T H E M AG A Z I N E O F C A LI F O R N I A S TAT E U N I V E R S IT Y, F U LLE R T O N
S U M M E R /F A L L 2 015
A LIVING LABORATORY Students and Faculty Explore a Changing Landscape at the Desert Studies Center
PRESIDENT’S VIEWPOINT Nearly three years ago, the campus community of California State University, Fullerton joined me in committing to an ambitious goal, one that was born from our five-year strategic plan (2013-2018) and aims to establish the institution as the model public comprehensive university of the nation. We have made great strides toward achieving this aspiration, as evidenced by the steady rise of our first-time, full-time freshman six-year graduation rate from 51.1 percent to 55.7 percent — the highest such rate in the institution’s history. And while the final numbers for the class of 2015 are not yet available, all signs indicate that this rate, along with retention levels in nearly every category, continue to rise. Much of this success stems from an objective outlined in our strategic plan that calls for an expansion of High-Impact Practices (HIPs), teaching methods that are proven to increase rates of retention and graduation for students from all backgrounds. Enter the program REACH, which focuses on the five HIP areas that we believe will most benefit our diverse students: Engaging in Research; Participating in Experiential Learning; Investing Time and Energy in Active Learning; Contributing to the Local, Regional or Global Community; and Experiencing Diversity Through Human Exploration. This issue of Titan magazine reflects our institution’s efforts to ensure REACH is prevalent in every college and throughout the campus community — from the “living laboratory” of our Desert Studies Center to the real-time experiential learning of our student investment teams. I am proud these life-changing programs are available for our diverse students, and confident they are a critical step in our ascension toward becoming the model public comprehensive university of the nation. Sincerely,
Mildred García President California State University, Fullerton
COVER STORY
14 A Living Laboratory Students and faculty collaborate on field research in one of the world’s few desert research facilities: the California State University’s Desert Studies Center in Zzyzx.
2 University News
3 Philanthropic Foundation
5 Titan Athletics
7 Alumni Association
TITAN Titan 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.
SUMMER/FALL 2015 / VOLUME 14, NUMBER 2
IN THIS ISSUE
12 No Risk, All Reward
18 When Storytelling Came to Life
9 Forum
COVER
10 Snapshots
22 Class Notes
28 Titan Profile: Darrell F. Jodoin ’85
EDITOR
Sarah Muñoz
DESIGNER
Howard Chang ’00
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Valerie Orleans ’80
ART DIRECTOR
Mishu Vu
WRITERS
Debra Cano Ramos ’84; Michael Mahi ’83; Pamela McLaren ’79; Kathy Pomykata ’80
PHOTOGRAPHER
Senior biological science student Hanna El-Haddad and teaching assistant Miriam Morua ‘14 (B.S. biological science) collect data on desert plant respiration rates at the California State University’s Desert Studies Center in Zzyzx. Image by Matt Gush
PRESIDENT
Dr. Mildred García
VICE PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT
Matt Gush ’12
Gregory J. Saks
PRODUCTION PLANNER
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS
Andrea Kelligrew ’99
Jeffrey D. Cook
University Operator 657-278-2011 I Titan 657-278-2414 I 2600 Nutwood Avenue, Suite 850, Fullerton, CA 92831 I TITANmagazine@fullerton.edu I © 2015 California State University, Fullerton Nonprofit standard postage paid at Santa Ana, CA I Report address errors to uarecords@fullerton.edu or 657-278-7917
For more university news, please visit news.fullerton.edu.
UNIVERSITY NEWS CELEBRATING COMMENCEMENT Spirits were high as thousands of graduates celebrated at Cal State Fullerton’s May 16-17 commencement ceremonies. An estimated 70,000 were in attendance. Richard Lui, an MSNBC anchor and Saturday’s keynote speaker, challenged graduates to become “personal innovators,” telling them to “do something you didn’t think you could do.” At Sunday’s ceremony, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro, left, told graduates: “Your education has prepared you to succeed in the working world and our nation needs you to succeed.” Visit flickr.com/csufnewsphotos to see more images of the 2015 commencement ceremonies.
CSUF COMMENDED FOR STUDENT SUCCESS EFFORTS Cal State Fullerton was recently highlighted for its efforts to close the achievement gap in the Campaign for College Opportunity’s 2015 State of Higher Education in California: The Latino Report. The report, which examines how the state’s 15 million Latinos are faring in California college and university systems, commended CSUF for its universitywide strategic plan, which includes an explicit goal to cut the achievement gap between underrepresented students and their white and Asian peers in half from the current 12 percent gap. Another report, Excelencia in Education’s “Finding Your Workforce: Latinos in Health,” found that Cal State Fullerton is No. 17 in the nation in awarding bachelor’s degrees to Latinos entering health professions and related programs.
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HONORS FOR PRESIDENT GARCÍA In March, President Mildred García received the Dr. Frank W. Hale Jr. Distinguished Service Award from the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education for dedicating “a substantial period of her career to promoting diversity initiatives in higher education.” In April, she was honored by her alma mater Teachers College of Columbia University with the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Award. A month later, she and five other women presidents in the CSU system received the Trailblazer Award from Leadership California, in recognition of their achievements and leadership in academia. García also was chosen to serve on the nonpartisan National Commission on Financing 21st Century Higher Education, formed by the Miller Center at the University of Virginia. “I look forward to working with the commission to innovate ways to recommit public and private dollars to equitable higher education and the path to social justice it is proven to provide,” she stated.
PHILANTHROPIC FOUNDATION NEW BOARD OF GOVERNORS Three members have been named to Cal State Fullerton’s Philanthropic Foundation Board of Governors: n Bill Cheney, president and CEO of SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, heads the largest credit union for school employees, with more than 645,000 members and $11 billion in assets. n Mark E. Costa, executive director of Kaiser Permanente Orange County, is responsible for the care delivery of more than 500,000 members. n Ingrid Otero-Smart has served as president and CEO of Casanova Pendrill, McCann Worldgroup’s U.S. Hispanic agency, since 2008. She also sits on the advisory board for the University’s College of Communications. Heading the philanthropic board this year is Jeffrey S. Van Harte ’80 (B.A. business administration-finance), chairman and chief investment officer of Jackson Square Partners. Also on the foundation’s 2015-16 executive committee are: Kerri Ruppert Schiller ’82 (B.A. business administration-accounting), senior vice president and chief financial officer, Children’s Hospital of Orange County; Doug Simao, advisory services, Ernst & Young LLP; David Doran ’75 (B.A. business administration-accounting), managing partner, White Nelson Diehl Evans LLP; and Marilyn C. Brewer, California State Assembly, retired.
