GREGORY SADLEK
pgs. 2 & 3
SPRING 2019
•
C L A S S V i k i n g s p g s . 7 – 10
A farewell to
B o y d W a t t e r s o n S c h o l a r s h i p Fu n d p g . 4
•
C S U 2 U A l u m n i C o l l e g e p g . 11
Cleveland State University College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
Letter from the Dean Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, And say my glory was I had such friends. −W.B. Yeats A review of past copies of The Innerlink brings back memories of all the great people, events, and initiatives of my years as Dean of CLASS—the distinguished faculty members and their highlighted books, productive research centers, or projects; our dynamic community partners; CLASS administrators and staff (especially including those in the Dean’s Office); the CLASS valedictorians and their amazing success stories; donors, who by means of their generous gifts have made a huge difference in the lives of our students; and winners of the annual Outstanding Alumnus/a Awards. Like W.B. Yeats after his tour of the Dublin Municipal Gallery, I can only marvel at my good fortune in having been able to interact with all these wonderful people over the past fourteen years. Indeed, it has been my great good fortune to have served as the Founding Dean of CLASS, and as I step down from the position in June, my heart will be filled with immense gratitude. I am grateful that the talents, hard work, and dedication of the college’s many staff, faculty, alumni, and community friends have steadily moved the college forward. During my years in office, for example, we collectively renewed a large portion of the college’s faculty and staff as older colleagues retired. Those talented new colleagues brought new energy and ideas to the college, and, like the continuing faculty, published cutting-edge books and articles, created moving works of art, won prestigious grants and fellowships, added critical new leadership, and, of course, delivered high-quality “engaged learning” to our students. We also improved our curriculum: adding at least eight new degree programs, creating new 4 +1 options, and moving some programs online. Moreover, we increased our numbers: Our total student cohort, according to The Book of Trends, grew from 2,323 graduate and undergraduate majors (not counting undecided students) in 2005 to 3,174 majors in 2017. In addition, we added several productive research centers, reimagined some departmental and school structures, and established multiple important international partnerships. To help disseminate critical information about study in the liberal arts as well as CLASS programs, we dedicated a CLASS Edge Lounge, located prominently in Berkman Hall. Due to our generous donors and the CLASS Development Officers, we raised significant new funding for scholarships, our endowment having grown from $1,710,000 in 2005 to $4,345,000 in 2019. And thanks to a $32 million “Power of Three” capital campaign and a subsequent $7.5 million allocation from the state, we achieved the vision of Presidents Schwartz and Berkman: CLASS now has a cutting-edge arts campus, with spectacular academic and performance spaces for art, design, theatre, dance, and film in Playhouse Square. Finally, we have built links to literally hundreds of community partners, who are helping us make good on the promise of “engaged learning.” In sum, thanks to the work of our stakeholders, the state of the college is strong. Looking forward, I believe that the best years are still ahead for CSU social sciences, humanities, and arts. However, these golden years will not happen without the continued commitment of our stakeholders. In particular, it will be important for you to rally around the new Interim Dean, Dr. Allyson Robichaud. I am fully confident that Dr. Robichaud has the dedication and the skills to continue our progress over the next several years. So, thank you, my good friends. I won’t soon forget our time together. Best wishes,
Gregory Sadlek
Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
The Innerlink
v
Spring 2019
Table of Contents 3
Table of Contents ................... 1
A Farewell to Gregory Sadlek ............ 2 & 3
Boyd Watterson Scholarship Fund ................... 4
On the Road Again & Scholarship Luncheon ................... 5 5
Fall 2018 CLASS Scholars ................... 6
CLASS Vikings .......... 7 – 10
CSU2U Alumni College ................. 11
CLASS Alumni Updates ................. 12 CLASS Volunteer Leadership ................. 13
7
11
Visit us online at class.csuohio.edu Published by College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences (CLASS) 2121 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, Ohio 44115 216.687.3660 class.csuohio.edu
CLASS Deans Dr. Gregory Sadlek, Dean Dr. Cheryl Bracken, Associate Dean Dr. Myong-Hun Chang, Associate Dean
Staff Lesley Lang, Designer & Assistant Editor Jody Milkie, Editor Contributors Cheryl Bracken Brenda Driscoll Kim Fuller
Tom Humphrey Connie Kopec Bill Kosteas Cathleen Lewandowski Qian Li John Perrine Gary Pettey John Soder
1
G
regory Sadlek, founding dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, will be remembered for many things. A fiery temper isn’t one of them.
dean. “He was a team player. Staff meetings were inclusive, with open discussion. Differing opinions were freely given and, if rejected, were rejected with kindness.”
