Fall/Winter 2012 Volume 29, No. 2
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY Graduate School of Education and Psychology
Vet to Vet Easing the Transition
INSIDE: On the Forefront of Military Trauma Research | Looking Beyond the Self | An Attitude of Service
L etter From t he D ean
Central to our work at Pepperdine is the importance of leading a life of service. In this issue of Colleague, we are proud to celebrate the men and women of the military, who have dedicated years of their lives to serving others, and in some cases, have paid an extremely high price for doing so. One such example is U.S. Army major Jonathan Silk (MA ’12), who, while serving in Iraq, was hit in the chest by a land mine. Thankfully he is alive and well today— body armor saved his life—but the impact was strong enough that he required a new mitral valve for his heart. Nevertheless, he remains as active and as interested in service and leadership today as he was prior to this traumatic experience. Similarly, Leon McCleary, a current candidate in the clinical psychology master’s program, underwent his share of trauma, along with his fellow servicemen and servicewomen, while serving in the U.S. Navy. He chose to let that experience shape his future by studying psychology so he can ultimately serve other veterans. In honoring these individuals and their stories, we also acknowledge our gratitude for the Yellow Ribbon Program. This program provides eligible veterans with the funds to pay for tuition and fees at an institution of higher learning. It’s a tremendously practical and positive way to pay tribute to the men and women who choose to risk their lives for the good of their country. Pepperdine is proud to be one such institution of higher learning, and we are proud of our students and alumni who dedicate their lives to service.
Margaret J. Weber, PhD Dean
Fe a tures
10
14
18
23
Vet to Vet
An Attitude of Service
On the Forefront of Military Trauma Research
Looking Beyond the Self
Easing the Transition
Collaboration, Empowerment, and Leadership
PLUS The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program
Departments 02 News 26 Donor Roll 34 Class Notes 35 Self-Care
Making a Difference
Healing the Wounds of Moral Injury
Perspectives 30 Latina/o Mental Health:
Reducing Stigma, Humanizing Communities
By Miguel E. Gallardo
32 The Digital Women’s Project:
Strategies for Work-Life Balance By Kerri Cissna-Heath (EdD ’12)
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY Graduate School of Education and Psychology Fall/Winter 2012 Volume 29, No. 2
Managing Editor Cyndi Mukherji Editor Emma Gibson
Administration Dean Margaret J. Weber Associate Dean, Psychology Robert A. deMayo Interim Associate Dean, Education Martine Jago
Director of Alumni Relations Claudette LaCour Creative Director Brett Sizemore Production Manager Jill McWilliams
The Pepperdine Colleague© is published two times per year by the Graduate School of Education and Psychology and the Office of Alumni Relations. The opinions expressed in the Colleague do not necessarily reflect those of the University or its administration.
Photographer Ron Hall
Please send address changes and alumni updates to:
Art Director John Ayers
Copy Editor Vincent Way Contributing Writers K erri Cissna-Heath Miguel Gallardo Rosalyn S. Heyman Lynne Rafool Bidwell Jon Sealy Rebecca Sprigg
Pepperdine Colleague GSEP Alumni Office 6100 Center Drive, 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90045 Tel. 310.568.5664 E-mail: gsepalum@pepperdine.edu To contact the Colleague editor, e-mail gsepedit@pepperdine.edu. GSEP Colleague Summer 2008 1
GSEP NEWS MA in Clinical Psychology Program Revises Curriculum Beginning with the 2012-2013 academic year, both the day and evening formats of the Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology (MACLP) program will reflect revisions made to meet new California Board of Behavioral Sciences regulations for the marriage and family therapist licensure (LMFT). The LMFT state license is ideal for those who want to pursue marriage and family therapy in California. LMFTs are the core mental health professionals who conduct psychotherapy with individuals, couples, and families, and utilize a relational perspective in their work. In addition, the MACLP curriculum changes fulfill educational requirements for a new mental health license designation in California, the licensed professional clinical counselor (LPCC). This state license allows students to specialize in areas such as career counseling, rehabilitation therapy, and art and dance therapy. The MACLP program now requires a minimum of 60 units to graduate. The program has added new courses in career counseling and treatment of trauma, and students will have the opportunity to meet with mental health consumers in the classroom. The expanded curriculum will also cover principles of recovery-oriented care, which emphasizes collaborative care and overall quality of life; an understanding of various cultures and the social and psychological implications of socioeconomic position; and the significance of poverty and social stress upon an individual’s mental health and recovery. By offering the LMFT and LPCC licensure paths, the new curriculum, which has been implemented for all incoming students, will prepare graduates to work with a more diverse range of clients. For more information about MACLP and Pepperdine’s other psychology programs, visit: gsep.pepperdine.edu/psychology
2 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
Digital Women’s Project Conference Coming in Spring 2013
The Digital Women’s Project (DWP), an initiative led by GSEP dean Margaret Weber, will be hosting a new academic conference March 7-8, 2013, at the Omni Hotel at California Plaza in downtown Los Angeles. The event, called, “Celebrate Women’s Wisdom: Life Journeys” will allow scholars to share research that enhances opportunities for women to live meaningful lives of purpose, service, and leadership. “This conference will engage women from professional and leadership sectors who will share wisdom that will impact the future for themselves and the next generation of women and men,” says Weber. The inspiring image for this conference is the bristlecone pine, which “illustrates the deep roots of life, standing strong over time amid trials and challenges, living and thriving joyously,” says Weber. “This image provides the backdrop for the conference as we discuss the multiple roles of women, their struggles, and the strategies that will make a difference.” By connecting via the life-course method of identity, motivation and drive, relational style, and adaptive style, conference participants will share research that enhances opportunities for women. The mission of the DWP is to explore the work-life balance issues of women from global perspectives. The DWP aims to accomplish this mission through its three components: research, a digital library, and an annual academic conference. For further details about the conference, visit: gsep.pepperdine.edu/digitalwomens-project
Master’s Students in the Social Entrepreneurship and Change Program Compete for Seed Funding of Social Programs In April of 2012, GSEP students in the Master of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship and Change program participated in the first Social Entrepreneurship Change Leaders Competition for social enterprise innovation. The competition encourages students to present their plans for addressing pressing social problems and compete for seed funding to launch their efforts after graduation. A variety of topics and issues were represented in the competition; ultimately, the First and Second Prizes were awarded to Jennifer Hutchison (MA ’12) for 17 Syllables, and to Josie Gay (MA ’12) and Kim Carroll for SocialCauseFilms.com. The prize for First Place was $3,000; Second Place won $1,500. Seed funding was kindly provided by Michael and Lauren Guillen. Students came together for this competition under the guidance of Jerr Boschee. Long recognized as one of the founders of the social enterprise movement worldwide, Boschee has been an advisor to social entrepreneurs for more than 30 years. He has been a senior marketing executive for a Fortune 100 company, managing editor for a chain of regional newspapers, a Peace Corps volunteer in India, and a guest lecturer at numerous academic institutions. In addition, Boschee is the former president and CEO of the National Center for Social Enterpreneurs, one of six cofounders of the Social Enterprise Alliance, and served from 2001 to 2004 as advisor to the U.K.’s Department of Trade and Industry Social Enterprise Unit.
GSEP NEWS Dr. Nikki Schaper Receives Encuentros Award
Dr. Daryl Rowe Receives Distinguished Award and Is Incoming President of ABPsi
Nikki Schaper (MA ’05, EdD ’09), Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership alumna and associate dean of student services at MiraCosta College’s San Elijo Campus, was selected by Encuentros Leadership to receive the prestigious Sí Se Puede Award at the annual Encuentros Leadership Conference.
at the Graduate School of Education
Daryl Rowe, professor of psychology
and Psychology (GSEP), received the Distinguished Black Psychologist award from the Association of Black Psychologists (ABPsi). Rowe was presented with the prestigious award at the association’s annual convention, held July 15-22, 2012, in Los Angeles. Rowe is also the incoming president of the ABPsi, with his two-year term starting in July 2013.
Dr. Daryl Rowe
The ABPsi was formed in 1968 by a small group of psychologists from across the country to actively address the Encuentros Leadership, founded in 2003 by local activist Robert Rivas, recognizes that Latinos are the youngest, largest, and fastest-growing ethnic population in America, yet 53 percent of Latino boys in California do not finish high school. The organization’s aim is to bring successful Latinos in business, education, and government face-to-face with these at-risk boys in order to encourage them to continue with their education.
serious problems facing black psychologists and the black community. Founders set out to build an institution that would address the needs of black professionals and have a positive impact on the mental health of the black community. With a mission of advancing the profession of African psychology; influencing and affecting social change; and developing programs to assist in solving problems of black and other ethnic minority communities, the ABPsi has grown from a handful of concerned professionals into an independent, autonomous organization with a 44-year history and over 1,400 members.
The Sí Se Puede Award (“Yes, It Can Be Done”) was established in 2009 by Encuentros Leadership to honor the work of an individual who has gone beyond the call of duty to ensure Encuentros Leadership Conference is a success.
Award recipients possess strong leadership skills; they share their knowledge
The individual selected must demonstrate initiative, bring tasks to completion, raise funds for the event, and become an overall champion of the organization. Encuentros Leadership selected Schaper because she took the initiative to secure the first Platinum Sponsor of the Encuentros Conference, McCarthy Building Companies.
he teaches courses in sociocultural and cross-cultural issues in psychology and
with others through scholarship and participation in ABPsi activities; and their careers focus on issues that directly affect people of African descent. Rowe is a psychologist in private practice. On faculty at Pepperdine since 1993,
provides secondary supervision through various clinical practica. Rowe helped form the GSEP Urban Fellows program, part of the Urban Initiative, to help students better understand the differing realities of working in urban environments. The program prepares students to work on the front lines in underserved areas of Los Angeles.
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 3
GSEP NEWS GSEP Alumna Places First in Harvard Education Innovation Pitch Competition Alumna Megan Marcus (MA ’11)
leadership, cultural proficiency, and impact as practitioners. Under the leadership of Martine Jago, interim associate dean of education, the Education faculty spent nearly two years collaborating to develop and introduce
placed first in Harvard’s Education
the new program. The program prepares
Innovation Pitch Competition for her
educators for K-12 environments with sound
business idea, FuelEd. The idea behind
learning technologies, and supports scholar-
FuelEd was initially called “Teacher
practitioners in their pursuit of professional
Refresh” and was conceived while
development within the field of education.
Marcus studied at GSEP. FuelEd is a
The new program features five learning
unique curriculum designed to develop essential social and emotional competencies in teachers.