GRANT FOR WOMEN, POLITICS AND ACTIVISM RESEARCH The John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation has selected the Center for Public and Oral History’s “Women, Politics and Activism” project for a $211,550 grant. Natalie Fousekis, center director and associate professor of history, is leading the project, which will add a significant body of research on the political lives and actions of Southern California women from the 1960s to the present by gathering 100 new oral histories and making accessible another 45 recently recorded interviews. Cal State Fullerton students trained in oral history methodology will conduct a majority of the interviews, which will be made available to the public in fall 2017 through a project-dedicated website. The Haynes Foundation is a leading supporter of social science research in the Los Angeles region.
ABREGO PLEDGES TO ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN Silas Abrego, vice president emeritus for student affairs and newly appointed member of the CSU Board of Trustees, and his wife, Tina, have pledged $50,000 to the Dr. Silas H. Abrego Scholarship Endowment Campaign. The endowment supports the CSUF Abrego Future Scholars — high-achieving, low-income Hispanic students who have shown a commitment to community service, engagement or extracurricular activities. The five-year campaign seeks to grow the endowment to $1 million. This year’s Hispanic Scholarship Golf Tournament at Coyote Hills Golf Course earned more than $150,000. Abrego founded the tournament in 1988.
‘ANIMATION EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR’ Entertainment trade magazine Variety honored Dana Lamb ’75, ’82 (B.A., M.A. art), professor emeritus of art and coordinator of the College of the Arts’ entertainment art/ animation concentration, with its “Animation Educator of the Year” award for his impact on animation as a course of study in higher education. Lamb, a former department chair, helped develop the concentration and has spearheaded relationships with animation studios and entertainment companies throughout Southern California.
GATES FOUNDATION SUPPORTS CALIFORNIA TEACHERS SUMMIT The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation funded the July 31 “Better Together: California Teachers Summit” with $3.5 million in grants, including $1.25 million to Cal State Fullerton, which helped lead the effort. The summit brought 20,000 teachers to sites across California for one day of sharing teaching excellence and education innovation. The free, first-ofits-kind event took place at 33 sites across the state, including Cal State Fullerton and 20 other CSU sites.
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ABREGO NAMED CSU TRUSTEE
CELEBRACIÓN FAMILIAR Cal State Fullerton’s Grand Central Art Center in Santa Ana hosted Celebración Familiar de “Titans” in June with information booths, Ballet Folklórico de CSUF and a rousing welcome from alumnus and retired California state Sen. Lou Correa ’80 (B.A. economics). The event welcomed new students, parents and families to a Spanish-language preview of New Parent and Family Orientation.
BIOLOGIST WINS TEACHING AWARD William “Bill” Hoese, professor of biological science, received this year’s Carol Barnes Excellence in Teaching Award, which acknowledges faculty members who demonstrate academic rigor in teaching consistent with the mission and goals of CSUF and the California State University. President Mildred García noted that “he’s been committed to high-impact practices before it was in vogue.” Hoese has served as co-director of the Southern California Ecosytems Research Program, mentored more than 60 students through the National Science Foundation-funded program and was instrumental in developing the
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California Gov. Jerry Brown appointed Silas H. Abrego a member of the CSU Board of Trustees. The CSUF vice president emeritus for student affairs served more than 26 years in administrative positions on campus. “I am thrilled Silas Abrego will be representing the nearly 500,000 faculty, staff and students of the California State University, a system in which he has dedicated his life and career so that quality higher education is accessible and affordable for the diverse students of our state,” said President Mildred García.
INNOVATION IN EDUCATION
Biology Undergraduate Research Scholars Training (BURST), a new undergraduate research-training effort. He also has helped to make innovative curriculum and course redesign changes to improve student achievement and developed a senior-level course in ornithology.
Cal State Fullerton and its partners in the Santa Ana Partnership received $5 million as part of California’s Awards for Innovation in Higher Education, an effort to make system-level changes to precollege academic preparation and the college access and completion process to strengthen Santa Ana’s quality of life and economy. The partnership is a collaboration between CSUF, UC Irvine, Santa Ana College and the Santa Ana Unified School District. A $34.5-million disbursement was distributed among CSUF, seven other CSU campuses and their partners.
TITAN ATHLETICS
Image by Matt Brown
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ADVANCED TO SEMIS IN BIG WEST TOURNEY The Cal State Fullerton women’s basketball team (13-19) finished the 2014-15 season with a run into the Big West Tournament semifinal round for the first time since the 2013 season. Fullerton beat UC Riverside and Cal Poly in the opening rounds of the conference tournament before falling to Hawai’i, the Big West Conference regularseason champions. The senior foursome of Chante Miles, Tailer Butler, Kathleen Iwuoha and Natalie Williams all left their own mark on the school record book. Williams finished her career with 53 blocks and is in eighth place on the Fullerton all-time shot blockers list. Butler is in fifth place for three-pointers made in a season (58) and fourth place for threepoint shots attempted (206). Iwuoha became one of the top five rebounders in school history in her final year. Miles ends her career in eighth place all-time in points with (1,479 points). Miles also garnered the first Big West Player of the Week nod for Fullerton since the 2009 season and was given All-Big West First-Team honors.
DANCE TEAM BRINGS HOME ANOTHER TITLE The Cal State Fullerton Dance Team clinched its 14th UDA/UCA Collegiate National Championship at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando in February. The Titans competed in the Division I Jazz category, finishing ahead of fellow Big West competitor Long Beach State (5th). “Our team represented CSUF with pure class, hard work and dedication,” head coach Jennie Volkert said. Fullerton also finished second in the Division I Pom category for the second straight year. Saint Joseph’s University placed first.