Then again, he did get so upset once during a high-level meeting that – gasp! – he threw down his pencil.
Born in Collinwood and raised in Parma, Sadlek is the oldest of six children. (His sister Susan Bazyk taught Occupational Therapy at CSU for more than 30 years.) Dad was a Cleveland policeman; Mom was a medical secretary.
Deirdre Mageean, who was Cleveland State University’s provost at the time, witnessed it firsthand. “Greg later apologized, gentleman that he is,” she recalled. “I was chuckling because on the scale of outbursts that I had to experience in all my years in administration, that was probably the mildest.” After 14 eventful and fruitful years at the helm of CLASS, Sadlek will retire from the deanship June 30.
“I’m ready to pass the baton to the next person, somebody with new ideas and new visions.” “I’m ready to pass the baton to the next person, somebody with new ideas and new visions,” he said on a recent afternoon in his book-lined office on the 18th floor of Rhodes Tower. Classical music played softly in the background. Sadlek was instrumental in the establishment of the CSU Arts Campus at Playhouse Square, where the current academic year saw the opening of CSU’s new School of Film & Media Arts. “The Arts Campus wasn’t my idea, but I immediately recognized it as an exciting possibility,” he said. “Part of the dean’s job is to recognize not only your own good ideas, but those of others.” Among his other crowning achievements are the creation of the new CLASS Lounge in Berkman Hall and new departments such as Theatre and Dance. He also helped facilitate new research hubs such as the Center for Public History + Digital Humanities. Above all, Sadlek is proud of nurturing a sense of identity for CLASS, which comprises more than a dozen different departments and schools. “I’ve always tried to point out how great it is that our College encompasses the arts and the humanities and the social sciences, and how we all form this coherent unit,” he said. To improve communication and camaraderie, Sadlek not only launched the CLASS Directions newsletter, but wrote the content himself. Truth be told, not everyone was a fan. “Reading this makes reading the phone book sound exciting,” one senior faculty member grumbled. (Note to younger readers: A phone book was a voluminous directory of phone numbers.) “I found Greg’s management style to be a positive change,” said Leon Hurwitz, former CLASS associate
After graduating from Quincy University with a B.A. in Philosophy, Sadlek briefly worked for a sink manufacturing company. When it became clear that a career in sales administration wasn’t for him, he went on to earn an M.A. in English from Eastern Illinois University and a Ph.D. in English from Northern Illinois University. Before finding his calling in higher education, he considered the priesthood, only to drop out of the seminary and fall in love with a foreign exchange student. He followed Françoise all the way back to France, where Sadlek spent a year teaching ESL at the Université de Nantes. Married in 1981, the couple has two sons, Jonathan and Benjamin. Prior to Sadlek’s arrival at CSU in 2005 (he spotted the CLASS job opening in The Chronicle of Higher Education), he taught at Hamilton College and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. At the latter, he also was president of the faculty senate and chair of the English department. Particularly well-versed in medieval literature, Sadlek has been known to make Chaucer come alive in the classroom by putting the author of The Canterbury Tales on “trial” for antifeminism. “Students get so worked up about arguing the pros and cons,” Sadlek said. “That’s when they really learn. It forces them to dig into the text.” As he contemplates his own next chapter, Sadlek is looking forward to having more time for writing and reading. Brushing up on his Latin and other languages, too. Quite possibly even moving to France with Françoise. Whatever the future holds, of this much he’s certain: He’ll look back on his time at CLASS and CSU with profound gratitude.
“This job has provided an amazing opportunity to lead an extraordinary group of people.”
“This job has provided an amazing opportunity to lead an extraordinary group of people,” Sadlek said. “The students, faculty and staff of the College are just remarkable. I can’t believe my good fortune.”
