Menlo College Magazine: Winter 2023

RESEARCH

THE HUNT FOR SHARED TRUTHS

Greetings!

We’re So Glad You’re Here!

We welcomed the second-largest group of new students ever recorded at Menlo College this fall, a 50% (!) year-over-year increase in new student enrollment. The crowded but spirited orientation weekend activities included information sessions on everything from well-being to accessing the library, separate parent and student Q&A opportunities with campus leaders and continuing students, and plenty of get-to-know-you games. An orientation leader was overheard offering advice: “Talk to everyone, as everybody knows something you’ll want to know!”

This page, photo by Crystal Cebedo ’20. On the cover: Menlo College researchers, from upper left, are Irismar Hernandez Martinez ’25, Jimena Ortiz ’26, Keith Toncu ’26, Lauryn Vogt ’24, and Mikell Moore ’26.

Photos by Paolo Nogoy ’21

About This Issue

This issue on “Research: The Search for Shared Truths” celebrates the hard work of our students and faculty as they conduct deep investigations into our often confusing world.

We invite you to read about the inspired ways our professors teach students to uncover, verify, and broadcast the latest evidence for how physical and social environments work. Research is a vital skill for any professional career—business leaders in particular seek those with a talent for gleaning and interpreting changing markets, finding new technologies, and understanding big data. But that original data can be elusive.

As Dr. Dima Leshchinskii, Professor of Finance, says on page 5, “The students I worked with learned the limitations that data availability imposes and that researchers need to be flexible and creative in collecting data.”

Students enjoy the creativity that research demands. Responding to a campus-wide survey, they note the satisfaction of conquering tough research projects—and finding good, new answers to contribute to their field. See page 9 to read about the perspective of Diana Guardado ’23 on her research in Africa and the U.S., saying, “Traveling to Uganda and leading a civic engagement coalition on campus has allowed me to cherish curiosity and embrace the discomfort of new cultures and ideas.”

Please enjoy learning about the fascinating research being conducted in every department of the College. As Dr. Melissa Michelson, Professor of Political Science and Dean of Arts and Sciences, says on page 3, “Students learn that research is difficult and messy.” But rewarding, she explains. As students grow into stronger researchers, “They become people who don’t just consume knowledge, the classic empty vessels into which educational material is poured, but people who are actively creating knowledge.”

–Pamela Gullard, Editor, Menlo College Magazine

| WINTER 2023

In our issue, “Research: The Hunt for Shared Truths,” we invite you to read all about the fascinating research projects being done on campus. Our students and faculty write about their experiences investigating important new topics and thereby deepening our understanding of the world.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Pamela Gullard

SENIOR EDITOR

Jeffrey Erickson, Ph.D.

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

George Retelas

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Jocylen Ashton

Erik Bakke

Ryan Barnett ’19

Emily Beitiks

Jessica Berger

Ruixue Du

Diana Guardado ’24

Nargess Hassani ’26

Raymond Juballa ’23

Mali Korn ’25

Melissa Michelson

Travis Miller

George Retelas

Sarahann Shapiro

Mouwafac Sidaoui

Caitlin Sorensen ’19

Emily Stambaugh

Lisa Ann Villarreal

Steven Weiner

DESIGN

Marsha Gilbert

PHOTOGRAPHY

Brian Byllesby

Crystal Cebedo ’20

Melisa Ibrahimovic ’25

Paolo Nogoy ’21

SeungHyun Park ’25

George Retelas

EDITOR

Tricia Soto

PRESIDENT OF MENLO COLLEGE

Steven Weiner

CHAIR OF THE BOARD

Micah Ka - ne ’91

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Thomas (Tom) Byers

Alma Clayton-Pedersen

Andrea (Andy) Cunningham

Howard (Howie) Dallmar ’74

James (Jim) Davlin

Chris Garrett ’94

J. Michael (Mike) Gullard

Joe Hurd

David Irmer, Sr. ’58

Kathryn (Kathy) Jackson

Helene Kim

Jordan Long ’09

Larry Lopez ’84

Roxane Marenberg

Zoanne Nelson

Colin O‘Malley

Aaron Santillan ’03

Fran Schulz ’85

Roger Smith

Shireen Üdenka

Benjamin (Ben) Wagner

EMERITI TRUSTEES

John Henry Felix ’49

Julie Filizetti

Charles (Chop) Keenan III ’66

T. Geir Ramleth ’87

From the President

Menlo College was founded in 1927, the same year that Philo Farnsworth submitted a patent for the first all-electronic television system. It wasn’t long before television began to exert its influence. People of all ages, but young people in particular, formed values and ideas about the world around them from this new medium. That phenomenon carries a profound impact on our society and culture to this very day; it has shaped our views on seminal social issues, particularly race, gender, and class. Hindsight tells us that we accepted far too much of television’s influence without critical examination.

Almost a century later, it’s now social media that’s shaping our views, and its influence is arguably even more profound than that of television in decades past. More concerning yet is the even greater degree to which we may be allowing our opinions to be driven by social media without critical examination.

Facts mattered in 1927. Given the speed with which people can now access new information and the ever-decreasing lapse of time before people act on that new information means that facts matter even more in 2023. That’s where education is needed.

At Menlo College, our goal is to ensure that our students acquire the skills they need to better understand the world around us, and our place within it. We aspire to instill in young people a perpetual hunt for shared truths—a quest that should inform their Menlo experience, but as importantly, a quest that should inform their life’s journey. Facts help us understand complex economic and social problems, and thus help us craft solutions to problems that seem intractable. Problems can’t be solved with misinformation.

The quest for better understanding is reflected in the theme for this issue: research as a means to divine shared truths.

Thinking critically and researching facts well are the tools at our disposal, but like any acquired skills, they need to be honed to be perfected. Archeologists believe that humans first tackled complex problem solving 300,000 years ago—the same time we evolved to have complex cognition and language abilities. That sounds like a long time ago, but the first humans walked our planet over 2 million years ago. Looked at that way, problem solving and the analysis it requires is a relatively recently developed skill. We need to keep working at it—as if our future depends upon it.

Steven Weiner Menlo College President

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Another outstanding issue. I learn something every time. Blockchain is fascinating.

Charles J. (Chop) Keenan III ’66, Menlo College Trustee Emeritus Woodside, CA

Mahalo for your fine work. I especially loved the cover. Also, great coverage of Roxane Marenberg’s work on “Ethics in Real Time,” the intro of new board member Kathy Jackson, and coverage on the Global Immersion internship!!

So awesome!

Micah Kāne ’91, Chair, Menlo College Board of Trustees Kane’ohe, HI

The recent Menlo College Magazine resulted in a fellow classmate, William Maxwell, reaching out to me to congratulate me on the “outstanding article” [see the Summer 2022 issue, page 52, on Spears’ career in art –Ed]. We caught up on common memories and

who we have been able to stay in touch with over these past five decades (where have the years gone?).  Another friend from Princeton reflected on the year in 1969 when the university went coed.  It seems like there was a new awareness that single-sex higher education institutions, in order to survive and grow, saw the need to include women which, in turn, reaped benefits beyond financial gains and produced a more stimulating experience for everyone. I look back and I am thankful I was one of the first to experience this change at Menlo College.

John Spears ’73 Flemington, NJ

Well done. Thank you.

Roger Smith, Menlo College Trustee

Palo Alto, CA

Menlo College Magazine has become the vehicle of choice when I want to get up to speed with our student body.  Great fun!

Finally, I am impressed with the students’ accomplishments—both academic and athletic. What a crew!

David Irmer ’58, Menlo College Trustee

Tiburon, CA

Wow! What a great publication!  What a great issue! The top five highlights for me were: the cover’s visual emphasis on business, President Steven Weiner’s letter, the article by Sambhab Thapaliya ’21 and his desire to come to Menlo from Nepal, “Ethics in Real Time” by Roxane Marenberg, and the emphasis throughout on PEOPLE, which in my mind is the name of the game in every successful organization.

As a long-time local resident and retired partner of Korn Ferry International who highly values the power of education, I salute you. And I send another salute to the awesome Menlo College athletic program and achievements. Keep up the great work!

Tod Gregory Palo Alto, CA

As always, goodness, goodness, I am grateful for this publication; it is so comprehensive showing all the good things we are all doing.

Mouwafac Sidaoui, Dean of the Menlo College Business School, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Chief

THE HUNT FOR SHARED TRUTHS

Political Change Propelled by Research

By Melissa R. Michelson, Ph.D., Dean of Arts & Sciences

Many people think of research as a purely academic pursuit, with only occasional application to the “real world.” They are wrong. Good research tells a culture the truth about itself, propelling positive change across political and social divides.

Politics is about power and individual rights, about how resources are distributed. Good political science research is vital to democracy, helping us better understand how power is acquired and exercised. My own research is dedicated to ensuring that members of historically marginalized groups have their share of that power and resources, and that their individual rights are recognized and protected. Campaigns and nonprofit organizations still use my 2012 book Mobilizing Inclusion: Transforming the Electorate through GetOut-the-Vote Campaigns (cowritten with Dr. Lisa García Bedolla) to help them turn low-propensity voters into habitual voters. Dr. Brian Harrison and I conducted research for our 2017 book Transforming Prejudice: Identity, Fear, and Transgender Rights by collaborating with organizations who used our work to expand support for the LGBTQ community.

I’ve collaborated with student researchers throughout my career at Menlo, most recently working with students to learn how best to motivate student participation in elections. I’ve had students collect data in the field, asking passers-by to fill out surveys, making survey phone calls to registered voters, and calling various state offices. In 2015 a crew of students worked with me to evaluate the San Mateo County vote-by-mail pilot, in a research project funded by the County and then used as evidence in Sacramento to support the Voters Choice Act.

Students learn that research is difficult and messy. It’s one thing to look at a survey and evaluate the findings, but another to work in the field making phone calls for multiple hours. In the current study I’m working on, Diana Guardado ’23 wrote the first draft of a grant we were awarded and she’s taking the lead, with Angielyn Dela Cruz ’24, in implementing the action plan we wrote. They have to think about scheduling, coordinating a team, budgeting—all sorts of valuable skills.

I’ve learned from students as well. They bring a fresh perspective to the research questions I’m trying to answer, offering new social media and internet tools and trends, or insights into how people think and act in the political arena. I love seeing students get excited about the work—when it becomes not just a job that I’m paying them to do but when they’re curious to help discover the answer to the research question we’re exploring. They become people who don’t just consume knowledge, the classic empty vessels into which educational material is poured, but people who are actively creating knowledge.

We Got out the Vote!

Even in a midterm election year, when enthusiasm is predictably lower than for a presidential contest, the Menlo College community was invested in the democratic process. In the months leading up to the election, nationally-recognized voter mobilization expert Dr. Melissa Michelson received a $250,000 grant from New Venture’s Campus Democracy Fund to evaluate ways to promote college student engagement in our democratic process, and yet more funding to specifically support voter participation right here at Menlo College. As these photos indicate, efforts to engage the Menlo campus community paid off—and national organizations took note. After the November 2022 election, Menlo College was recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge as one of the most engaged campuses for college student voting—a designation extended to fewer than 400 colleges and universities in the country this year!

Why is research important?

Melissa Eriko Poulsen, Assistant Professor of English

Dr. Poulsen supervises research projects from students’ first years through their senior projects. She says:

In my courses, students are asked to select a topic within our course focus, develop a central research question they’re trying to answer, and build a research-supported argument. Students choose all kinds of fascinating topics. I’m excited this semester to read my student papers on approaches to eating for athletes, the dangers climate change poses to our food systems, the impact of food on mental health, and others.

Some of the research principles I teach include:

1. Research is always about inquiry! We start with questions, not answers, and see where the research takes us.

2. Research is a process, not a product: it’s an ongoing cycle of engaging and reengaging with information.

3. Persuasive researched writing is a conversation, where we think about our readers and consider how to engage readers through emotional appeals while also writing and researching credibly.

One of the greatest satisfactions is seeing students begin to feel like “experts” in their topic; through the writing process, and eventually an oral presentation, I see how students begin to feel really confident that they can engage with an audience in interesting, inspired ways. Students also gain confidence in how much they can sit down and write (the page count is usually a bit daunting at first). And I always appreciate learning about the topics that students are most passionate about.