HARRIS IN THE 1,000 CLUB Senior guard Alex Harris, who was selected honorable mention All-Big West Conference for the second time, completed his Titan career with 1,196 points. He is the 23rd Titan to score 1,000 points and is No. 12 in the rankings.
TAUKEIAHO AN ALL-AMERICAN Cal State Fullerton junior third baseman Missy Taukeiaho was named to the 2015 NFCA Division I All-America Third Team. Taukeiaho becomes Cal State Fullerton’s first two-time All-American since 2003, while being the 29th Titan to be named to an NFCA All-America Team and the 39th selection overall.
HELPING NEPAL REBUILD Two Titan faculty members flew to Nepal to assist after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that hit the country April 25. Jeffrey A. Kottler, top, professor of counseling and founder of the nonprofit Empower Nepali Girls, traveled with a medic and a hospital administrator, treating 744 patients in two weeks. He plans to return to Nepal in December with a group of students to assist victims with post-traumatic stress disorder. Binod Tiwari, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, co-led a team of 11 geotechnical experts to Nepal. Tiwari was part of the national Geotechnical Extreme Event Reconnaissance Team funded by the National Science Foundation, which collected technical information to support the rebuilding of the country. A Los Angeles Times reporter caught up with Tiwari in Kathmandu and reported on his efforts in a Page 1 story in the June 15 edition.
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STARS SHARE LIFE LESSONS Former NBA star Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson spoke to students in March, sharing stories about his basketball career and entrepreneurial success and offering inspiration to the next generation of business leaders. “If you do right, if you have a great reputation, if you are a man or woman of your word, if you will be there on time, it will happen to you, too,” he said. May saw “Orange Is the New Black”
actress and transgender advocate Laverne Cox also fill the Titan Gym as she shared her own experience and encouraged those in attendance to move beyond gender expectations. The Emmy-nominated Cox cited statistics showing that 78 percent of K-12 students who identify as transgender or gender nonconforming have experienced harassment and bullying. “It is a state of emergency for far too many people across this nation,” she said.
MATHEMATICIAN IS OUTSTANDING PROFESSOR Mathematics professor Scott Annin received the 2015 Outstanding Professor Award, which honors a faculty member with a record of superlative teaching and scholarship who contributes to the stature of the University and the CSU system. “The thing that most people would tell you about me is that I still believe in educating people one concept at a time, one student at a time and one moment at a time,” said Annin, who is co-directing a $600,000 National Science Foundation-funded grant project to support disadvantaged students aspiring to earn a graduate degree in mathematics.
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 your fellow Titans. Exclusive membership benefits include: • Online career tools • Business networking through the Chapters & Clubs program • Invitations to Alumni Association Events • Access to all 23 CSU libraries • Two-for-one tickets to Titan Athletics games • Cal State Fullerton performing arts discounts • Access the online Titan alumni network powered by IntroMaps Join online today at fullerton.edu/alumni or by calling 657-CSU-ALUM. Use promotion code 15TMS when joining online. Offer valid while supplies last! 6 I TITAN SUMMER/FALL 2015
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION LIBERAL STUDIES PROFESSOR WINS FACULTY LEADERSHIP AWARD
WELCOME TO OUR CLASS OF 2015 ALUMNI More than 1,800 new graduates proudly joined the Cal State Fullerton Alumni Association this spring, and more than 1,100 of these became donors by contributing to the 2015 Class Gift. We welcome these new alumni and thank them for their contribution to the University.
NIGHT OF THE PACHYDERM Alumni, parents, students and guests gathered for the Cal State Fullerton Alumni Association’s annual Night of the Pachyderm baseball tailgate this spring. After the tailgate, Titans cheered the baseball team on to victory over UC Irvine.
DINNER WITH 12 TITANS This spring, 10 alumni invited students into their homes to host the inaugural round of Dinner With 12 Titans. Almost 60 students attended various dinners where alumni treated them to a meal as well as their perspectives and advice on life after graduation. Students raved about the connections they made, while hosts enjoyed hearing about the current state of life on campus. The program, sponsored by the Student Success Initiative, is set to continue in the fall. To host a D12 dinner, visit fullerton.edu/alumni/d12.
ALUMNI DIRECTORY PUBLISHES SOON
Interested in tracking down old friends, roommates or classmates? Let us help you! We want to make it easier for you to connect with fellow Titans. The Cal State Fullerton Alumni Today directory will be available for purchase in both hardcover and CD-ROM. You’re invited to share your graduation year, basic employment information, contact details and any notes you want to include to let former peers know what you’ve been up to. To update your information or to order the directory, call 1-800-224-2908.
Emily Miller Bonney, associate professor of liberal studies and the 2015-16 chair of the Academic Senate, is this year’s recipient of the Faculty Leadership in Collegial Governance Award. Bonney, who joined the University in 1995 and was involved in the transition of liberal studies from a program to a department, has served as an administrative fellow in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences since 2013.
30-YEAR EDUCATOR RECEIVES SHIELDS AWARD Zvi Drezner, professor emeritus of information systems and decision sciences and a renowned scholar in the field of location analysis, is this year’s recipient of the L. Donald Shields Excellence in Scholarship and Creativity Award. Drezner, who has taught at Cal State Fullerton for 30 years, was named a Fellow of the Institute of Operations Research and Management Science; the organization also honored him with its Lifetime Achievement in Location Analysis Award. In 2006, he received the Outstanding Professor Award and, two years later, the CSU Wang Family Excellence Award.
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By Michael Mahi / Image by Jimmy Rash
Titans’ Amazing Road to Omaha he Road to Omaha started back in February when the Titans baseball team played in the Opening Weekend Challenge in Clearwater, Fla. It officially ended with a June 16 loss to LSU on the biggest stage in college baseball — the 2015 College World Series in Omaha, Neb. Family, friends, fans, coaches, players and University officials all agree it’s not the end, but rather the latest chapter in the Titan’s storied baseball history. “We will be back,” President Mildred García told Titan fans. “It’s fabulous what they have done, and I want to thank coach Rick Vanderhook, all his assistants and the players for once again displaying how ‘Titans Reach Higher’ and for putting us on the national stage.” How they punched their ticket to the national championship after a five-year drought was nothing short of amazing. The team opened the regular season by losing three of its first four games, then dropped seven of nine from March 10-25. They gained momentum and ended capturing the Big West title, winning regionals and super regionals. An 11thinning home run by David Olmedo-Barrera in the third and decisive game in Louisville served as an exclamation point on the season.
