are a lot of good memories with classmates. We have small classes and we worked on projects together. We shot a video & everyone was working so hard. We enjoyed the process a lot.

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Volume IV, Issue II, 2014

Valedictorian Speech :

“We Had an amazing time”

By Sushmitha Muthyal , ITU MBA Alumni

I take pride like everyone here to be part of such an institution.

My parents imbibed the idea in me “There is no substitute for hard work” quoted by Thomas Edison. It lies within us to believe in our dreams and make them possible. Enrolling into MBA at ITU was the first step towards my dream. With proper guidance from professors, support and enthusiasm from my family and friends, and tremendous amount of hard work helped me achieve my dream. ITU true to its mission “Global Development Through Silicon Valley Education” and its unique culture has played a pivotal role in this journey.

I want to take this opportunity to thank all the parents, spouses, families, and friends who encouraged and supported us as we worked towards our graduate degrees.

I would especially like to thank my family, my parents, my husband and my sister for their constant love, support, and encouragement. In addition I would like to thank Dr.Amal Mougharbel and Dr. May Huang for their guidance throughout the program.

Today we have an uplifting feeling. ITU graduates are very special. Some had to juggle their work, families and school. Some traveled long distances to attend our classes.

Our yesterdays were different. We all came from diverse backgrounds. We all came with our own dreams. Our tomorrows will again be different.

Eleanor Roosevelt said “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Congratulations Graduates and good luck!!

But, while we were here, we had an amazing time. We worked on projects together, faced challenging projects and stressful exam times. We had a fair share of lighter moments too. We Partied together, dressed up ghastly and ghostly for Halloweens and celebrated all the global festivals we knew.

Sushmitha Muthyal is ITU’s 2014 valedictorian, earning an MBA in Information Systems Management. She worked at Samsung Mobile as part of the University’s internship program.

I taught my friend how to pronounce long tongue twister Indian names while she taught me how to say the Chinese names. Good times we had.

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International Technological University

A WASC Accredited Graduate School

Talent Show ITU just had its Spring 2014 Talent Show! The event gave students the opportunity to strut their stuff. From energetic dance routines to stand-up comedy, the talent show had it all. Check out some of the photos from this showcase of raw ITU talent!

Career Fair The Spring 2014 Career Fair offered students networking and employment opportunities to various local organizations. Employers and students alike were delighted with the connections they made that day.

Ram Gopal, Business Development Director of Ramp Group, had this to say: “The University is growing with quality people. Also, because this is a graduate college, everyone here has basic knowledge [about their field].�

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Volume IV, Issue II, 2014

Did You Know?

Explore, Dream, Discover

By Venkatesh Gopal, Phd, ITU Business Administration Professor

Students often confuse ‘grades’ with knowledge and their branch of study as expertise! But education happens every day – every day we learn something new, if we keep our minds open. Academic achievement is measured not by “grades,” nor by job designation, but rather how we have used the knowledge gained through academic exercise to drive innovation.

In today’s digital age, demarcation between fields of study has almost vanished. Yet, many of us are too timid to venture beyond our initial training and explore other areas of science.

I want you to take a journey with me to see how varied the expertise is required to develop cutting-edge technology and innovation in this century and beyond.

Thanks to advancement in digital technology doctors today need only a smartphone to get information about a patient. Science and technology are racing each other with mind-boggling pace. While scientists are busy unraveling the six billion bases in a human genome and trying to figure out their role in diseases, the technocrats are busy building up Internet infrastructure. Wireless applications and cameras on cellphones are transforming communication. Scientists will use this technology to conquer the health issues of seven billion people.

In ITU’s healthcare management courses, we talk about structural models to decrease cost without compromising quality. Drug development companies face a similar challenge: developing and delivering effective medicine to a larger target population – two diametrically opposite concepts. Both concepts must look beyond their toolkits to develop a solution to satisfy these goals.

As Professor Cornel Pokorny rightly mentioned in a previous journal article, “Software is everywhere.” Here at ITU, we find a confluence of young bright minds in computer science looking for their niche. We have an excellent opportunity to look beyond to other areas where there is a growing need for innovation.

ITU Professor Venkatesh Gopal has a PhD in Biotechnology. He studied at Anna University in India, as well as Penn State and Vanderbilt University. Currently, he is General Manager of Vignani, a Silicon Valley start-up. He is involved in medical device development and developing more healthcare business.