FACULTY PERSPECTIVE

Conducting and teaching research methods has frustrations and many joys. We at the magazine surveyed our faculty and other mentors about their research experiences, and, like many good investigators, we gained a greater appreciation for our topic. Please join us in admiration for the dedicated professors and librarians who are preparing our students to answer questions for themselves.

Dima Leshchinskii, Professor of Finance

Dr. Leshchinskii mentored student Sam Baker ’20 through the research on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) scores that resulted in their joint paper, “Risk-Adjusted Performance of ESG Portfolios in the S & P 500: The Poor Functionality of ESG Scores.” Leshchinskii is also supervising Jake Tranter ’23 for follow-on research and Elijah Genin ’21 in pursuit of data on the performance of companies with dual class shares. Dr. Leshchinskii remarks:

I think all three students now have a better understanding of important steps in the research process. Also, they personally

learned the limitations that data availability imposes and that researchers need to be flexible and creative in collecting data.

I learned that when working with students on a research project one needs to be more specific communicating expectations and providing a clear outline of the immediate steps.

One of my greatest satisfactions was learning something new for myself and sharing new knowledge with the students. I was happy to see how students grow and learn in their research experience.

Tricia Soto, Librarian, Bowman Library

Tricia Soto, recently retired, helped students working on literature reviews of their own choice of topic for senior psychology theses.

Student researchers very often make an assumption or start with a conclusion, then look for research that will support their assumptions. As a librarian, it is a struggle to have them understand that there is often not one single answer to their research question. I encourage students hunting for expert articles on their topic to:

1. Ask questions,

2. Think about alternative words and phrases that could be used,

3. Think about who else in the world cares about the topic.

My greatest joys have been students who have returned to me with questions, bounced ideas off of me, and were open and eager to look at the different directions their research could take.

Faten Ben Bouheni, Assistant Professor, Finance

Dr. Ben Bouheni and Dr. Mouwafac Sidaoui, Dean of the Business School and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer, mentored Zandanbal Arslankhuyag (Zach) ’22 and Samuele Mian ’22 through the research resulting in their joint paper, “Fintech and Islamic Banking Growth: New Evidence” (Journal of Risk Finance).

The students collected data, contributed to the discussion of the findings, wrote an introduction, served as the corresponding author to submitted journals and, when the article was in the final stages of acceptance, contributed to answering the referees’ comments.

They learned how to correspond with a peer-reviewed journal, and they completed and submitted a research paper within 6 weeks. We all celebrated having the work recognized and published.

“ It was a pleasure to work with a student on a wide range of research challenges, from having to dig to find sources for specific data to conferring on what graphics would best make conclusions about data clear to readers.”

“ Like most teachers, I love to see the students light up with a discovery they’ve made. I am gratified when I can help them produce rather than just react. Seeing them gain the ability to initiate an idea gives me the greatest satisfaction.”

Erik Bakke, Executive Director of International Student Services

Pamela Gullard, Adjunct Professor of Literature and Humanities

How has research helped us?

Samuele Mian ’22 and Zandanbal (Zach) Arslankhuyag ’22 Fintech research, conducted with Dr. Mouwafac Sidaoui and Dr. Faten Ben Bouheni, comparing aspects of Islamic banks and conventional U.S. banks.

Arslankhuyag says: Our research revealed that Islamic banks earn more in interest income than conventional banks do; meanwhile, the surge of Fintech adoption can help Islamic banks to potentially improve their non-interest income while ensuring a better banking experience for their customers.

STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

College is a time for research–it is required for classroom projects, for investigating internship and career possibilities, and for personal growth. Menlo College students explain that some of their most treasured moments have included the enormous satisfaction of completing long and arduous research projects. Here, they speak about that process:

We hope this paper, published in the Journal of Risk Finance, helps our peers to conduct further studies on Fintech and Islamic banking growth. It was a great opportunity for us to test our research skills and contribute to scholarly literature with our dear mentors. Mian says: Not only does our research evaluate the global developments in the area of FinTech solutions, but it also provides practitioners and academics with a solid foundation to better understand and compare Islamic and conventional banking futures.

Christian Ingul says: My experience at Menlo College and, in particular, the CFA challenge and Alpha Chi research projects allowed me to develop the skills to navigate ambiguous situations, learn how to perform quality research, and synthesize complex information into clear takeaways. Overall, the research projects helped me grow confidence in my presentation and research abilities, and opened up new opportunities. I encourage all students to partake.

Fredrik B. Ingul ’22 and Christian Ingul ’22

The Ingul brothers investigated the mental health impacts of the campus closure due to Covid-19 and the subsequent return to in-person classes. With the guidance of Dr. Mouwafac Sidaoui, Dean of the Business School, they identified drivers in psychological impacts from the pandemic. They presented their findings at the annual convention of the Alpha Chi National College Honor Society. They also participated in the CFA Institute Research Challenge, a competition between university-sponsored teams that research a designated publicly traded company.

Fredrik Ingul says: My undergraduate research at Menlo was instrumental in my quest to become a better presenter and researcher. In particular, the CFA challenge pushed me to advance my skills in equity research and to learn how to credibly present an investment recommendation. I was able to take what I learned in the classroom, apply it in a professional context, and gain valuable feedback.

“ [For a project studying if fashion can be sustainable] I found out that multinational businesses like Zara are harming the environment as well as having workers on minimum wage salaries. I liked how it changed my mind at the end of the project. Now that I have become aware of the environmental damages, I buy less, swap clothes with friends, or buy and support sustainable brands.”

“

[For a study of the ocean], I think part of why I enjoyed this project was due to personal interest, but what I found even more interesting were the parts I had to research.”

Aitana Ramos ’27

Melisa Ibrahimović ’26

“ I’m glad I had the satisfaction of completing a project that took a month with the research, writing an essay, and making a PowerPoint slide presentation.”

Ryan Echeverria ’24

A STUDENT PERSPECTIVE: A Growing Passion for Research

By Diana Guardado ’23

This past summer, I had the great honor of traveling to Lake Bunyonyi, Uganda, to research how Covid-19 impacted the lake region’s education system. The responsibility to lead a research project abroad became a challenge to cross-examine the impact of the exploitation of colonized people, and to collaborate with communities in dismantling racist ideologies applied in international research. A day before departing from my home in North Hollywood, I sat down in my childhood room and whispered to myself, “I will not act as a savior. I will become an active listener.” I understood that international development prioritizes competition to discover solutions at the expense of ‘creative interdependence.’ On the other hand, I did not want to compete with existing models on how to ‘fix an issue’; instead, I yearned to create a think tank comprised of villagers’ voices and ideas. Therefore, during my nine weeks on the lake, I detached myself from formal positions of power by operating with the intention of creating safe spaces for communities and me to exchange knowledge.

For eight consecutive Sundays, I attended three-hour Sunday church services at Kavumo Church of Uganda to pray alongside the villagers and amplify the energy projected by Priest Akamukama Dickens. Also, on Thursdays, I assisted in the seed germination process with members of Bunyonyi Women’s Association. My muscles ached as my fingers dug through the fertile soil in my effort of building connections with locals. Without a doubt, these day-to-day interactions deconstructed the power-hoarding process research practices by forming dynamics with the villagers built on empathy and alliance.

After the conclusion of my trip aboard, my newly acquired passion for research captured the attention of Menlo College Dean Melissa Michelson. She invited me to collaborate on her project in increasing civic engagement on college campuses through celebratory efforts. By entering the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge and obtaining a grant from Ask Every Student, we have collaborated with national organizations to develop tactics on how to ignite students’ political participation in festive spaces.

In late October, I had the honor of presenting my work on voting at the Rising Scholars Conference at the University of Maryland, College Park. I worked with “Souls to the Polls,” a collection of Black churches, to organize election parties around Baltimore and raise the public’s awareness of the General Election. After my trip to Maryland, I gained the momentum to lead a team of 12 Menlo students by creatively exploring different strategies for increasing voter turnout. With success, we were honored with an “ALL IN’s Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting” recognition.

Traveling to Uganda and leading a civic engagement coalition on campus has allowed me to cherish curiosity and embrace the discomfort of new cultures and ideas. Overall, I have grown the foundation to step outside of traditional power-hoarding practices and into a lifestyle of embracing the energy of the communities.

Photo on facing page by George Retelas

Shared Knowledge

Professor in Residence Brings

Real Estate Acumen to the College

By Sarahann Shapiro, JD, Professor

in Residence of Real Estate and

Without networking, I probably would not be teaching at Menlo College. After my initial overtures received no response, a few years later a key person in my network—who also happens to be a key person in the Menlo community—recommended me to teach a single class. That was my foot in the door, and that shows why networking is so important. It’s vital in the real estate world, where all values are relative and success often depends on an in-depth understanding of what others in your market are doing with their properties and opportunities.

So how does someone starting out in real estate gain the knowledge so vital for success? Unlike many areas of research, in real estate, it is not what you can look up, but who you can ask that makes the difference. The most important information in a real estate market—the real rental rates rather than the asking prices or the real purchase price instead of the listing price, for example—is neither posted nor generally available. To know where you stand in the market, you have to know someone who will share with you. You have to be able to turn who you know into what you can find out.

The cardinal rule of building an industry network is to network in your industry and not in your profession. By trade, I am an educator and an attorney. But my networking activities are almost entirely in the commercial real estate world, which is my industry.

Now, it is my pleasure to help our students start making their first connections.

In September, we attended the NAIOP (National Association of Industrial and Office Properties) barbecue and our students have formed a team to participate in the NAIOP real estate challenge. In October we offered a series of lunches and guest speakers that enabled the students to interact more closely with selected industry professionals. In November, a group of students from the Real Estate Club attended a lunch in San Jose sponsored by BOMA (Building Owners and Managers Association) Silicon Valley. Each student had a member to shadow and to join for the lunch and program on commercial real estate. Students who participated in these activities last year found internships and jobs, launching what I am certain will be very successful careers. Finally, it helps to keep in mind that commercial real estate is a big area, but a rather small club. One of the surprises in real estate networking is the extent to which your networking needs to include vendors and ancillary trades. I sometimes see colleagues focusing on owners and property managers in their networks to the exclusion of contractors and service professionals. That is an unfortunate mistake. Many clients call me looking for vendor referrals and when I can provide them with a recommendation to a service vendor of quality that I know personally, the clients look to me that much more for help and advice, which makes them more likely to recommend me to their friends and colleagues because I can help. In an industry where everyone knows everyone, you never want to overlook an opportunity to connect, because you never know when your efforts will be rewarded, as they have often rewarded me.

Time Management

Do you have trouble meeting a research deadline? Read Shapiro’s wise words about time management: The trick is to plan the work based on the due date and not the deadline. The deadline is the actual, has-to-bedone-or-the-sky-will-fall cutoff point. To set the due date, I back off the deadline by at least:

• two business days for a deliverable that involves no one else,

• five business days if someone else has to review or edit it (I tell them that they have three business days to get back to me),

• ten or more business days if more than one person has to review or edit it—the larger the group, the more time I allot.

This method builds in room for true setbacks and real emergencies. My team adheres to the old saying, “Procrastination on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.”

MEET THE AUTHOR

Hometowns: I was born in Boston, but have lived in San Jose for most of my life, which is great until the Niners play the Patriots—then I am in trouble!

A Research Interest Outside your Field: I presented an article to the International Congress of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences on the Law of Arms in the United States, an analysis of whether U.S. citizens could successfully register coats of arms. It contained the first full definition of “arms” and is considered the seminal article on that topic.

Tip for Research: Write an outline that lays out manageable, bite-sized bits that can be researched—a journey of a thousand academic articles begins with a single monograph!

Other Interests: I am most active right now in my fraternal order, the Order of the Eastern Star, which is related to the Freemasons. I have my private pilot’s license, participate in medieval re-creation, do cross-stitch and needlepoint, attend SiliCon every year, and, as it happens, I do paint miniatures for role-playing games—you should see my Hobbit in Full Armor.

Work/Life Balance: What helps me most is that, because I am religious, I keep a Sabbath day of rest each week. That means no work for pay and turning off the electronics on Saturday. Having one day a week that is quiet and slow and easy and unplugged makes everything else I do possible and positive.

STRIVING FOR A NEW NORMAL: Keeping the Lessons We Learned from the Pandemic MEET THE AUTHOR

By Emily Beitiks, Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Psychology and Social Sciences

At the start of my class each semester, I ask students to share something that was particularly hard and something they discovered about themselves during the year of online learning. The hardships come easy—the sudden separation from the things they loved, athletic teams, and friends and, for many, the lack of freedom as they moved back in with families. The positives come next. Students recognized those most important to them, embraced new hobbies that they continue today, and did some work on themselves that they’d been otherwise putting off.