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This was the Titans’ 17th College World Series appearance. Cal State Fullerton has won four national championships (1979, 1984, 1995, 2004), making the program one of the elite in college baseball. For the faithful who followed the Titans to Omaha to watch them play in TD Ameritrade Park, the experience was priceless. They roared when the Titans scored, celebrated great plays, waved orange and blue pom-poms and kept the rhythm of the game steady, singing out “Let’s go, Titans! Let’s go, Titans!” Olmedo-Barrera’s mother, Charlaine, summed up the experience for all the parents, fans and players: “All of this has been awesome.” When they returned to Cal State Fullerton from Omaha June 17, more than 200 fans greeted them, waving signs and cheering. “It’s always great to go to the College World Series, and I love seeing the outpouring of support for the team and the University,” said Patty Sexton, who worked in the Athletics Department for 30 years before retiring. “I’m so proud of these boys.” The Titans went on to represent the United States at the 2015 World University Games July 3-14 in Gwangju, South Korea. n
FORUM Congratulations, 2015 Graduates! What do you wish you could have told your freshman self?
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FOLLOWING
Tim Alexander (B.F.A. theatre arts-acting) The classes you’re taking are not about getting a grade associated with what you’ve retained. It’s more about developing you holistically and how you can be a better citizen within society.
Laura Owens (B.A. sociology) Sleep is important because you function better, and sometimes you do need a day off so you don’t get sick. I got sick a lot my freshman year.
Harpreet Bath (B.A. business administration) I would tell my freshman self to challenge myself, to never get comfortable in any one position and to expand my experiences as much as I can, because I don’t get those years again.
Michael Ayala (B.A. communicationspublic relations) Don’t procrastinate, because it’s really bad. I’m feeling it right now.
Robert Dudley (M.S. kinesiology) Do more things outside of class. Get involved in research and don’t just go to class.
Samantha Hildebrandt (B.A. theatre arts) I would tell myself to become more involved with the activities and events on campus because I missed out on a lot, and I think I could have had a much more enjoyable four years.
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Álvaro Ornelas embraces his daughter Claudia Ornelas
during the Chicano/Latino and Native American graduation celebration.
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Ludacris brought the house down during the
Associated Students Inc. 2015 Spring Concert on the intramural field.
Tuffy takes selfies with students.
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A sea of caps
and gowns filled the intramural field as thousands of proud graduates and their families celebrated this year’s commencement.
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Dressed as planet Earth, women’s studies major
Catherine Craig high-fives a student during Earth Week festivities.
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Opera star and alumna Deborah Voigt assists
music major Juliet Kidwell during a master class at Clayes Performing Arts Center’s Meng Concert Hall.
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Visitors catch
a glimpse and a whiff of the rare Amorphophallus titanum, also known as the corpse flower, at the Fullerton Arboretum.
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By Pam McLaren / Images by Matt Gush
No Risk All Reward Future Investors and Money Managers Bank on Hands-On Learning
Michael Milligan, center, who directs the student investment program, helps prepare Titans for careers in portfolio management and securities analysis. 12 I TITAN SUMMER/FALL 2015
group of finance students is huddled in the corner of employment opportunities that prior students had access to,” a room, staring at computer screens. They scan stock says Brandon M. Young. The investment program “has allowed data and market news. They write analyses. They buy. me to gain real-world insight into the markets that I was Sell. Trade. not expecting.” It’s another day for Cal State Fullerton’s student investment Alumnus Funds Student Success teams. Every day they meet is an exercise in applying what they Jeffrey Van Harte ‘80 (B.A. business administrationhave learned in the classroom — using real funds to make real finance), chairman and chief investment officer of Jackson investments in the stock market, while gaining invaluable Square Partners, helped finance the initial startup of the experience in portfolio management and securities analysis. student-managed investment fund. Earlier this year, he gave The returns on their investments already are being put to good an additional $1.5 million toward the establishment of a new use in support of various campus programs, such as the Tutoring investment management center. Center in the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics. Dubbed Titan Capital Management, the center will Michael Milligan, who teaches the two-semester, enhance the educational experience students are already receiving two-course program, stresses by creating a lab similar to trading the importance of making the floors of major financial instituexperience as realistic as possible tions, says the alumnus. They will to “bring students up to speed on be able to watch changes in the what they will be dealing with stock market while they research when they begin their careers. companies and analyze the “This program has leveled the latest stock quotes, options and playing field for our students,” says exchange-traded funds. Milligan, who debriefs students “The space will mirror after their job interviews to gain the real world of an investment further insight that can be used management operation with to help get those jobs. “It’s a great real-time experiential learning,” learning experience to be working Van Harte notes. “By endowing this in that kind of atmosphere.” program with a larger gift, we will Employers already are picking “By endowing this program with a larger gift, we be able to double the number of the up on what graduates from the will be able to double the number of the students students involved with the program, program can do. In the past two involved with the program, have dedicated have dedicated facilities and, long years, Goldman Sachs has hired facilities and, long term, the program will pay for itself term, the program will pay for itself several of the program’s alumni, with distributions from the enincluding Kelsie Ornelas, who with distributions from the endowment.” dowment. It will be something the graduated in May. “It was, by far, — Jeffrey Van Harte students, faculty and the business the best decision I have made in my community can count on.” college career,” she says of the investSays Anil Puri, dean of ment program. “I gained in-depth Mihaylo College: “The planned lab will have several state-ofknowledge of the capital markets and learned valuable financial the-art Bloomberg terminals that provide current financial analytical skills that are applicable to many finance-related jobs. I information for use by students and faculty. The space also will also learned how to work closely with teammates and navigate the house a special seminar room so students can work together.” recruitment process for finance jobs.” Van Harte’s gift, adds Puri, also will help expand the Graduates from the Class of 2014 also have begun making current offering in equity analysis to the bond markets and their mark. Christian Alvarez is on the institutional municipal then to other asset classes. “It will thus grow the scope of our bond desk for Edward Jones; Brian Ross works for Nestlé in its investment analysis program and, we expect, make it a management sector program; Taek Lim is a junior analyst for nationally recognized lab for such research and training.” Deutsche Bank; and Thomas Reinholm is working at Jackson “The students, faculty and board members that touch this Square Partners. Three members of the Class of 2013 — Blake program will be responsible for making consistent distributions to Cornwell, Caleb Flores and Martin Santana — are now working help pay for the program,” adds Van Harte. “That tight alignment at Pacific Life. Others work for Export-Import Bank, Disney, of interests means everyone is taking their game up, so to speak, U.S. Trust and Wells Fargo. and makes the classroom experience all the more relevant.” n “Going into the program, I knew that there were some great