Robert deMayo
pathways: Teacher Preparation; Educational Psychology; Literacy; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM); and Teach-
associate dean and professor of psychology at GSEP, received a Distinguished
The Bridge organization at Harvard’s
ing English to Speakers of Other Languages
Graduate School of Education holds the
(TESOL). The MAE for Teacher Preparation
annual competition, which is open to
is a 34-unit program with a multiple-subject
anyone with an idea for an innovative
or single-subject teaching credential. The
new education enterprise. Applicants
other pathways are 30-unit programs.
undergo two rounds of rigorous evalua-
This exciting degree program is designed
sionals, as well as for his commitment
to be completed in as little as one year,
to the advancement of psychology and
and features technology-blended classes,
psychological services.
tion before the finals. Judges rank projects based on their innovation, impact, connections to teaching and learning, and feasibility/sustainability.
a focus on clinical practice, and an Action Research Project—all of which offer can-
Service Award from the Division II, Training and Education Division of the CPA. The award was given for his continued involvement and efforts in the training and education of mental health profes-
The incoming president of the CPA, deMayo is also a Diplomate in Clinical
In the final round, Marcus competed
didates the tools and techniques to effect
by delivering a five-minute “pitch” and
positive change and productivity in diverse
was awarded the top prize of $6,000.
classrooms or other educational settings.
She will use the prize money to launch
For more information about the new MAE
CPA; a past president of the Los Angeles
program, visit:
Society of Clinical Psychologists; and he
gsep.pepperdine.edu/masters-education
has received the award for Distinguished
FuelEd, and she and her team are actively pursuing further funding and partnerships to expand the business.
Psychology of the American Board of Professional Psychology. He is past chair of Division II, Education and Training of the
Contribution to the Profession of Psychology from the CPA.
learners and their communities in the 21st
Dr. Robert deMayo Honored by California Psychological Association and as Incoming President
century, GSEP has launched the new Mas-
At the 2012 California Psychological
ter of Arts in Education (MAE) program for
professional practice issues. He is a li-
Association (CPA) annual convention in
educators who want to strengthen their
censed psychologist and remains active in
Monterey, California, Robert deMayo,
clinical practice.
Master of Arts in Education: New Program Launch In response to the changing needs of
4 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
He has extensive experience in teaching and supervision. Prior to joining the faculty at Pepperdine, he received the Shepherd Ivory Franz Distinguished Teaching Award from the UCLA Psychology Department. His research interests are in the area of
GSEP NEWS GSEP Alumna Partners with Sundance Award-Winning Director to Shoot TV Pilot Stefanie Kleine (MA ’03), GSEP alumna and Atlanta-based actress and life/business coach, has partnered with Sundance Award-winning director Chusy Haney-Jardine to shoot the pilot for a new psychology-based TV show. The show’s clever name, Shrink Wrap, derives from the cast that Kleine and HaneyJardine have assembled. Stefanie Kleine will star in the show along with three other female psychologists. Together, these women are on a mission to make the world a better place and to do so in an entertaining way. “This show is not going to be like any other talk show you have seen before,” said Kleine. “We have some pretty cool tricks up our sleeve.” The pilot will be shot in 2012. Afterward, cocreators Kleine and Haney-Jardine will take it to their network contacts. “We have contacts at HBO, Bravo, and OWN,” said Kleine. “We can easily see the show fitting into any of those networks.” About the women they cast in the show, she said, “it was important to us to have a multi-ethnic cast of women. We wanted to celebrate diversity and also to show powerful, educated women from various backgrounds in a positive light.” Kleine came up with the original vision of Shrink Wrap about 10 years ago, while working on her master’s degree at Pepperdine University. “I am so elated to see an idea that I came up with 10 years ago, coming to fruition,” she said. “Shrink Wrap has a powerful and meaningful message that aspires to help people. Plus, with an incredible cast and an award-winning crew behind me, I feel confident the show will be picked up!”
Stefanie Kleine
Keep your eyes and ears open for Shrink Wrap in the near future.
GSEP Alumnus Selected as Vista School District Superintendent Joyce Bales, 66, who retired at the end of the 2011-2012 school year. The announcement was made after a closed-session school board meeting at district headquarters.
Devin Vodicka Trustees of Vista Unified School District in north San Diego County announced earlier this year that Pepperdine GSEP alumnus Devin Vodicka (MA ’04, EdD ’07) will be the school district’s top administrator. Vodicka is replacing Vista superintendent
“We think he’s going to be a great addition to the district,” said board president R. Elizabeth Jaka. “He has a broad range of experience. . . . (We think) he’ll bring the things we have been missing here into the district.” There were 28 applicants and six finalists. “Vodicka’s experience helped him stand out above the others,” Jaka said. “The board liked his focus on technology and data.” “I am enthusiastic about the future for the students, families, staff, and community,” Vodicka said in a prepared statement.
Previously, he worked at the Carlsbad Unified School District for 13 years, serving as director of curriculum and instruction, an elementary and middle school principal, and special projects director, in addition to his current role. Over the last several months, Vodicka has helped oversee several important efforts in the Carlsbad district, including rounds of budget cuts, negotiations with the teachers union, and plans to close a school and lease space at another campus. Vodicka has an educational doctorate in organizational leadership from Pepperdine University. He teaches quantitative analysis as an adjunct professor at Pepperdine and is fluent in Spanish. He has written several articles on educational technology and relational trust.
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 5
GSEP NEWS
Psychology Professor Steve Sultanoff Presented Lifetime Achievement Award Three guys walk into a bar . . . might
ALUMNI AUTHORS Charles Michael “Dr. Chaz” Austin (EdD ’11) How to Find Work…and Keep Finding Work for the Rest of Your Life
not be the way you would expect a
This book presents a system for finding work in the 21st century, helping the reader to define, articulate, and sell his or her own personal brand.
conversation with your psychologist or therapist to start. But adjunct psychology professor Steve Sultanoff, who has spent his career studying the field of therapeutic humor, thinks a good laugh can enhance
Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor
the therapeutic process, by facilitat-
Stephanie Buehler (MA ’93)
ing emotional healing and creating 25 years of contributions to the field
breakthroughs.
Sex, Love, and Mental Illness: A Couple’s Guide to Staying Connected
of therapeutic humor.
This guide offers an understanding of the effects of mental illness and medications on sexual desire and performance. It provides ways to maintain both physical and emotional intimacy.
The annual award is presented to those who have made significant contributions to the understanding and application of humor and/or laughter over an entire career with a definable body of work of speaking, teaching/training, research, publications, and professional practice. In addition to teaching at Pepperdine, Sultanoff is a psychologist and consultant in private practice. He is Steve Sultanoff
recognized nationally as an expert
At the 2012 Association of Applied
in therapeutic uses of humor, and
and Therapeutic Humor (AATH)
has written numerous articles on
Annual Conference in Chicago, Il-
the topic of humor. His teaching
linois, Sultanoff received the Doug
interests
Flectcher
skills and techniques, theory, group
Lifetime
Achievement
Award and was recognized for his
6 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
include
psychotherapy
therapy, and practicum.
Sharon Draper (GPC ’69, DHL ‘09) Out of My Mind A New York Times bestseller for paperback children’s books, this story of a brilliant mind and brave spirit will change the way the reader looks at anyone with a disability.
GSEP NEWS faculty AUTHORS Satinder Dhiman (PhD, EdD ’95)
Curtis Odom (EdD ’09)
Thema Bryant-Davis
Seven Habits of Highly Fulfilled People
Stuck in the Middle: A Generation X View of Talent Management
Surviving Sexual Violence: A Guide to Recovery and Empowerment.
This book examines workplace culture in which three generations are working side by side. Odom’s work represents a significant contribution to the literature on generational diversity in the workplace, bringing attention to the nexus at which talent management intersects with generational diversity.
An in-depth look at the impact of particular types of sexual violation. Case studies and specific activities give a fuller description of the ways survivors can make use of the particular approaches, which include mind-body practices, counseling, group therapies, self-defense training, and others.
Drawing upon the time-tested principles of wisdom traditions from all over the world, the “gifts” presented in this book are devoted to leaving something behind in order to enrich one’s existence. This book presents simple processes that bring lasting fulfillment in all aspects of life, underscoring the vital difference between success and significance.
Kongit Farrell (MA ’09) She’s Worth the Chase: 10 Qualities Gamma Males Adore in the Women they Pursue and Marry Explore the ways in which biology affects dating, and how women can use this information to select healthy men as partners.
Foster Mobley (MBA ‘79, EdD’10) Leadersh*t: Rethinking the True Path to Great Leading From more than 30 years of experience coaching and developing some of the finest leaders in business and sports, Mobley posits that leading well is not about what you do, but who you are. His approach to developing breakthrough leaders is the basis of this three-part journey into the heart of what makes great leaders great.
Stacy Sinclair (MS ’95, EdD ’04) Designing Healthy Communities Coauthored with Dick Jackson, the book highlights the ways in which we design the built environment and its potential for addressing and preventing many of the nation’s devastating childhood and adult health concerns. Designing Healthy Communities was selected as the 2012 Nautilus Silver Award-winning Title in the category of “Social Change.”
C. Foster Stanback (MA ’06) Christianity and the Paranormal This book focuses on important spiritual and religious questions such as what Christians should believe about ghosts, demons, and other paranormal phenomena.
David Levy (with Eric Shiraev) Cross-Cultural Psychology: Critical Thinking and Contemporary Applications Cross-Cultural Psychology focuses on applying critical thinking framework in examining, analyzing, and evaluating psychological data. This updated version includes significant rewriting, new topics, and updated references to keep pace with the rapidly changing conditions of modern times.
Sudan Tschudi A Practical Guide to Understanding Your Partner, Improving Your Communication, and Strengthening Your Relationship Offers practical guidance readers can use to set healthy boundaries, clarify their expectations, and ensure their partners fulfill their responsibilities. Additionally, the book focuses on helping the reader meet his or her own needs in the relationship, and offers thorough and practical advice for moving through obstacles as a couple.
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 7
GSEP NEWS
Distinguished Alumni Education Division
Psychology Division
Kurt S. Takamine is the chief academic officer, academic dean, and
Leanne Neilson is the provost and vice president for academic af-
vice president of academic affairs at Azusa Pacific Online University
fairs at California Lutheran University (CLU). Prior to her current
(APOU), a member of the Azusa Pacific University system. Taka-
appointment, Neilson served as associate provost working with
mine holds the rank of professor, and has served as the WASC ac-
graduate programs, accreditation, and assessment.
KURT S. TAKAMINE , EdD ‘00
creditation liaison officer. During his tenure at APOU, the university was granted eligibility status by WASC, four new degrees were accredited, a new assessment plan was created, a new curriculum design process was established, and new lead faculty were hired— all within a five-month period. Prior to his appointments at APOU, Takamine was with the Brandman/Chapman University System, where he held various positions
LEANNE M. NEILSON , MA’85, PsyD ‘92
At CLU Neilson was a faculty member for 11 years in the Department of Psychology, and during that time she served for six years as the director of the graduate psychology programs. As a licensed psychologist, Neilson previously worked as a staff research associate at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute, in their Clinical Research Center for Schizophrenia at Camarillo State Hospital.
including dean of business and professional studies, associate
Neilson served for five years on the Western Association of Schools
professor of organizational leadership, and chair of the Organiza-
and Colleges (WASC) Substantive Change Committee, including
tional Leadership Department. In addition to his academic career,
two years as co-chair. She was on the board of the United Way
Takamine was Senior Research Fellow at Leadership Education for
of Ventura County from 2004 to 2010, serving one year as board
the Asian Pacifics, Inc., in Los Angeles, where he trained manag-
chair. In 2008 she was recognized with the United Way’s Milton
ers from Fortune 500 companies such as IBM, Northrop Grumman,
M. Teague Award as Volunteer of the Year. Neilson is a founding
Shell Oil, the U.S. Postal Service, and Kaiser Permanente. He is also
member of the Ventura County United Women’s Leadership Council
the author of Servant-Leadership in the Real World: Rediscovering
and currently serves as chair.