Once the students have answered, I urge them to draw connections between what they went through and what it’s like for many who acquire a disability. Most visibly disabled people have at some point had to deal with a stranger stating, “You’re so brave! I don’t think I’d be able to go on if I had a disability!” But most people do, and unexpected positives come out of the journey. Adjusting to life with a disability is undoubtedly hard, but through rehabilitation, people adapt the things they most loved before to find new ways of doing them.

Exciting things come from the perspective disability brings. When you navigate a discriminatory society every day, creativity, flexibility, and a unique perspective emerge out of that experience, not in spite of disability, but precisely through it. We owe a lot of gratitude to disabled people who paved the way for the online programming that made pandemic education possible; students with disabilities have fought for that access for many years, but it took a pandemic to make it publicly available.

As a teacher, I admit I don’t love hybrid teaching. Trying to run Zoom while lecturing live leads to tech stumbles. But it’s worthwhile. We expanded education access beyond legal compliance. Offering hybrid education doesn’t just benefit students with disabilities who need to miss class for disability-related complications; it helps athletes traveling for games and students who are parents when childcare is unavailable, while the recordings provide a tool for students struggling to grasp challenging concepts. We must temper the rush to “return to normalcy” by acting on the lessons of adaptation we all experienced in the pandemic, gaining empathy by linking our pandemic taste of confinement to the ongoing plight for access of disabled people. Normal was never inclusive to disabled students, so let’s aim for something better: an inclusive and equitable future.

Photo by Paolo Nogoy ’21

Research Focus: I’m particularly interested in studying disability in popular culture, especially the stories that fixate on—and pressure—disabled bodies into being enhanced and normalized by science and technology.

Tips for Research: You have to let research be messy. My doctorate is in American Studies, an interdisciplinary field that allows for pulling from lots of different disciplines and methodologies to pursue research questions. If you’re overly rigid in how you pursue your research and expect a linear, clean path to your answers, you might miss out on a key part of your story.

How to You Achieve a Work/Life Balance?

I’m a mom of two kids, 10 and 7, and my family loves to spend a lot of time in Lassen National Park. We make time every week for board games. My personal hobby is sewing my own clothes.

There are days where I’m entirely focused on work and neglecting my family, and other days when I refuse to even look at email. A work/life balance is somewhat impossible day by day; I focus on the bigger picture. I frequently take stock to question whether I’m being present with my family.

What surprised you most about Menlo College?

I am particularly impressed by how outspoken the students are, always willing to jump in and share their thoughts and be vulnerable. What has given me particular joy is supporting the students at Menlo who live with disabilities and are working to advocate for greater support for disability and neurodiversity on campus. I’ve been equally grateful getting to observe nondisabled students growing into allies, asking tough questions to challenge ableism in themselves and their communities.

RESEARCH

THE HUNT FOR SHARED TRUTHS

Reconciling with Research

Psychologist Tackles Gap Between Theory and Everyday Experience

By Travis Miller, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology

Dr. Miller has recently received a Dunlop Spark grant for his research into evaluating established methods in psychology used to describe individuals’ desires to change aspects of their personality. He has proposed new methods that fit with our everyday understanding of ourselves and our goals.

There is sometimes a disconnect between how we each come to understand the world and the way research seeks to describe it. Through my teaching and research, I often find myself trying to reconcile these discrepancies. In my teaching, this often manifests by explicitly having students connect research methods and findings to their lives. Introductory psychology students can have a hard time understanding the different psychology theories in the abstract, so I ask them to apply these concepts to their own experience. For example, after covering material on learning and memory I ask what advice they would give to a friend who wants to do better in school. Their answers often touch on the importance of sleep for storing information in long-term memory and various strategies for enhancing our memory such as elaborative rehearsal (linking new information to information we know well) and chunking (grouping information into manageable chunks, like a phone number).

In my personality course, students can often struggle to understand the nuances of the things that are a part of our everyday lives, like perceiving the personalities of others. To show how quickly we make accurate evaluations of others, I ask them to assess my personality. I then spend time with them applying psychological concepts of personality to their judgments of who I am, discussing where they are accurate and where they are not. Together we connect these to the different theories of personality judgement. Students often tell me that they come away from my classes with a better understanding and appreciation of themselves and those around them.

In my research, I often develop tools to align the science and our experience. One stream of my research focuses on how we evaluate our days. As we live our lives, we tend to do this in the unit of days. We ask how each other’s day was and we answer by describing the day on the whole (good, bad or otherwise). Prior research zoomed further in—describing the day hour to hour or activity to activity—or further out—describing a life history. I worked to align the research with our experience by creating a rigorous instrument that can be used to describe the day as we do normally. For example, we have all had days where we spent our time doing objectively productive things in classes, meetings, or at work, but did not feel that our day was productive. My research demonstrates what we all know to be true: when we spend time in tasks that we see as a good use of our time, we evaluate our day as having been more productive.

My students are eager to learn about themselves and psychology can give them tools for clearer introspection and better understanding of those around them. In my research, I try to improve the tools we have, and in the classroom, I enjoy conveying the excitement of researching human experience. I hope my students will take this new understanding with them to enhance their lives, succeed in their chosen careers, and make a lasting positive impact on the world.

MEET THE AUTHOR

What is your most important tip for anyone tackling difficult research projects?

When doing research, be sure that you’re inherently interested in something about the content. Research projects are often long and hard. They’re often solitary and rewards are few at first. You may spend hundreds of hours of work on your project and initially receive mostly criticism. So be sure that you have a personal interest driving you.

How do you keep a good work/life balance? i.e. What keeps you sane? I have strict rules for myself and would advise students to have their own rules that are enforceable. This is when I work; this is when I don’t. For example, I only check emails up to 6 p.m., not after, and most weekends, I try not to respond immediately.

What surprised you most about Menlo College? What has given you a moment of joy? Going into my first faculty meeting, I ran into President Steven Weiner, and he recognized me and knew exactly who was. Through my entire academic career, he’s the only president I’ve met. The administrators I’ve met are accessible; the faculty and students are accessible. It’s a Menlo thing.

Is there a memory of Menlo College that you will always treasure? I love the diversity of experience and the differences of backgrounds that Menlo students bring to the classroom. When I ask a question, they bring their particular experiences and so I get broader answers than I anticipated. With the small classes, I’m able to know my students and all that they have to bring. Here, I’ll have about 25 students in my Personality Theory class and I know them all by the second week. At my last institution, I had 250 and there were some I never knew. Menlo suits me much better.

Photo by George Retelas

RESEARCH

THE HUNT FOR SHARED TRUTHS

Oxford Scholar Uncovers Inventory Methods of Nineteenth Century Britain

By Ruixue Du, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Accounting

As the research fellow from Menlo College for the 2022 Summer Research Institute of Harris Manchester College at Oxford University, I took advantage of this opportunity to work on my research project, “The Origin and Early Adoption of LIFO in the United States and Britain.” This project is a comparative study of the LIFO (Last-in First-out) inventory method in the United States and Britain, focusing on identifying the underlying factors that led to the creation and early adoption of LIFO in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

Although the timeline for the development of LIFO for tax purposes in the United States is well documented in the accounting literature, limited information is available from Britain.

While at Oxford, I was able to connect with one of the economic historians at the Oxford Center for Economic and Social History (OCESH), and he has given me valuable suggestions on my research.

I also benefited enormously from my work in The Bodleian Libraries at University of Oxford, which has an amazing collection of the British Parliamentary Papers dating back to 1801. Some have been digitized, but not all. With the help of the librarians from Harris Manchester College, Faculty of Law (the Oxford law school), and Saïd Business School, I was given access to the physical and digital collections to get insights on the timing, industry, and scale of the LIFO inventory method in the late 1800s and early 1900s in Britain.

For example, I learned from the librarian at the Faculty of Law that I can actually conduct a timing and frequency search of a given keyword in Hansard, which is a database of the official report of all UK Parliamentary debates since 1803. By searching “stock based method,” which was the name used for LIFO in the 1800s, I was able to retrieve the timing and frequency of that keyword in the Parliamentary debates and therefore further identify the emergence of LIFO in the UK. Like a wizard at Hogwarts, I suddenly had information at my fingertips!

At Oxford, surrounded by dining halls, dorms, and chapels that date back to as early as the 1100s, I felt like I was living in history. The weather was beautiful. Besides spending time in the libraries, we had a campus tour, joined an Evensong at Christ Church Cathedral, and went punting on River Cherwell. I had a wonderful time at Oxford as a Harris Manchester research fellow this summer and I am very grateful to Menlo College for providing me this opportunity.

MEET THE AUTHOR

What do you consider your hometowns? Jilin, China and Blacksburg, Virginia. I was born in Jilin. I lived in Blacksburg for six and a half years while getting my master’s and doctorate degrees from Virginia Tech.

What are your most important tips for research? Collaborate with coauthors from different disciplines. Use apps such as Trello or To Do to organize projects and deadlines.

What do you do outside of work? Travel and cooking

What surprised you most about Menlo College? I was surprised to learn the incredible internship opportunities available to our students at Menlo. Hearing students telling me about their internship and full-time job offers has definitely given me a moment of joy.

RESEARCH

EMILY STAMBAUGH, DEAN OF LIBRARY SERVICES: A Researcher’s Tips on Research

Doing research is daunting. “Research” is that giant, seemingly insurmountable activity that we must do to complete many of our classes or, later in our careers, contribute to our disciplines. Doing research is a practice you build over time, like exercising. Once we get into it, it can be fun, but sometimes we can get stuck. We might get help from a colleague, a professor, or a librarian. And the rewards of completion—to see our work sitting on a bookshelf or in a digital repository, and know that people are reading it—can be satisfying for a lifetime.

At Bowman Library, a big part of what we do is to help researchers lower their inhibitions around doing research. We help people get through the affective barriers of research (“it’s too hard!”) as well as the practical barriers of access to information. Getting through those issues and getting into a mindset of curiosity, exploration, and inquiry can take some assistance. Fortunately, our Bowman Librarians are great at it! Often it takes a few additional conversations and many resources, tools, and techniques beyond the classroom to get a researcher on track and productive.

The “reference interview,” for example, is a structured set of questions that the librarian asks to help the researcher along their way. The questions are not unlike those a doctor asks a patient to quickly assess, diagnose, and prescribe a next step. While it takes a good bit of training to master the reference interview, and even more to support an intensive research consultation, the result is often satisfying and eye-opening for all involved!

In my short months here at Bowman Library, I have heard students regularly comment on Bowman Library as a “chill place.” It is a place where group or individual study occurs, where people meet up, and where destress activities are readily available. Every space in Bowman is designed and maintained to support a particular type of interaction, with information and among people, to advance to the next step.

I invite you to read about your fellow Oaks’ experiences as researchers and visit Bowman Library, for inspiration, discovery, a word of encouragement and an inviting cup of tea! Stop by and tell us about your next research project.

Dean Stambaugh offers some tips to researchers. Learn what you need to develop writing or research as a habit Quiet or the din of a cafe? Morning or night? Journaling? 1,000 words per day? Writing club? Co-authors interested in the same subject? Conferences? I like to read biographies or autobiographies of famous writers to learn about their writing habits, and the state of mind they need to get into to be creative. I look for photographs of their writing spaces. I try them out and see if it works for me. Lately, I’ve been drawn to Sue Monk Kidd and other southern women writers. For research inspiration, I find there is nothing more motivating than going to a good professional conference or an invitational meeting on a specific problem in my field.

Find a partner to keep you motivated. This can take many shapes and forms. Athletes need trainers, coaches, teams, and conferences to perfect their craft; writers and researchers need tutors, coaches, and peer authors. Throughout your career you may need various mentors, co-authors, tutors, study-buddies, a writing club, or a professional conference. Try things on for size and see what works.

Photos this page: Crystal Cebedo ’20; facing page: George Retelas

MEET THE AUTHOR

Hometown(s)? I grew up in Encinitas, then a sleepy one-stoplight beach town in southern California, now part of the bustling urban sprawl south of Los Angeles. Other places I have called home include Mexico City, Mexico; Barcelona, Spain; Durham and Winston-Salem, North Carolina; and Redlands, California.