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Students and Faculty Explore a Changing Landscape at the Desert Studies Center
A LIVING LABORATORY By Valerie Orleans / Images by Matt Gush
With the dry remains of Lake Mojave in the distance, Edward Knell, associate professor of anthropology, and Richard Saldana ’14 (B.A. anthropology) search the hills surrounding Zzyzx for stone quarry sites once harvested for toolmaking. Saldana will begin his graduate studies in anthropology in the fall. 14 I TITAN SUMMER/FALL 2015
ooking at sediment core samples drawn from a dry lake in the Mojave Desert, Matthew Kirby and his students study the effects of climate change over thousands of years. "I tell my students that 15,000 years ago, you would have needed a boat to get from here to Las Vegas," says the associate professor of geological sciences. "Many of the lakes we study are dry, but they have lessons for us today. We look at the history of the region, analyze changes that have occurred and, based on what’s relevant, make predictions for the future." For many years, Cal State Fullerton professors have taken their students to the California State University’s Desert Studies Center in Zzyzx to research climate change, astronomy,
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archaeology and paleontology, and other fields of study. The center is one of the world's few desert research facilities. "People often misjudge the desert environment," says David Bowman, professor of geological sciences and interim dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Much of the desert, he explains, is sensitive. "You have the fragile desert pavement, lake beds, habitat … We study the desert to see how human activity impacts this environment.” "We receive visitors from around the world," says William Presch, director of the Desert Studies Center. "Of course, we get lots of students but we also host artists, archaeologists, climatologists, geologists, biologists and many others. To us, the desert is a living laboratory — an outside classroom."
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Learning From Life Like Kirby, Edward Knell and his students also study the dry lake beds, but with a different mission. The associate professor of anthropology looks for evidence of early ancestors’ ways of life. Based on stone fragments and other artifacts, Knell can reconstruct how people, as early as 13,000 years ago, made and used stone tools and how and where they settled around pluvial Lake Mojave. The Desert Studies Center is near the southern end of this ancient lake, which would fill with water when precipitation was much higher than today. He also can document early migration patterns. “Where there is water, there are people,” Knell explains. “Not only do people drink the water, but animals came to the lakes to drink and, in turn, became a food source for humans. As lakes dried out, the human inhabitants moved on. We often study what they left behind for clues to how they lived, what they ate and where they traveled.” Darren Sandquist, professor of biological science, has his students studying the biology of the desert. 16 I TITAN SUMMER/FALL 2015
“Living things in the desert need to be tough,” he laughs. “Often they are living on the edge of catastrophe because of the conditions — and we see them adapt. It’s great for the students because they’ve read about these life forms in class. Now they get to see them firsthand. It’s hard to replicate that sense of realism in the classroom. When you go into the field, you achieve a greater understanding of what’s happening.” Sandquist’s students study desert ecology, plant physiology and how different organisms — both plant and animal — meet the challenges of this often harsh and hot environment. In fact, students often go out early in the morning and then later in the evening, when temperatures are cooler and when more animals and reptiles may be active. “We use black lights to look for scorpions at night when they’re active,” he states. “We see their habitat and temperature preferences. We have a species list, and we try to find the things we’ve studied — not just scorpions, but also desert tortoises, rattlesnakes, creosote bushes and desert holly. We also see mutualism in the desert. For example, the yucca plant and the yucca moth need each other.
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1 Students researching the desert scorpion’s habitat used black lights to spot them, then collected data on size and the substrate where they reside. 2 A chuckwalla emerges from his hiding spot. 3 Students search for a pristine bird habitat for future study. 4 Ancient Native American petroglyphs dot the landscape, remnants of a civilization that inhabited the area thousands of years earlier. 5 Christopher Tracy, assistant professor of biological science, shares with his research group thermal readings of a desert holly plant.
For more images and video of the Desert Studies Center, visit news.fullerton.edu/livinglaboratory.
Where you find one, you’ll find the other.” Biological science student Miguel Morales studied ants on a recent class trip to Zzyzx. “The class breaks into groups to study different organisms,” he explains. “Some watched lizards, others studied birds, others analyzed plants. My group watched ants to see how they interact with other species, survive in the desert and work together. We’d see an ant and follow its trail. “Being in the desert helps reinforce the lessons we learned in class,” adds Morales. “For example, birds follow ants because they may lead them to a carcass that is edible. You don’t always think of how species interact under harsh conditions, but this experience makes it much clearer." All these activities help solidify knowledge for students by reinforcing classroom instruction. The fact that the center is a self-sufficient research facility means that many long-term studies have noted that lizards that were once thought to have disappeared from the area returned four years ago. New insects have moved in. Researchers have spotted 270 species of birds — up from 180 species more than 15 years ago. So what does this mean? Climate change. “You often
find the first warning signs of climate change in the desert,” says Bowman. "We are now seeing grackles out here — and we never saw them before,” adds Presch. “We suspect they're migrating further north from Mexico. If they are coming this far, that could suggest that it's getting too warm for them farther south. Or it could be because of changes in rainfall. With the lizards, they may have lost the insects they needed to eat. With the return of these insects, their population grew once again. With climate change, deserts, ice sheets and coral reefs are most affected. That's why the desert is such an important source of information.” Even wind and dust are studied. "When wind storms blow across the desert, they can create dust clouds,” says Bowman. “A dust cam watches the movement. Often plants can be buried or their roots can be exposed. The dryer the desert, the more sand that moves.” "The desert is sort of the canary in the coal mine," Presch explains. "And we have many ways of monitoring these changes. Not many places can offer long-term studies. We've been here for 40 years, and the center is a flagship institution for the future.” n CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON I 17
Almost 30 years ago, three gung-ho professors banded together to bring animation to the College of the Arts
WHEN STORYTELLING CAME TO
Life By Sarah Mu単oz
18 I TITAN SUMMER/FALL 2015
n the mid-1990s, Dana Lamb, Don Lagerberg and Larry Johnson actually had to go back to high school to get the University’s animation program off the ground. With a solid art foundation and a strong emphasis on drawing skills already a tradition at Cal State Fullerton, the art professors, along with then-Dean Jerry Samuelson, chose to build a partnership with the animation industry to understand what was needed with the help of a high school teacher who was already knee-deep in the animation trenches. We spoke with some of the founders, alumni and students to find out just what has made this program generate such sought-after talent.