Our Humanity in the Workplace, as well as numerous articles on career advancement and leadership.
She has been an avid and active supporter of alumni affairs at Pepperdine University, serving on the Alumni Board from 1995
In 2006 Takamine was honored with the Distinguished Educator
through 1999 and on the GSEP Colleagues Board from 1995 through
of the Year Award by the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership
2000. She held the presidency of the Colleagues Board from 1998
and as Outstanding Teacher of the Year at Brandman University in
through 2000.
2011. He currently serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Servant Leadership and was vice chair of the Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership board of trustees until 2011.
Neilson earned her bachelor’s degree in organizational psychology, her master’s degree in psychology, and her PsyD in clinical psychology, all from Pepperdine University. Her family’s connection to
Takamine received a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s
Pepperdine is close and comprehensive; both her husband George
degree in environmental and occupational health from California
and her father Morris Womack held professorships at Seaver Col-
State University, Northridge. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in
lege, in theatre and communications respectively. Her mother Ada
social ethics from USC and a second master’s degree in theology
Womack worked in several administrative capacities before retiring
and ethics from Azusa Pacific University. He earned his EdD in
from Pepperdine, and both her brother Richard Womack and sister-
institutional management from GSEP in 2000.
in-law Ella Womack are currently on staff at the Malibu campus.
Takamine resides in Torrance, California with his wife Paula.
Neilson resides in Simi Valley, California with her husband George.
8 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
P
Why I Give...
eople who graduate from the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology are passionate about forming connections and taking actions that improve our world. And they are just as passionate about GSEP. We know, because of the large numbers of you who provide a richer experience to Pepperdine students and advance the school’s position as an innovator in the fields of education and psychology through your generous gifts. And our diverse opportunities to give back meet you where you are, making it easy for you to contribute.
Why I give...
“I give because Pepperdine helped me fulfill my dreams of receiving both master’s and doctoral degrees. The environment is both nurturing and inspiring, and I continue to use the leadership skills learned.” Dr. Claudette S. McLinn (MS '03, EdD '06)
Pepperdine Education Associate
Why I give...
“I give to Pepperdine because I know it will make a difference. I give because I value discourse and want to support others in the process of educational attainment that will lead to effective change in the world. I give because I care.” Anthony J. Garrison-Engbrecht (MA '08) Recent Graduate, Pepperdine Donor
“We give because education is essential to an individual’s personal development and to meaningful access to and participation in our society. My wife and I have been privileged to have experienced the best of education and have enjoyed fulfilling and successful careers. Pat Lucas was influential in my selecting education as my career of choice, and it’s only fitting to give this gift to the Pat Lucas Center at the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology, in the hope that it will serve to enrich and enhance the lives of others as it has ours.”
Why We give...
Dr. Hasty Arnold ('61, EdD '85) and Dr. Grace Arnold
Heritage Society, Pat Lucas Center for Teacher Preparation • Education Associate
To learn how you can give, contact your advancement officer, Wes Patterson. 310-568-2300 | pepperdine.edu/giving
VetTo Vet
Easing the Transition Leon McCleary, a current master’s candidate in clinical psychology, was 18 years old when he joined the U.S. Navy. He stayed on for a total of six years, in a variety of posts. During that time, he experienced considerable trauma. He also witnessed many of his cohorts endure similar experiences. And it was then that his interest in psychology was born. While he was no stranger to the idea that therapy can be extremely useful in helping people to heal from troubling events, it occurred to him that veterans could be best served by therapy provided by other veterans. As his time in the navy came to a close, McCleary made up his mind to one day go back to school to study psychology. “I knew that if I were taking a role as a therapist and as a veteran, I could definitely make a difference” he says. “It’s always easier to talk with somebody who comes from a similar experience. Veterans talk to veterans in a different way than they talk to civilians. You get accustomed to a life where there’s a lot of rules and regulations that you have to abide by.”
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GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 11
That difference, he says, is crucial. “It’s hard to compare it to civilian life. And when you get out and you’re not adhering to those rules and regulations anymore, there is a transition. For guys coming straight from combat situations or overseas, just being back in the United States takes some getting accustomed to.”
“Without the Yellow Ribbon Program, I can honestly say I would not be at Pepperdine.” Knowing that he wanted to take an active role in assisting his fellow military men and women, McCleary applied to universities which would help him achieve his goal of obtaining a doctorate in clinical psychology. “Pepperdine was my first pick,” he says. “As soon as I received the letter of acceptance, I declined all other offers.” McCleary enrolled at GSEP and qualified for the Yellow Ribbon Program. Introduced in 2008, the Yellow Ribbon Program provides funding
12 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
for veterans at the 100 percent benefits level to attend approved institutions of higher learning. At public schools, it pays all resident tuition and fees; at private schools, it pays either the actual tuition and fees, or the national maximum per academic year—whichever is higher. “Without the Yellow Ribbon Program, I can honestly say I would not be at Pepperdine,” McCleary says. Despite his keen desire to attend Pepperdine, McCleary was initially unsure of whether he would fit in at a private university. However, he says that at GSEP, he found a welcoming and personable community of peers and professors. “Professors really take a lot of time out of their day for you. They are very approachable, whether your issue is personal, academic, or professional. That’s not something you see at every university. I feel like there’s a level of interaction that is almost like family,” McCleary says. This dynamic is something he feels would be beneficial for other veterans as well. Additionally, he says that his unique experiences in the military—including the trauma he faced—enables him to share a perspective that his peers may not have previously considered. Similarly, due to the diverse nature of the student body at GSEP, he has discovered points of view that he had not previously taken into account. This dynamic, he feels, strengthens the future practices of the group as a whole. McCleary very much enjoys the diversity among his fellow students. And, he says, it is an honor to be able to provide a military perspective to his classmates.
“One thing I have learned from my studies and from the military in general is that I want to be influential in the field of psychology.” He says he would like to see more veterans at Pepperdine and adds that the Yellow Ribbon Program makes enrollment at the university much more attainable. He would also like to one day see an on-campus organization for veterans. As he did in the navy, McCleary strives to lead by example at Pepperdine, modeling what should be done and how. After completing his master’s degree, he will begin working towards his doctorate. “I want to pursue teaching, maybe at the graduate level,” he says. “One thing I have learned from my studies and from the military in general is that I want to be influential in the field of psychology.”
The Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program (Yellow Ribbon Program) What is it?
A provision of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, the Yellow Ribbon Program allows institutions of higher learning in the United States to enter voluntarily into an agreement with the VA to fund tuition and fee expenses that exceed the highest public in-state undergraduate tuition rate. The institution can contribute a specified dollar amount of those expenses, and the VA will match the same amount as the institution. (These must not exceed 50 percent of the difference.)
Who is eligible?
Only individuals entitled to the maximum benefit rate (based on service requirements) may receive this funding. An individual may be eligible if he/she:
• Served an aggregate period of active duty of at least 36 months after September 10, 2001 • Was honorably discharged from active duty for a service-connected disability and served 30 continuous days after September 10, 2001 • Is a dependent eligible for Transfer of Entitlement under the Post-9/11 GI Bill based on an individual’s service, under the eligibility criteria listed above
How can I learn more?
Contact Lesbiz Tovar: 310-506-6129
Yellow Ribbon Program Statistics: 1,229: Number of schools participating from August 1, 2010, to July 31, 2011
$35.1 million: Amount of money spent
by the Department of Veterans Affairs on the Yellow Ribbon Program in the first 10 months (between August 1, 2009, and May 1, 2010)
22,576:
Number of eligible students (veterans, spouses, or dependent children) who used the program in the first year
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 13
Collaboration, Empowerment, and Leadership
A s a child, Jonathan Silk (MA ’12) loved
the World War II stories that his grandfather, a U.S. Army veteran, told him. The stories ignited a fascination in him that continued on into his teen years, when he enlisted in the army after high school--much to his parents’ initial chagrin.
3 “My dad was the associate dean of the Sloan School of Management at MIT, and my mom was a nurse. They really wanted me to go to college. I was getting decent grades, but joining the military was always on my mind,” Silk says. Twenty-four years later, he’s a major in the army who holds a master of arts in learning technologies (MALT) as well as an MBA. He says that the emphasis on leadership and the ability to work with a very diverse group of people have been the standout experiences for him. “I love it,” he says. “When you show yourself capable, the army gives you a million opportunities to move up. And it is probably the most diverse organization in the country.” Similarly, he says, the MALT program’s emphasis on collaboration proved impressive.
14 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
“
h
”
“When you show yourself capable, the army gives you a million opportunities to move up. And it is probably the most diverse organization in the country.”
GSEP Colleague Spring/Summer 2012 15
“
All learning
h
is collaboration,
and all leadership is learning.
”
“It really opened my eyes. All learning is collaboration, and all leadership is learning. Leadership has to be collaborative. When I lead, I could be restrictive, micromanaging, and squashing the energy of the people I’m leading. Or, I could take a collaborative approach and provide an intent for that energy, and release it in the people I’m leading. That’s empowering,” he says. During a deployment to Iraq, Silk was hit in the chest by a rocket-propelled grenade. The body armor he wore prevented his death; in fact, it seemed for awhile that the main consequence was the bruising it caused. But in short order, he was in the hospital for a replacement mitral valve in his heart; his own had been torn by the grenade’s impact. A triathlete since before his injury, Silk has continued to be physically active. One main difference now, he says, is that “I tick when I run.” (Indeed, that’s the name of his blog: www.ITickWhenIRun.com) And in 2010, he received the General Douglas MacArthur Leadership Award, which is granted to junior officers in the army who demonstrate the ideals of duty, honor, and country. Upon his return from Iraq, the army offered him the opportunity to finish his bachelor’s degree. After completing it, he earned an MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas and then accepted a position at West Point as an operations officer and instructor at the Center
16 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
for Advancement of Leader Development and Organizational Learning. It was then that he joined the MALT program in preparation for the West Point assignment, and he found a military-friendly approach at Pepperdine. “Dr. [Margaret] Riel was my advisor in MALT,” he says. “She was very open and interested in listening to how my military experience would apply to my work at GSEP and elsewhere. When an institution recognizes experience and considers its application, that’s really a big deal. In Afghanistan and Iraq I did a lot of work related to improving infrastructures. My experiences were about helping people and building relationships with other cultures.” This attitude of service extends beyond Silk’s professional life. He works with a group called Team Red, White & Blue, which helps wounded veterans reintegrate after returning from combat and exiting their positions, through an emphasis on physical fitness. “A lot of veterans have that band of brothers or band of sisters thing, but when they get back from deployment, there aren’t a lot of people they can share those experiences with.