Your Work Space: Right now, I am creating a marvelous she-shed in my backyard which will become my haven, home office and exercise retreat. With additional decks, rain chains, heaters and cushy seating, it will become my group gathering space to host progressive groups.

Favorite Menlo Story: On one of my first days at Menlo College, I was reminded of the value of women role models. A student asked me how she should address me, and in a few split seconds, we navigated from my initial, casual California response, “Oh, just call me Emily” to a different place, “Dean Stambaugh.” Though I am generally not one for honorifics, if adopting one holds a symbolic space for many women on campus, I am very happy to oblige!

The vast majority of research is inconclusive and there is value in knowing about inconclusive results.

Rising Scholars Start Their First Year Off Right

By Lisa Ann Villarreal, Ph.D., Executive Director for Academic Success

The first year of college presents academic and social challenges most students have never faced. Each August, Menlo College helps to ease that transition by hosting the ten-day Rising Scholars summer math and English bridge program. Participants arrive early and become familiar with the campus, work closely with faculty who teach first-year students, learn about campus resources, and develop friendships with other incoming students.

The program focuses on collaborative learning through problem-solving. The ten days include daytime classroom sessions and evening activities, featuring invited speakers, movies and discussion, a storytelling event, networking events, and day and evening trips to explore the Bay Area. This year, Rising Scholars visited the de Young Museum to view and discuss an exhibit of works by Faith Ringgold, whose “story quilts” document her experience within the civil rights movement.

The exhibit fit within the Rising Scholars 2022 theme of activism: how to promote change, when and why people speak out, and the barriers that exist to effecting change in society. After several days of reading about and discussing different aspects of activism, students developed their own creative research projects, applying the skills they were learning to investigate a topic that mattered to them. Many students chose to research aspects of activism that related to their own experience or that would affect them as new college students, while others chose to learn about something new. The projects explored topics from economic policy to climate change, consumer boycotts to gun control. Students leave the Rising Scholars program with greater confidence in their college readiness and their ability to succeed in their courses.

“The program helped me significantly improve my data analysis skills as a first-year student.”

Left, Elisa Lehmann; right, Ludivine David.

Photo by George Retelas

Incoming Finance major Paul Breuer ’26 drew on his personal experience, writing about the Fridays for Future youth movement to combat climate change founded by Greta Thunberg, which gained popularity in Breuer’s native Germany while he was in high school. The opportunity to build on his first-hand knowledge by completing research in the Bowman Library helped Breuer to hone the skills he would need for his Fall classes: “The program helped me significantly improve my data analysis skills as a first-year student. Also, the project work and the related research prepared us well for the first semester and familiarized everyone with the daily tasks we currently solve in class.”

new life and making new friends here at Menlo. I am thankful for all the opportunities the instructors gave me here and the way they helped me to integrate myself. I met one of my best friends, Ludivine, through this program and now we still spend a lot of time together. It is great to share the experiences we make every day with someone who goes through the same and also has to deal with living abroad and away from their family for the first time.”

Elisa Lehman ’26, a Munich native, lauds the social aspects of the program. “I was afraid of moving to another country where I knew nobody and where I had never been before. The Rising Scholars program really helped me in the process of building a

Ludivine David ’26 of Paris also stresses the benefits to international students. “The program helped me to make new friends because we were a small group and we were all in the same situation. In addition, the classes that this program provided helped me to improve my English. After speaking for one week with other international students, I was much more comfortable and ready to begin. By the time orientation came around, I already had a good friend in Elisa, and thanks to the Rising Scholars program I had much more confidence in my English to approach others and welcome my fellow first-years.”

“It is great to share the experiences we make every day with someone who goes through the same and also has to deal with living abroad and away from their family for the first time.”

“Thanks to the Rising Scholars program I had much more confidence in my English to approach others and welcome my fellow first-years.”

OAKtoberFest Returns!

A seminal Menlo College event came roaring back this fall, following a pandemic-enforced hiatus: OAKtoberFest 2022!

The day-long celebration kicked off in the Haynes-Prim Gymnasium at 8:00 a.m. as fans packed the stands for Menlo College exhibition and competition wrestling. As a reminder of our school’s preeminence in the sport, alumni from our 2019 national championship women’s wrestling team joined this year’s men’s and women’s squads on the mats.

Later that morning, alumni and their families had brunch at the President’s House, and by midday, a record-setting 3,250 members of the extended Menlo family filled the quad to partake from a virtual sea of food trucks, as well as witness an array of student talent that included dances by the Pacific Islander Club, a performance by the Menlo Cheer and Dance Team, and crowd-rousing singing by Victoria Iafeta ’23. Competition play concluded with decisive conference wins for the women’s and men’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams. No one kept score for intersquad and alumni-student games—except for our inner applause meters!

Alumni on campus for OAKtoberFest represented classes from 1960 to 2021. Frances Mann-Craik ’76 spoke for everyone at the end of the day when she said: “OAKtoberFest was magical!” All photos by Crystal Cebedo ’20

EVENTS

Our busy campus is host to events that gather experts from Silicon Valley, visiting delegations from around the world, and gatherings that bring current topics to the students. Here are a few of the exciting activities this fall.

Clockwise from top left: Four candidates vied to serve on the Atherton Town Council this fall, and just prior to the election, Menlo College and the League of Women Voters of South San Mateo County hosted the candidates for a forum conducted by student moderators Joshua Villalva ’23 and Diana Guardado ’23.

Menlo College hosted a Rotary Connects networking event for Bay Area college students and members of the Menlo Park Rotary Club.

Samuele Mian ’23 is shown surrounded by more than 5,000 pounds of food that was collected for distribution to students and their families who were in need over the holidays. Menlo community members also collected over 400 toys for the Good Tidings Foundation to distribute to children in December.

Participation in extracurricular clubs has been a mainstay of the Menlo experience for students dating back to the founding of the College in 1927. Shown is the Club Fair that took place this fall, which exposed students to the many campus clubs that reflect the diverse passions of Menlo students.

For three days in September, the forty-acre Menlo College campus was once again adorned with largescale outdoor art under the banner Silicon Valley Sculpture 2022. The thirty-six large-scale sculptures on display this year were created by twenty-one artists from the U.S., Europe, and Asia, all in exploration of this year’s theme, water.

The annual exhibition was launched in 2020 as a partnership between Art Ventures Gallery Director Katharina Bernau and Menlo College. “I have a theme each year,” said Bernau, “because I want the artists and the visitors to really think.” The visitors Bernau has in mind include current Menlo College students. “Engaging with art provides a chance for our students to embrace the unknown, expand their world view, and be inspired,” said President Steven Weiner. “A balanced business education should include an exploration of the arts.”

Two of the largest sculptures were created by Chicagobased artist Ruth Aizuss Migdal, whose 90th birthday was celebrated at the exhibition’s opening reception. In all, she arranged for five pieces to be transported from Chicago: “Red Wave,” “Whirling Dervish” (which soars to more than thirteen feet high), and three life-size abstracted figurative bronzes, all of which reflect her long-explored ideas of feminism and the silent strength women possess. “My large red dancing sculptures are about women’s power, strength and love of life,” said Migdal. “The red wave symbolizes perseverance, withstanding natural forces through material confidence.”

While most of the sculptures were de-installed after the show closed, Migdal and several other artists generously agreed to extend the display of their creations for some time to come. Even several months later, visitors are still being awed by the art on display on the Menlo College campus. More sculptures are on the following pages.

This spread clockwise from the largest photo: Whirling Dervish by Ruth Aizuss Migdal, Artist Ruth Aizuss Migdal with her husband Jim Brown in front of Red Wave, Red Wave and Guardian Angel by Migdal.

This spread clockwise from upper left: Unnamed by Yoko Tahara, Cosmo and StrataSphere by Roger Heitzman, pictured with his wife Tina Heitzman, Window of Inspiration by Pryanka Rana, Causeway 2022 by Tara de la Garza, Ball of Fire by Mark Knize, and Split Decision by David Middlebrook.

Associate Professor Sergey Anokhin’s (top left) paper, “Local Context and Post-Crisis Social Venture Creation” was accepted for publication by the Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal. The paper explores the effects of the local market and government on creating social ventures during a post-crisis recovery period.

Assistant Professor Faten Ben Bouheni (bottom left) and Associate Professor Manish Tewari presented a paper called “Common risk factors and risk-return trade-off for REITs and Treasuries” at the American Real Estate Society’s Leadership Conference.

Senior Adjunct Professor Caroline Casper’s fictional short story, “Sneaker Waves” was runner-up in the 2021 Missouri Review’s Jeffrey E. Smith Editors Prize Contest.

Lecturer Donna Crane was invited to speak at the fifth Women’s Leadership and Policy Summit at San Jose State University. Crane participated on a panel entitled, “Implications of Dobbs v. Jackson, advocacy on a national level, and community organizing.” She was also featured in an AP News article entitled, “California to vote on constitutional right to abortion” for her expertise on political outcomes regarding abortion access

Associate Professor Ruixue Du’s research article, “Lean Accounting, Fat Problem?” was accepted by the Journal of Accounting and Finance for publication. The article examines lean accounting’s value through a case study of Toyota. Another research article titled, “Can Corporate Weibo Accounting Information Disclosure Increase Investor Attention,” was accepted by China Economic Quarterly. Based on manually-collected Weibo accounting information disclosure data of firms on the main board and ChiNext from 2011 to 2019, this article examines the effect of Weibo accounting information disclosure on investor attention and the different effects between the main board and ChiNext.

Professor Fabian Eggers continues to organize the annual Global Research Conference on Marketing and Entrepreneurship (GRCME) as the organization’s director since 2014. This academic event started in 1986 to advance research at the intersection of marketing and entrepreneurship, and to institutionalize the discipline of Entrepreneurial Marketing. The next conference will be in Hamburg, Germany.

Lecturer Jesús Garcia’s undergraduate and graduate work helped build the Science Day event at California State University, Stanislaus, which continues to be funded in 2023. With the help of the student organizations in the College of Science, the first-ever Science Day helped bring in over 2,500 community members. Garcia looks forward to involving Menlo College students at this year’s event.

Professor Dima Leshchinskii was featured in WalletHub. His article entitled “Best Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses” offered his expertise on evaluating different types of credit cards. This semester, Leshchinkskii invited Gopi Rangan, founding partner at a venture capital firm which invests in early stage start-ups, to be a guest speaker in his Entrepreneurial Finance course.

Associate Professor Lisa Mendelman looks forward to teaching the rebooted “Sex & Culture” class in the spring. Along with Professor Marianne Marar Yacobian, she overhauled the former “Women & Culture” class in light of contemporary matters of sex, race, gender, and sexuality. Mendelman recently spoke to the Willa Cather Society as part of their Author Series dedicated to Cather’s work. She also delivered a paper on Nella Larsen’s novel Passing (1929) and Rebecca Hall’s recent Netflix adaptation of the Harlem Renaissance classic at the Modern Language Association (MLA) conference in San Francisco. At the MLA conference, Mendelman participated in a roundtable that brought together scholars and activists working across disciplines to continue research, teaching, and service online during the pandemic. She spoke on her work in organizing a scholarly reading group that gave birth to a digital publication.

Dean of Arts and Sciences and Professor Melissa Michelson (right) was the corecipient of the 2022 American Political Science Association’s Distinguished Career Award for Civic and Community Engagement with Nykidra Robinson, Founder and CEO of Black Girls Vote. They have partnered since 2020 on increasing voter participation in majority-Black communities around the country, working with community organizations. Michelson also co-launched the Student Vote Research Network (SVRN), which brings together different stakeholders to develop evidence-based best practices for increasing college student voter participation. In addition to securing a $250,000 grant from the Campus Democracy Fund, Michelson and students secured several other grants to encourage voting participation among eligible Menlo students. Finally, Michelson had five co-authored articles published in peer reviewed journals, she is now lead author of the textbook California in the Twenty-First Century, and she gave several public talks this year about her 2021 book, LGBTQ Life in America: Examining the Facts.

Assistant Professor Travis Miller received the Dunlop Spark Grant for his project developing a new method to measure individuals’ desires to change aspects of their personalities. He compares the new method with previously-established ones, and explores which can most accurately predict actual change in personality.

Professor Emeritus Bruce Paton gave a talk as a part of the University Innovation Fellows program’s 2022 Silicon Valley Meetup. The event lasted several days, and gathered Menlo College alumni of the program, 400 current University Innovation Fellows from across the globe, and institutional leaders for sessions, talks, and activities.