I brought my dean at the time, Jerry Samuelson, and our illustration faculty over to Master’s high school to show them what he was doing.
Dana Lamb ’75, ’82 (B.A., M.A. art), professor emeritus of art, Variety’s “Animation Educator of the Year”: We had a small group of illustration students who saw that entertainment was starting to hire a lot. Our first students were actually very good illustrators who then went back and started redeveloping their artwork for the entertainment business. I give them a lot of credit because they did that almost on their own.
Lamb: Dave Master gave me his training materials — what he was using to train artists in the industry — and so we built our curriculum around industry-based training methods. And it worked! It was kind of like magic.
I
Larry Johnson ’74, ’76 (B.A., M.A. art-design), professor emeritus of art, former chair: Don Lagerberg was probably one of the most critical components of what transpired because as a professor of drawing and painting with a focus on figurative art, Don also had an interest in popular culture. And we watched what was going on in the industry. Don, Dana and I were always paying attention to our alums who were in the field, and we were trying to figure out how we could develop something that could sustain a bigger pool of students toward a degree in that area. Adolph Lusinsky ’93 (B.F.A. – art Lusinsky’s credits include illustration), director of cinematogra“Big Hero 6” — 2014 phy – lighting, Walt Disney AnimaAcademy Award winner for Best Animated Feature tion Studios: I was fortunate to go — and “Wreck-It Ralph.” through the illustration and painting route. It gave me the basic tools that I needed to build on. It was great to have teachers that supported me. Larry, Dana, Don — those three I identified with the most. Lamb: I had a good friend, Dave Master, who was teaching animation in high school. He had a regional occupationtraining program, and his students were getting hired by the studios literally out of high school.
Octavio Rodriguez (art-entertainment Among Rodriguez’s art/animation), story artist, Pixar credits: “Monsters Animation Studios: I was there in University,” “Star Wars: the very beginning of the animation The Clone Wars” and program. It was still almost a twinkle in “Fanboy & Chum Chum.” somebody’s eye. I was at Cal State LA originally — a biology major, set to become a dentist.
Practice and Opportunity Cal State Fullerton’s animation program began during what’s often called the Second Golden Age of Animation, a few years after “The Little Mermaid” opened the floodgates to a slew of financial and critical successes.“We jumped on that wave,” says Lamb, “and let it carry us.” Back then, the teleconferencing rooms in the basement of Pollak Library served as meeting points between students and artists at Warner Bros., Disney and other studios. These artists would challenge students to do professional studio work, connect back a week later and review it.
Lamb: Some of the best artists the studios had were working with our students, calling in during their lunch breaks. By the time we stopped teleconferencing, we were already in partnership with a lot of studios. We started building direct partnerships, especially through internships. The DreamCrit program is sponsored by DreamWorks Animation and is the closest duplication. Nickelodeon has students presenting their work to their people in what they call Master Classes.
The musicians on these pages come to life in “Making Music,” a short video by alumnus and animation director Justin Ridge, available for viewing on vimeo.com/justinridge. CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON I 19
Storyboard sketch courtesy of alumnus Octavio Rodriguez. See more at octavio991.tumblr.com.
Lessons Learned Storyboarding. Character design. Environments. The animation program is designed to challenge students to challenge themselves, says Grieb, but also to help produce portfolios that will demonstrate professional practice and a full understanding of the concepts and principles applied in storytelling.
Grieb: We stay focused on the principles of animation, storytelling, entertainment — and that has served us and our students exceptionally well over the years.
Farnaz Esnaashari-Charmatz ’04 Esnaashari-Charmatz’s (B.F.A. art-entertainment art/animacredits include “Dora tion), creator and producer, “Shimmer the Explorer” and & Shine,” Nickelodeon: I was the first “Go, Diego! Go!” post-production intern at Nickelodeon. Had it not been for the internship, I might not be at Nickelodeon today. An internship is like the ultimate job interview. The reason I got hired as a production assistant was because they went back to the person that I had interned for, and he gave me a high recommendation based on my internship. Victoria Gould (student, B.F.A. art-entertainment art/animation): I just finished a TV production internship at DreamWorks. I worked on “All Hail King Julien,” one of their first shows for Netflix. Christopher McCoy ’15 (B.F.A. art-entertainment art/animation): Apart from learning from fantastic instructors, I’ve had the opportunity to head up to DreamWorks through the DreamCrit program. It was amazing to have one of their artists look at my work and give me professional advice. Chuck Grieb, professor of art and coordinator, animation program: The students who get internships are more than just a resume to employers — they often get hired. The internships also give students the chance to meet the people who make the shows and to see what the demands are on those artists. 20 I TITAN SUMMER/FALL 2015
Justin Ridge ’03 (B.F.A. art-entertainRidge’s credits include ment art/animation), lead director, “Avatar: The Last “Star Wars Rebels”: What I got most Airbender,” “Star Wars: from the animation program was Clone Wars” and “The developing a good work ethic — Cleveland Show.” and learning teamwork. Okay, I know that’s actually two, but they’re both extremely important. Rodriguez: The industry is changing ever so much. The core things — practicing, drawing a lot and writing — are huge. That never goes away. Esnaashari-Charmatz: The animation program was not easy. It helped me realize my strengths and my weaknesses. When you get to postproduction, there is no such thing as missing dates. You have to do whatever it takes to get it done — and that’s what being in animation was like at Cal State Fullerton. Dates were hard, set in stone. At one point, I literally lived inside the classroom for two weeks until I made sure I hit my dates. That was a very valuable lesson. Gould: I’d been so programmed in high school to think, “Art school’s my goal.” But I was offered a full ride through President’s Scholars, and I’m so glad I accepted. Dana Lamb personally took me on a tour of the College of the Arts, and I was sold. It’s one of the best decisions I made. I just wish I could go back to high school and tell myself that. Brian Crawford ’15 (B.F.A. art-entertainment art/animation): I’ve always thought animated films were a special kind of art, capable of impacting a wide audience. When I learned at 14 that
“Animation is very much a craft,” says Chuck Grieb, professor of art and coordinator of the animation program, who teaches both traditional and 3D animation. Photo by Matt Gush
animation was an actual field of study, I decided to go for it. Cal State Fullerton was the only college to which I applied.