“
I had a great idea, but as a team, we made it
h
better. By interacting via social media, these
vets would be able to interact and share stories. Storytelling is therapeutic. We reach out to them, we build that bond and look for community members they can connect with. Through shared experiences like running, we start creating that trust. Maybe you share some things with me; maybe you don’t. But you’re not isolated, you’re a part of a community.” Silk says he has found that strong community within MALT as well.
”
running around, you hear their Yorkies barking, and you talk about that. You get to know them and then you’re working with people that you trust. That’s critical for learning circles, because as you’re doing your Action Research Project, you have to have that trust.” Silk’s Action Research Project was among those selected for design in his program; it was a social media application to help veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. “I had a great idea, but as a team we made it better. By interacting via social media, these vets would be able to interact and share stories. Storytelling is therapeutic. We grew it into this great application. It was a real team effort. This program does a great job of fostering that.”
Major Jonathan Silk in a small group session with two cadets.
“It’s an excellent program. You get together faceto-face at first, to build relationships. Then you use Google+ hangouts and you see these people once a week on the other side of the screen. The interaction is incredible. When everyone’s sitting at home like that, you see their kids
He readily recommends MALT to military officers. “It enables military members to do the work at their own pace. And the residency requirements for graduate camp were very reasonable. It’s just a matter of discussing them ahead of time with their commands. That coordination is very manageable,” Silk says.
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 17
On the Forefront of
Military
Trauma
Research
By Lynne Rafool Bidwell
David Foy has been a professor of psychology with the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology for the last 20 years. In addition to teaching master’s and doctoral students, his primary focus has been on conducting trauma-related military research, most recently on the topic of “moral injury.” Foy describes moral injury as something that occurs when “an individual’s moral compass has been threatened or challenged, and it produces internal conflict.” Moral injury, Foy says, often results in changes in spirituality, reflected in a loss of faith, guilt that does not lessen over time, a lack of forgiveness, and negative religious coping. The latter involves an individual turning faith into something that destabilizes their mental health, rather than using that faith as a coping mechanism. Unlike other mental health disorders, symptoms related to moral injury are not detailed in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Psychological Disorders; nevertheless, they have a negative impact on the individual.
18 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
Dr. David Foy
Healing the Wounds of Moral Injury GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 19
Helping put the pieces back together
Currently, Foy’s Pepperdine University lab is exploring spiritually-based interventions to treat moral injury. He is working with four doctoral students whose dissertations are related to this topic. He says that, within the context of the military, “Morally injurious issues often involve death or injuries to women and children, and/or civilians in general, where soldiers were directly involved or their unit was involved in causing the harm.” He adds, “Pepperdine has been generous to give me time to work with active-duty military, and they have supported my dissertation lab for 20 years, which has considered all types of trauma, with a specific focus over the last 10 years on military-related trauma and other things that happen besides PTSD.” Another area Foy’s lab is exploring involves the ways in which military personnel can
20 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
forgive themselves and resolve the guilt associated with the suffering and deaths of innocent individuals caused by the carrying out of military actions. Indicating that it is still too early to focus on a particular theoretical orientation for treatment, he says, “This isn’t cognitive behavioral therapy versus psychodynamic.” With this in mind, the lab is considering various religion-based traditions to deal with issues around guilt and forgiveness, as well as utilizing mindfulness meditation and helping individuals connect with a purpose larger than themselves. This may be beneficial for religious as well as atheist, agnostic, or nonreligiously affiliated individuals. Dr. Foy says active-duty military personnel and veterans coming from various eastern and western religious traditions can face issues related to
moral injury, and the “spiritual consequences of deployment and combat duty that affect many infantrymen in the U.S. Army and Marines, in particular.” Another related area under investigation is that of betrayal. “This can occur when an individual is asked to do things by their unit leadership, upper command, politicians, or country that puts them at conflict with other elements of their moral compass,” Foy says. As a former Vietnam veteran who served for close to five years in the U.S. Navy, Foy says he has had a long relationship with the military. He began his career at the Veterans Administration (VA), directing an alcohol treatment program at a hospital in Jackson, Mississippi, for five years after he finished graduate school. A Louisiana native, he obtained his MA and PhD from the University of Southern Mississippi.
in the military as a way to escape the bonds of poverty and improve their lives.” He stresses the importance of understanding clients who may have signed on to a 20-year military career and have what is referred to as a “warrior ethos.” This is a concept dating back to antiquity, wherein individuals are respectful of their opponents as warriors, honor their own status as warriors, and revere the military tradition, which often involves putting themselves in danger for the protection of their country and not leaving fellow soldiers behind. This ethos is particularly strong in the Marine Corps. “Clinicians who don’t understand this ideology may have a difficult time establishing a rapport with these individuals,” says Foy.
“Military-related research issues have been my primary research interest throughout my career,” he says. His experience at the VA helped him to see a correlation between alcohol consumption and combat. In following up with World War II patients during the mid-1970s, he says, he noticed that many of the patients’ alcohol relapses were precipitated by combat-related memories, and that sparked his interest in doing additional research with this population. In addition to his work with Pepperdine, for the last five years he has been training navy chaplains who serve marine and navy military personnel who are deployed to combat missions. He says he has been working with the chaplains in the area of moral injury, and he emphasizes the need for clinicians of all faiths, or of no faith, “to be aware when an individual’s spiritual worldview, or their sense of hope and meaning in the world, is threatened or changed by their combat experiences.” Foy has found that cultural and racial sensitivity is also important to better serving clients: “Especially since many of those who serve in our volunteer military are minorities and/ or those who come from underprivileged backgrounds who are utilizing the opportunities
“Military-related research issues have been my primary research interest throughout my career.”
Through his courses at Pepperdine, Foy helps students gain a better understanding of the warrior ethos. This is particularly important because approximately one-fourth of Pepperdine’s doctoral students enter internships and postdoctoral sites that are associated with the VA, and many of these students go on to work for the VA—which happens to be the largest single employer of psychologists in the country. According to Foy, future employment opportunities with the VA are on the rise; it currently has authorization for 1,600 more mental health professionals throughout its approximately 150 medical centers.
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 21
Community pastors in the San Gabriel Valley have also become more familiar with the warrior ethos, due to Foy’s work. He has partnered with the Fuller Theological Seminary on a workshop that enables pastors to better serve veterans and active-duty military families in their congregations. According to Foy, the problems facing military families are significant and largely due to an all-volunteer force, as well as not having enough people in the military to reduce the risks associated with multiple tours of combat duty, such as insufficient recovery time. Some of the resulting issues facing families include domestic violence and child abuse. He adds, “I’m sad to say those risks are also reflected in the suicide rates for the army and the marine corps, which in the past few years have been as high or higher than actual combat-related deaths in the war zone.” One of the most significant changes he has noticed related to military trauma since
beginning his career, he says, is that “as a culture, we’ve learned to not blame warriors for decisions that politicians make to get into unpopular wars.” The military is also getting better at screening individuals for trauma and providing treatment earlier, he says, but there is still a stigma associated with obtaining mental health services or being seen as “a soldier who couldn’t hack it.” In addition to his work related to trauma affecting the military, Foy has conducted clinical and research activities with the aim of helping battered women, adult and child survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and adolescent survivors of gang-related violence. Foy has written more than 100 professional journal articles and book chapters, and he edited one of the first books about cognitive behavior therapy methods for dealing with trauma, Treating PTSD: Cognitive-Behavioral Strategies.
Save the Date
COASTAL Children’s Outreach: Advancing Social Transformation and Learning
5k/10k Walk/Run
Presenting Sponsors
Dockweiler Beach, California • Saturday, January 26, 2013
There are 2.5 million children in Los Angeles. Many endure serious social, economic, and mental health challenges, inhibiting them from realizing their fullest potential. Help future generations by providing children with the resources that lead to a prosperous adulthood. For information and registration, please visit: gsep.pepperdine.edu/coastal
Looking Beyond the Self Making a Difference
Captain Chris Howells (MA ’08, PsyD ’12) has just completed a clinical psychology predoctoral internship at the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. By the time this article goes to press, Howells and his wife, Regina Corpuz Howells (PsyD ’08) will have moved to Okinawa, Japan, where Howells will begin his first threeyear, post-internship Air Force assignment as a staff psychologist.
H
owells’ career is
weeks of Commissioned Officer Training prior
following a dual
to his internship, he will provide the kind of
track in the U.S.
leadership expected of his rank.
Air Force. As a doctor of psychology, he will work with service members from multiple military branches to determine the best course of action for mental health treatment and to ensure mission success. As a captain, having undertaken five
“We’re psychologists first, but people will also see the rank on your collar—we’re Biomedical Science Corps officers, so there’s the expectation that you’ll know what you’re doing in terms of fulfilling key air force leadership functions,” he says.
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 23
Howells and the 13 interns in his cohort received training geared toward working in multiple mental health and administrative capacities within the air force. They will
T
hat’s part of what drew him to a career in the military. As a psychology student, Howells was very interested in working
with veterans, and in working with people who
take on various types of positions, such as
have PTSD, but the active-duty component to
overseeing aspects of a mental health clinic or
this job represented a special opportunity. And
heading up a drug and alcohol abuse program
it was one for which he felt well prepared.
on the military base.
Howells explains, “I don’t think I could have come out of Pepperdine feeling any more prepared than I did. Certainly the clinical training is on point; the assessment program is really strong. That’s such a critical component. It got me thinking critically, the way a psychologist ought to think. The cross-cultural component was important as well—thinking about demographics and cultural aspects. I don’t mean just ethnicities, but the culture of an organization. The military has such a strong culture, and I would not have been able to grasp its unique aspects quite as well without
Captain Chris Howells and his wife, Regina Corpuz Howells
“I’ve always been a service-oriented person, and I’ve always focused on something bigger than myself. I think Pepperdine sort of naturally dovetails with that. The mission of Pepperdine, whether from a religious or a secular perspective—and both of them
my training at Pepperdine.” He continues, “When someone comes into my office and talks about the issues he or she is dealing with, I can better help them because my understanding is not simply of their situation, but also how their situation fits into their work environment, how that impacts both the individual and the unit as well.”
“I’ve always felt there’s more that I could be doing.” apply for me—includes this aspect of being
His yearlong internship consisted of a variety
a part of something bigger than ourselves as
of training opportunities, including the time
individuals.”
he spent working in the Behavioral Analysis
24 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
Services clinic, which provides mental
session. One stop, one encounter. It can be all
health evaluation services for some 30,000
they need, sometimes. Research suggests that
basic trainees per year. There he assessed
that’s a helpful way to prevent people from
and identified members of the air force who
crossing over into more difficult territory.”
might be having significant trouble adjusting to military life within the first week or two of service, helping to determine whether they were a good fit for the military, and vice versa. It was an ideal scenario for gaining firsthand experience in understanding the important role basic training has within the air force. And, he says, it was a core component of a larger plan for continued improvement of the strength of the air force’s enlisted service members.