Lecturer Lakiba Pittman’s poetry is included in a new publication featuring Black poet laureates, entitled “Black Fire This Time.” Pittman also co-led the “Cultivating Compassion & Care” workshop for Harvard Medical School, and offered three related workshops through Stanford University this summer. She is also an instructor for a Yale University research study focused on examining the mental health of students of color and the efficacy of self-care and compassion on improving outcomes. Pittman was selected as a LEAD Bay Area Fellow. By focusing on homelessness and how communities can co-create solutions via intersectional coalitions and collaborations, Pittman and her LEAD Bay Area cohort aim to bring improvement to the community in this area.

FACULTY NEWS

Assistant Professor Melissa Eriko Poulsen presented at the biennial Critical Mixed Race Studies conference on a panel entitled, “Shadow Saviors, ‘Sun Summoners,’ and Radical Hope: Mixed Race Roles in Speculative Fictions and Academia.” Her paper, “Monstress Knowledge: Monsters, Saviors, and Mixed Race Resistances,” examined the graphic series Monstress as emblematic of mixed-race representation in cultural production in the late-2010s. Poulsen’s article, “The Weight of the Past: Mixed-Race Materiality in ‘Post-Racial’ Asian American Literature” was published in MELUS (Multiethnic Literature of the United States). The article examined Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You and Emily X. R. Pan’s The Astonishing Color of After, considering how those contemporary novels engage with and estrange nineteenth- and early twentieth-century representations of mixed race.

Assistant Professor Poulsen and Dean of Student Affairs Devin Carr (left) took part in the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Association for Authentic, Experiential, and EvidenceBased Learning (AAEEBL), where they considered strategies for using ePortfolios to enhance students’ first-year experience. Together, they designed a new ePortfolio component for the Menlo 101 course that allows students to use the tool to produce and share multimedia responses to this year’s Common Book, Kawai Strong Washburn’s Sharks in the Time of Saviors.

Associate Professor Sean Pradhan and Professor Marianne Marar Yacobian published two journal articles. The article, “Interception! Sports Fans’ Responses to Social Justice in the National Football League,” appears in the International Journal of Sport and Society, and “A wolf in (black) sheep’s clothing? Subjective group dynamics in sports fans,” can be found in the International Journal Sport and Exercise Psychology. They also presented “Indefinitely delayed penalty: Professional hockey fans’ reactions to Native American imagery” at the North American Society for Sport Management Conference in Atlanta.

Associate Professor Pradhan and Assistant Professor Miller co-authored a paper titled, “Does rest breed rust? An examination of DNP-Rest decisions and performance in the National Basketball Association regular and post-season,” which studies the impact of resting healthy players during the regular season on post-season performance, in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living.

Director of Institutional Effectiveness Dr. Kristina Powers has announced the launch of KPPowers.com - where she continues to work with ambitious leaders in higher education and beyond.

Adjunct Professor Jonathan Reichental published his sixth book and second Dummies publication Data Governance For Dummies. The book reached #1 on Amazon’s new releases in Information Theory.

Adjunct Professor Bill Schmarzo was named to the 30 LinkedIn Top Voices in Tech for 2022. The list includes 30 individuals who continue to share their wisdom and knowledge on data, analytics, and innovation.

Vice President for Student Success and Strategic Planning

Dr. Angela Schmiede (left) represented Menlo College at the WSCUC Annual Conference. She presented “Dynamic Strategic Planning with Objectives & Key Results (OKRs),” giving an overview of Menlo’s recent strategic planning process. She illustrated Menlo’s adoption of the OKR framework and the way it integrates the “Social Justice @ Menlo College” action plan to improve the College’s alignment of goals, objectives, and results.

Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the School of Business

Dr. Mouwafac Sidaoui (right), Assistant Professor Ben Bouheni, and Associate Professor Tewari co-authored a paper entitled, “Fintech and Operating Performance: Islamic Banking Evidence.” It was presented at the 5th Middle East and North Africa Conference for Information Systems.

Dean Sidaoui and Assistant Professor Ben Bouheni, with current students

Samuele Mian ’22 and Zandanbal Arslankhuyag ’22 published a paper titled, “Fintech and Islamic banking growth; new evidence,” in the Journal of Risk Finance.

Director of the Rendanheyi Silicon Valley Center and Director for Partnerships and Innovation Dr. Annika Steiber published her 11th management book Leadership for a Digital World: The Transformation of GE Appliances (Management for Professionals). The book was available for preorder through Amazon and went out of stock shortly thereafter. Steiber’s research paper, “Learning with startups: An empirically grounded typology,” published in The Learning Organization, won an award for Outstanding Paper in the 2022 Emerald Literati Awards. Steiber also hosted a business delegation from the Royal Swedish Academy for Engineering Sciences at the Silicon Valley Sculpture 2022 event on the Menlo College campus, and she represented Menlo at the World Agile Forum in Lisbon, Portugal, as well as at the 14th Global Peter Drucker Forum in Vienna, Austria.

Executive Director for Academic Success Dr. Lisa Villarreal and Executive Director of International Student Services Erik Bakke also attended the 2022 AAEEBL. They presented a paper on using ePortfolios to redesign Menlo’s former remedial courses in Math and English. Villarreal gave a presentation entitled, “Designing ePortfolio assignments to promote metacognition.”

President Steven Weiner was interviewed by Natfluence. He talked about initiatives Menlo is pursuing and reflected on his career in higher education administration. Weiner also gave his advice and insights on “passion,” “success,” and “aspirations.”

Professor Marianne Marar Yacobian and Professor Janis Zaima were co-authors of the article, “At the Intersection of Corporate Social Irresponsibility, Gender, and Race: Millennial and Gen Z Consumer Loyalty,” which can be found in Archives of Business Research.

Cultivating Connections

Using the Social Network to Thrive in a Dynamic Job Market

Jocylen Ashton, Executive Director of Internships & Career Services

As we all grapple with the headline trends of layoffs and the frenetic world of work—“hybrid,” “remote,” and “returning to the office”— navigating it all and deciding on a strategy can be a lot. No matter where people are in their career journey, deciding the best route to career success can be unsettling. When I am asked, “what’s the one thing someone can do to enhance career success?” I think about what advice I can share that is universal at any stage of someone’s career. Simply put, it is cultivating connections. While there is not one single route for building connections for career success, a key element to have in your toolkit is a strong online brand. Having active digital connections is essential to evolving your career today, so don’t let a LinkedIn profile or connections grow stale.

We advise Menlo students to keep their LinkedIn connections active and growing, but it’s best practice for career growth and resilience for everyone. If you are a career changer, you can learn what you need to do to upskill and successfully shift careers directly through your connections, perhaps even networking your way to that next promotion. Even if you are not actively searching for employment, you can use LinkedIn to connect with current and former colleagues and link to people you meet at networking events, conferences, and so on.

One student I worked with was struggling to translate their military experience into their next career. New to the business world, they didn’t know exactly what they wanted to do. Networking events felt very big to start, so I encouraged them to try job exploration by connecting with classmates and all working professionals from their part-time MBA program. They gained confidence using “warm” contacts through the classroom and worked their network for introductions. They eventually networked their way to a great role as a financial analyst. Another student found their way to an internship by setting up at least one informational interview per week for two months.

The main takeaway is to make cultivating your network a habit. Networks can be invaluable to staying informed, tracking industry trends, and finding your next career opportunity. Or perhaps, if you are already in the career of your dreams, pay it forward: help someone else on their route to career success by accepting that next request to connect.

Menlo College is committed to alumni career success. The Internships and Career Services Office encourages all Oaks to make their connections count by learning good habits through a self-paced LinkedIn Master Class, free to members of our Menlo College community at https://bit.ly/limenlo.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Hometown: My hometown is Los Angeles, but I have Southern roots. My parents were part of the Great Migration of African Americans during the late 60’s. I am a proud first-generation college graduate from the University of Southern California, a great generational leap made possible by their move to California.

Outside Interests: I work on initiatives that focus on access and education for children. I have supported community efforts for exposing children to leadership as well as access to STEM education for African-American youth in the Bay Area. For fun, I like local urban hikes and crafts, such as the beginning pottery class I’m taking now.

What gives you joy at Menlo College? I have enjoyed the kindness of the Menlo culture, and the ability to find ways to actualize ideas. Everyone is very open to ideation, and dreaming big. My days are busy, but there is joy in knowing that I joined Menlo at a time when leadership is tackling the changes in academia with a focus on innovation at Menlo. I am excited to have the opportunity in my role to build on expanding the connectedness between a student’s academic path and the pursuit and application of that knowledge to careers that resonate and change lives.

Smile!

In December Menlo provided free professional headshots for 60 students to use for their LinkedIn profiles. Internships and Career Services (Jocylen Ashton and Jennifer M Farris) partnered with Admissions (Paolo Nogoy and George Retelas) to make this happen. The event will return again for Career Connect Day in the spring.

Photo facing page by Paolo Nogoy ’21

THE FRENCH TWINS

We recently sat down with students Fiona and Anaïs Lefrique ’22, who took advantage of pandemic down time to start their own fashion business, The French Twins (thefrenchtwins.com).

How did “The French Twins” as a fashion business come to be?

Since high school we have been making our own clothes, but we hadn’t planned to create our fashion brand until after graduation. The pandemic changed that. We were back in France, in lockdown, taking online classes at night. So we started new projects such as sewing a corset which was the most challenging one. After making the first one, we decided to create a business out of it as our friends were requesting more and more. Our starting idea was to create affordable handmade corsets to make everybody feel confident and unique.

You were invited to Fashion Week, the premier event of the fashion world in New York City—how was it?

There were lots of feelings. Going to New York for Fashion Week was a dream since we were little. At first we were so excited, then came stress about timing. We had two days to plan the trip and create our two handmade dresses for LaQuan Smith’s after party in Soho. It was intimidating to be surrounded by all these famous people and designers but we worked our way up. Despite our fears we were excited and proud, knowing that everyone back home (France and Menlo) was supporting us.

What were your concepts for your dresses?

We want our clothes to represent our personalities, values, and culture. We have always been driven by elegance, exclusivity, affordability, and sustainability. For Fashion Week our main rule was to follow LaQuan Smith’s style, so we jumped on the opportunity to make a corset dress to show off our original satin corset. We added fabric to give it an elegant and feminine look, with folds on the side of the hip. We made the exact same dress for each of us to remind people that we are twins

How do you work together and apart?

We are best friends and we make a great team in most of the things we do. Anaïs designs and sews our products. Fiona cuts the fabric and assists Anaïs. She also does the marketing, including posts, videos, replies, and event planning. To align our vision, we mostly do the rest together.

How will your business education help with your creative careers?

Our education helped us be confident in taking risks, especially in the business world. To support our creativity, we needed the tools to launch our own business properly. Menlo has given us those tools, surrounding us with amazing and smart people, which is so beneficial for our personal and professional lives.

Interview by George Retelas and editing by Jeffrey Erickson. Fiona wearing her handmade dress on the way to the Fashion Week after-party in Soho Manhattan.

COMMON BOOK: Sharks in the Time of Saviors

By Erik Bakke, Executive Director for International Student Services

Before the start of each fall semester, Menlo College chooses a common book that is required reading for first-year students and recommended reading for the entire Menlo community. The year’s common book promotes engagement in the curricular and co-curricular life of the college, fosters community engagement, and assists students in clarifying their purpose, meaning, and direction.

The 2022 common book is Kawai Strong Washburn’s novel SharksintheTimeofSaviors

It is a post-colonial story of a Hawaiian family enduring heartbreaking poverty and loss while awaiting, and maybe even witnessing, the return of the old gods. It is a story of triumph in the face of cultural opposition and environmental devastation. Tommy Orange, the author of the Menlo College 2019 common book ThereThere, says, “So good it hurts and hurts to where it heals. It is revelatory and unputdownable.”

Our students also loved the book, chosen in part to acknowledge the strong presence of Hawaiian students on Menlo’s campus. Hawaiian students appreciated the voice of an author born on the Hamakua coast of the Big Island of Hawai’i. Many commented on the realism of the dynamics of the college-age siblings and the chance to see in writing a Hawai’i not depicted in airline advertisements. They also related to the story of three siblings making their way out of high school and through college and into life beyond while navigating relationships with their family and with their homeland. As first-year student Jacqueline Hernandez ’26 wrote, “As I continued reading this novel I really appreciated how the author allowed each character to tell their point of view and their side of the story.”

