titan winter/spring 2015

T H E M A G A Z I N E O F C A L I F O R N I A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y , F U L L E R T O N

W I N T E R / S P R I N G 2 0 1 5

READYTOSHINEStudents Benefit from Internships and Other Programs as Part of

a Comprehensive Approach to Education, Degree and Career

Of the many objectives woven throughout California State University, Fullerton’s strategic plan, few have proven more effective than our ambition to increase curricular and co-curricular activities that link learning, degree, career, and community. Our diverse faculty, staff, and students have been working incredibly hard to breathe life into that goal so that the path upon which each Titan travels is designed to leverage their unique academic interests

for a sustained career in a profession they love. Indeed, much of our recent success, including an unprecedented uptick

in six-year graduation rates amongst first-time full-time freshman — from 51.1 percent to 55.7 percent over the past two years — is the direct result of the service learning, internships, and other High-Impact Practices highlighted throughout our strategic plan. Across every college — from the College of Communications’ Latino Communications Initiative to the College of Arts’ partnership with DreamWorks — our diverse students are being provided with myriad opportunities to integrate real-world work experiences into their academic journeys, as evidenced by the stories in this issue of Titan Magazine.

In addition to celebrating our success in purveying an environment that is responsive to both the individual talent of our students and the workforce needs of our region, these pages also honor the 10th anniversary of our College of Education and the 40th anniversary of our School of Nursing – appropriate companion pieces to the subject of hands-on learning and linking learning and degree with career and community. In point of fact, Cal State Fullerton’s College of Education and School of Nursing have long served as institutional models in this arena and were a driving force behind our aspiration to enhance and expand such activities.

As Titans, we have committed to “reach higher” to not only transform the written words of our strategic plan into living, breathing manifestations of its four goals, but also articulate our progress to the campus community and beyond. This issue of Titan Magazine is a testament to that commitment and evidence that Cal State Fullerton is well on its way to becoming the model comprehensive public university of the nation.

Sincerely,

Mildred GarcíaPresidentCalifornia State University, Fullerton

PRESIDENT’S VIEWPOINT

2 University News

3 Philanthropic Foundation

5 Titan Athletics

7 Alumni Association

14 Ready to Shine

COVER S TORY

TITANTitan is the magazine of California State

University, Fullerton, published by University

Advancement for alumni, friends and the

University community. We welcome your

observations, news and comments.

Students benefit from

internships, practicums,

the Career Center and

other programs that provide

experiences and guidance

to help them take

important steps

on their career paths.

2 University News

3 Philanthropic Foundation

5 Titan Athletics

7 Alumni Association

8 Snapshots

10 Forum

22 Class Notes

28 Titan Profile: Valorie Curry ’09

18 Healthy Communities

IN FOCUS

12 Educational Leaders

WINTER/SPRING 2015 / VOLUME 14, NUMBER 1 IN THIS ISSUE

Thanks to the assistance of the Latino Communications

Initiative, junior Eric Reséndiz is interning at Telemundo,

where he is gaining practical experience working with

professionals behind and in front of the camera.

Image by Matt Gush ’12

COVER

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Valerie Orleans ’80

ART DIRECTOR Mishu Vu

PRODUCTION PLANNER Andrea Kelligrew ’99

DESIGNER Howard Chang ’00

WRITERS Debra Cano Ramos ’84; Ajá Clarke; Pamela McLaren ’79; Sarah Muñoz

PHOTOGRAPHER Matt Gush ’12

CONTRIBUTORS Matt Brown

PRESIDENT Dr. Mildred García

VICE PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT Gregory J. Saks ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS Jeffrey D. Cook

University Operator 657-278-2011 I Titan Magazine 657-278-2414 I 2600 Nutwood Avenue, Suite 850, Fullerton, CA 92831 I [email protected] I © 2015 California State University, Fullerton Nonprofit standard postage paid at Santa Ana, CA I Report address errors to [email protected] or 657-278-7917

MILES TONES

2 I TITAN WINTER/SPRING 2015

For more university news, please visit news.fullerton.edu.

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Cal State Fullerton President Mildred García joined President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama and Vice President Joe Biden at a White House College Opportunity Summit in December.

The D.C. summit brought together college and university presidents, business and nonprofit leaders, as well as others committed to supporting more college opportunities for students across the country.

“California State University, Fullerton is proud to be No. 1 in the state and 10th in the nation in awarding bachelor’s degrees to Hispanics, as well as fourth in the nation in graduating students of color,” said García, who serves on Obama’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. “I am honored to share this success on a national stage and eager to collaborate with colleagues from around the country.”

CSUF PRESIDENT MILDRED GARCÍA JOINS PRESIDENT OBAMA

OIL EXTRACTION SYMPOSIUM FOCUSED ON POTENTIAL IMPACTThe College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics hosted a standing-room-only symposium on the impact of oil extraction in north Orange County. Moderated by David Bowman, interim dean of the college and a professor of geology, experts in the fields of seismology, hydrogeology, air quality and environmental geology spoke of the

potential impact of oil pumping — including fracking — on north Orange County’s groundwater, as an earthquake hazard, and other considerations. The purpose of this symposium was to provide local policymakers and the public with objective, impartial information about the environmental impact of oil extraction in north Orange County.

CAMPUS HONORED FOR SERVICECal State Fullerton was one of five colleges and universities honored with the 2014 Higher Education Civic Engagement Award, an annual recognition of higher education institutions for their leadership and innovation in civic engagement from the Washington Center and New York Life Foundation. The campus also was honored with the 2014 Inclusion Cultivates Excellence Award from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources.

CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON I 3

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NATIONAL RANKINGS LAUD CSUFCal State Fullerton continues to be ranked among the nation’s “Top Public Regional Universities (West),” announced U.S. News & World Report in September 2014. The University also was ranked No. 4 in the nation for the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to underrepresented students, in the Oct. 9, 2014 issue of Diverse: Issues in Higher Education and for the second straight year, led the pack of “Best Bang for the Buck” universities in California and No. 4 nationally, according to the 2014 rankings by Washington Monthly.

$1 MILLION ENDOWMENT BENEFITS ECONOMIC FORECASTThis past fall, a $1 million endowment campaign goal to support and sustain Mihaylo College’s annual economic forecast and analysis was reached. The original pledge of $500,000 was made by James D. Woods, chairman emeritus and former CEO of Baker Hughes Inc., and his wife, Jeanette, longtime CSUF supporters in October. Woods, a 1967 business administration graduate, began

his business career while attending the university.This gift was matched by commitments from alumni and corporations

including California Bank and Trust, R.D. Olson Construction, CoreLogic, Ernest and Donna Schroeder, Joe and Karen Moderow, and Frank Greinke.

LYON FAMILY PLEDGES $150,000 TO CENTER FOR ORAL AND PUBLIC HISTORYThe William Lyon family has pledged $150,000 to support the Center for Oral and Public History, naming the center’s research area “The William Lyon Family Reading Room.”

COPH has recorded and preserved the memories of Maj. Gen. William Lyon, a prominent business and philanthropic leader in Orange County and former chief of the Air Force Reserve, as well as 120 hours of narrations by Abraham (Al) Lyon, father of Major General William Lyon. Originally recorded in 1975 on reel-to-reel tape, these recordings have recently been digitized.

Over the past three years, COPH has raised more than $920,000 in cash and pledges toward its $1.25 million fundraising goal to meet the requirements of a National Endowment for the Humanities Challenge Grant. The funds will be used to renovate and relocate COPH to the sixth floor of the Pollak Library.

ALUM DAN BLACK DONATES FUNDS FOR PORTABLE PLANETARIUM, PROGRAMSA $100,000 gift from Cal State Fullerton physics alumnus and entrepreneur Dan Black ’67 supported the purchase of a portable planetarium and related equipment that is used to promote astronomy education and encourage careers in the sciences. This was part of a $350,000 gift Black made to support the annual needs of the Dan Black Physics and Business Program as well as the greatest needs of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

ALCOA FUNDS HELP ESTABLISH ENGINEERING PROGRAMA $150,000 grant (over two years) from the Alcoa Foundation is being used to establish an Engineering Professional Practice Program for students. This will increase student participation in industry-sponsored student research and design projects, enhance interdisciplinary instructional opportunities, provide a forum for industry to influence student-learning outcomes, and more.