Rodriguez: I have a 20-year span working in animation, but my biggest thing in this business is being able to keep developing your skill set and grow in responsibility — however else you can. I’m working on “Dia de los Muertos,” a Pixar film that involves Mexican culture. It’s exciting for me, being Latino, being dominicano. I’m excited about letting my kids see it. Leaving that legacy is a big deal for me. Gould: I always loved cartoons, which is part of why I wanted to get into it, but I really love the collaboration and creativity of it, which is different from other concentrations. In animation, there is a lot of creative bonding. Lamb: Schools can put all sorts of glossy brochures out there
and make all sorts of claims, but studios only pay attention when they realize they’re hiring a lot of people from a particular school. It’s a business, and it’s pragmatic that way.
Gould: So many Cal State Fullerton people are in the industry. At DreamWorks alone, I’ve met so many. We are everywhere. Crawford: I chose Cal State Fullerton over other schools because I saw the talent coming out of it — particularly the student film “Flightless” by Raymond Fero ’08 (B.F.A. art-illustration and entertainment art/animation). When I started moving through the program, I became increasingly aware of how influential the faculty is to my understanding of the medium and its effective use. They take industry-seasoned methods and push our animation further. Ridge: My classmates, most of whom are now in the industry in some form or another, and I knew we had to work together and push ourselves as much as possible to get a running start for when we graduated. The faculty saw this and really helped support our passion and guide us as much as possible toward our goals. Lamb: Our students are very, very popular with the industry because they come with a real hunger. There’s no attitude of privilege or entitlement. They work hard, want to make a good impression and make great colleagues. That’s the nature of a Cal State Fullerton student. n CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON I 21
CLASS NOTES CAROLE J. CAROOMPAS ’68 (B.A. art) was one of the artists featured in “Cut From the Same Cloth,” a group exhibition at Los Angeles’ Charlie James Gallery. She has exhibited at several galleries, including MOCA, The Getty in Los Angeles, the Pasadena Museum of California Art and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.
’60s
JULIE GREINER ’75 (B.A. business administrationmanagement), a 1999 CSUF Vision & Visionaries honoree, is retiring from Macy’s Inc. after a 40-year career with the company and its predecessor companies. She has served as the chief merchandise planning officer since 2009. Prior to this role, Greiner was chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s Florida. She also was senior executive vice president of New Yorkbased Bloomingdale’s and served as its director of stores.
’70s
VICTORIA VASQUES ’76 (B.S. human services), president and CEO of Tribal Tech, LLC, was named the U.S. Small Business Administration Person of the Year, Northern Virginia region for her outstanding achievements. She also was named Native Woman Business Owner of the Year at the National Reservation Economic Summit and was a recipient of the Enterprising Woman of the Year award by Enterprising Women magazine. Tribal Tech was No. 508 in Inc. magazine’s list of “5000 Fastest Growing Companies.”
22 I TITAN SUMMER/FALL 2015
Alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents and community partners are fighting for Cal State Fullerton’s future. Will you join us?
advocacy.fullerton.edu ROBERT K. BRAULIK ’82 (B.A. political science) was appointed in February to the position of city manager for Martinez, in Contra Costa County. He formerly served as town manager in the city of Ross in Marin County.
’80s
BILL L. CADMAN ’89 (B.A. business administration-marketing), a state senator in Colorado, became the first Republican to lead the Colorado chamber since 2004. A senator since 2000, Cadman also operates his own firm, Advantage Marketing and Public Relations, a political campaign firm. TIMOTHY W. CARMACK ’80 (B.A. business administration-accounting) was named chief financial officer for Sidra Medical and Research Center in Qatar. He has served as chief financial officer for such institutions as Huntington Memorial Hospital, Good Samaritan Hospital and Anaheim Memorial Medical Center.
JENNIFER L. HEINLY ’82 (B.A. communications), president of J&J Consulting, is an adjunct professor at Concordia University in Irvine. GRACE A. MUCCI ’89 (M.S. counseling) is a pediatric neuropsychologist and coordinator of the neuropsychology program at Children’s Hospital of Orange County — a position she sought out after attending a Cal State Fullerton family therapy course. She teaches a physiological psychology course at Argosy University and is co-editor of a book titled “Handbook for Long Term Care of the Childhood Cancer Survivor.” DENISE M. PENN ’80 (B.A. English) is editor-in-chief of bimagazine.org and an AIDS prevention activist. She is co-chair of the LGBT Caucus and a member of the board of directors for the American Institute of Bisexuality.