“I don’t think I could have come out of Pepperdine feeling any more prepared than I did.”
Howells recieving his diploma from Major General Byron Hepburn.
T
he idea is to make sure that the organization is strong, that people are capable of completing their mission; it’s
about keeping an eye on the bigger scope of things. It’s similar to the attitude of service he found at Pepperdine. Howells says, “The type of people who work at Pepperdine—whether they find the school or the school finds them—they are naturally supportive, service-oriented individuals. These
Howells also spent time providing services
are people who really embody the Pepperdine
in a family medicine clinic. “There’s a push
core values of purpose, service, and leadership
within the air force to really embed mental
in that way.”
health in primary care,” he says. “By placing mental health offerings within a population health setting (e.g., offering mental health consultations to patients who visit their
It’s a concept to which Howells is, after all, no stranger. “I’ve always felt there’s more that I could be
primary care physician), we can get help to
doing,” he says. “Not just professionally, but
people who might not ordinarily get the help
personally. I’ve always felt that drive, that
they need at an earlier stage. It’s offered by a
passion to do more and to look beyond myself
mental health provider and it’s a 30-minute
in everything that I do.”
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 25
DGoSnE o P rN R EW o lSl Foster Grandparents Program Children’s Institute, Inc. GSEP School of Urban Needs Dr. Margaret J. Weber Hilton Foundation — Union Rescue Mission Clinic Mr. Spencer T. Hardman MBA '08 Dr. Cary L. Mitchell BA ’76 Marco Garcia Memorial Fellowship Enrique and Lucy Garcia Family Foundation Pat Lucas Center for Teacher Preparation Scholarship Dr. Grace Arnold Dr. Hasty Arnold Mr. John L. Baker Education Collaborative Initiative California Community Foundation M. Norvel and Helen Young Center Mr. John L. Baker Dr. William S. Banowsky MA '94, LLD '79
26 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
GSEP Scholarship Ms. Marsha L. Christiansen MA '77 Dr. Rodolfo B. Frias MA '97, EdD ‘05 Mrs. June Klapakis MA '76 Dr. Jo Ann Lee MS '84 Mrs. Nancy M. Liverman MS '78 Ms. Jacqueline K. Ludlum BA '45. MA '46 Ms. Francine N. Pam Cer '92, MA '92 Dr. Olive P. Scott EdD '87 Dr. Eric L. Strang PsyD '99 Mr. Thomas J. Trimble Mrs. Elnora C. Tymer MA '98 GSEP Fund Ms. Debora D. Acevedo MA '07 Mrs. Elizabeth M. Acevedo MS '80 Ms. Jennifer L. Alarcon MA '02 Mr. Donald J. Andersen MS '75 Ms. Janet S. Anderson MA '78 Dr. Theresa M. Angelo MA '86, PsyD '91 Mrs. Sara B. Applebaum Cer '89, MS '89 Mrs. Elyse A. Artin MS '78 Mrs. Dana L. Atwood-Blaine MA '00 Lt. Col. Richard D. Avery MA '78 Mr. James E. Backstrom MA '76 Dr. Cheryl D. Barkovich Cer '90, Cer '95, EdD '96 Mrs. Carolyn L. Barnes MS '77 Ms. Jo Anne Bartlett MA '81 Dr. David W. Bates EdD '90 Mr. William Baxter MA '75 Dr. Robinette N. Beacham Cer '95, EdD '01 Ms. Stacy A. Beckman BA '05 Mr. Joseph R. Beeman MA '80 Dr. Lynda M. Behrendt MA '83, PsyD '94 Dr. David Bixby EdD '00 Mrs. Naomi R. Blackmore MS '81 Mrs. Catherine S. Brammer MA '78 Ms. Nancy L. Breuer MA '05 Mr. Robert J. Bringhurst MA '76 Dr. Sheila A. Brown Cer '92, EdD '96 Mr. Harold A. Brunner MS '77 Mr. Joshua J. Burker MA '07 Ms. Tracey A. Burns MA '98, Cer '99 Mrs. Sharon Burton Cer '88 Ms. Betty A. Cameron Cer '88, MS '88 Mrs. Marianne Campbell MA '89 Mrs. Mildred L. Carley MS '82 Mr. Mark A. Carlock MA '07
Dr. John L. Carter MA '73 Dr. Cheryl A. Carter EdD '08 Ms. Victoria M. Castro MS '78 Ms. Cathia N. Chalvardjian MA '99 Mrs. Thelma E. Chapman MA '76 Dr. Robert T. Cheatham EdD '85 Dr. Renée L. Chmiel MA '03, PsyD '07 Ms. Paula F. Churchill MA '00 Dr. Paul J. Cohen EdD '07 Mrs. Billee A. Collins MS '76 Ms. Mireya B. Coronado MA '00 Dr. April L. Creasey EdD '09 Ms. Desiree A. Crevecoeur MA '98 Mrs. Lori Ann Cutler Cer '87 Mr. Hall Davidson MS '91, Cer '92 Dr. Franca Dell'Olio Cer '05, EdD '06 Ms. Elizabeth S. Demarest MA '00 Ms. Debra L. Dement MA '05 Ms. Judith A. Dennington MS '92 Mrs. Lenora S. Dixon MS '76 Dr. Kristine B. Drake EdD '01 Mrs. Annie M. Dupin Le Pendeven MA '00 Ms. Burnette S. Durham MS '75 Mr. Bradford L. Durian MA '96 Dr. Joanna Edwards MA '02, PsyD '07 Ms. Betty J. Ellis MA '76 Mrs. Alta F. Ellis Babino MS '76 Mrs. Vera P. Everett MA '76 Mrs. Mary F. Eves MA '73 Ms. Jennifer R. Fentress Calderon MA '01 Dr. Arthur E. Fields EdD '80 Dr. Diane T. Fiello Cer '90, MS '90, EdD '05 Mrs. Elizabeth I. Flynn MA '93 Ms. Maureen T. Foley MA '93 Dr. Barbara H. Foyil MA '06 Ms. Lisa D. Francois Cer '02, MA '02 Mrs. Leslie H. Frank MS '76 Ms. Mary E. Fuller MA '00 Mr. Michael Garcia MA '74 Dr. Melva T. Giles EdD '93 Mr. Miles W. Graff MA '76 Mr. Harold R. Grauman MA '76 Ms. Dorothy E. Greene MS '79 Mr. Haines Gridley MA '76 Mrs. Annie Grimes MA '10 Mr. Charles A. Gross MA '07 Ms. Barbara I. Gutierrez MS '77 Mr. Richard M. Hall MA '89 Mrs. Louvonia Hall MA '76 Ms. Nicola E. Harris MA '05 Ms. Mary B. Hawkins MS '95 Dr. Juliette R. Henry MS '75, EdD '81 Ms. Celese M. Heron MS '06
DGoSnE Po rN ER W o lSl Ms. Kristen M. Hertwig '14 Ms. Ercell H. Hoffman MA '93 Mrs. Renee B. Holland-Oliver MS '81 Ms. Phyllis M. Humphrey MA '96 Dr. Leila Iler EdD '94 Mr. Jaime Jimenez MA '96 Mr. Richard B. Jones MS '80 Dr. Karen Kallay EdD '89 Dr. Fatemeh Khaghani EdD '95 Ms. Pamela S. Kinnaman-Korporaal MS '86 Mr. Edward E. Koester MS '99 Mr. Charles R. Komrosky MA '75 Mr. Patrick G. Korsmo MA '96 Mrs. Catherine D. Kyker MA '88 Ms. Shirley R. La Beach MA '75 Ms. Arlene M. La Coste MA '99 Mr. Elmer W. Langham MS '74 Commander T. R. Langley MS '75 Mrs. Mary A. Law BA '66, MS '76 Ms. Su J. Lee MA '07 Dr. Michael T. Leininger MA '76 Ms. Ludella Leonard MA '75 Ms. Carol E. Leslie MA '90 Ms. Carol E. Lewis-Norris MA '91 Ms. Julie S. Liu MA '98 Dr. Sharon L. Liu MBA '06, EdD '12 Mr. Richard M. Lopez Cer '03, MA '03, MA '03 Dr. Dennis W. Lowe MA '77, BA '75 Mr. Boyd R. Lowe Mrs. Betty Lowe Dr. Ralph A. Ludders MA '77 Ms. M. S. Magee MA '76 Mrs. Talisen C. Malone Winder MA '01, Cer '02 Mrs. Julia A. Maples MS '80 Mr. Brian R. Marquez MS '01 Dr. David M. Martinez EdD '02 Ms. Theresa D. Massey MA '02 Mr. John T. Masters MS '85 Mrs. Judith F. Matlock MS '78 Mrs. Cynthia A. Mauzerall MA '98 Mrs. Verlyn B. McEachin MA '78 Ms. Marissa McIntosh MA '06 Mr. Sterling P. Miller MS '92 Mr. James B. Milne MA '01 Mrs. Judi Mintz Cer '88 Ms. Michelle E. Mitchell MA '00, MA '10 Dr. Cary L. Mitchell BA '76 Dr. Patrick W. Monahan EdD '81 Mrs. Marietta H. Montgomery MA '78 Mr. Henry M. Motes MA '76 Dr. Lauren L. Moulton-Beaudry EdD '99 Ms. Arline C. Murrel MS '77 Lt. Col. William E. Myers MA '78
Ms. Rosalind Myers Cer '87, MS '87 Mrs. Alvera B. Nafziger MA '76 Mr. Richard J. Nagel MA '97 Mrs. Kikuno M. Nakamura MS '76 Mrs. Carol M. Nakashima MA '82 Mrs. Cheryl A. Newman MA '75 Dr. Tin V. Nguyen EdD '02 Ms. Michelle H. Nguyen MA '06 Mr. John J. Norosky MA '78 Ms. Leola L. Oliver Cer '04, MS '08 Mrs. Melode R. Olsen MS '78 Ms. Janet L. Oonchitti MA '98 Dr. Rebecca A. Otten EdD '05 Mrs. Mary S. Ozamoto MS '77 Ms. Dolores M. Page MA '74 Mrs. Dorothy N. Palmer MS '81 Mr. Norman K. Pang MA '79 Ms. Diane E. Pardue MS '82 Ms. Loris A. Parker MS '80 Dr. Gwenette J. Parker EdD '93 Ms. Margaret S. Paskov Kistel MA '77 Dr. Dabbiru G. Patnaik EdD '08 Mr. John M. Penner MA '76 Ms. Emma S. Perez Cer '86, Cer '87, Cer '92 Dr. James J. Perino EdD '87 Ms. Monica G. Perry MS '09 Mrs. Mary L. Pierce MS '78 Mrs. Mary S. Polite MA '75 Dr. Sarah L. Pool Cer '85, MS '85 Dr. Lloyd N. Porter MS '75 Ms. Patricia Potter MA '75 Dr. Beverly S. Quaye EdD '09 Ms. Kendra D. Quinton MA '91 Dr. Juanita M. Rainey-Woods MA '89, Cer '90, Cer '93 Mr. George E. Ramos MA '94, Cer '95 Ms. Susan Rich MS '00 Ms. Pamela L. Romeka MS '85 Ms. Ruth A. Rosewitz MS '80 Dr. Sylvia G. Rousseau EdD '99 Dr. Joanna J. Rowan EdD '09 Mr. Nicholas V. Rudd MS '91 Mr. Peter J. Ruggles MA '78 Ms. Clar Ryu MA '09 Mrs. Gladys M. Saddler MS '86 Ms. Tina L. Samson MA '10 Mr. Frank Samuel MA '79 Ms. Margaret T. Sarris MA '91 Ms. Charlene P. Saurer MA '91 Dr. Richard E. Sauter Cer '93, EdD '00 Mrs. Judith A. Scatoloni MS '76 Mrs. Janet L. Scheer MS '83 Mrs. Billie L. Scott MS '77