The importance of home and indigenous culture, the question of how to respond to the challenges posed by a post-colonial societal structure (one particularly challenging to those Hawaiians without means or property), and the question of how to respond to contemporary environmental threats made the work an effective starting point for broad discussion about our shared contemporary moment and how we all are educating ourselves to prepare for the future.

A Home Away from Home

By George Retelas, Director of Media Marketing, Enrollment and Athletics

New Dorm

1927

Menlo’s first dorm was a leased house in Palo Alto, from which 27 young men commuted to campus via mini-bus. Fast forward to September 2022, when some 287 students moved into the new $27 million John Arrillaga Residence Hall, the first such building on campus in over 45 years. The new dorm features ADA compliance and gender Inclusivity as well as study rooms, game rooms, and lounges on each floor..

One fall afternoon a newly accepted applicant arrives for their campus tour with their parents. The student, a local high school senior, is excited to explore our new residence hall. While we do introductions in the Admissions lobby, a large photo of the new dorm is behind us. I hitch a thumb at it, “C’mon, let’s go check it out.” We walk outside and are immediately greeted by a massive 3-story glittering wall of windows that stretch all the way down toward the center of campus. “There it is!” I turn around and notice the family taking in the view.

The parents have a ton of questions, but before I can answer them I notice two students holding grocery bags approaching the residence hall entrance. As I hold the door open, I ask if they would like to show off their dorm room to our visitors. The roommates are thrilled, but ask us to swing by in 15 minutes so they can “spiff it up.” They dash off down the hallway, swinging the bags as they go. I half expect kombucha and Pop-Tarts to fly out as they bolt inside their room. By the time our group catches up, I hear the commotion of organizing in-progress to the tune of ABBA’s “Dancing Queen.” (Continued on page 41)

We take the elevator up to the third floor to see the Theater Room, where the rambunctious sounds of a Mario Kart tournament greet us in full force. A group of students are piled on the “spacey” looking furniture with controllers in hand, eyes locked on the big screen, their enthusiasm at level ten. One of them quickly swivels their head to the incoming freshman, “You can jump in on the next round!” Knowing that we could be waiting here awhile, I tell the group kindly, “Maybe next time.” The parents are appreciative, and change the subject by asking how students do laundry, something they feel their teenager might struggle with. I reassure them, “It’s a lesson learned best when not living at home.”

We head over to the laundry room, where rows of brand new washing machines and dryers stand ready. A student is preparing a load as we enter. I ask if they wouldn’t mind showing our guest how to do laundry. “Of course! It’s super simple,” the student says, as they turn toward my guest. “Here, let me show you.” I take a few steps back and join the parents as we look on with amusement. At that moment I sense that the parents realize their child will do just fine here. I thank our student ambassador for the demo and bring our group back down the hallway for the dorm room visit.

By now we’ve reached a new song on their Spotify playlist, and it’s definitely from Mamma Mia! We knock and the door swings open. The vaulted ceilings are adorned with elegant streamers that accentuate the room along with LED lights that act as crown molding. On either side are manicured bedding, each piled high with pillows in the most magnificent arrangement. We marvel at the Ikea-inspired showroom setting they have created by utilizing every space for a specific purpose. I could see the soon-to-be student imagining how they will decorate their room. We thank the roommates for the splendid visit to their place and make our way outside to see the rest of the campus.

Later as I was heading out of the Admissions office, I looked up at Arrillaga Hall with the night sky cast behind it. Scattered among the three-stories of windows was a brilliant assortment of rooms pulsating with the colorful glow of lights. I smiled as I walked off toward the parking lot to head home, knowing that a whole community of students were creating memories in their new home here at Menlo.

Top to bottom, Bella Topalian ’27 (incoming freshman), Riley Robinson ’26, Mary Antonette Reyes ’24, (group L-R) Shannon Workinger ’26, Desiree Jones ’26, Stephanie Chavez ’26, Sara Vela ’26

Accessibility for all!

Raymond Juballa ’23

The new dorm, which enables rooms to be modified for wheelchair accessibility, opened a new chapter of independence in my life. Primarily, living on campus has allowed me to really dig into campus life, fully participate in student government and the Oaks Innovation Club, and really put my creativity out there to promote collaboration across campus, and develop relationships I know will last my lifetime. Most important, the daily interactions with the janitorial staff, the cafeteria staff, facilities, the administration, the general student body, and the president of the college—all of whom assist, adjust, and modify things to help me navigate the campus—have brought me daily pleasure and made me feel solidly an integral part of Menlo. I know my being here is educating all who witness the adjustments needed for my participation on campus. I find it amusing that the paddle to open the new dorm is used not just by me, but by almost everyone who enters. So, go accessibility for all!

The Gift of Art

Shortly after the new John Arrillaga Hall opened, Trustee and alumnus David Irmer ’58 stopped by to admire the beautiful new building’s expansive walkways and landscaping. He didn’t, though, hesitate to imagine what would make it even better. “It needs art!” he declared, and thanks to his generosity, art it will get. Stay tuned for the installation of a sculpture to mark one of the entrances and interior artwork to grace some of the common areas. The Irmer family’s donations to the construction costs have already been heralded. We extend our heartfelt appreciation for this additional support. THANK YOU!

Make Yourself at Home

By Mali Korn ’25, Student Government Association (SGA) International Student Representative

Have you ever tried eating with your hands? No? Me neither, until I lived in Uganda for three months and we did not have cutlery. Scooping a mouthful of rice and beans with three fingers was strange to me at first, but with time I was able to eat without feeling like a messy three year old. Who needs a fork when laughing and making new friends? Living abroad can be challenging, but if you engage in something new, you will reap many rewards.

Before coming to Menlo from Germany, my home country, I had quite a few experiences abroad. I was eight years old when my mom and I first traveled to Uganda with the non-profit humanitarian aid organization Tukolere Wamu e.V. As members, we returned every other year, not only to help Ugandans, but also because the Ugandans taught us so much about kindness, generosity, and how to have fun. When I was 15, I went to Chicago as an exchange student, and after high school I worked in Australia as an au pair. I’ve also been back to Uganda as an aid volunteer!

I know how it is to be away from home for a while and I understand that moving to the other side of the world can be hard and challenging. In order to adapt to a new environment and feel at home quickly, here are some of my recommendations:

• Decorate your room and hang up pictures that make you feel good

• Take time to talk to your family and friends at home

• Get familiar with your new neighborhood by going on walks or trying out different shops and restaurants

• Talk to locals or other students and don’t hesitate to start the conversation and ask questions—everyone is in the same boat and just wants to get to know new people

• Do some research on what to do in the area and get familiar with the street names so you are not relying on your phone all the time

Menlo is a good destination for learning about new cultures. We are privileged to go to a very diverse college with over 40 represented countries. That is a great chance to learn about the mindset and the way of life in different countries. If you come from afar, Menlo and its small community is a perfect place for an international adventure. In our small classes, your seatmates quickly become familiar. The welcoming environment and beautiful campus quickly begin to feel like home.

One thing I learned about going to school here at Menlo is that the more you are involved, the better. It opens opportunities, you get to know new skills, and can network with new people. Whether it was the WILD Club, Student Government Association, Internships and Career Services, or the Living Learning Community, the engagement in these organizations all helped me grow. So this is the biggest suggestion I can give every student: get involved and use the time that you are given here at Menlo. I guarantee that you will learn as much about yourself as you do about the campus.

I’m meeting great people on campus! Here are my new friends.

Menlo’s Commitment to International Services

By Erik Bakke, Executive Director for International Student Services

International students are increasingly important to Menlo’s continued success, especially given that domestic student numbers are projected to decrease nationwide in the coming years. The new International Student Services (ISS) program that I direct—and manage with Jessica Nguyen, International Student Advocate—is designed to serve our international student population, which has already grown to 195 students from 44 countries, almost 25% of our student body in fall 2022. The increase is by design. In spring of 2022, there were 146 international students from 34 countries.

International Student Services (ISS), with offices in the Administration Building in the Center for Academic and Professional Success, provides support for both international and domestic students as Menlo’s Intensive English Program and degree-seeking programs grow. Services and programs include I-20 and visa support, internship opportunities, Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT) workshops, tax sessions, film screenings, and resources for life in the United States.

This past semester, day trips to San Francisco and Great America provided opportunities for international students to better acquaint themselves with the area and to spend time off campus with domestic students. ISS begins working with students prior to orientation and continues to cultivate relationships post-graduation. The goal is to help each international student be in compliance with immigration policy while making Menlo a dynamic, rewarding, and comfortable space for all international students.

My own experience has reinforced the importance of such services. I have been fortunate enough to have traveled widely and to have studied or worked in Italy, Japan, Poland, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. It was a privilege to work in the English department at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań and join the students in vibrant discussions of literature and popular, and oppositional, culture. A highlight for me was, also in Poznań, having a chance to lecture on San Francisco Bay Area painting at the Academy of Fine Arts while the great Magdalena Abakanowicz still lectured there. Each place I’ve traveled and studied or worked, I’ve learned something unexpected— some experiences were memorable, some life altering. I’ve found support and comradeship, such as being instructed by a student on a bus in Egypt about the many layers of political and cultural realities in Cairo or receiving zazen training from a Japanese Buddhist monk who used a keisaku to help me overcome my California style meditation practices.

To help both international and domestic students share in the excitement of being abroad, ISS is also home to Study Abroad, supports Menlo student applicants to Fulbright programs, and supports the Academic Global Immersion program. Study Abroad already has partnerships with schools in France, Spain, and Japan, and the program is growing. I encourage all students to take advantage of these opportunities to expand their horizons by contacting International Student Services.

Erik Bakke meets with international student Alex Kemei '25.

Half a World Away

My name is Nargess Hassani. I’m from Afghanistan, now studying at Menlo College.

The situation got really bad in Afghanistan. When I was 17 I was accepted to Herat University, and then the Taliban took over, preventing me from going to college. Opportunities for girls and women there are so limited, I knew I had to study elsewhere. But I needed help.

That help came from the Afghan Scout Relief Fund, a nonprofit associated with the Boy Scouts of America that helps support students who would benefit from the opportunity to make a better future for themselves. They reached out to me and gave me some names of colleges in the United States and other countries. I did an online search and found Menlo, where I saw I would find lots of support. The college gave me a scholarship, so all I had to do was acquire an F1 student visa.

That was the hardest part. It’s difficult for Afghan students to obtain an F1 because it is hard to prove an Afghan residence to which the student would return, and consular officers don’t really believe any Afghan would go back home to live under the Taliban. The student must overcome a legal presumption that they are actually intending to immigrate and not just come over for study. Given the difficult state of Afghanistan these days it makes that job much harder.

To complicate matters, Afghanistan has no US embassy, so I had to spend 6 months in Pakistan. I failed the visa process twice. It was already August and I was afraid I would miss my chance to start college. On my third try I was like, “Okay be calm, chill out. You can do it.” I got my visa and arrived at Menlo the night before the orientation. As the first success of the ASRF program, I’m over the moon. This opportunity really gave me those emotions and the power to believe in myself that I can make it. It was so exciting for me!

And scary. The culture shock was big, I was feeling alone, and I missed my family, especially my mom. But after a couple of days I found how nice people are here. I can walk around the campus and bump into a lot of different people from different cultures, countries, and mindsets. If you have any problem, you can ask for help and they will really help you.

That’s what I really like best about Menlo College, besides its beauty. The supportive and friendly community motivates you to try to do your best, especially the international students. You feel so comfortable when you’re talking to students, to instructors, to all the people here. Their aim is to help you to what you really deserve in the future. I really like how they are working hard to help the students to find their way.

Menlo offers me the opportunity to make my way to what I really want, and the tools to get there. I’d like to thank both Menlo College and the Afghan Scout Relief Fund for helping to make my dreams come true. I’m also really grateful that you’re reading my story and I want to say that it has just begun.

Interview by George Retelas and editing by Jeffrey Erickson.

Photo by George Retelas

Amr M. Khashoggi

’77: Saudi Entrepreneur, Philanthropist, and Alumnus of Menlo College

By Mouwafac Sidaoui, Ph.D., Dean of the Business School, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer

Now in its second year, the Academic Global Immersion (AGI) program embeds students in international companies for a couple of weeks so they can see how economic leaders face current global business challenges, and how portfolio management and resources allocation can be affected by geopolitical issues. Our three-week Summer 2022 Academic Global Immersion to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates was made exceptional through the guidance of a Menlo College alumnus, Mr. Amr M. Khashoggi ’77. When I started the conversation with Amr in January 2022, he suggested bringing the students to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Full speed ahead. Countless meetings later, Khashoggi, President Steven Weiner, and I had designed a program of high-level highimpact, academic, economic and cultural experiences. We focused on the drivers and enablers behind Saudi Arabia’s transformation to a modern nation and an important player in the regional and global economy.