PHILANTHROPIC FOUNDATION


CONCERT UNDER THE STARS PAYS TRIBUTE TO JAZZCampus and community members dined, danced and thrilled to the talent showcased at the University’s signature event, Concert Under the Stars, held in September.

The annual event, which draws thousands of attendees each year, grossed more than $585,000 — proceeds from which will benefit student scholarships and programs, including Project MISS, an intensive mathematics summer session for college-bound girls; the Guardian Scholars program for emancipated foster youth; President’s Scholars, the

University’s premier merit scholar program; the Tucker Wildlife Center; and the Center for Oral and Public History.

Professor of music and Grammy award-winning arranger, composer and jazz pianist Bill Cunliffe presented a star-filled lineup that celebrated jazz through the ages.

The “All That Jazz” program featured Cal State Fullerton students, faculty members and music ensembles, including the Fullerton Jazz Orchestra and “Clockwork” Fullerton Jazz Singers.

TITAN NAMED TO CSU BOARD OF TRUSTEESAs the CSU board of trustees sat down for their quarterly meeting in July, there was a Titan in their midst. Junior political science major Kelsey Brewer was appointed in June to a two-year term as student trustee by Gov. Jerry Brown. She is the fourth Cal State Fullerton student to serve on the board.

Brewer is chief governmental officer

for Associated Students Inc. Previously, she was advocacy coordinator for the ASI Lobby Corps, a member of the search committee for the dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, treasurer for the University’s Student Alumni Ambassadors and a campus liaison to the Resident Student Association.

NEW FACULTY ARRIVE IN FALL AND SPRINGPresident Mildred García welcomed 60 new members of the tenure-trackfaculty at convocation and at a dinner held in August. The new faculty ranks swelled to 61 with an appointment in October. Seven more began in January for a total of 68 for the 2014-15 academic year.

DEPARTMENT BECOMES A SCHOOLCal State Fullerton’s Music Department became the School of Music last year, in recognition of the program’s size, specialization, quality and comprehensive nature. Marc Dickey, who has served on campus since 1988 and as department chair since 2005, was named chair of the school.

One of the first things the new school did was release its first CD. Directed by Grammy-winning composer Bill Cunliffe, “Sabor!” features legendary vocalist Freda Payne performing with the Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Big Band, Latin Ensemble and Quarter ‘Til quintet. Among the tracks: Jimmy Hendrix’s “Purple Haze,” Duke Ellington’s “Squatty Roo” and “Band of Gold,” for which Payne is so well known.

The school also launched the Artist Diploma, a two-year certificate program aimed at practical instruction and experiences in music performance. “It is meant to certify advanced proficiency and is totally focused on performance practice,” said Ernest Salem, professor of music and program adviser. “We are looking for students who are very advanced on their instrument or their voice, and who would be able to provide leadership within the department and performance ensembles.”


n fullertontitans.com

ADVANCING STRATEGIC PLANNINGTown Hall meetings continued this past fall as members of the campus received updates on the status of various task forces working on the University’s Strategic Plan. Over the past year, 11 task forces have been working to identify next-level steps needed to operationalize the four goals of the strategic plan. Those four goals are:n developing a curricular and co-curricularenvironment to advance participation in a global society and meet workforce needs;n improving student persistence and graduation rates, and narrowing the achievement gap for underrepresented students;n recruiting and retaining a high-qualityand diverse faculty and staff; andn increasing revenue through fundraising and entrepreneurial activity.

The 11 task forces: Accountability, Advisement, Assessment, Bottlenecks, Closing the Gap, Development Infrastructure, Development Plan, Diversity Action Plan, High-ImpactPractices, Marketing Communications and Stewards of Place.

“We are already ahead,” said President Mildred García. “We know what has to be done, and we’re on it.”

Mary Ann Villarreal, director of strategic initiatives

and university projects, addresses the Town Hall

gathering in October.

MEN’S SOCCER WINS CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPThe Cal State Fullerton men’s soccer team won its first Big West Tournament Championship with a 3-2 victory in penalty kicks over UC Irvine. After earning the Big West Tournament Championship (and the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament), the Titans moved on to the postseason for the first time since 2000, while making their eighth overall appearance in Division I history. The season ended when the team lost to San Diego in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, falling in double overtime on a golden-goal penalty. The Cal State Fullerton men’s soccer team collected two spots on the Big West All-Conference second team. WOMEN’S SOCCER WINS BIG WEST CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIPCal State Fullerton completed Big West Conference play undefeated to win the 2014 Big West regular season championship and earn the league’s No. 1 seed at the Big West Tournament. The Titans have won four Big West championships in three years — regular season titles in 2012 and 2014 and back-to-back Big West Tournament championships in 2013 and 2014.

The Titans now have totaled seven Big West regular season championships (1996, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2014) and five Big West Tournament titles (2005, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2014). TITANS TO REPRESENT USA AT WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMESThe four-time national champion Cal State Fullerton baseball program has been selected to represent the United States at the 2015 World University games from July 3-14 in Gwangju City, South Korea.

The World University Games is the American term for “Universiade,” an international multisport event organized for university athletes by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The Universiade, which began in 1959, is an international sporting and cultural festival, staged every two years in a different city around the world, representing both winter and summer competitions.

TITAN ATHLETICS


RECORDING ORANGE COUNTY’S POLITICAL HISTORYCampus and community leaders came together in October to honor three women who made significant contributions to Orange County’s political history: Marian Bergeson, the first woman to serve in both houses of the California Legislature; Lynn Daucher, who served the 72nd District in the California Assembly and became the highest-ranking Republican on the Budget Subcommittee on Education and Finance; and Lois Lundberg, who served as chair of the Republican Party of Orange County from 1977 to 1984, was a delegate at five Republican National Conventions and a part of the planning for the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda. The three women’s stories were the inaugural oral history interviews for the Center for Oral and Public History’s Orange County Politics Project.

TRIO SHOW OFF THEIR BUSINESS ACUMENThree business administration majors — Christopher Harraka, Curtis Morrow and Brandyn Young, otherwise known as Team Tons of Fund — finished second in the national TD Ameritrade “thinkor-swim Challenge,” a virtual trading competition that teaches young investors about engaging with the market.

The trio led throughout the competition until the very last day and earned the first week’s prize of $500 for each member. Their efforts garnered a $20,000 donation to the University, as well as $2,000 in trading accounts and an iPad mini for each team member.

President Mildred García greets “three extraordinary women and political leaders,” from left, Lois Lundberg,

Lynn Daucher and Marian Bergeson, during an October dinner honoring them for their contributions to Orange

County’s political history and as the inaugural oral history interviews for the Center for Oral and Public History’s

Orange County Politics Project.

Members of Team Tons of Fund, from left, Chris

Harraka, Brandyn Young and Curtis Morrow

competed against more than 200 university teams

in the TD Ameritrade “thinkorswim Challenge.”

Join or renew your membership in the Alumni Association today and receive a FREE Tuffy bobblehead!For just $45 annually, membership in the Alumni Association keeps you connected with your University and fellow Titans.

Exclusive membership benefits include:• Online career tools • Business networking through the Chapters & Clubs program • Access to all 23 CSU libraries • Special member rates to Alumni Association events • Two-for-one tickets to Titan Athletics games • Cal State Fullerton performing arts discounts • Special offers at restaurants and businesses

Join online today at fullerton.edu/alumni or by calling 657-CSU-ALUM.

Use promotion code 15TMF when joining online.


n fullerton.edu/alumni

PRESIDENT GARCÍA RECEIVES HONORSCal State Fullerton President Mildred García is a newly elected member of the 2015-16 board of directors of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, chaired by Congresswoman Linda Sanchez. The new officers include business leaders, members of Congress and representatives from such organizations as the American Association of Retired Persons, National Education Association and United Food & Commercial Workers International Union.García is the only university president elected to the 26-member board. She was also included in the “OC’s 100 Most Influential” list by the Orange County Register late last year.

INTERNATIONAL VISITORS RECEIVE TITAN WELCOMECal State Fullerton President Mildred García welcomed Korean Consul General Hyun-myung Kim to campus in December, for a daylong visit that included a tour of the campus and a meeting with the Titan baseball team.