A farewell to
GREGORY SADLEK
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Dean and Professor of English
3
CLASS Philanthropy
BOYD WATTERSON College Completion Scholarship Fund The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Boyd Watterson College Completion Scholarship Fund. This new scholarship fund is intended to provide support for students who need financial assistance to complete their first undergraduate degree. Mariah Pausch, a senior who is studying Brian Gevry, CFA, ’90, CEO and CIO of Journalism and Promotional Communication, Boyd Watterson Asset Management LLC, was the first student to receive the Boyd became re-engaged with his alma mater Watterson scholarship in spring 2019. Her in 2015 when he became a member of the anticipated graduation date is December College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences 2019. "As the first student awarded this Visiting Committee. In 2017, he also joined scholarship, I feel honored and inspired that Cleveland State University’s Foundation more nontraditional students like myself are Board. After getting re-engaged with CSU, recognized for all of our hard work." it didn’t take long for Brian to realize the valuable role Cleveland State plays in Boyd Watterson is an independent investment furthering the lives of its students, as well as advisor specializing in fixed income, real the vital role the university plays in helping estate, and equities. The firm's headquarters to build our local workforce. is in downtown Cleveland and “Cleveland State University Brian Gevry's gift also has offices in Chicago, was instrumental in my will support one of DC, Detroit and Tampa. The advancement. We at Boyd College of Liberal Arts and Watterson Asset Management our top CSU goals: Social Sciences is grateful to wanted to provide the same student success. have the representation of Boyd opportunity to students —Gregory Sadlek Watterson Asset Management who might be struggling to LLC among its list of complete their degrees,” stated contributors and for the establishment of this Mr. Gevry. new scholarship fund. Dr. Gregory Sadlek, CLASS Dean, stated: "Brian Gevry's gift will For many CSU students, the decision to support one of our top CSU goals: student complete their college degree often comes success. It will make it possible for harddown to financial need. To apply for the working but financially challenged CLASS Boyd Watterson scholarship, applicants must students to finish their studies and go forth to complete a 500-word essay describing the find their places as productive citizens in our challenges they face in their college education community. We could not be more grateful and a vision for what they will pursue with for Mr. Gevry's leadership and generosity." their degree. They may also choose to submit a biographical essay. Scholarships are given in both the fall and spring semesters to deserving students who meet the scholarship criteria through the application process.
4
v
The Innerlink
v
Spring 2019
Brian Gevry, CFA; Chief Executive Officer, Chief Investment Officer
CLASS Philanthropy SCHOLARSHIP LUNCHEON Over 300 donors and friends attended the 2019 Scholarship Luncheon, an annual event where those who create scholarships can meet many of their scholarship recipients. Several CLASS donors and their scholarship recipients enjoyed this year’s event and learned how meaningful scholarships are to the students.
Jayne and Rich Janus with Kevin Lannoch (middle), the recipient of The Richard A. and Jayne Z. Janus Endowed Scholarship
ON THE ROAD AGAIN The CSU Alumni Association is on the road again, reconnecting with graduates near and far. This year, the Alumni Association has held events in Michigan (Detroit), Texas (Dallas and Houston), North Carolina (Charlotte), District of Columbia (Washington) and its annual trip to Arizona where we caught spring fever and cheered for the Indians in spring training. Still to come are alumni events in Chicago and back to the Motor City on June 4. Information on all On the Road events is posted at csualumni.com as details are finalized. If CSU travels to your neck of the woods, we hope to see you!
Chris Hendryx (left) pictured with Krista Caruth, one of the recipients of The Hendryx Family Scholarship for the Liberal Arts
Two of the college’s most generous supporters, Marjorie (Marge) Shorrock (left) and Jana Stone, reconnected with CSU this winter at the CSU2U event in Naples, FL. They joined more than 50 other alumni for a day of learning, reminiscing, and mingling.
Mark DelPrincipe (right) with Timothy Skalsky, one of the recipients of The Mark DelPrincipe Economics Department Support Fund
MARK LANTZ (’87 BA English & ’90 MA Communication), a CLASS Visiting Committee member, will host CSU’s alumni event in Detroit, MI on June 4 at Factory Detroit Inc., his business which is located in Royal Oak. If you’re a Michiganite, please join us as for this great opportunity to reconnect to your alma mater and network with other CSU alumni in your area. For more information or to register, please visit csualumni.com/detroit.