Mrs. Anne B. Seil MA '76 Ms. Phyllis R. Siegel MS '81 Dr. Bryan W. Silva PsyD '06 Ms. Leslie Skinner Ms. Audrey L. Smith Cer '96, MA '98 Mr. Ellis C. Smith MA '73 Ms. Stephanie S. Smolinski MA '06 Mrs. Cynthia J. Sorensen MA '94 Mrs. Marjorie J. Sorenson-Lundholm BS '58, MA '75 Dr. Jo Anne E. Sornborger MA '01, PsyD '05 Ms. Anastacia M. Stanley MA '09 Ms. Wendi L. Stewart-Goodson MA '99 Ms. Patricia A. Stromberg MA '76 Mr. Thomas M. Sunada MS '74 Dr. Ruth C. Sweeney Zimmet BS '76, MS '78 Mr. Edwin W. Tam Sing MA '76 Mrs. Cynthia M. Tate MA '03, Cer '04 Mrs. Jean M. Terberg MS '78 Dr. Matthew M. Thomas MA '95 Ms. Geraldine Thomas MA '89 Mr. Ralph C. Tilley Cer '87 Dr. Carol F. Tuntland EdD '95 Dr. Beulah Underwood MA '76 Ms. Ofelia C. Valdez MS '79 Mrs. Janet M. Valenzuela MA '95 Miss Elayne Y. Vanasse MS '80 Ms. Phoebe A. Villanueva-Ignacio MA '00, Cer '01 Mr. John U. Washington MA '77 Dr. Madoka Watabe-Dawson EdD '91 Lt. Col. William L. Waters MA '77 Dr. Margaret J. Weber Ms. Doris I. Weinert MS '91 Ms. Betty J. Wells MA '77 Ms. Elaine C. White MS '91 Dr. Linda Wicks MA '93 Ms. Melissa M. Wilder MA '09 Mrs. Barbara J. Williams MS '75 Ms. Cheryl L. Williams MS '91 Mrs. Sophia G. Williams MS '75 Mr. Bobby Williams MA '75 Dr. Edna D. Wilson MA '65, EdD '87 Mrs. Sylvia D. Winner MA '71 Dr. Michael W. Wright EdD '05 Mrs. Annette J. Yensen MA '03 Haig Barrett, Inc. The Boeing Company IBM Corporation
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 27
DGoSnE o P rN RE o WlSl GSEP Board of Visitors Dr. Fereshteh Amin EdD '06 Dr. Randy E. Clark EdD '05 Mr. James B. Douglass Ms. Carolyn M. Harrison MBA '94 Dr. Rosalyn S. Heyman LLD '08 Dr. Michael D. O'Sullivan MS '74, EdD '87 Dr. Susan F. Rice EdD '86 Dr. Richard Sherman Dr. Earnestine Thomas-Robertson BA '69, MA '73, EdD '03 Dr. Marilyn S. Wright MA '89, PsyD '95 Mrs. Wendie Z. Young BS '85 Dr. Ziegfred G. Young MS '83, EdD '88,LLD '08
Olaf H. Tegner Endowed Scholarship Mr. John L. Baker Mrs. Lucinda L. Glossop Mr. Theodore O. Porter BS '59, MBA '75 Mrs. Allie E. Tegner BA '47, MA '68 Ms. L. J. Witte MA '92 Dr. Ziegfred G. Young MS '83, EdD '88, LLD '08
GSEP Dean's Excellence Fund Mr. John L. Baker COLSA Corporation County of Los Angeles Dr. Mary Jo Lass BA '51 Dr. Farzin Madjidi EdD '91 Ms. Cyndi Mukherji Dr. Kent B. Rhodes EdD '90 Dr. June H. Schmieder-Ramirez Mr. Perry Solomon Superintendent of the Year Award Prefast Concrete Wall Systems, Inc. Piper Jaffray Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Colleagues Ms. Henriene Allums '79 Dr. Barbara J. Anable MA '76 Mr. Lynn Andrews MA '72, MS '73 Mr. Ernest S. Arguello MS '80 Dr. Joy K. Asamen Mr. Orlando T. Barnett MA '75 Ms. Jane K. Bearman-Smith MA '00 Dr. Phyllis L. Beemsterboer EdD '93 Ms. Catherine S. Bessenbacher MA '76
28 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
Mrs. Caryl L. Bigenho MS '83 Ms. Anna Bilyk MA '00, MA '05 Ms. Shirley E. Black MS '78 Ms. Jacqueline Burns MS '96 Ms. Linda J. Byrne MS '76 Mrs. Judith K. Carlson MA '76 Dr. Teresa Casillas EdD '00 Mrs. Clara W. Cheltenham BS '57, MS '74 Mr. Ronald F. Clark MS '81 Dr. Melba F. Coleman MS '74 Mrs. Mary I. Coleman MS '76 Mrs. Rosemarie L. Cook-Glover MA '75 Mrs. Laurene I. Cooper MS '77 Dr. Louis J. Cozolino Ms. Thardice G. De Loach MA '76 Mrs. Margaret R. Dillon MS '81 Mrs. Lenora S. Dixon MS '76 Mr. Richard C. Dumond MA '97 Ms. Ellen J. Florendo BA '03 Dr. Logan J. Fox BA '46 Dr. Pauline A. Garstka EdD '84 Mr. Arlen H. Gaynor MS '84 Dr. Susan B. Gesshel MA '85, PsyD '90 Mr. William J. Gibbons MBA '97 Lieutenant General Henry T. Glisson MA '74 Mr. John E. Gonzalez BS '70, MA '78 Ms. Sandra V. Goodson Cer '88, Cer '92 Ms. Katie H. Greene BA '70, MS '85 Mrs. Shirley Grodsky MS '82 Dr. Jesse W. Hall MS '75 Ms. Roslyn B. Harris BA '73 Ms. Adrienne R. Harris MS '80 Ms. Alvina M. Harrison-Wells MA '78 Mrs. Alison E. Havel MA '98 Mrs. Lynda N. Hawkins MS '80 Dr. Jennifer B. Hawthorne PsyD '06 Mrs. Delia A. Hayes MA '75 Mrs. Rosemary E. Hayward MA '90 Dr. Joanne Hedgespeth Dr. Juliette R. Henry MS '75, EdD '81 Mrs. Phyllis S. Hughes MS '79 Dr. Barbara L. Ingram Dr. Chie Iseri EdD '99 Ms. Carol B. Kapp MS '75, MS '80 Ms. Mary K. Kemp MA '76 Major Richard J. Keogh MA '74 Mr. Clark L. Kershner MA '75 Ms. Sadie R. Kestner MA '76 Mr. Scott W. Kloetzke MS '95 Mrs. Grace A. Kojima MS '75 Ms. Jeanette R. Kratofil MA '97, Cer '97 Mr. Elmer W. Langham MS '74 Ms. Kim M. Lattimore MS '93
Mr. Mark A. Leos Cer '88, MS '88, Cer '95 Mrs. Valerie Lev MA '94 Dr. David A. Levy MA '84 Ms. Carol E. Lewis-Norris MA '91 Mr. Jack P. Lipton Ms. Esther N. Lombardi Cer '88, MS '88 Mrs. Janie E. Long MS '81 Ms. Mary P. Major MA '77 Mrs. Staci A. Marrs Daringer MA '01 Mr. Paul M. Martinez MS '82 Mr. Ralph A. Mauger MA '74 Ms. Carolyn S. Mayes-Taylor MS '82 Mrs. Barbara A. McDonald Dr. Timothy G. McKee MA '70, MS '78, EdD '81 Mrs. Anne L. McLintock Dr. John F. McManus Mr. Wilson H. McMillan MA '76 Mr. Bryce McWalter MBA '74 Dr. Cary L. Mitchell BA '76 Ms. Kathleen S. Miyamoto MS '79 Ms. Jean S. Mueller MS '90 Ms. Arline C. Murrel MS '77 Mr. John R. O'Brien MS '75 Dr. La Vera Otoyo EdD '84 Mr. Thomas M. Oyan MA '94 Ms. Donna J. Palmer MA '76 Ms. Diane E. Pardue MS '82 Dr. Dabbiru G. Patnaik EdD '08 Mr. Gregory Patterson BA '74, MS '76 Ms. Vivian L. Pendleton MA '06 Ms. Donna S. Pennell MS '84 Dr. James H. Peoples EdD '84 Dr. Gladys L. Phillips-Evans EdD '92 Dr. Linda G. Polin Mrs. Sara Pursche MA '75 Dr. Juanita M. Rainey-Woods MA '89, Cer '90, Cer '93, Dr. Joel Recinos MS '83 Mrs. Rebecca S. Reed MA '91 Dr. Daryl M. Rowe Dr. June H. Schmieder-Ramirez Miss Courtney J. Scott BA '07, MA '12 Dr. Edward P. Shafranske Dr. Genevieve A. Shepherd MS '78 Lt. Col. Paul K. Takamiya MA '74 Mrs. Chere C. Talbert MS '78 Mrs. Jo Ann Teal MS '75, MS '87 Miss Elayne Y. Vanasse MS '80 Ms. Linda B. Venable MA '94 Dr. Lauren E. Walters MS '90, EdD '99, MS '00 Lt. Col. William L. Waters MA '77 Mr. R.L. Welch Ms. Jacqueline Williams MS '91
DGoSnE o P rN R EW o lSl Ms. Sophia P. Wong Cer '01, MA '01 Ms. Marilyn Wunsch MA '79
Silver Colleagues Mrs. Sandra P. Barkley MA '93 Mrs. Pamela J. Cain MA '97, Cer '99 Dr. Russell F. Carr EdD '97 Mrs. C. M. Channel MS '75 Dr. Susan B. Clifford EdD '88 Ms. Galynn E. Collins MA '03 Mrs. Christie F. Dailo Mrs. Martha M. Doster MS '77 Dr. Anna D. Hutton PsyD '02 Mr. James J. Ingersoll MA '87 Ms. Claudette T. LaCour Dr. Karen A. Magner MA '00, EdD '10 Mrs. Tonya O. Mallory Dr. George A. Reams EdD '92 Mrs. Alice E. Richardson MA '05 Mrs. Cheryl Saunders MA '84, Cer '04, MA '04 Ms. Georgia A. Smith MA '76 Mrs. Mildred F. Smith Williams Mrs. Tinnie S. Taylor Mr. Dan M. Thompson Mrs. Nanette E. Vaughan MS '90 Mrs. Jacquelyne C. Wallace BA '54 Mr. Daniel A. Weber Dr. Robert F. Wemheuer MA '75, EdD '79 Mrs. Kathleen S. Wenger MA '92 Dr. Katherine Wolf MA '82 Gold Colleagues Ms. Elizabeth A. Ashley-Rupp MS '07 Mr. John L. Baker Ms. Carol A. Harrison MS '85 Ms. Susan K. Tiss MA '05 Pepperdine Education Associates Dr. Yolanda Aguerrebere MS '83, EdD '09 Dr. Fereshteh Amin EdD '06 Dr. Albert H. Arnold BA '61, EdD '85 Ms. Karyn N. Ashby BA '03, MA '08 Dr. Robin Bailey-Chen EdD '07 Ms. Shirley A. Bowen MS '79 Mr. Edwin C. Cahill '18, MA '10 Mrs. Kathy A. Danhakl MA '02 Mrs. Jacquelin D. Dedona Dr. LaRon V. Doucet EdD '10 Mrs. Jeannie M. Flint MS '76 Dr. Paul M. Foster EdD '03 Dr. Shreyas Gandhi MBA '98, EdD '09 Ms. Elizabeth N. Gayed '18 Mrs. Lucinda L. Glossop Dr. Eric R. Hamilton
Dr. Mary Jo Lass BA '51 Ms. Christina N. LeRubio MA '12 Mrs. Patsy J. Lionetti '12 Dr. Claudette S. McLinn MS '83, EdD '06 Mr. Harry R. Nelson BA '50 Dr. Michael D. O'Sullivan MS '74, EdD '87 Mr. Wesley Patterson Dr. Valeri A. Paul EdD '05 Mr. Jermaine L. Pearson '14 Mrs. Faye Pinkett MP '76 Dr. Lorynn K. Selby EdD '11 Mr. Daniel Stark Mrs. Allie E. Tegner BA '47, MA '68 Mrs. Doris M. Tomlin BA '52 Dr. William D. Walner EdD '00 Dr. William J. Watkins BA '62, EdD '87 Dr. Duncan S. Wigg
Pepperdine Education Life Associates Dr. Nancy M. Durham Dr. Clara M. Lincoln EdD '90 Mr. Michael T. Okabayashi Dr. Doreen S. Oleson MS '86, EdD '91 Dr. Robert C. Paull Dr. Susan F. Rice EdD '86 Dr. Margaret J. Weber
Dr. Rosalyn S. Heyman LLD '08 Dr. Farzin Madjidi MBA '88, EdD '91 Dr. John F. McManus Dr. Melvin L. Musick EdD '08 Mr. Christer N. Palsson MBA '75 Dr. Kent B. Rhodes EdD '90 Ms. Shirley A. Roper BA '67, MA '95 Dr. June H. Schmieder-Ramirez Dr. Earnestine Thomas-Robertson BA '69, MA '73, EdD '03 Ms. Araceli R. Vargas Cer '89, MS '89 Dr. Ziegfred G. Young MS '83, EdD '88, LLD '08
Pepperdine Education Life Sustaining Associates Dr. Susan F. Rice EdD '86 Dr. Margaret J. Weber Mr. Michael T. Okabayashi
Pepperdine Education Gold Medallion Associates Mr. Michael T. Okabayashi
Pepperdine Education President's Associates Dr. Susan F. Rice EdD '86