Recent global geopolitical issues have increased the need for cultural and academic exchanges and understanding. Such exchanges as Menlo’s Academic Global Immersion help students and business executives to work effectively together, share knowledge, and empower each other. Friendships built over time and through common interests are invaluable. At Menlo College we are dedicated to the advancement of living and learning opportunities that foster cross-cultural competency development and provide an indepth understanding of U.S. culture.

Amr Khashoggi brought tangible benefits to our AGI, organizing company visits, providing career guidance to our students, hosting us at his company, and devoting his executive assistant for the duration of the immersion trip. He helped re-kindle relationships with Menlo alumni from the ’60s, ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, creating a lifetime network with local and global leaders in Jeddah. We felt at home.

When people hear of Saudi Arabia, many think of the magnificent architecture of Riyadh, the commerce of Jeddah, the history of Makkah (Mecca) or the ancient cities where time stood still. But possibly the most important feature of Saudi Arabia is the hospitality of its people rooted in its ancient Arab traditions of sharing with and welcoming of strangers. I can humbly say that Saudi Arabia hosts some of the world’s most generous people! We felt the kindness of our alums as we visited their homes, and the open-handedness of new friends we met along the way.

My deepest thanks to our good friend, who made our immersion exceptional, Mr. Amr M. Khashoggi. He has promised to visit his beautiful alma mater as soon as it is possible. He has kindly offered to continue mentoring his new young friends and looks forward to having them show him around Silicon Valley and the milestones achieved by Menlo College.

Mr. Amr Khashoggi received his BA from Menlo College in 1977, and MBA from Yale University in 1979. He is the Chairman of Amkest Group (founded 1983), Founder and Chairman of Qaderoon, a non-profit organization (2014), which helps the inclusion and employment of people with disability, and has previously served as a board member for 5 years of AMIDEAST, a non-profit organization in Washington, D.C. that works to strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation between Americans and the peoples of the Middle East and North Africa and to offer opportunities for learning and training.

ALUMNA OF THE YEAR Maya Sewald—an Aspirational Alumna

By Caitlin Sorensen ’19

The Outstanding Oak Award honors a Menlo College alum who achieves professional success and dedicates their time and resources to the Menlo College community and elsewhere. At OAKtoberFest this past fall, I had the great privilege of presenting the 2022 Outstanding Oak Award to Maya Sewald ’73. I was joined by Jessica Carlson ’19 and 2020 Outstanding Oak Award recipient Frances Mann-Craik ’76.

Successful businesswoman and involved Menlo College alumna Maya Sewald is one of Menlo’s “firsts”—she was in the first cohort of women at Menlo, and she and her husband Philip (Phil) Sewald are celebrated as Menlo’s first married couple!

“When I graduated from Menlo I felt like I could apply for any entry-level job in the business world,” Sewald said. “I had accounting, business, marketing and real estate (which proved to be my future career) down.”

Maya began her work life as a Quality Assurance Engineer for Bechtel. When she found out she was having twins, she devoted her time to motherhood and undertook a major move to Saudi Arabia for five years due to her husband’s work. Once the family returned to the United States, she decided to pursue a career in real estate. As she explains, “I’d always wanted to do real estate, so I went and got my license. Now, I’ve been in the business for 27 years.” Four years ago, she and her son Jason started their own real estate LLC, Ovation Real Estate.

Maya and Phil’s reasons for giving back to the Menlo community are clear: “We want the great college experience that we had to continue to the next generations to come. We want Menlo to continue to succeed. We think every alum should feel that way.”

Getting calls from alumni inspired their philanthropic passion. “Menlo had phone banks, with 10 or 15 alums making calls to other alums. It never started out with a request for money,” she said. “It always started with asking how you were, giving you some information, and telling you how they were trying to increase contributions.”

Since those phone calls, Maya has served Menlo in many ways, participating in classroom discussions with her husband, serving on the Board of Trustees, and mentoring Menlo students.

Maya and Frances Mann-Craik are role models to all Menlo College alumni who are grateful for the experiences we had at Menlo. Like Maya, we also want to ensure that future generations reap the benefits of a Menlo College experience—just as we did.

ALUMNI

Crossing Miles, Crossing Generations

By Jessica Berger, Director of Communications

Essam Albakr ’96 credits his Menlo education with helping to establish his business success, most recently as founder and CEO of Ejada Capital, a Riyadh-based private equity firm that manages assets of more than a billion dollars. Initially unsure of what to study when he arrived here from Saudi Arabia, he applied to Menlo and soon fell in love with the Peninsula and San Francisco.

“I am an entrepreneur by nature. I observe the world around me and learn by trial and error. With this I have built a personality of determination,” Albakr said. “I make the best of what I have, and most recently have retooled to a different career altogether. I gained an understanding of how to invest in new start-ups, reflecting on how I did this myself. Now, I am proud of the team as we invest in robotics, trade finance, private debt, and more.”

Albakr most recently reconnected with the College as part of Vice President for Academic Affairs and Business School Dean Mouwafac Sidaoui’s initiative to strengthen the College’s ties with the Middle East, notably the Academic Global Immersion program in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with current students and President Steven Weiner. An alumni event in Dubai left Albakr impressed with the Menlo of today. “It’s an excellent college for anyone who wants to connect in Silicon Valley, and it brings together the East and West.”

Among Albakr’s memories of his days Menlo are strong connections with classmates, friendships that have endured even after his return to the Gulf region. He vividly remembers sitting next to classmate George Hamilton ’95 in his first class and was looking forward to George’s upcoming visit to the Gulf Region. They planned to attend the Saudi-Mexico game in the World Cup in Qatar with George’s family.

Albakr’s son Abdulmohsen, who turns 18 in the coming year, is now looking down a familiar path. Together, they visited Menlo College on a visit to the Bay Area in the summer of 2022, connecting with President Weiner and Dean Sidaoui once again and reuniting with Menlo College alumni. Albakr advises his son, “The time from when I pursued a degree has changed to how it is today. I see it as my responsibility to help him assess what each region can offer.”

Go Menlo GO

Most colleges have a fight song. Few have one written by a famous Big Band leader.

Menlo owes ours to bandleader Freddy Martin, whose son Fredric Weston Martin ’50 played in the 1950 Gold Dust bowl football game against San Diego Junior College to decide the California State Champion. Freddy and his band, who appeared in the film Stage Door Canteen a nd created a song made famous by Dr. Demento, “Pico and Sepulveda,” wrote and recorded “Go Menlo Go” in 1951. It’s been the school fight song ever since. To this day, President Steven Weiner even keeps an original record of “Go Menlo Go” in his office alongside decades of athletic awards.

“We used to buy the records for 50 cents in the student union store. They played it in the dorms. The song makes me feel good and proud to be Menlo.”—Phil Sewald

’72

You can listen to the newly restored recording at www.youtube.com/MenloCollegeOfficial or scan the QR code.

New cheer coach Kaitlyn Denning was delighted to discover the song.

“I’d just begun my first year and I was very interested in what Game Day traditions the College had developed with nearly 100 years of history. With a very strong athletics program, Menlo College had a gap in their cheerleading program and I was excited to lead the charge to bring it back. The Game Day experience is a huge part of a student’s college experience and my goal is to return that to Menlo. Our student body and visitors can now hear the song playing at games and school events once again. Menlo’s fight song is back for good this time, and the cheerleaders are too.”

Cheerleader Jocelyn Ramirez ’26 loves the experience.

“Though I committed to Menlo with the sole intention of academic excellence, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to continue my cheer career. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to join Menlo College cheerleading. I’ve worked with many girls that I can now call family, while we’ve all put in the effort to support our athletic program. Menlo cheerleading has already taught me many valuable lessons, most importantly it has been a humbling experience!”

To listen to our illustrious fight song, scan here:

Bruce Van Alstyne ’48: 1927-2022

Born and raised in San Mateo, Bruce Van Alstyne was an outstanding Menlo College student-athlete, playing football as a defensive end, and eventually earning Hall of Fame honors. His football career came to a close when he turned down an offer from the San Francisco 49ers and began serving in the U.S. Navy. He later worked as an investment banker, a career he pursued for 60 years, including as Executive Vice President and member of the Board of Directors at Morgan Stanley. He also served as Chairman of the Menlo College Board of Trustees.

Van Alstyne enjoyed many activities outside the office, including tennis, golf, flying, hunting, skiing, and his “cannot-miss” dominoes. He was a member of the Merchant Exchange Club San Francisco, the Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club, the Quail Lodge Golf Club, and Stanford Buck Club.

Van Alstyne’s beloved brother Byron ’48 died in 2015. Byron is also remembered in the Menlo College Hall of Fame as an outstanding basketball guard.

Bruce is survived by his wife Barbara, with whom he recently celebrated their 70-year wedding anniversary, along with his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild.

Marty Kaufman ’62: 1939-2022

As the son of the owner of a performance auto parts store, Kaufmann had been surrounded by automobiles since childhood. After graduating from Menlo, he joined USARM (United States Auto Race Marshals), an organization of law enforcement officers of American automobile races. He served as a member of the board of directors of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) in San Francisco, and became competition director of the Trans American Series in the mid-1980s, also supervising the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s popular championship in 1986. Before retiring in 2010, Kaufman served as the competition director of the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) and American Le Mans Series for 25 years.

Kaufman’s goal was never just limited to individual achievement; he constantly tried to eliminate any differences and deeper prejudices about men and women participating in auto-racing competitions. Kaufman was beloved by racing fans for his consistent fairness in thought and behavior. Mark Raffauf, his preceding director of IMSA, said, “[Kaufman] knows what is the ‘right thing’, not what you should do or what the rules say you should do. He knows the philosophy of doing the right thing. In my opinion, the right thing is related to fairness.”

Patrick Francis More ’92: 1967-2021

Patrick Francis More was a distinguished alumnus of Menlo College. In his junior year, he transferred to the College to compete as a cross-country runner and, in 1991, participated in the NCAA cross-country national championship. The award for the current MVP of the cross-country team will now be named after More.

In addition to being an excellent athlete, More was on the Dean’s list as an outstanding student; he graduated from Menlo with honors in psychology.

After graduation, More worked for both the Bank of America and Hyatt Corporation, where he met his beloved wife of 27 years, Bisera. More spent the last eighteen years of his career working at Stanford University in research and grant administration, finding his true calling at the Stanford School of Medicine. He believed in the vital importance of applied medical research in clinical settings, giving every ounce of his energy to doing his part to help foster cancer medical research. He often said, “I need to get this done so the patients can be helped.”

More had many hidden talents: He played guitar, made furniture, played chess, gardened, and challenged himself on home construction projects. But possibly his greatest gift was his ability to listen and set others at ease. He believed that his greatest accomplishment in life was becoming the devoted father to his twins, Sofia and Aleksandar. They are his true legacy. By simply being present in the conversation, mentoring, and actively listening to them, he brought magic into their lives. His family and friends will never forget him.

James L Good Jr.: 1936-2022

James (Jim) Good was the Menlo College Dean of School of Business Administration (SBA) from 1980 to1986. Born in Perry, AR, he spent his early years in rural Arkansas before moving to Portland, OR during WWII. He graduated from Glenwood High School at the age of 16 and went on to earn a degree in electrical engineering at Washington State University.

Good began his career in Philadelphia, PA. He soon became a project engineer, and then moved to Ithaca, NY, to lead GE into the infrared space market. He was awarded three patents in the field. Relocating to San Francisco with his wife Laura Lawrence, one of GE’s few female professionals, he undertook one of his proudest assignments, designing the communications antenna for the lunar landing module of the Apollo program. In 1962, they moved down the Peninsula and Good took positions first with Sylvania and then with Commercial Electronics Incorporated. Later, while president of Andros Incorporated in Berkeley, another technology firm, he took night classes at the University of Santa Clara, earning an MBA in 1976.