Jan Holkenborg (right) with Jacqueline Rodriguez, the recipient of The Janice A. Holkenborg Endowed Scholarship in Music
5
CLASS Scholars | Fall 2018 Fall 2018 CLASS SCHOLARS Jordan Antus
Major: Communication Minor: Music
Diana Beursken Major: Economics Minor: Philosophy
Taylor Bolen Major: Social Work
Anastasia Cyr Major: Art Studio
Tabatha Dickerson Major: Social Work
Stacy Erdman
Dr. Gregory Sadlek, Dean of CLASS; Emily Zeitz, CLASS Valedictorian
Fall 2018 CLASS Valedictorian
Major: Journalism and Promotional Communication Minor: English
Adina Fishburn Major: English Minor: Communication
EMILY ZEITZ
Katherine Grega
Major: Music Therapy
Jennifer Gumbish
Emily Zeitz, a Music Therapy major and member of the CSU Mandel Honors College, was the Fall 2018 CLASS Valedictorian. While earning her degree at CSU, she was awarded the Janice A. Holkenborg Endowed Scholarship as well as the America Reads Tutor of the Year Award—the latter for her volunteer tutoring at Cleveland Public Library branches in Collinwood, Sterling, and at the Campus International School. Emily was also active in the CSU Music Therapists student organization where she was elected secretary. She was also an active musical performer where she was the primary oboist for the CSU Orchestra! Beyond her success in the classroom, Emily was fully engaged in cocurricular and other kinds of service activities. Some highlights of that involvement included providing free music therapy services to patients in the Ronald McDonald House of Cleveland. She also spent time as an early childhood aftercare teacher (for students ages 3 to 5) at The Music Settlement. Furthermore, she volunteered at Groovy Garfoose LLC (a music therapy private practice) and at the Rainey Institute, which serves disadvantaged and minority children. CLASS is proud to have Emily as an alumna!
6
v
The Innerlink
v
Spring 2019
Major: Economics
Major: Anthropology Minor: Psychology
Rebecca Han
Majors: Criminology, English Creative Writing
Frank Ivancic Major: Drama Minor: Dance
Joseph Massaroni
Majors: Anthropology, Political Science
Christopher Mencke Major: Social Work
Katie Nuttall
Major: Communication
Mackenzie Simmons Major: Music Therapy
Shannon Utlak Major: Social Work
Hana Jun Wadenpfuhl Majors: Philosophy, Sociology
CLASS Vikings Department of Music
School of Communication Digital Upgrades
The Department of Music has some exciting changes happening!
The School of Communication is happy to announce a new Digital Content Production Certificate. The proposal is currently being reviewed and, upon approval, the new program will be offered starting in the 2019-2020 academic year. It will be available to majors and non-majors. Students must complete five courses amounting to 13 credit hours for the Certificate. The 13 credits are all upper-level courses and will easily fit into the 42 hours of CLASS upper level requirements. The prerequisite to enroll in the certificate program is a Bor better grade in COM 225 (Media Writing) or any other Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) course.
On July 1, 2019, the Department of Music will become the School of Music. This designation more appropriately describes what the unit produces — professional undergraduate music degrees in Music Education, Music Therapy, Music Performance, and Music Composition. The department also offers a performance certificate in addition to professional master’s degrees in Music Performance, Music Education, Music Composition and soon will feature a master’s degree in Music Therapy. This designation as a School of Music has been a goal of the department for over a decade, and the faculty, staff, students, and alumni are excited and proud of the new title. In addition to the department name change, there will soon be a renovation of space in the Music and Communication building for a future music therapy clinic. Master's degree candidates who are already certified as music therapists will staff the clinic, while members of the music therapy faculty will supervise it. The goal is to provide access to music therapy for the local community while giving our undergraduate and graduate students practical experience in the field. We are proud and excited to be moving forward with this exciting project.
This certificate in digital content production will prepare students from all majors with the knowledge and skills required to become effective and engaging communicators in the digital spaces. Students will learn to produce engaging and interactive websites and videos and use analytical skills to evaluate impact. The students will learn to apply these digital skills in a variety of fields such as promotional communication, corporate communication, political communication, public affairs, advocacy in nonprofits, and journalism. The Digital Content Production classes will be taught in the new reimagined Digital Communication Center in the lower level of the Music and Communication building. The Film, TV, and Interactive Media major formerly occupied that space and, until last Fall, the new School of Film & Media Arts was housed there. Now that Film has moved to its new location in Idea Center at Playhouse Square, the School of Communication is getting ready to bring new programs to this space. Currently, in Phase I, several rooms are being rehabbed with funding provided by both the CLASS Dean’s Office and Technology Fees. Phase I includes a dedicated computer lab, a modern digital production space, and a student worklab. Eventually, as funding becomes available, other spaces (including the TV studio) will be upgraded.