Cal State Fullerton also welcomed Pyeongtaek University President KiHung Cho to formalize an agreement of student exchanges and collaboration between the two universities.

A Central American delegation of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities visited in October. In addition, 62 faculty members from universities in China’s Juangsu Province spent the fall semester on campus as part of a visiting scholars program.

In December, nine administrators, professors and students from the University of Havana’s journalism program arrived to learn about modern journalistic techniques, digital media and the use of social media.

NEW VIRTUAL ALUMNI COMMUNITY LAUNCHED!IntroMaps, a new alumni community has just been launched. Join or renew your membership in the Alumni Association now to gain access to this new benefit. Sign up today by calling 657-CSU-ALUM or join online at: fullerton.edu/alumni/.

See what IntroMaps can do for you by viewing the introductory video at: fullerton.edu/alumni/membership/discounts.asp.

VISION & VISIONARIES 2015 HONORS TITANS MAKING A DIFFERENCESix exemplary Titan alumni were honored Feb. 5, during Cal State Fullerton’s Vision & Visionaries celebration. The awards presented at Vision & Visionaries are the highest honors Cal State Fullerton bestows on alumni.

This year’s award recipients are:n Lou Correa ’80, B.A. economicsn James Gutmann ’80, M.B.An Russell Hicks, art – illustrationn Tam Nguyen ’05, M.B.A., Recent Graduate Achievement Awardn Mona Simpson ’87, B.S. engineeringn Carole Wakeman ’89, B.A. American studies

WONDERING WHAT YOUR CLASSMATES ARE DOING NOW? Reconnect with your friends and classmates in the upcoming Cal State Fullerton alumni directory, being compiled by Harris Connect. In mid-May you will receive a postcard or email from Harris Connect on behalf of the Alumni Association. Please take a few minutes to call and update your information. Your participation in the directory project allows us to update our records to keep you better connected to your alma mater and to your fellow Cal State Fullerton graduates.

CSU DENVER ALUMSAlumni from the Denver area joined University staff and students recently at the annual Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Conference in Denver. Ten current students were invited to join the alumni reception, thanks to funding support through the Student Success Initiative.

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION


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Cal State Fullerton celebrated the annual Dia de los Muertos with two days of dance performances, face painting

and altars. Esteban Gonzalez inspects an ancient saber-toothed cat jaw at a Prehistoric Orange County event.

The “All That Jazz” program at the star-filled “Concert Under the Stars” event included CSUF alumni, students,

faculty and music ensembles and capped the evening with a spectacular fireworks show. Hundreds of

Cal State Fullerton alumni, students and employees enjoyed a day of baseball at CSUF Day at Angel Stadium.

In a record-setting feat for the CSUF Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) team, CSUF students

placed 12th overall in the Formula SAE collegiate competition, in which 67 teams raced. Eddie Olive of the

Caribbean Jems Dance Company blows fire at the second annual International Festival. The program included

cultural performances and interactive activities. Cal State Fullerton students competed in the annual

Pumpkin Launch on campus, a free family event where spectators see flying pumpkins launched by giant

trebuchets, slingshots and other homemade devices. The CSUF pre-vet club hosted a puppy therapy

event on campus to help students relax during their busy days. David Bowman, interim dean of the

College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, describes the scenes visible to those inside the University’s

new portable planetarium. CSUF scientist James Parham and colleagues from the Smithsonian Institution,

Universidad de Chile and other institutions have discovered complete skeletons of 6-9 million-year-old whales

and other marine animals in Chile. Students (and some faculty members!) participated in a Flash Nap this

winter in the James D. Woods Grand Foyer of Mihaylo Hall.

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FORUM

No. 9 among “Top Public Regional Universities” in the West and 35th among “Best Regional Universities” in the West 4

Sources: 1. Diverse: Issues in Higher Education (October 2014), based on data from the U.S. Department of Education2. Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education (May 2014), based on data from the U.S. Department of Education3. Washington Monthly (October 2014) 4. U.S. News & World Report (September 2014)5. U.S. News & World Report (2014)6. U.S. News & World Report (September 2014) 7. For undergraduates receiving bachelor’s degrees; CSUF Institutional Research & Analytical Studies (November 2014)

No. 1 among regional universities in the West for students who graduate

with the least amount of debt 5

A LEADER IN EDUCATING UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTSNo. 4 in the nation in terms of baccalaureate degrees awarded to underrepresented students 1

No. 1 in California and 10th in the nation among top colleges and universities awarding bachelor’s degrees to Hispanics 2No.1

No.4

53.7% of bachelor’s degree recipients are First-Generation University Graduates 7

No. 4 among “Best Bang for the Buck”

institutions nationally 3

No. 21 among master’s-level universities Contributing to the Public Good 6

53.7%

U.S. News& World Report


MY FAVORITE PROFESSOREngaging. Changed my life. Inspiring. These are just some of the sentiments that Cal State Fullerton’s social media followers shared when we asked them to tell us who their favorite instructor was and why.

The following is a sample of the more than 200 responses we received on our Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter accounts. Find our social media platforms at social.fullerton.edu.

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Ronald Rietveld brought history alive like

no one I’ve met. A gentle man, great friend to

all and tremendous scholar.” — Dave DeGroff

“I was SO LUCKY to have him in my last

semester. I really wish I knew prior to that

semester how truly great he was so I could

have taken as many courses as possible with

him!” — Briana Davis

Dana Lamb was the real deal in

animation. He prepared me and my

classmates and continues to teach us

about our beloved industry. If not for

him, the animation intern program

would not be as successful as it is. He

made all the difference in the world.

I transferred from CSULB because of

his animation program. CSUF alumni

are all over the industry of animation,

toe-to-toe with Art Center, CalArts

and our sister Cal State schools.”

— Eric Julie Aguilar

Karen Wong was

extremely nice. You could tell she truly

cared about her students and did what

she could to help us understand all

the material.” — Bridgit Razon

Ellen Kim. I was always excited to go to her class. She’s

extremely (and humbly) intelligent and she kept class

interesting by involving the students and sharing her

personal stories from her travels around the world.

She is energetic and understanding and I will always

remember her unique style of teaching.”— Kristin O’Dell

Martin Bonsangue

always offered to help in any way he

could. Not just with math, but with

my entire college career and life

in general!” — Nikki Brunetti

Dr. Mohsen Mirshafiei was excellent! I found it

ironic that a man who was born, raised and educated

in Iran knew English composition better than most

native English speakers. I benefited greatly from

his teaching.” — Bill Rice, REA, CEI

Belinda Karge. It is because of her patience, guidance

and knowledge that I am the teacher I am today. She is an

amazing ambassador for the special education credential/

master program. I will be forever grateful for all she has

taught me.” — Lynette Greenway Ferraro


PREPARING 21ST-CENTURY

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSCollege of Education Celebrates a Decade of Success

By Debra Cano Ramos ’84


he same month Nabil S. Abu-Ghazaleh assumed the top post as president of West Los Angeles College, he began his doctoral studies in community college leadership at

Cal State Fullerton. “I chose Cal State Fullerton’s doctoral program because its

specific focus on community college leadership was important to me, as was the faculty’s breadth of academic engagement and professional leadership experience,” said Abu-Ghazaleh, a 25-year educator who graduated in January.

“What I really appreciated about the Ed.D. program is the balancing of educational theory and the consideration of practical problems, in which we engage with practitioners who understand the real, often difficult, worlds from which our students come.”

The independent doctoral program, launched in 2007, is among the significant achievements realized by the College of Education since its creation a decade ago. Cal State Fullerton’s first doctoral program has enrolled 209 students and graduated 94 doctors of education.

“Cal State Fullerton has a strong reputation of preparing high-quality teachers and educational leaders. As we mark our first 10 years as a college, we are proud of our innovative teacher preparation and graduate programs, partnerships with schools, and faculty-led strategic initiatives,” said Claire C. Cavallaro, dean of College of Education.

In addition to creating the education doctorate, the college racked up a number of additional accomplishments, including the development of six fully online programs leading to a master’s degree, and was ranked No. 21 nationally in U.S. News & World Report’s “2015 Best Online Graduate Education Programs.”

The college also launched new centers to promote teacher and research excellence, such as the SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Center for Creativity and Critical Thinking, whose namesake gave $250,000 to the college and pledged a $500,000 gift to further the center’s work.