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ITU builds Professional Development One of ITU’s strategic​goals is to build faculty and staff professional development. To achieve this goal, ITU either hosts conferences or encourages faculty to attend trainings. Below are two recent events:

Assessment Training Mary Allen, PhD, WASC assessment expert on educational effectiveness, conducted an Assessment Workshop for ITU Faculty on Wednesday, March 19. The topics included program assessment, WASC expectations for student learning assessment, course learning outcome alignment matrix, and assessment vocabulary. Dr. Allen highlighted how to develop effective program learning outcomes. She explained the major types of scoring rubrics, such as holistic and analytic, using examples for how to develop and use rubrics in courses. The session closed with analyzing assessment results and using a variety of strategies to close the assessment loop.

WASC Academic Resource Conference (ARC) ITU Executives and Department Chairs attended the 2014 WASC ARC, April 23 to 25. Conference topics included Program Reviews, Online education, Student Success, and Assessment.

The ITU team attended workshops ranging from Student Success and Assessment, Strategic Planning¸ Competence-based Education​, and Online Course Quality​. Other trainings included Exploring the Degree Qualifications Profile, Growing Reliance on Adjunct Faculty, Using Rubrics, Data to Support Students Success, Student Success in Online Environments, Approaches to Program Review, Courses and Program Effectiveness, Using Data for Program Improvement, and Comprehensive Strategies for Student Success.

International Technological University

A WASC Accredited Graduate School

20th anniversary

By James Dohnert, ITU Writer

ITU’s 20th Anniversary Gala was a chance for the University, and its friends, to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. From the its humble beginnings to its consistent growth in the past few years, ITU’s 20th year looks to be a stepping-stone for the next 20 to come.

“I could have never dreamed of this 20 years ago.

This is really something. I thank everyone that helped Yau and that helped ITU. This is really a great school and I’m honored to be a part of it,” said ITU Board of Trustees Chair Dr. Chi Hsieh.

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Volume IV, Issue II, 2014

Bulgaria

By Eve Caswell, ITU International Student Advisor

The walk of Accomplishment...

By Albina Pereira, ITU MBA Student

What does a student’s heart say, when they walk towards the podium?

Does the pounding of their hearts seem audible to everyone?

If I could put down my feelings in words, It would be difficult, as my heart is just bursting with thuds, Isn’t it every youth’s dream and every mom’s prayer, To see your child succeed and show them how much you care, My biggest accomplishment is achieving my degree, It’s another milestone and i am proud of “ being me”

ITU’s 2014 graduation ceremony encourages me to share a holiday with an educational foundation that is celebrated this May in my home country of Bulgaria.

The holiday, known locally as ‘May 24’, honors the creation of the Cyrillic alphabet by two brothers: Cyril and Methodius. Having lost their father at a young age, the brothers were taken under the wing of Theoktistos, a proponent for education who helped establish the University of Magnaura, a University deemed by some scholars to be the first University in the world.

My greatest handwork isn’t my Master’s, It’s the late nights of hard work, that boosted me even after my Bachelor’s, The fact I never gave up and stood tall through it all, no matter how big the obstacles i always fought back without a fall, People told me that “Master’s” was not meant for me, But I was determined and hell bent on who I wanted to be, Never give up, and always pursue your goal, Let yourself loose, just let go and stop taking control.

The brothers’ thirst for knowledge led them to learn multiple foreign languages, and prompted them to invent an alphabet for their own people so that the Salvonik language could preserve a historic record of their existence.

‘May 24’ also signifies a landmark era of learning.

The alphabet originated from Bulgaria during the 9th century. Since its inception it has allowed for an open method of spreading knowledge and culture across many Slavic nations. The holiday’s significance goes beyond a single calendar day, or even a single nation.

To native Bulgarians, this day is one to celebrate their Slavic roots and their role in creation of the Cyrillic alphabet.

On that note, I would like to extend to all of our ITU graduates my best wishes for personal accomplishments, and an enlightened, bright future! I hope that ‘May 24’, and the legacy created by Cyril and Methodius, will inspire you to use your education to accomplish lasting changes in the world.

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Volume IV, Issue II, 2014 ESTA

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A WASC Accredited Graduate School

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International Technological University

International Technological University 355 W. San Fernando Street San Jose, CA 95113 www.itu.edu

ISSN: 2161-8054