7
CLASS Vikings Revive Civility
Juvenile Delinquency: Pathways and Prevention By Christopher A. Mallett and Miyuki Fukushima Tedor Juvenile Delinquency: Pathways and Prevention explores the pivotal roles that family, trauma, mental health, and schools have on juvenile delinquency, while exploring opportunities for prevention and intervention. Authors Christopher A. Mallett and Miyuki Fukushima Tedor draw from years of experience working with juvenile offenders to shed light on the nature of delinquency and the diverse pathways to juvenile delinquency, while offering evidence-based techniques for preventing and rehabilitating youthful offenders. Clear explanations of the concepts and thought-provoking case studies move students beyond memorization encouraging them to think critically about juvenile delinquency and make recommendations for better practices and policies.
Presented by the CLASS Diversity Council At the beginning of the spring 2019 semester, the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) Diversity Council sponsored a talk to highlight the importance of constructive conversation in the classroom and on CSU’s campus. The talk titled Revive Civility: Exploring the opportunity: Fostering Civil Discourse at CSU was given by Ms. Lauren Litton. Specifically, she discussed the use of respectful conversation to address complex and sensitive social and political issues. Lauren Litton is a social justice consultant and serves as the Ohio Coordinator of the National Institute for Civil Discourse’s Initiative to Revive Civility. The Revive Civility program is coordinated by the National Institute for Civil Discourse. As a continuation of the Revive Civility theme, the CLASS Diversity Council sponsored a month-long campaign to promote engaging conversation and the importance of civility to CLASS students. The TEXT/TALK program uses text messaging with face to face dialogue to guide participants through a series of prompts. For more information on the National Institute for Civil Discourse, see nicd.arizona.edu.
Overview provided by SAGE Publications, Inc.
About the authors: Christopher A. Mallett is a professor in the School of Social Work at Cleveland State University. Miyuki Fukushima Tedor is an associate professor in the Department of Criminology, Anthropology, and Sociology at Cleveland State University.
Congratulations to Dr. Allyson Robichaud On July 1, 2019, Dr. Allyson Robichaud will begin her new position as Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Dr. Robichaud joined the Department of Philosophy at Cleveland State University in 1999. She completed her graduate studies in philosophy at the City University of New York, and while doing so, she was also a Medical Ethics Fellow at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan. Her teaching and research specialty is in the area of theoretical and applied ethics. For the past five years,
8
v
The Innerlink
v
Spring 2019
Dr. Robichaud has been the Chair of the Department of Philosophy & Comparative Religion. From 2006 to 2011, she served as the President of the Bioethics Network of Ohio, a statewide organization serving Ohio bioethicists. Currently, she is actively engaged in the efforts at the university level to develop the next biennium budget and implementation plan for the new university strategic priorities.
CLASS Vikings American Creed
Neither East Nor West
Movie and Discussion
China Contemporary Art Exhibition Neither East Nor West featured more than 20 artists and offered a unique look at the current status of contemporary Chinese art. Curated by Dr. Duan Jun and CSU professor Qian Li, this exhibit included new work in ink painting, oil painting, sculpture, installation, video and more. The exhibition did not emphasize the difference between Eastern and Western cultures but expected to generate new collisions and achievements through exchanges.
On February 19, 2019, Cleveland State’s Department of History, Department of Art and Design, School of Film & Media Arts, and the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences presented “American Creed,” a movie and discussion about what it means to be an American. The movie is a collaborative effort involving Citizen Film with Sam Ball, Facing History and Ourselves, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In these turbulent times, few issues are more relevant than how inhabitants of the United States define citizenship in the United States. That is precisely the subject explored by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Dr. David M. Kennedy and others as they seek common ground on an American creed. The movie concluded with a more aspirational message, which was echoed by members of the audience who were born elsewhere but who came to the United States to pursue their education, a better job, or both. During the discussion, led by Dr. Thomas Humphrey of History and Dr. Samantha Baskind of Art and Design, other members of the audience took a more pragmatic turn as they wrestled with how race, gender, and nationality, especially shaped how people viewed themselves as inhabitants of the United States. In the end, the audience found the movie and discussion interesting and stimulating, but most left feeling uncomfortable with the direction the country is moving under the current administration.
The International Video and Animation Exhibition—held simultaneously to Neither East Nor West—showcased some of the most exciting, innovative, and provocative works of animation and video from around the world. The exhibition embraced a boundary-pushing spectrum of work that included animation, music videos, documentaries, audiovisual, and more. This exhibition included works from 25 artists from around the world, including Germany, Malaysia, UK, Hong Kong, China, and the United States. Both exhibitions were held at The Galleries at CSU from Friday, March 21 through Saturday, April 26, 2019.