Gifts, along with external funding to the college, have also increased in recent years — with close to $3 million in grants awarded in 2014 alone — to bolster faculty scholarship for programs that promote education science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), provide support for teacher specialists focusing on children with special needs, and develop school curriculum that integrates art, creativity and critical thinking.

To train students with the skills to teach in an increasingly digital world, the college has been a leader in integrating technology into its teacher preparation programs.

Alumna Susanna Meza, a mathematics teacher at Valadez Middle School Academy in Placentia who earned her bachelor’s

in mathematics and master’s in education/secondary education- teaching foundational mathematics, embodies putting into practice the technology skills she learned.

“We are at a place where digital devices are integrated into our lives. As teachers, we need to come prepared with corresponding skills and continue to learn along the way,” said Meza, who also serves as a teaching fellow with CSUF’s National Science Foundation-funded project to develop leaders among math teachers. “The pure use of technology doesn’t help achieve student success. It’s careful planning and choosing the right kinds of technology to support student learning, which is what I learned in my courses at Cal State Fullerton.”

Education’s BeginningsTeacher education programs have been offered since the campus opened. By 2000, education was cited as one of the fastest-growing academic programs, and in 2004, the College of Education was established as the University’s eighth college.

“What I felt most satisfied with in the early stages of the college’s development was the camaraderie of those involved in the planning and the conviction that this was a ‘smart’ and ‘right’ decision for the University and for the programs involved; a conviction that fortunately, as time has proven, was well justified,” recalled Roberta Rikli, emeritus dean of the College of Health and Human Development, from which the college emerged.

Ashley Bishop, emeritus professor of reading, served as interim dean, followed by the appointment of Cavallaro in 2006.

Into the next decade — and beyond — the College of Education plans to further strengthen its teacher preparation programs, as well as increase the scope and number of school partnerships for teacher training, faculty-led professional development and grant work.

Initiatives include:n continuing to integrate the latest technology and the arts,

as well as just, equitable and inclusive education practices in teacher preparation curriculum;

n expanding experiential or “high-impact” learning practices to promote student learning outcomes and success;

n hiring high-quality, diverse faculty members representative of underrepresented student populations in schools;

n promoting engaged scholarship in partnership with schools and communities;

n conducting enriching exchanges with students and educators from around the world.

“I see the college becoming recognized as a national model for educator preparation, authentic partnerships that promote student learning and success, and engaged scholarship that supports our communities in meeting the challenges of education in the 21st century,” Cavallaro said. n

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Left, Nabil S. Abu-Ghazaleh, president of West Los Angeles College


Students Benefit from Internships and Other Programs as Part of a Comprehensive Approach to Education, Degree and Career

Ready to Shine

Mechanical engineering major Lauren DuCharme is interning at NASA’s Jet

Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, getting real-world experience by working

on cutting-edge space technology research.

By Pam McLaren ’79


orty years ago, Cal State Fullerton revolutionized higher education on the West Coast with its Center for Internships and Cooperative Education.

The center was created in 1973 to expand “the total educational program … by providing opportunities for students to integrate their formal academic education with academically related, practical work experiences in the communities we serve,” announced then-President L. Donald Shields.

That goal, through practicum courses, internships and cooperative educational projects, was recognized as the first such effort not only in the California State University, but in the western United States. The center was honored in 1989 as the state’s top university- level cooperative education program and, in 1992, as “the premier cooperative education program in the West.”

Today, these efforts, further bolstered by the University’s Career Center and other programs, offer more than a list of potential employers — they provide practical experiences that help students take that important step on their career path. Such high-impact experiences keep students engaged and involved in their studies, encouraging them to persist through degree completion. These experiences are a key theme within the University’s strategic plan.

Under the umbrella of academic internships are fieldwork, practical, clinical hours, externships and student teaching. During the 2013-14 academic year, 10,750 Titans — one third of all students enrolled at Cal State Fullerton — completed academic internships in every University college.

The Perks of PracticeOne of the newest internship efforts is part of the College

of Communications’ Latino Communications Initiative (LCI). Launched in fall 2013, the initiative aims to develop and maintain an industry-ready, qualified workforce by offering courses and certificate programs in Latino-oriented communication studies.

“We’re telling students exactly what they have to do,” explained Inez González, director of LCI. “It’s kind of harsh, but it’s what they need. Employers want colleges to make it easy for them to pick the right student for the right job or internship. It’s important to accommodate them.”

Junior Eric Reséndiz interned at Telemundo’s assignment desk, “getting the news for the news.” Because of this internship, he decided to switch his academic focus from public relations to broadcast journalism.

“With this experience, I don’t feel like I’m getting my feet wet, but actually swimming in the ocean. I don’t know if the experience I’ve had can get any more real than what it’s been,” he explained. “If it weren’t for LCI, I don’t think I would have been able to put Telemundo on my resume, build relationships in school and at the network, and make the decision to change my major to something that I’m passionate about.”

The Department of English, Comparative Literature and Linguistics’ Writing Center offers graduate students the chance to garner teaching experience by transitioning from a writing tutor to

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an instructional student assistant to a teaching associate, where they teach their own 101 course. Stephen Westbrook, writing programs coordinator and assistant professor of English, comparative literature and linguistics, explained that “it is much more functional than other program out there because it offers substantial training and experience.”

Robert Neis ’11, ’14 (B.A., M.A. English) teaches part time at Cal State Fullerton and Fullerton College. This program, he said, was what initially sparked his interest in teaching.

“I could not imagine going into an interview for a teaching gig without having the experiences from this program. Even though a master’s degree signifies expertise and dedication, it does not really do much in the way of convincing an employer that you are prepared to teach one of their courses — it gets you in the door, but once you sit down, all you have is your experience,” said Neis. “Going through this program, I felt secure in answering their questions, mostly because I had actual classroom experienc-es related to planning a course, which textbooks enhance to my teaching style and how I go about responding to student work.”

The College of the Arts has perhaps one of the most prolific and visual of partnership programs. Over the past 20 years, it has teamed up with Warner Bros., Disney, Sony, Nickelodeon and other animation and gaming studios to provide a variety of learning experiences to students. A continuing partnership with

DreamWorks, for instance, includes “DreamCrit” meetings, where studio artists provide critiques and direction to Titan visual arts students. Such opportunities have resulted in a high number of alumni working in productions that span the gamut of on-screen entertainment.

“I honestly believe that the exposure and interaction with each of these studios has been critical in the development of each of our majors,” explained Dana Lamb, emeritus professor of art. “It forces students to … always see the level of excellence required in the professional workplace. It also helps them visualize their potential success by having the studios take them seriously. Although they respect their faculty, the encouragement or challenge from a professional can be life changing.”

Hands-On LearningEngineering and computer science students are learning and expanding their job skills through programs like the Orange County Bridge |2| Engineering program, which gives students on-the-job training. As an intern at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, budding engineer Lauren DuCharme is getting to see how things work in the real world by working on cutting-edge research in the area of space technology.

“The program helped me to understand what the industry was looking for, and also how I could appeal to the companies

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and industries that I was interested in working for,” she explains. “What most students don’t think about is how to be more than a resume or a qualified candidate on paper.”

As an undergraduate, alumnus Gurpreet Singh ’14 (B.S. biochemistry) conducted dental research at Stanford University through the Bridges to Stem Cell Research Program. His six-month internship in a real-world laboratory involved working with researchers on designing and executing experiments to completion. Singh said he was exposed to “what is expected in a research lab, such as how to apply for research funding through grants, work with manufacturers on designing parts for experiments and prepare research manuscripts for publication in scientific journals.”

Singh is now working as a research assistant at Stanford’s Department of Surgery — Hagey Laboratory for Pediatric Regenerative Medicine, performing experiments that apply to multiple fields of medicine and research.

In addition to internship and career expos, the Career Center, college-based centers and programs are providing skills beyond those taught in the classroom to help them successfully transition from student to employee, such as networking skills, leadership and the importance of first impressions. Two years ago, the Mihaylo College of Business Administration and Economics created its own career center, geared to the specific needs of its

students, to make connections between companies and student groups, then co-host events where students and company recruiters can meet and network.

“Companies want direct access to students,” said Kate Guerrero, director of Mihaylo Career Services. “Posting positions is not enough. They need to build engagement with their future employees.”