Pepperdine Psychology Associates Dr. Joy K. Asamen Ms. Janice L. Carson Dr. Robert A. deMayo Ms. Catherine L. Kort MA '96 Dr. Dennis W. Lowe BA '75, MA '77 Dr. Christine A. Maginn Dr. Cary L. Mitchell BA '76 Dr. Leland L. Simmons MS '85, EdD '04 Dr. Karen S. Snyder PsyD '00 Ms. Mary C. Tabata Dr. Charles C. Tang MBA '88 Mrs. Patsie L. Trowbridge BA '52, MA '55
Pepperdine Education Silver Medallion Associates Mr. Eli Broad LLD '07 Ms. Sarah Z. Davis Ms. Marian W. Guirguis MBA '05 Mr. Spencer T. Hardman MBA '08
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 29
G S E P perspectives
L atina/ o M ental H ealth
Reducing Stigma and Humanizing Communities By Miguel E. Gallardo PsyD, Associate Professor, GSEP
As our nation’s demographics shift, the need to revisit and reexamine our therapeutic, educational, and professional approaches becomes critical. In particular, as Latina/o communities have become the largest ethno-cultural communities in the nation and in many locations no longer occupy a minority status, our attention and reexamination should begin with these communities. Shifting Lenses According to the most recent census figures, Latinas/os represent 16 percent of the total U.S. population (50.5 million), now comprising the largest racial/ethnic group in the United States. People of Mexican descent comprise the majority at 64 percent, followed by Puerto Ricans at 9 percent, Central Americans at 7.6 percent, and “Other” Latinas/os, such as South Americans, Dominicans, and Cubans represent 7.7 percent, 5.5 percent and 3.4 percent respectively. Future projections suggest that by the year 2040, Latinos will comprise 22 percent of the total U.S. population. That’s 87.6 million people. Southern California’s Latina/o community also continues to grow. Within Orange County alone, from 2000 to 2010, the Latina/o population grew by 15.7 percent. In sharp contrast, the mental health resources targeted to this population are very much inadequate. Not only are Latina/o communities underserved due to the lack of culturally and linguistically responsive providers,
30 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
G S E P perspectives
but the exclusively Spanish-speaking communities are widely unserved in Southern California in the field of mental health. The Latina/o community has been identified as a high-risk group for depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. According to both the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control, adult Latinas/os have higher percentages of serious psychological distress than most other racial and ethnic groups. Some additional challenges include language barriers, inaccurate mental-disorder diagnoses, long-term persistence of psychiatric disorders, lower mental health utilization rates, Latina/o communities’ association of substantial stigma with disclosure of mental health problems, potential communication problems due to cultural differences between provider and client, and biases and prejudicial perspectives on the part of systems of care. These challenges shed light on potential limitations of traditional methods and systems of interventions developed under a culture-bound value system—a value system that is oftentimes inconsistent with Latina/o community values. Nowhere is our discussion of shifting perspectives, reducing stigma, and becoming more aware of assumptions and biases more salient then when examining our immigration debates in the United States.
Immigration
Our immigration histories and current realities indicate such and our future is dependent upon us moving forward together. Before we can address the needs of Latina/o communities, we must assess our own assumptions and biases about these communities. Perceptions of low social status, life in unsafe neighborhoods, and experiencing ethnic discrimination all play an important role in the increased risk for psychological challenges among many Latina/o immigrants. Symptoms such as depression, anxiety, psychosomatic illnesses, and behavior problems can appear at any point in time for family members, including at the time of departure, during the migration process, at the time of a life-cycle event (death, divorce), and during reunions among separated family members. The process of serial migration, or the “step-wise” manner in which families often migrate can have detrimental effects on both the children and parents. It is not uncommon for one parent to migrate first, leaving mom and children behind or for both parents to migrate first, leaving children with grandparents or extended family. Consequently, children may leave their country of origin together to reunite with parents or leave separately depending on the circumstances of the family and country of origin. This process could take months or years. One consequence of this process is that family relationships can become strained; siblings may differ in acculturation
The discussion on immigration in the United States has two sides. In one discussion, our borders are boundless in our willingness, and need, to exchange goods and services internationally and to encourage free trade. Simultaneously, the other discussion encourages controlled borders, restricted migration flow, and increased levels of policing and militarization. The psychological impact these dialectical perspectives have on Latina/o communities nationally, and statewide, are often misguided and misunderstood. Ian Davis notes in a 2009 Journal of Business Ethics article that it is critical for our understanding of borders to extend the physical and geographical to also include the mental and psychological.
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 31
G S E P perspectives
levels, intergenerational differences may create conflict between parents and children, and conflict may arise between the parents as gender roles potentially shift, post-migration. In order to create an academic environment where students are trained to meet the needs of underserved Latina/o communities and develop policies and programs that shift the traditional lens, we must begin by assessing our individual and communal biases and assumptions. Our students, the community at large, and our future depend on it.
To address these needs, Pepperdine has created Aliento, the Center for Latina/o Communities. Aliento is dedicated to addressing the individual and communal mental health needs of Latina/o communities. Aliento is Spanish for “breath,” and the center’s overall purpose is to help people lead healthy and fulfilling lives, and to help communities “breathe better.” The center’s three main components are: community-based research, outreach, and education. Additionally, beginning in 2013, GSEP will offer the Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology with an Emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy with Latinas/os. For more information: aliento.pepperdine.edu
32 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
The D igital Women’s P roject : Strategies for Work-Life Balance By Kerri Cissna-Heath (EdD ’12)
How do you create a life of balance? What are the strategies that you implement into your life to create equilibrium among all the competing demands that are placed on you? Do you meditate and pray regularly? Do you reactively go for a run when the stress builds up? Or do you proactively build in time to consistently visit a therapist to avoid stress before it arrives? There is a lack of research that focuses specifically on strategies that women leaders use for worklife balance. Most studies focus on advantages or disadvantages of the increased number of women in the workplace, yet few studies analyze how these women succeed at balancing dual roles. Although women have been a prominent presence in the workplace for more than five decades, the struggles surrounding work-life balance may drive some women to opt out of career opportunities. As a part of The Digital Women’s Project, led by Margaret J. Weber, data was collected from more than 150 interviews of women leaders to explore themes around work-life balance. This phenomenological analysis uses a narrative lifecourse framework created by J. Z. Giele to explore identity, relational style, drive and motivation, and adaptive style in order to understand the work-life balance of women. An additional section was added
G S E P perspectives
to this framework by the Digital Women’s Project to explore strategies that women implement to succeed at work-life balance.