CLASS RETIREMENTS ELIZABETH CARLETON, CLASS Dean’s Office TIMOTHY KNAPP, The Galleries at CSU RENEE MADDOX, CLASS Dean’s Office GEORGE MAUERSBERGER, Department of Art & Design LORI SLUSARSKI, School of Social Work SANDY THORP, School of Communication
9
CLASS Vikings Social Work Career Fair The School of Social Work hosted their 3rd annual career fair for Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) students on Thursday, March 28th in the Fenn Tower Ballroom. The career fair has nearly doubled in size over the last three years, from 10 agencies to almost 20. "Social work is all about making connections and working collaboratively to assist the community. The career fair allows agencies to showcase the wonderful work they are doing in the community to help our most marginalized and vulnerable and provides our students a chance to find the right job fit they wouldn't otherwise get," said Dr. Kimberly Fuller, Assistant Professor and developer and organizer of the career fair. The Social Work Career Fair was developed after Dr. Fuller noticed that many of the vendors at traditional job fairs didn't apply to Social Work students." The career fair is part of the School's initiative to increase students' access to job opportunities at the end of their programs. This initiative has been steadily growing over the last five years. Students now have access to practice state licensure exams, CEU opportunities to improve their testing knowledge, and the ability to connect directly with agencies willing to hire. Developing the career fair has also deepened the School's and Cleveland State's connection to the community and enhanced partnerships. Agencies attending the career fair are across all areas of social work practice with children's services, child and adult mental health, geriatric, and chemical dependency being the fields most in demand. The need for social workers is expected to grow by 15% over the next ten years, and Cleveland State is working adamantly to create cutting edge curricula that students can apply in their field settings. The School hopes to expand its efforts over the next several years to help address the market demand and community needs.
10
v
The Innerlink
v
Spring 2019
Interdisciplinary Seminar Series for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences On February 5, 2019, Professor Peter Dunham from the Department of Criminology, Anthropology, and Sociology presented the first talk in the CLASS Interdisciplinary Seminar Series. The lecture, titled “What’s in Your Wallet? The Imagery of NationBuilding on Early American Currencies,” examined how the United States, Mexican, and other New World governments used images on coins and paper currency to build a sense of national identity in the wake of independence from colonial powers. Dr. Dunham emphasized the interdisciplinary nature of this research field, illustrating how it relates to other disciplines such as art history, history, political science, and economics. The second lecture in this series was presented by Professor Shelley Rose from the Department of History. On March 21, 2019, Dr. Rose gave a talk titled “A Tale of Two Projects: Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Digital Humanities,” where she discussed the evolution of a long-term project, Protest Spaces (protestspaces.org), which has evolved from a GIS mapping project to a global interdisciplinary research network. She also discussed her new digital humanities project, Gender Studies Resources (gsrdb.org), and the benefits of interdisciplinary collaboration with both campus and external colleagues starting from the planning stages of a project. Indeed, the goal of the seminar series is to provide a forum for the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS) faculty who are interested in cross-disciplinary collaboration to present their research to and meet with colleagues from other disciplines. The current seminar series traces its roots back several years to the Social Sciences brown bag seminar series coordinated by colleagues from Economics and Sociology. Then, as now, the goal was to bring together faculty from different academic backgrounds to discuss their research and foster dialogue that cuts across traditional disciplinary boundaries. As cross-disciplinary research grows in importance, so too does the need for a venue where faculty can explore opportunities for collaboration. We hope to build on the success of the first two talks and schedule one seminar each month during the academic year.
CLASS Alumni CSU2U Alumni College grew out of what was historically a cocktail reception for alumni located in southwest Florida. In recent years, CSU’s Alumni Association added an educational program featuring our award-winning faculty for a day of learning, engagement, and connection with their alma mater and other alumni. In February, CSU2U headed to Naples, Florida and hosted a full day of presentations and activities which concluded with a reception featuring Harlan Sands, the university’s new president. Two CLASS faculty were on the agenda and addressed the 50-some participants at the Naples Bay Resort.