Many departments have programs in which students can learn more about the fields that they are interested in and what businesses are looking for in future employees. One of these is the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics’ Sales Leadership Center, which “takes it to the next level by providing students with the opportunity for real-life experiences that make you so much more valuable to potential employers — while having fun along the way,” said Shastina Sarkhosh ’14 (B.A. business administration-marketing), a vaccines territory manager/ sales representative for Pfizer Inc.

The result of these internships and programs, said Jim Case, director of the University Career Center, can be life-changing. “Our goal is to develop personal education plans for the major and for the career … through relationships and other interactions, we want to empower students in their futures, help them leverage their investment in their education,” he explained. “We are preparing people for that first job and for the long term.” n

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Animation professionals work with students during DreamCrit, a program combining

artists’ presentations, creative critiques and industry networking. Shastina Sarkhosh

’14 (B.A. business administration-marketing) credits the Sales Leadership Center for

helping her transition from college to a sales career. “It takes it to the next level by

providing students with the opportunity for real-life experiences that make you so much

more valuable to potential employers, while having fun along the way.” Laura Neil is

the career specialist for the College of Arts in the Career Center. She encourages students

to take part in center events as well as in internships. “Not only will it help students

explore the field they are interested in, but it will help them explore themselves and

build a network.” The Latino Communications Initiative has helped students like

Andres Martinez, left, and Betty Martinez, right, shown with Telemundo producer Edith

Salgado, gain valuable work experience before they graduate. Gurpreet Singh took

part in the University’s Bridges to Stem Cell Research Program, gaining experience

working with researchers that helped him make the leap to a research assistant

position at Stanford University.

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hile we have all benefited from a steady march of significant advances in health care, the pace and complexity of these changes have been a challenge to

those in health care education to also evolve and progress. But it has been a challenge that, throughout its history, Cal State Fullerton has embraced and met head-on.

The University’s College of Health and Human Development is at the center of this change — educating the next generation of nurses, physicians, allied health and public health professionals, kinesiologists and researchers, who will not only tend to those with mental and physical health conditions and injuries, but conduct important work in prevention.

A signature component of the college is the School of Nursing. Now in its 40th year, it offers a range of comprehensive programs from pre-licensure and nurse practitioner programs to a doctorate of nursing practice (D.N.P.) implemented in 2012. Nursing students can choose to specialize in such areas as nurse midwifery, nurse anesthetist, leadership, school nursing and more.

“Nurses are central to the health care system,” said Penny Weismuller, coordinator of graduate programs and associate professor of nursing. “Our focus is on evidence-based research. For a D.N.P., students not only focus on practical nursing skills, but must demonstrate the ability to research and anticipate potential problems.

“Nurses who are better educated develop into change agents and advocates,” Weissmuller said. “They are often on the front lines of health care delivery. Our goal is to make sure nurses are prepared and in the right place to influence change.”

Stretching beyond nursing, the University’s cadre of other highly regarded health professions programs has a long history of preparing students for careers as physicians, pharmacists, physician assistants and more.

“More recently, about 30 students have chosen to become physician assistants,” said Christina Goode, professor of

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biochemistry and director of the Health Professions program. “These professionals provide many of the services that doctors offer — and growth in this field is significant.

“We have many first-generation students so this is an attractive option,” she continued. “They can be involved in family medicine and earn a degree without accumulating a staggering amount of debt.

“While we do, of course, have students who go on to medical school, we also work with students who want to become physical therapists, occupational therapists, audiologists — the whole range of health care professions. Because we adapt to changing demographics and health care needs, we are ahead of the curve in anticipating and meeting the needs of the community and our students.”

Kinesiology students look at how the body moves and operates.

“We have many sub-areas in kinesiology,” said Lee Brown, professor of kinesiology and director of the University’s Human Performance Lab. “For instance, in the area of strength and conditioning, we look at how the body changes when pushed to be faster, bigger, stronger. Our work underlies important information that strength coaches need to make smart

decisions for athletes.“This type of work becomes increasingly important as we

live longer,” Brown continued. “We’re also dealing with rising levels of obesity and diabetes. Our research provides insight into how your body responds to physical demands and how to minimize injury.”

In fact, a new golf research lab can assess functional movement during a golf swing. By observing the swing and imbalances/asymmetry in the body, movement disorders and more can be assessed.

“We can prescribe corrective exercises that can return symmetry and lead to a better golf swing,” said Guillermo Noffal, professor of kinesiology. “We don’t provide tips — we aren’t coaches. But our high-speed cameras operate much like X-ray machines that tell you what’s wrong. A golf pro or coach can then look at this data and determine what changes need to be made.”

Joshua Yang, assistant professor of health science, focuses on global health concerns.

“We understand the importance of preventing illness and disease,” he said. “No one likes having the flu or a more severe or chronic condition. But prevention has other important benefits for society. Illness can be socially disruptive by limiting

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interactions, altering family dynamics and changing the way people live. Many undergo significant financial strain while managing a serious or chronic health condition. This can have devastating effects on entire communities.

“So we equip our students with the knowledge to prevent disease and promote health, not only to avoid illness, but to enable individuals and whole communities to lead vibrant, productive lives.”

Jasmeet Gill, associate professor and graduate adviser in the master of public health program, stresses the dangers of infectious diseases.

“Understanding infectious disease prevention is critical because it affects all of us, directly or indirectly. The recent measles outbreak linked to visitors at Disneyland is a great illustration of why we need to educate our students on infectious disease transmission and prevention.”

“Our college offers a host of programs that integrate classroom education with best practices, technology, research and real-world experiences,” said C. Jessie Jones, interim dean of the College of Health and Human Development. “Most importantly, we are preparing a rich, diverse workforce to improve the health and well-being of our communities.” n

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The United Healthcare Nursing Skills Lab, a hands-on lab complete with

simulated “patients,” is one of the tools used to prepare CSUF nursing students

for a wide variety of nursing practices. To determine how high she can jump,

graduate kinesiology student Katie McLeland performs a vertical jump on a device

that measures the distance. Whitney Leyva, a graduate kinesiology student,

performs strength testing of her ankle joint under the watchful eyes of Lee

Brown, professor of kinesiology and director of the Center for Sport Performance.

Christina Goode, professor of biochemistry and director of the Health

Professions program, discusses different options and plans for students

considering medical careers. Kinesiology student and golfer Casey Ward

tests the symmetry of her body during a golf swing in the golf research lab.

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CLASS NOTES

STEVEN G. MIHAYLO ’69 (B.A. business administration), CEO of Crexendo, has been

recognized among the top 20 “Highest Rated Telecom CEOs” by GetVoIP, a communication solution shoppers guide.

MICHELE E. AKKERMAN ’77, ’88, ’03 (B.A. history, teacher credential, M.A. history) was

elected to a two-year term as vice president of the Inland Empire Council for the Social Studies. She is a history teacher at David Brown Middle School.

TONY CORRENTE ’75 (B.A. geography) has served as a National Football League referee since 1995. Formerly, Corrente was a social sciences teacher at La Mirada High School until he retired in 2012.

ROBERT S. KARP ’78 (B.A. criminal justice) was one of six Korean War veterans honored in October at the Aurora, Illinois, Farmers Fair. Karp served in the U.S. Marines for 20 years, during both the Korean and Vietnam wars. He retired in 1974 as a master sergeant at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

FREDERICK H. KLUGMAN ’72 (B.A. com-munications) is senior managing director of Newmark Grubb Knight Frank’s Detroit office. Previously, he was founder of De-troit-based Klugman Commercial Properties.

JUDITH MCLEOD ’78 (B.S. nursing), program director of the registered nurse-bachelor of science in nursing and master of science in nursing programs at Stanbridge College in Irvine, was honored with the 2014 Professional Woman of the Year award by the National Association of Professional Women.

MICHAEL R. ONG ’72 (B.A. business adminis-tration) was named executive vice president and chief credit officer for Focus Business Bank in August. As CCO, he is responsible for all lending activity and is a member of the San Jose bank’s executive management team.

RON SEVERSON ’76 (B.A. political science) became superintendent of Roseville Joint Union High School District in July. Severson has served 20 years with the district, beginning as a government history teacher at Aptos High School in Castroville.