Twenty-two of these interviews were selected for an analysis to identify strategies that integrate a sense of balance in both personal and professional life. The selection of these women was based on the criteria that each subject has at least one child, is employed full-time, and makes a minimum annual salary of $100,000. The primary research question that drove this study was, “What experiences (identity, relationship style, drive and motivation, and adaptive) shape the life course of women that impact work-family life balance decisions and strategies?” This study was also shaped by asking what proactive strategies are women using for work-life balance and what reactive coping strategies are women using in response to the demands of dual roles. Findings from this study indicate women are using three main strategies for work-life balance. First, women are more likely to be successful at juggling multiple roles if their career is meaningful and fulfilling. The number one strategy that was mentioned by 21 out of the 22 women—and was referenced more than 70 times—was the need to find meaningful work. By doing work they feel is meaningful, the journey of working while raising children becomes worth all of the effort that it takes to do both successfully. There were 12 sources that made 23 references to getting some sort of affirmation from work, such as praise, promotions, rewards, recognition, and other
satisfaction derived from these accolades. Finding affirmation from work creates meaning and drives women to succeed at work-life balance. Other studies by researchers Diane Smallen-Grob and Suzanne Goodchild suggest that women who select careers that align with their passions find that their work can be both fun and fulfilling. The second strategy that surfaced from this study was mentoring. A mentor can serve as a support system and role model for achieving work-life balance. Twenty-one subjects referenced mentoring as a strategy for work-life balance, and it was referenced a total of 58 times throughout the entire study. Several researchers report that mentoring is a widely known and accepted strategy for women in the workplace. The final strategy that emerged from this study was a strong work ethic—the third most-referenced strategy for balance, with 19 sources referring to it 42 different times. Scholars Sheila Wellington and Betty Spence have written that women should become indispensable at work by working harder than everyone else. Several sources referred to being competitive or driven and others suggested that they work harder than anyone else to succeed at work-life balance. Working women know that juggling multiple roles is not easy and it takes hard work to maintain balance. These strategies and others from this study intend to encourage women leaders who aspire to raise a family while pursuing meaningful careers. The Digital Women’s Project is ongoing research that delves into the lives of women from various backgrounds and professions in order to explore issues surrounding work-life balance. If you would like to share your story or know of someone who would make a great contribution to this discussion, please contact kheath@pepperdine.edu.
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 33
GGSSEECPG Pl Sa perspectives CEss lPa N sNESoW tes NSo tes
Alumni ’83 Dr. Claudette S. McLinn (MS ’83, EdD ’06) is currently the executive director for the Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature. She served as the first African American chair of the Pura Belpré Medal Award Committee, as member of the Newberry Medal Award Committee, the Coretta Scott King Book Award Jury, and is on the 2013 Caldecott Medal Award Committee. She is a contributor to the book titled Multicultural Literature and Response: Affirming Diverse Voices, recently published by Libraries Unlimited. She retired from LAUSD in July 2011.
’85 Dr. Leanne Neilson (’85, MA ’88, PsyD ’92) is the 2012 GSEP Psychology Division Distinguished Alumnus honoree. She is provost and vice president for academic affairs at California Lutheran University.
’88 Dr. Sharon Sutton (MS ’88, EdD ’99) serves as UCLA Lab School’s technology coordinator and brings a hands-on philosophy to her duties by ensuring that students have access to one of the most important tools in 21st-century education.
’94 Dr. Linda Purrington (EdD) and Dr. Robert Barner coled a keynote speaker follow-up session at the California Association of Professors of Educational Administration (CAPEA) 2012 spring conference in Sacramento, March 1-3. Purrington and Barner collaborated with five other CAPEA colleagues, facilitated table discussions related to keynote speaker Etienne Wenger’s presentation, and engaged CAPEA members in discussion related to how communities of practice might be introduced and supported in the preparation of educational leaders and in support of leadership practice and learning.
’95 Dr. Satinder Dhiman (EdD) published a new book, Seven Habits of Highly Fulfilled People.
’96 Dr. Deborah Farrington (MA ’96, PsyD ’00) was married on September 15, 2005. Her married name is Deborah Kelly.
34 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012
’00 Dr. Kurt Takamine (EdD) is the 2012 GSEP Education Division Distinguished Alumnus honoree. He is the chief academic officer, academic dean, and vice president of academic affairs at Azusa Pacific Online University.
’02 Dr. Donna Gilliland (MS ’02, EdD ’10) has been promoted to director, certified evaluation support in LAUSD, effective August 1, 2012. Dr. Laurie Tarter (MA) received her doctorate in clinical psychology in May 2012 and is currently working with children with autism.
’03 Erika Ayala (MA) was recently promoted from math coach to assistant principal of Zela Davis Elementary School in the Hawthorne School District. Dr. Christopher Freeman (EdD) recently adopted a second child from China. He and his family have committed themselves to providing families to orphaned or fatherless children. He has also partnered with the Ironman Foundation and Lifesong for Orphans in a 140.6-mile triathlon in support the fatherless and those who need defending, visiting, care, and adoption.
’04 Jennifer Trubenbach (MA), the president of Operation Hope, was introduced as an Honorary Zimbabwean Rotary Member. She recently completed five days of neonatal and prosthetics clinics in Zimbabwe, Africa. Prosthetic hands were fitted on people without hands due to accident, birth defect, or violence. Dr. Devin Vodicka (MS, EdD ’07) was selected as superintendent for Vista School District.
’05 Lisa Bahar (MA) is currently facilitating dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) skills training groups for the treatment of borderline personality disorder in Newport Beach, California. Dr. Dale Marsden (EdD) was recently selected as the new superintendent for the San Bernardino City School District, leaving his position as superintendent for the Victor Elementary District. Dr. Denise “Nikki” Schaper (MA ’05, EdD ’09), associate dean of student services at MiraCosta College’s San Elijo Campus, was selected by Encuentros Leadership to receive the prestigious Sí Se Puede Award at the annual Encuentros Leadership Conference in October. The Sí Se Puede Award (“Yes, It Can Be Done”) was established in 2009 by Encuentros Leadership to honor the work of an individual who has gone beyond the call of duty to ensure the annual conference for boys of Latino descent is a success.
’06 Dr. Steven Flynn (EdD) recently left his position as a middle school principal to begin a career as an administrator in Saudi Arabia. Dorothy Kisling-Mendez (MA) has relocated to her home country of Belize, where she works with the Ministry of Human Development, Social Transformation, and Poverty Alienation in the development of a curriculum to enhance the counseling skills of counselors nationwide.
’08 Sheila Shervey (MA) has joined the team at the Help Group. After attending GSEP's Spring 2012 Career and Practicum Fair, the Help Group hired her as a new residential therapist. She will be working in a group home in Van Nuys, California.
’09 Jessica Boro (MS) is the founding director of instruction for Valor Academy; the school recently received the highly coveted Distinguished School Designation. Kongit Farrell (MA) recently appeared on Lifetime’s The Balancing Act to discuss her first book, She’s Worth the Chase: 10 Qualities Gamma Males Adore in the Women they Pursue and Marry. Please visit http:// kongitfarrell.com/books for book information, and http://kongitfarrell.com/appearance-on-thebalancing-act to view the television clip. Tammy Hong (MA) was recently hired as manager of outreach and recruitment for the Education Division of GSEP. Dr. Curtis Odom (EdD) an alumnus of the EdD in Learning Technologies program has published a new book, Stuck in the Middle: A Generation X View of Talent Management. The book examines workplace culture when three generations are working side by side. More info about the book is online at www.stuckinthemiddle.me.
’10 Jaya Bhumitra (MA) is campaigns director for Compassion Over Killing-Los Angeles and was recently recognized at the Los Angeles Business Journal Nonprofit and Corporate Citizenship Awards.
’11 Dr. Charles Austin (EdD) published a new book, How to Find Work … And Keep Finding Work for the Rest of Your Life. Daysi Mejia (MA) has joined Star View Community Services. After attending GSEP’s spring 2012 Career and Practicum Fair (also the year prior), she was hired at Star View Community Services for functional family therapy.
G S E PSperspectives e l f - C a re
L essons I L earned A long By Dr. Rosalyn S. Heyman
Berendo Junior High School is located on a six-acre campus in the heart of mid-city Los Angeles, and has an enrollment of 3,300 students. During my time there as principal, I learned several key lessons that apply equally well to education and mental health professionals across a wide variety of organizations. Here are five of them.
Lesson 1:
Let those you work with know you care about them. The best boss I ever had was in the office very early so he could greet everyone upon arrival. Sometimes people come to work with heavy hearts, worried about a situation at home. Students, too, carry personal stress and need a word of confidence. Actions and words together present the bigger picture to the people around us. Leading by example goes a very long way toward creating a strong community. (If that boss had asked the team to show up at 5 a.m. to pull weeds, we all would have shown up! We would have done anything for him because he showed us he really cared.)
Lesson 2
: Provide ongoing opportunities for others to seek help. Every day during breaks and after school, a math/science teacher and an English/social studies teacher were available to assist students in the school library. Because it was just part of the daily routine, there was no stigma attached to asking for help, and students were more inclined to ask for it when needed. Building this approachable dynamic into everyday life sends the message that it’s okay not to know everything, and provides a wonderful opportunity for lifelong learning.
Lesson 3:
Things go better on a full stomach. Every day at lunchtime a member of the administrative staff—we called him Uncle Fred—was on duty in the lunch area. Students knew that if they had no lunch money, if they’d forgotten their lunch, or if there was no food at home, they could get a free lunch ticket from Uncle Fred, no questions asked. Schools are not required to provide this service, of course. But it’s not difficult to do, and the student receives a much-needed meal and the focus necessary to learn, while maintaining a sense of pride and self-respect. Going above and beyond to meet basic needs makes all the difference in the world—and to the world.
Lesson 4:
Good bulletin boards ask questions or present puzzles. Bad bulletin boards are used to showcase student achievement. However, often they display the work of high-achieving students
the
Way
only—a situation which makes it harder for the high-achievers to be accepted socially. The only time bulletin boards should display students’ work is when parents visit the classroom. By focusing on the engagement of all, rather than the recognition of a few, we’re able to make a bigger, more thorough impact on our organizations, on our communities, and on the world.
Lesson 5:
Good schools help students fit into the real world. At Berendo, a special schedule provided an extra hour each week for mini-courses. Mini-course classes met one hour a week for four weeks. We developed over 40 different courses including manners and etiquette, self-defense, careers, law and youth, teen problems, astronomy, energy conservation, study skills, drama, math games, and great stories, among others. Over the course of the school year, students were able to complete eight mini-courses. By being willing to restructure our days, we were able to give our students skills and information that will allow them to navigate through society confidently, and will continue to guide them, long after they’ve graduated. The benefits of flexibility simply cannot be overstated! In closing, I want to encourage GSEP students and alumni to take these lessons to heart—and I want to congratulate you as well. You have chosen to pursue careers that involve interacting with people on a daily basis. You will find no two days to be alike, and every day will have at least one surprise! These students will be helping others learn not only subject matter, but also how to get along with people and how important it is that we all work to make this world a better place. It’s a big responsibility, but with the preparation you’ve gained at Pepperdine you are well equipped to help future generations shine bright. I like to say, “Pepperdine has heart!” Heyman was honored by GSEP with an honorary Doctor of Laws in 2008. Her career in education was long and distinguished, and included positions as a counselor, department chair, budget consultant, English teacher, assistant principal, principal, and business education teacher. She retired from her position with the Los Angeles Unified School District as assistant superintendent of secondary education in 1990. She resides in Woodland Hills, California.
GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2012 35
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