Bill Kosteas, Associate Professor and Chair of the Economics Department Dr. Kosteas gave two presentations, one on immigration and another on the $15 minimum wage movement. The immigration talk began with an examination of immigration patterns in the United States over the last few decades, highlighting our country’s dominance when it comes to attracting innovators to its shores. The presentation then moved on to discuss some recent research regarding the impact of immigration on nativeborn workers, emphasizing the response of native workers in terms of adjusting their skill sets to benefit from the presence of foreign-born workers rather than competing with them for the same jobs. The talk concluded with a brief discussion of our current employment-based immigration and a comparison to the points-based system used by some countries.
CSU2U
Alumni College
The minimum wage talk discussed the current state of the literature in terms of assessing the effects of minimum wage legislation, with an emphasis on employment outcomes, but also addressing issues such as educational attainment and provision of benefits to impacted workers. The presentation also raised the question of whether the results from research on existing minimum wage legislation are informative for the current debate regarding a $15 federal minimum wage, and the prospect of the recently passed minimum wage ballot initiative in Arkansas serving as a natural experiment to predict the effects of implementing minimum wages at much higher levels than we have seen in the past few decades. Sessions were well attended, and the audience was attentive, engaged, and appreciative. “I thoroughly enjoyed my conversations with alumni who feel a strong connection to Cleveland State and have a deep appreciation of how their time at CSU has paid dividends throughout their lives,” Professor Kosteas said.
Cathleen Lewandowski, Professor and Director of the School of Social Work
Top photo: Bill Kosteas, Economics; Bottom photo: Cathleen Lewandowski, Social Work
Dr. Lewandowski was the luncheon speaker, as well as a presenter for two additional sessions. Following lunch, she discussed the issue of homelessness among families and children, highlighting the short- and long-term consequences of homelessness on children’s development and well-being. Dr. Lewandowski also discussed trends in homelessness and examined cost benefits of different policy options to address homelessness among families with children.
CSU2U
During her other talks, Dr. Lewandowski discussed national trends in the opioid crisis, comparing the current crisis to previous episodes of heroin and opioid epidemics. This topic closed with innovative policy solutions designed to reduce opioid addiction, especially deaths as a result of an overdose. Finally, as a combat veteran, Dr. Lewandowski was honored to talk about veterans’ issues and concerns, examining trends in veteran populations and demographics. She also discussed service needs and current veteran concerns, with an emphasis on suicide prevention and strategies employed by Veterans Affairs to care for veterans and their families. “It was my pleasure to share my interest and area of expertise with these active and engaged CSU alumni,” she said.
11
CLASS Alumni
CLASS Alumni Updates Ed Ryder (’70 BA Political Science & ’77 JD Law) retired after many years as an attorney and a decade as chairman of the Geauga County Republican Party.
Denise Polverine (’91 BA Communication) was inducted into the Press Club of Cleveland. She is the director of digital content and strategy for WKYC TV3.
James C. Schwab (’73 BA Political Science) received the Goddard White Award for national impact to floodplain management from the Association of State Floodplain Managers. He is chair-elect of the APA Hazard Mitigation/Disaster Recovery Planning Division and an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Iowa School of Urban and Regional Planning.
Michael Boddy (’92 BA Communication & ’94 MA Psychology) was selected as one of Smart Business magazine’s Corporate College Smart 50 Award recipients.
Karen Schroeder Hudy (’76 BA English) retired after 40 years as registrar at the Cleveland Institute of Art and was awarded emerita status. Paul Deering (’78 BA Social Studies & ’84 MEd Curriculum & Instruction) is a professor of education at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. He has been with the university since 1993 and developed and directs the master’s in Curriculum Studies with a Middle and Secondary Level Emphasis program which recently evolved to a Pacific Islands STEM focus (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). Dee Perry (’81 BA Communication) received the Cleveland Foundation Legacy Award as part of the 2018 Women of Note awards from Crain’s Cleveland Business. The retired WCPN broadcaster is also the College’s 2018 recipient of CSU’s Distinguished Alumni Award. Steve Yuan (’90 BA Economics) joined Edelman as Executive Vice President, Integrated Analytics & Innovation in the firm’s Chicago health practice.