KEVIN SMITH ’78, ’79 (B.A. political science, M.P.A.) has retired after 16 years as Chino Valley Fire District deputy fire marshal and hazardous materials specialist.

KAREN WHEELER ’79, ’81 (B.A., M.A. art) is an artist living in Henderson, Nevada. Born with spinal muscular atrophy, a type of muscular dystrophy, she has served on the Nevada Governor’s Council of Developmental Disabilities and is a former president of the Vegas Artists Guild. Her works have been shown in a number of exhibitions, including a July 2014 show, “Oneiric The Language of Dreams,” in the Grand Gallery in Las Vegas.

GENE BERRY ’87 (MBA- finance) was promoted to senior vice president for the

companies of OneAmerica. Berry, who joined the company in 2010, had been serving as chief information officer.

LINDA EMOND ’82 (B.A. theatre arts) is performing on Broadway in “Cabaret” and in 2014, picked up her third Tony nomination.

’60s

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advocacy.fullerton.edu

Alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents and community partners are fighting for Cal State

Fullerton’s future. Will you join us?


CINDY S. GOSS ’86 (B.A. communications- public relations), founder and president of Propel Business Solutions Inc., has

joined the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County’s board of directors. Goss was nominated for the Orange County Business Journal ’s 2014 Women in Business Award and the 2014 Remarkable Women’s Award from the National Association of Business Owners of Orange County.

JOHN D. EDWARDS ’89 (MBA-finance) is a director and senior equity research analyst for Credit Suisse. Previously, he was senior vice president and senior equity research analyst for Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc. and had worked with Deutsche Bank Securities as a vice president and senior analyst covering natural gas pipelines.

MICHAEL J. EULA ’83 (M.A. history) was appointed Genesee County (New York) historian. Previously, he taught at El Camino Community College and is a part-time lecturer at Niagara University and Buffalo State College.

WILLIAM L. FAGERHAUG ’80 (B.A. biological science) was appointed chief human resources officer at Carson Tahoe Health in Carson City, Nevada.

KLARA J. FARKAS ’89 (B.A. international business - German) founded Klarity International, a brand strategy, communica-tion and performance consulting practice. The former global marketing director for Taco Bell/Yum Restaurants International returned to campus in November to give a presentation to marketing and international business students.

If you own low-yielding assets and are seeking a higher income,

a charitable gift annuity will enable you and/or a family member

to receive an income stream for life.

A charitable gift annuity can be funded with any asset including:

n Cash

n Real estate

n CDs

n Bonds

n Stock

For more information on how you can begin to receive

reliable income for life through a charitable gift annuity,

please contact the CSUF Office of Planned Giving at

[email protected] or contact Joan Rubio

at 657-278-3947.

fullerton.edu/CSUFPlannedGift

CLA

SS NO

TES

A Charitable Gift Annuity Creates Lifetime Income and Tax Savings


DELLANIE P. FRAGNOLI ’85, ’92 (B.A. economics, MBA) is an assistant vice president of risk management for Costco Wholesale. She has served with the company for nearly 23 years.

LARISA RAE GADD ’84 (B.A. psychology) is admissions director at Northwest College Support, a college support and transition to independence program, in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

MARK D. HENSON ’89 (B.A. economics) was named assistant manager of the Boise office of Zions Corporate Trust. Henson joined the company’s Los Angeles office in 2003.

EDWARD P. HERNANDEZ ’83 (B.A. biological science) won re-election as state senator representing the 22nd District that serves Alhambra, El Monte, Monterey Park, La Puente, Azusa, South Pasadena, Arcadia and West Covina.

LARRY G. HERRERA ’82 (M.P.A.) has served as city clerk for Long Beach since 2002 and previously worked for the city of Commerce, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and Santa Barbara County.

MICHAEL D. MCCLEEREY ’82 (B.A. business administration-finance) was named vice president of marketing at Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc. McCleerey, who also holds an MBA from Pepperdine University, previously served as director of strategic marketing and director of marketing at ISTA Pharmaceuticals.

JULIE MILLER-PHIPPS ’83 (B.A. sociology) was named president of Atlanta-based Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Georgia in

October. Miller-Phipps, who has served with Kaiser Permanente since 1978, has been a member of the Cal State Fullerton Philan-thropic Foundation Board of Governors, the University’s College of Health and Human Development’s Nursing Advisory Board, CSUF Front & Center Blue Ribbon Committee, and the Women of Distinction Leadership Council. She was one of the 2014 Vision & Visionaries honorees, receiving the Distinguished Alumna Award.

JOHN M. RADAK ’82 (B.A. business administration-accounting and finance) is chief financial officer for ArborGen, which develops and sells genetic seedlings.

WILLIAM P. ROBERTSON ’83 (B.A. speech communication) was appointed commissioner of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association in April 2014.

SUSIE ROBINSON ’89 (B.A. psychology) was named vice president of human resources at the pharmaceutical company Purdue Pharma LP. She previously served as head of human resources at Lumeris.

ALAN R. SHOHO ’81 (B.S. engineering-electri-cal) was appointed dean of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Education, effective in April. He currently serves as associate provost for academic and faculty support and professor of educational leadership and policy studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

BRIAN F. STOFFERS ’80 (B.A. business admin-istration-accounting) is global president of CBRE’s debt and structured finance division. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Mortgage Bankers Association and National Multi-Housing Council.

FRANCISCO J. VALLE ’85 (MBA), senior director of marketing, communications and public affairs at Tri-City Medical Center, was recently honored with the Healthcare Champion Award, community leader category, by the San Diego Business Journal. Valle was named the 2013 Health Professional of the Year Latino Champion Award recipient by the San Diego Union Tribune, and a 2013 Inspirational Leader of the Year finalist by San Diego Magazine. He created and has funded the Francisco J. Valle Scholarship Award for Hispanic business students at Cal State Fullerton since 1988.

PAUL C. WORKMAN ’88 (B.A. criminal justice) retired in August after five years as Laguna Beach’s police chief. Workman joined the force as a reserve officer in May 1975 and became a full-time police officer a year later.

PAM BERTINO ’90 (B.A. communications-advertising) was appointed senior vice

president of content distribution with TVGN, a distributed entertainment network owned by CBS Corp. and Lionsgate, in October. In the new position, Bertino will lead affiliate sales and marketing and oversee the network’s content distribution.

STEPHEN D. CHRISTENSEN ’93 (B.A. political science) is the new dean of the school of business at Concordia University, where he also serves as founder and executive director of the institution’s Teen Entrepreneur Academy, a summer camp for high school students.

BETSY CHRISTIE ’98, ’00 (B.A. business administration-accounting, MBA) was appointed director of finance for the Port of Long Beach. She previously was chief financial officer for container terminal company NYK Terminals.

MICHAEL F. ELLOW ’93 (MBA) is senior vice president of world trade for Mentor Graphics Corp. He joined the firm as part of the acquisition of Berkeley Design Automation, where he was vice president of sales.

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CHARLES L. GRAN ’94 (B.M. music- composition) is an associate professor of music at Truman State University, where he was co-curator and festival director of the 16th annual New Horizons Music Festival in Kirksville, Missouri.

JERRY HOLDNER ’93 (B.A. business admin-istration-finance) is vice president of market research at Voit Real Estate Services.

JONATHAN M. JACKSON ’98 (B.F.A. art-graphic design) was promoted to global creative director at Brooklyn-based digital agency Huge. Jackson began his career at Disney and previously worked at Sapient Nitro.

FRANK G. MACKAY ’90, ’94, ’95 (B.A. child development, multiple subject credential, M.S. education-educational leadership) was named director of personnel services for Tustin Unified School District in October. He has 24 years of experience in public education, all at the Garden Grove Unified School District.

CHRISTOPHER L. PAYNE ’91 (B.A. business administration-finance) joined Sares-Regis Group, a real estate development and management company, as president of multifamily development. Previously, he served as development director with Avalon Bay Communities.

IVAN PIERRA ’93, ’99 (B.A. physical education, M.S. kinesiology) was named the director of the LA Galaxy’s sports medicine department Oct. 9. Pierra, who served with the Galaxy from 1996-2008, returned to the organization after working as the head athletic trainer for the U.S. Soccer Federa-tion, working with the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team during last year’s World Cup.