After that came the most fulfilling academic episode of Good’s professional life: He began as a Professor of Finance at Menlo College, and in 1980, he was selected to be the Dean of the SBA among 39 candidates. During his tenure as SBA Dean, academic standards, alumni relations, and the College’s financial position were all significantly enhanced.

He loved teaching at the College, and at home. His two children, Marian Lee and James III, remember him explaining the most difficult concepts—particularly mathematical ones—in terms so simple that he made his audience feel like geniuses. Nothing gave Jim more satisfaction than seeing the “aha!” moment on a student’s face when they absorbed and understood a lesson or concept.

Good is remembered for supporting women’s equality, education, and access to all forms of healthcare. Throughout his professional career, Good actively sought out and hired women candidates. He is survived by his longtime partner Janet Ciotek, his former wife Laura Lawrence, his two children, and grandchildren.

We

Albert George Casten ’50: 1930-2022

Thomas Austin Cornish ’55: 1935-2022

Daniel Lee Martin Sr. ’61: 1956-2022

Edward Kingsland Fremaux De Beixedon ’62: 1938-2022

Brent Connor ’ 70: 1949-2022

Beverly George Cooke ’83: 1949-2021

Matthew Richard Staack ’09: 1990-2022

Compiled by Leshi Chen ’25

also remember...

ATHLETICS

Pursuing NCAA Membership

After more than a quarter century of competition under the NAIA banner, Menlo Athletics recently took the first steps to move to the NCAA to compete as a Division II school. NAIA has been a great home for Menlo College, but over the years, the locus for most NAIA play has moved south to Southern California and Arizona, necessitating significant travel in order to complete each season. In contrast, NCAA Division II has a significant presence in Northern California, affording the opportunity for significantly reduced travel obligations. Menlo has already applied to become a Division II member of the NCAA PacWest Conference, and plans to apply to become an NCAA member within the coming weeks. If successful, Menlo’s 18 varsity teams will first complete under the NCAA banner in the 2024-25 season. We’re planning ahead!

All sports photography by Brian Byllesby

ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME 2022

On Friday, October 14, 2022 Menlo College inducted six former Oaks to the Athletics Hall of Fame. Vice President for Athletics Keith Spataro hosted the event, and President Steven Weiner opened the event by extending a welcome to the more than 200 alumni, family members, and student-athletes who gathered to celebrate the event.

Ken Bowman – Baseball Coach

Coach Bowman spent 20 years at Menlo College as a coach and administrator. As Baseball Head Coach from 2003 to 2008, he racked up a record 111 wins – the first coach in the history of Menlo College Baseball to reach triple digits. The Bowman family roots run deep at Menlo: Ken’s sons, Jeff ’03 and Scott ’07 both played for their dad, and their names appeared frequently in the Menlo record books.

“I am honored and overwhelmed with joy,” Coach Bo stated. “I found my second home when I was hired by Menlo. I enjoyed going to work daily and being part of the Menlo community. Menlo has meant a great deal, not only to me but to my family as well.”

Fernando Flanagan ’04 – Men’s Wrestling

A member of the first-ever Menlo College Men’s Wrestling team and the first-ever wrestler to sign to Menlo College, Fernando Flanagan came to Menlo from nearby San Jose. He had an illustrious career wrestling in the 141-pound weight class. In his two seasons in a

Menlo singlet, Flanagan wrestled 74 times, amassing nearly 50 victories. He capped his brilliant career with a second-place finish at regionals and an All-American showing at the 2004 NAIA Nationals, where he placed third in the 141 bracket. He graduated as the alltime leader in takedowns and victories by major decision. “There were so many amazing people surrounding me, and without them, this achievement wouldn’t have been possible,” said Flanagan. “My teammates and training partners who pushed me day in and day out, our coaches who set the standards and expectations for all of us, and especially my mother and father, who set aside their own lives to follow the team around the country. I couldn’t have reached my goals without them.”

Keith Larsen – Men’s Basketball Head Coach & Athletic Director

From 1997 to 2003, Menlo College Men’s Basketball was led by the great Keith Larsen. Coach Larsen amassed 79 wins in that time, still the second-most by a head coach in the history of Menlo College

Men’s Basketball. Coach Larsen also led Menlo to two conference titles, in 2000 and again in 2002. Named the CalPac Coach of the Year in 1999, and again in 2000, Coach Larsen coached a plethora of greats while at Menlo, including 2000 CalPac Player-of-theYear Evan Peterson, the first-ever Oak to be honored as a Men’s Basketball Player-of-the-Year. In his time at Menlo, Coach Larsen also served as the Director of Athletics and, for brief periods, coached Volleyball, Cross Country, and Golf! He also helped start the Sports Management academic program at Menlo College, today one of the more popular areas of study for Menlo students. The announcement of Coach Larsen’s election to the Menlo College Hall of Fame took place at the 20th anniversary reunion of the 2002 CalPac title-winning team.

Surrounded by many of the 2002 team members at the Hall of Fame event, Coach Larsen said, “Getting to share this honor with a group of my former players makes it all the more special.”

Greg Menges ’84 – Men’s Tennis

Greg Menges had a stellar collegiate career playing tennis for the Oaks. In 1983, he won the California State Singles Championship, as well as the Coast Conference Singles Championship – the same year that Menlo Men’s Tennis was the California State Champion and the All-Coast Champion! In 1984, Menges was the Coast Conference State Champion and State Singles Champion. That year, he also won the Coast Conference Doubles Championship with teammate Hani Al-Ali.

“Menlo has always had a special place in my heart,” Menges said. “I was a student from South Africa with no network whatsoever – on top of being unfamiliar with American culture. Menlo soon became my home. I was made to feel welcome and part of an extended family. If Menlo did not give me the opportunity to come to the United States, I would never have been able to have the great life I have today!”

Adriane Napp ’82 – Women’s Tennis

A native of Remscheid, West Germany, Adrianne Napp played tennis at Menlo College from 1981 to 1982. Her career reached its zenith in 1981, when she was the California State Singles Champion and

Coast Conference Doubles Champion. In 1982, she graduated from Menlo with an Associate Arts degree. She went on to the University of Colorado, where over two years she won 20 singles matches and 13 doubles matches.

Upon hearing of her induction into the Menlo College Hall of Fame, Napp said, “Tears rolled down my cheeks. I am so grateful and deeply moved that people remember me forty years later. Menlo gave me everything I needed to move on in life, and I take that family spirit with me wherever I go. I will never forget my time on the tennis team with our wonderful coach Anne Gould. Our travels with the team were so much fun, and I am still friends with some of my former team members.”

Kathleen Niemeyer ’99 – Softball

Kathleen Niemeyer played softball at Menlo from 1998 to 1999. She is second on the all-time batting average leaderboard for the Oaks, hitting .435 in her time here. She is also third on the all-time single-season batting average leaderboard, having hit .458 in the 1999 season. She was named to the CalPac First Team for the 1999 season, when she was also named Co-Player-of-the-Year. That season, she hit .510 in the regular season, totaling three home runs, three triples, four doubles, and 24 RBIs. She was the first Menlo College Softball player to hit five triples in her career.

On Niemeyer’s induction into the Hall of Fame, her head coach and Menlo’s All-Time winningest Softball Coach Kyle Brumbaugh stated, “She’s probably the toughest, most disciplined player I ever coached. Kathleen asked me to stay after practice one day to take extra batting practice. She wanted me to set the machine so that the pitch would be way inside. She then started hitting every ball as a line drive to right center field. I had one of the other players run the machine so I could go behind the backstop to watch. Every pitch was on her hands and every ball was a line drive to right center. When I asked her why she was doing this, she said. ‘If they are going to try and jam me or force me to pull the ball, I’m going to make them pay.’ She did.”

Hall of Fame photography by SeungHyun Park ’25

Bottom,

Top, left to right: Ken Bowman, Keith Spataro and Fernando Flanagan ’04, Greg Menges ’84, Keith Larsen, and Adriane Napp ’82

left to right: Fernando Flanagan ’04, Adriane Napp ’82, Keith Larsen, Ken Bowman, and Greg Menges ’84.

COMPETITION IN FULL SWING New Coaching Staff Adds Momentum

By Ryan Barnett ’19, Sports Information and Operations Director

The 2018-19 season was the best ever for Menlo Athletics. Judging from this fall’s successes, the pandemic didn’t still that momentum. Several new head coaches are a central part of the story. Menlo capped the fall with 19 studentathletes named GSAC and NAIA Scholar Athletes. New head coach Freddy Delgado took women’s soccer to their best conference showing since 2015 with a thirdplace finish after making it to conference semifinals for only the second time in program history. Men’s soccer qualified for post-season play for the sixth consecutive season, only falling in an overtime thriller in the conference quarterfinals.

Under new cross country and track and field head coach Kevin Mangan, cross country was led all season by freshman phenom Emmanuel De Leon ’26, who qualified for nationals where he threw down the best time at a national meet in Menlo program history. De Leon was also

named the conference Freshman of the Year—the first Oak in program history to do so.

In its inaugural season, Menlo tennis sent players all the way to the Fall ITA Cup in Rome, Georgia, where the Oaks were represented by singles players Saar Rogovski and Valentina Urelli Rinaldi, and doubles pair Urelli Rinaldi and Andrea Vlasceanu.

Both men’s and women’s golf finished in the top three in all but one of their fall tournaments, and women’s golf ranked 17th in the country! Women’s volleyball finished with five more wins than a season ago.

New softball head coach Skylynne Ellazar and new baseball head coach Alex Hoover are looking forward to fielding their first teams this spring.

Athletics Director Keith Spataro predicted the best-ever season for the Oaks before the first game was played last August. Given the success of competitive play this fall, he’s doubling down on his prediction. We’re all looking forward to it!

Tennis Returns… Family Style

Interview by George Retelas and editing by Jeffrey Erickson

When varsity tennis returns to Menlo this spring after a 30-year absence, Head Coach Ben Cabell will field teams strengthened by seasoned players and team captains Franziska Niederle ’23 and Paul Niederle ’24. In her time with San Diego Christian College, Franziska led the Hawks to two GSAC Titles and three straight trips to the GSAC Finals. Also at SDCC, Paul led his team to two GSAC Titles and two trips to the NAIA National Championships.

They join a program with a rich history of conference championships and state singles champions, including 2022 Menlo Hall of Fame inductee Adriane Napp ’82. We spoke with the siblings about their careers and the upcoming season.

How did you become interested in tennis?

Franziska: I definitely got my tennis inspiration from my dad. He and my grandparents all played tennis back then and I remember attending a tennis camp for little kids when I was 5 years old. The tennis camp was a lot of fun and that’s why I decided to start playing tennis. When my brother started playing, I always practiced with him in Dachau, a town next to Munich where we live.

Paul: After her lessons my sister was always saying how she liked playing tennis and it was always fun, so I wanted to try it out, too. I started playing when I was 10. Before that time, I joined the soccer club when I was 6 years old, but at a certain point, I enjoyed playing tennis much more, and gave up soccer.

Can you share a challenge with tennis that you overcame?

Franziska: At age 16, I was about to quit tennis. When I first started tennis, I really enjoyed it, but as time went on, my coaches and my club expected a lot from me. So I was under a lot of pressure and stress and I was nervous before every match because I didn’t want to disappoint them. During that time, I didn’t play tennis because I enjoyed it, but for my club, my coaches, and my family, without having any fun. Then I talked to my family, took fewer coaching lessons, and took a break from tournaments. For the past 3 years, I’ve been enjoying tennis again and it’s much easier for me to deal with stress and pressure now, both on and off the court.

Tennis is good for staying healthy and fit. However, it is such a mindful game and can be so depressing at the same time. Losing very close matches, one after another, or important points in a match, is very hard, but as you grow and play match after match, you get used to it and it really clears and strengthens your mind. Another challenge has been the injuries. Some time ago I broke my left ankle. It was very painful and happened during a match. I was in such good form and playing very well. Getting injured at such a time is very depressing. I had to rest and could not play for 3 months. At that point, I wasn’t really motivated to play anymore but somehow, I overcame it, started with easy practices and had to practice a lot to come to my level again.

How do you feel about playing for Menlo?

Franziska: The team is incredibly nice. We all help each other out. Coach Ben, Rudy, and Cole support us in every way. I can’t wait to start the season.

Paul: I enjoy being here, and playing tennis with the team is fun. We have good players and cool team members.

2009 Singles County Championship in Dachau, Germany for kids 10 and under. Paul (age 10) won third place in men’s singles. Franzi (age 8) won first place in women’s singles.