12
v
The Innerlink
v
Spring 2019
Fabian Onunaku, Sr. (’96 MA Economics) earned a doctor of business administration, management and finance degree from the Baker College Center for Graduate Studies in Flint, Michigan. He is the director of pricing strategy for Motion Industries in Birmingham, Alabama. Kevin McDaniel (’97 BA History & ’02 MEd Adult Learning and Development) was selected as one of the 2019 Leadership Cleveland Class by the Cleveland Leadership Center. He is the executive director at Neighborhood Leadership Institute. Heather Brissett (’99 BA Social Work, ’05 MSW Social Work & ’12 MPA Nonprofit Administration and Leadership) was selected as one of the 2019 Leadership Cleveland Class by the Cleveland Leadership Center. She is the director at Wellness and Family Resource Center, Murtis Taylor Human Services System. Steven Lake (’01 BA Communication) was selected as one of Crain’s Cleveland Business 40 Under 40. He is the vice president of development and community affairs for NewBridge Cleveland. Rev. Michael Denk (’01 BA Communication) is Walsh University’s priest-in-residence for the 2018-19 academic year. He was ordained a priest in 2007.
Gina DeSantis (’02 BA Art) is a ceramics artist whose work was shown this past summer at NY Now. Timothy Beyer (’04 BMus & ’09 MMus) is the artistic director of No Exit New Music Ensemble. Erica Crawley (’08 BA Criminology) was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives, representing District 26, located southeast of Columbus. Kelly Manderfield (’08 MA Applied Communication Theory) was selected as one of the 2019 Leadership Cleveland Class by the Cleveland Leadership Center. She is the chief marketing officer at the Cleveland Metroparks. Ricky Watters (’10 BA Criminology) is the athletic director and men’s coach for Bryant & Stratton College’s new athletics program. He was formerly the head women’s coach at Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School. Katherine Kramer (’11 BA English) is the executive director of the McConnell Arts Center in the Columbus area. The center is a contemporary, multidisciplinary facility that strives to change lives and make memories through creative arts experiences. Matthew Morris (’11 BA Communication) is the director of marketing and technology at Leikin Motor Companies. Rachel Holstein (’12 MA Global Interaction) is the marketing coordinator for Transworld Business Advisors, a brokerage firm in Colorado.
CLASS Alumni
Eric Bonzar (’13 BA Journalism & Promotional Communication) joined the marketing and communication team at the Lorain City School District. Terrence Upchurch (’14 BA Political Science) is a business specialist with Collinwood Nottingham Villages Development Corporation. Amy Sondej (’15 BA Political Science) is a professional horse trainer and owner. Melanie Davis (’16 BA Theatre Arts) is touring with Donny and Marie Osmond. Her job includes running Meet and Greets and handling VIPs and overexcited fans. Emily Dotson (’16 BA Theatre Arts) is a recipient of the Samuel Neff Fellowship for International Studies from the Community Foundation for Crawford County. She is pursuing a master’s degree in theatre design at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and has studied in Paris. Anthony Chadwick (’17 BA Communication) was promoted from ticket sales to manager of corporate partnerships for the Akron RubberDucks.
CLASS VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP Comprised of community leaders, friends of the University and alumni of the College, members of the CLASS Visiting Committee serve as ambassadors to the greater community as well as a “listening board” for Dean Greg Sadlek throughout the academic year. They willingly give of their time, talents and treasures, and we thank them for their support and service. Beginning a new three-year term (July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2021) are new members Nikki Byrd (’00 BA Communication) and Angela Salviejo (’02 BBA Information Systems, ’08 MBA Business Administration). CLASS would like to acknowledge the service of all of our Visiting Committee members, and also Chris Hendryx (’96 BA Economics) who officially concludes two terms of service on June 30, 2019, and his role as Chair of the Visiting Committee. Taking his place at the helm will be Alan Nevel (’96 BA Liberal Studies), Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, and Chief Diversity Officer at the MetroHealth System, who will begin his second three-year term as Visiting Committee Chair.
13
Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Cleveland, OH Permit No. 500
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences 2121 Euclid Avenue, RT 1822 Cleveland, OH 44115-2214
Every February, Cleveland State holds its annual Giving Day. This year, friends and alumni showed their support by raising a record-breaking $283k in just 24 hours, making this Annual Giving Day the most successful to date. Thank you to all who contributed on Giving Day and who helped spread the message and encouraged donations. We continue to provide an excellent education to our students and help them achieve their future goals with such incredible demonstrations of support. Thank you for your commitment to student success. Didn’t have a chance to participate in Giving Day? Visit supportcsu.org/give-today and make a gift to any of the following:
- College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences Annual Fund
- Special Fund, School of Film & Media Arts: this option will help assist students with costs associated with film projects—help offset costs from renting locations, props, wardrobe, and set design.
YOUR GIFT TRULY MAKES A DIFFERENCE!
SIXTH
ANNUAL
University
$308,000 2,440 donors 45 states