WILLIAM T. RICE II ’96, ’98 (B.A. geogra-phy-environmental analysis, M.A. geography) joined the Cary, North Carolina, office of Michael Baker International as environmental planning lead, in charge of identifying business opportunities and managing and delivering environmental services to clients.

AILEEN SATO ’95 (B.A. communications- public relations) was recently promoted to manager of commercial fleet sales at Mazda North American Operations. Sato has 19 years of experience in the automotive industry and has served with Mazda since 2008.

EDDIE SOTO ’95 (B.S. physical education) has joined the University of San Francisco as its head soccer coach. While a collegiate athlete, Soto was a two-time All-American selection and helped the 1993 Titans to advance to the NCAA tournament semifinals, where the team brought home a third-place win.

KEVIN TWER ’94 (B.A. communications- journalism) is senior vice president of Tustin-based HKA Inc. Marketing Communications. He was recently named to the board of directors for The First Tee of Orange County, a nonprofit organization that uses golf to provide children 7 to 18 years of age with guidance in goal-setting, emotion management, interpersonal skills and conflict resolution.

TIMOTHY H. WENNES ’96 (MBA-internation-al business) is West Coast president and head of retail banking and wealth markets for MUFG Union Bank. He was elected chairman of the Consumer Bankers Association Board of Directors in September.

JAMES R. WINTERS ’92, ’93 (B.S. physical education, single subject credential) was appointed interim chief financial officer at Intermetro Communications Inc. Winters joined the company as director of finance in 2009.

NICK ARCINIAGA ’07 (B.A. business administration - accounting) placed 10th

overall Nov. 2 in the 2014 New York City Marathon. He was the third American runner to cross the finish line among more than 50,000 entrants. Currently competing with Team USA Arizona, Arciniaga also raced in finishng this year’s Boston Marathon in seventh place.

LAWRENCE J. BOODMAN ’00 (B.A. communi-cations-radio/TV/film), a former professional musician, is the owner and operator of the School of Rock Huntington Beach.

CHERI L. BRETTMANN ’00 (B.A. political science and criminal justice) has joined the firm of Albertson & Davidson, LLP, as Of Counsel attorney. She also operates her own law firm.

ERIN K. FOATE ’07 (B.A. business administra-tion-entrepreneurship) is founder of Dachs 2 Danes Inc., a pet care service provider that, in July 2014, opened a dog day care location in Anaheim.

PAMELA SCHWEITZER ’82 (B.A. biological science) has been named rear admiral and chief professional officer of pharmacy at the U.S. Public Health Service. Last March, she was named the 2014 recipient of the American Pharmacists Association Distinguished Federal Pharmacist Award for her dedicated service to the federal pharmacy and her work with the Indian

Health Service. She received her PharmD from the University of California, San Francisco School of Pharmacy, completed an ambulatory care/administrative residency at UC Irvine Medical Center and is a board-certified ambulatory care pharmacist. She is currently enrolled in the Executive Master of Health Administration Program at USC’s Sol Price School of Public Policy.

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RAYMOND E. FOSTER ’03 (M.P.A. public finance management) is host of the American Heroes Radio (blog talk radio) program “Inside the U.S. Marshal’s Office.” Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years, retiring at the rank of lieutenant in 2003.

VANESSA A. HARRIS ’09 (B.A. psychology) is acting assistant professor of psychology at Indiana University Kokomo. The former CSUF MARC scholar earned her master’s degree in psychology at Miami University, where she is completing her doctorate.

OSCAR A. HERNANDEZ ’01 (B.S. human services) is the new chief professional officer for the Boys & Girls Club of Whittier.

DAVID W. HEIER ’01 (B.A. business administration-accounting and finance) was appointed chief financial officer for First California Mortgage Co.

KEVIN P. MATTSON ’08, ’10 (B.A., M.A. geography) has returned to his alma mater as the University’s sustainable waste management specialist.

THOMAS J. MCGOVERN ’00 (M.F.A. art-creative photography) is one of this year’s recipients of an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation. McGovern and award-winning poet Juan Delgado — both faculty members at Cal State San Bernardino — received the honor for their book “Vital Signs.”

STACY MUNGO ’03 (B.A. political science), an administrative services manager for Los Angeles County, was elected in June 2014 to represent Districts on the Long Beach City Council.

TAM NGUYEN ’05 (MBA) was honored with the Michael R. Jones Business Impact Award by the Orange County Black

Chamber of Commerce. The award is “given to recognize individuals, businesses and organizations in the Southern California community who have had an impact on business in Orange County.… who have helped or assisted minorities, and through their efforts, have increased opportunities for all businesses …” Nguyen is immediate past president of the CSUF Alumni Association and was named to the Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Board of Governors in May.

KIMBERLY PIERCEALL ’04 (B.A. communi-cations-journalism) is now a reporter for the Associated Press in Nevada. Pierceall had been working for the Orange County Register since 2012, and previously worked for the Riverside Press-Enterprise.

IN MEMORIAMn BENJAMIN ALLEN PRICE ’14 (B.A. business administration-finance), a transportation analyst in CSUF’s Parking and Transportation Services, died after a long battle with cancer. He was 29. During his tenure, he was involved in expanding alternative transportation programs and services for students, faculty and staff. n Noted Western historian GORDON M. BAKKEN died Dec. 5 at the age of 71. The emeritus professor of history was a prolific author and editor of 24 books, who served the campus not only as an educator, but as an administrator, including director of the Office of Faculty Affairs and Records and liaison to the California State University General Council. Off campus, Bakken served on the California Supreme Court Historical Society; Phi Alpha Theta, the International History Honorary Society; the Judicial Council Advisory Committee

on Court Records and the California Historical Society. A campus donor, Bakken supported a number of scholarships and programs ranging from the Center for Oral and Public History to Titan Athletics. n HARVEY BLEND, emeritus professor of physics, died Sept. 5 at the age of 98. He served the University for 17 years. n BRETT D. DOGGETT ’94, ’96, ’98 (B.A., M.A. political science, M.A. communications- advertising), an Orange County Marine who sustained injuries from a landmine while serving in Operation Desert Storm in 1991, died Oct. 10 at the age of 49. Doggett earned a Purple Heart for injuries sustained while patrolling abandoned oil yards in Kuwait. n ANANDA W.P. GURUGE, a lecturer in comparative religion, died Aug. 6. He was 85. Prior to joining the campus, the Sri Lankan native served 15 years in the Ceylon Civil Service and seven years with UNESCO before being named his country’s ambassador to the international organization. n PATTY HYMES ’00, ’11

(B.A. communications and Afro-ethnic studies, M.A. education-higher education), coordinator for tours and information services in Cal State Fullerton’s New Student and Parent Programs, died July 8. Since her arrival on campus in 1999, Hymes worked for a number of campus departments, including GEAR UP, the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Career Center. In 2003, her commitment to the University earned her a Titan Excellence Award. n RUTH NYCUM ’78 (M.A. social science), librarian emeritus, died May 3 at the age of 88. She served the campus community for 17 years and was active in the Emeriti group as coordinator of emeriti records and editor of the emeriti directory. n GLYNDON D. RILEY, emeritus professor of speech communication, died Sept. 2. He was 85. Riley joined the campus in 1966 and developed a diagnostic scale called the Stuttering Severity Instrument for Children and Adults in the early 1970s. In 1995, the Center for Children Who

To submit news about yourself, please email [email protected].


LYNN WORCESTER ’07, ’10 (B.M., M.M.) joined Shorter University as an assistant

professor of music.

JORDAN T. ALCANTAR ’14 (M.S. kinesiology) was named strength and conditioning coach at Cal Poly Pomona in November.

SALAM NURAN ALTEIR ’13 (B.A. communica-tions-journalism) has joined The Oregonian, reporting on the town of Beaverton. She previously worked at Southern California Public Radio and interned at the Orange County Register.

ALLISON ANDERSON ’12 (B.A. American studies) is field deputy and business liaison for Long Beach District 5 Councilwoman and fellow alumna Stacy Mungo.

ZAHRA S. BAJGIRAN ’12 (MBA) has been named director of marketing at Century Business Solutions, a technology-based merchant services provider.

BENJAMIN N. BENNE ’11 (B.A. theatre arts-directing) is the playwright of “Terra Incognita” performed by the Drybones Artist Collective at Shoreline Community College Theatre in Shoreline, Washington.

Airman First Class MICHELLE DOOLITTLE ’10 (B.M.-vocal performance) sang “God Bless America” during the seventh-inning stretch of Game 5 of the 2014 World Series in San Francisco.

KARLEEN SIMONSON ’06 (B.A. communica-tions-entertainment studies) has joined Diamond Bar High School as its dance teacher. She also teaches at Defore Dance Center in Costa Mesa.

ERIC J. ULWELLING ’03 (B.A. business administration-accounting) was named chief financial officer for Lilis Energy Inc., effective Oct. 1. Ulwelling was acting chief financial officer since May 2014; he originally joined the company in 2012 as controller and principal accounting officer.

JENNIFER (MOISA) VILLAVICENCIO ’06 (B.A. political science) has joined the Los Angeles office of Ideal Legal Group Inc. Villavicencio earned her juris doctor from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.

JEFFREY A. WILLIAMSON ’03 (MBA) is state-wide director of the Center for International Trade Development and director of the Cali-fornia State Trade and Export Promotion.

Stutter opened its doors on campus with Riley as its acting director. He and his wife, Jeanna, served on the center’s executive board. n JERRY ROTHMAN, emeritus professor of art, died June 5 at the age of 81. An accomplished sculptor and leading ceramicist, Rothman was one of a group of artists who, in the 1950s, revolutionized the use of clay by taking it beyond the practical, using it as a sculptural medium and incorporating different tendencies, influences and statements into his work. n LEROY SANCHEZ ’06 (M.S. civil engineering), technician for the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department, died July 19 following a motorcycle accident. Sanchez joined the University in 2003 and received a Titan Excellence Award in 2010-11. n EMIGDIO VASQUEZ ’78, ’79 (B.A., M.A. art), a pioneer of the county’s Chicano arts movement whose murals can be found throughout the country, died Aug. 9 at the age of 74. His portraits, landscape and still-life paintings, done in a style called “social

realism,” have been described as pieces that gives voice to the struggling working class and to Latino culture, said exhibit curator Mike McGee, professor of art, during a 2011 retrospective of Vasquez’ work shown in the University’s Begovich Gallery n JAMES D. YOUNG, emeritus professor of theatre and founding chair of Cal State Fullerton’s Theatre Department, died Aug. 29. He was 93. Young joined the campus in 1960 and was appointed to teach speech and drama and to organize what became the nation-ally acclaimed Department of Theatre and Dance. Young later was named associate dean for the School of Letters, Arts and Sciences, then associate vice president for academic programs. After retirement in 1986, he continued to teach and co-founded the campuswide “It’s Our University” fund-raising campaign. He was a key donor for the Clayes Performing Arts Center, and his name graces the center’s 250-seat James D. Young Theatre. He received an Honorary Alumnus Award from CSUF in 2003.

DANIEL SCHWABE ’11 (M.A. history) has seen his master’s thesis become the book “Burning Japan: Air Force Bombing Strategy Change in the Pacific,” published in January by Potomac Press. The book traces the decision-making process that led the Air Force from a strategy of precision bombardment in World War II to burning down most of

the major cities in Japan, said the author, who worked in the aerospace industry. “I always liked airplanes and their military uses, so it was an easy fit when Dr. (Gordon) Bakken suggested the idea. From the beginning, I knew I wanted the work I did to be of works in the value to others, so I started writing it as a book. I read most of the 110 volumes of the Strategic Bombing Survey, then ordered some 40 microfilm rolls worth of primary source information from the Air Force Historical Research Agency. All told, it was over 40,000 pages of reports, meeting minutes, summaries and presentations — even during World War II they were making charts for their bosses.”

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ADAM EL-SHARKAWI ’14 (M.F.A.-theatre arts-acting) was in the cast of the South Coast Repertory Oct. 17- Nov. 16 production of “Zealot.” El-Sharkawi has performed at the Great River and New Swan Shakespeare festivals, at Adventure Stage Chicago and the Steep Theatre. On campus, he performed in productions of “Dollhouse,” “Twelve Angry Jurors” and “Measure for Measure.”

MICHAEL GANZ ’13 (B.A. business administration- marketing) joined Avison Young as an associate of the Irvine commercial real estate firm.

WAN SHIN KIM ’10, ’13 (B.S. biochemistry, M.S. chemistry-organic chemistry) is currently in the chemistry doctoral program at Dartmouth University.

DOUGLAS JEFFCOAT ’14 (M.S. education) was named a 2014-15 Fulbright U.S. Student Award recipient. He is spending a year in Colombia, teaching English at La Universidad Católica del Oriente.

KETMANI KOUANCHAO ’14 (E.D.D.-educational leadership) became dean of student services at Mendocino College in July. She previously served at Mt. San Jacinto College as director of extended opportunity programs and services and was honored last year as Administrator of the Year.

KELLI LINZA ’11, ’14 (B.A., M.A. political science) was named administrative assistant to Texas State Rep. Dan Flynn in October.

AMANDA L. THATCHER ’10 (B.A. business administration- finance) has joined the Phoenix office of Lewis Roca Rothgerber, practicing in the firm’s litigation practice group.

FRANCES WATSON ’11 (B.A. communications-journalism) is a reporter with KEPR-TV in Pasco, Washington. Fellow classmates TERESA SARDINA ’11 (B.A. communi-cations-journalism) moved from KETK in Tyler, Texas, to KSEE24/CBS47 in Fresno, and KATIE M. WIDNER ’11 (B.A. communications-journalism) is a member of the KFBB-TV news team in Great Falls, Montana.

GREGORY X. WHITMORE ’13 (M.M. music-performance) is music director of the Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble and director of bands at Mt. San Antonio College. A doctoral candidate at Columbia University, he previously served 13 years as director of bands at Cathedral City High School.


ven as a tiny tot, Valorie Curry ’09 (B.A. theatre arts) was already making an impression at Cal State Fullerton. She’d tag along with her mother,

Karen Curry ’01 (B.A. theatre arts). “I was the youngest child in my family, so instead of

taking me to day care, I was taken to classes a lot — first at Fullerton College and then at Cal State Fullerton. I sort of just grew up that way,” explains Curry, who is easily recognizable nowadays as Emma from “The Following” and, most recently, the slightly awkward but confident coder Kelsey from “House of Lies.” “As soon as I could walk and talk, they just sort of threw me up on stage, and I always loved it.”

Cal State Fullerton lecturer Evelyn C. Case, she says, had a big impact on her. “She had the biggest influence on me in terms of how I approached my work and how I approached myself,” says Curry. “She was hard, but not the perfectionist that a lot of acting teachers are. It wasn’t about getting the right answer for her; her motto always was that she didn’t care whether or not we came out better actors, but that we came out better people.”

The technical work she learned from Case, she adds — “how to approach a character, how to approach a scene and make strong choices” — helped her hone her abilities.

When she was a sophomore, Curry started working on the TV show “Veronica Mars,” driving down to San Diego to shoot in the morning, then coming back to classes and going to rehearsal at night. Back then, she says, “I knew nothing about

working in TV and film. I’d only ever done theater. I’d never been on a set before and was terrified every second.” This experience paid off years later when she got her first feature film, “Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 2,” which was so well known that it opened a lot of doors.

Her next break came in the hit FOX TV series “The Following,” starring Kevin Bacon, where Curry played a loyal cult follower-turned-murderess named Emma. “That was, and I think it will probably always be, one of the biggest gifts I’ve received as an actor — to be able to play this character that is so complex and strong, but vulnerable and intelligent … frankly, I think too few young female characters are written that way. There are very few opportunities for actresses to get to play characters of that depth and dimension, so I was so lucky to get to be in her shoes for two years.”

Curry, who is based in New York, has her own production company, 26 Films, with partner Sam Underwood. They’ve wrapped up a short film and are developing a screenplay for a full-length feature film that is set to go into production this year.

She’s been very fortunate, she adds, with the people, projects and roles that have come her way. “It really makes me excited for what can come next. This is such a wonderful time in the business, where people are encouraged and rewarded for creating their own content,” she says. “There’s a lot of room for that.” n

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Valorie Curry Finds the Spotlight

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By Sarah Muñoz

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