MANUEL J. RAMIREZ ’88 (B.A. business administration-accounting), chairman and president of Ramirez Jimenez International, has retired from the California Board of Accountancy, where he served for seven years. WENDY ROBINSON-HERRERA ’86, ’97 (B.A. theatre arts, learning handicapped credential), who spoke at the University’s Celebration of Life for James and Dottie Young, teaches at Walter Dexter Middle School in Whittier and has been teaching for 22 years. DOUGLAS E. SCRIBNER ’85 (B.A. art) was named dean of the Health and Public Services Division at Doña Ana Community College in New Mexico. He had been director of the pharmacy technician program at Central New Mexico Community College. LAWRENCE A. SIDOTI ’87 (B.A. communications-advertising) has been named vice president of franchise development for the Irvine-based Ruby Restaurant Group. A 20-year franchising specialist, Sidoti developed such franchise powerhouses as Yogurtland, Juice it Up and Mrs. Fields Cookies. RICHARD ROHM ’80 (B.A. business administration-accounting) was appointed city treasurer for Orange. Rohm, a certified public accountant with Rohm and Rohm CPAs, will serve until November 2016.
A Bequest of Life Insurance to CSUF Is Easier Than You Think A bequest of your life insurance policy is an easy way for you to make an impact at CSUF. A gift of life insurance is as easy as naming Cal State Fullerton as the beneficiary of all or a portion of your policy on your beneficiary designation form. Your life insurance proceeds will help further the mission and goals of Cal State Fullerton, and your estate will benefit from an estate tax charitable deduction for the value of the proceeds paid. For more information on how you can support CSUF through a bequest of life insurance, please contact Joan Rubio at 657-278-3947 or CSUFPlannedGift@fullerton.edu.
To submit news about yourself, please email titanmagazine@fullerton.edu.
fullerton.edu/CSUFPlannedGift CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON I 23
EDWARD B. WILSON ’83 (B.A. communications) is now deputy director/deputy chief information officer, Information Resources Directorate at NASA/Johnson Space Center.
ANTHONY J. GALES ’98 (B.A. business administration-accounting), a certified public accountant, has joined Rossi LLP as senior manager of tax and accounting services.
ANGELA ZEPEDA ’89 (B.A. communications-advertising) was named president, chief marketing officer for marketing communications agency Lowe Campbell Ewald in April. Zepeda has served with the organization for 10 years, most recently as president and managing director of its Los Angeles office.
JAN M. GARRETT ’90 (B.A. business administration-marketing) was named director of strategic business development and marketing for Category Partners LLC, a retail category management service provider. Garrett previously served as national trade relations manager for the California Strawberry Commission.
CINDY ABBOTT ‘93, ‘96 (B.A. physical education, M.S. kinesiology), a CSUF health science faculty member, completed the 1,000-mile dogsled race known as the Iditarod in Alaska in March. Abbott, who successfully climbed Mount Everest in 2010, extinguished the Widow’s Lamp (an Iditarod tradition) that had been lit at the start of the race, signifying she was the final musher. In recognition of her determination, Abbott received the Wells Fargo Red Lantern for Perseverance. She is the first woman to summit Mount Everest and complete the Iditarod.
’90s
ALISA AZPEITIA ’91 (B.A. business administration-accounting) has joined the American College of Surgeons as manager of finance and facilities. MICHAEL D. BODEEN ’97 (B.S. biochemistry) teaches human anatomy and physiology at Grand Canyon University, a private Christian university in Phoenix. TIMOTHY D. DREVNO ’93 (B.A. criminal justice) was named offensive coordinator and offensive line coach for the University of Michigan’s football team in January. He previously served as offensive line coach for the University of Southern California and began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Cal State Fullerton.
24 I TITAN SUMMER/FALL 2015
SHERRIE L. GUERRERO ’96 (M.A. speech communication) was appointed to the Mt. San Jacinto College Board in March. She is associate superintendent of instruction and institutional effectiveness at Chaffey College. KRISTIN D. JONES ’90, ’94 (B.A., M.A. geography) has taught geography at Orange Coast College for 21 years and is a member of the Los Angeles Geographical Society. DOUGLAS L. KOEGEBOEHN ’94 (B.A. communications-advertising) was named chief marketing officer for Wienerschnitzel. He will lead brand, marketing, digital, menu and overall communications strategy efforts for the Irvine-based company, as well as oversee the newly formed Visionary Department, dedicated to building brand loyalty among younger generations. He most recently served as group account director at DGWB Advertising. MICHAEL R. LARRAIN ’98 (B.A. business administration-management) was named chief executive officer of PCA Skin in January. He has 20 years of experience in beauty, health and wellness brands, most recently serving as president of the active cosmetics division of L’Oreal.
REX PRITCHARD ’95 (B.S. child development) was a grand marshal in Long Beach’s 27th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace & Unity Parade. Pritchard, president of the Long Beach Firefighters Local 372, has served in the Long Beach Fire Department since 2000. Prior to joining the department, he earned a teaching credential from Whittier College and worked as a science teacher and athletics director at Hillview Middle School in the East Whittier City School District. MARICELA RIOS-FAUST ’96 (B.A. psychology) is chief operations officer for Human Options, a provider of services to victims of domestic violence. GABRIEL N. SANCHEZ ’96 (B.A. political science and ethnic studies) was named director of communications and marketing at First 5 LA, an early-childhood advocate organization created to invest Proposition 10 tobacco tax revenues in Los Angeles County. Prior to the March appointment, Sanchez served as communications director at Green Dot Public Schools, senior strategist with the Strategy Group and held top communications roles in the offices of thenGov. Gray Davis and then-Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez. FRANK TALARICO JR. ’95 (M.A. communications-journalism) has served as president and chief executive officer of Goodwill of Orange County since 2012 and was recognized by the Orange County Register last December as one of the “100 People Who Influenced Orange County in 2014.”
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KEVIN THARPE ’92 (B.A. art) is owner of Tharpe Flavored Graphics and a teacher at Ganesha High School in Pomona. Tharpe’s work and that of his advanced art students were featured in “We Have A Dream,” the La Verne Cultural Arts Society’s first visual arts exhibit. JEFFREY J. UTTZ ’92 (B.A. business administration-accounting) is the chief financial officer for Shake Shack. He formerly served as as chief financial officer for Yard House Restaurants.
BRIAN J. ADDISON ’06 (B.A. psychology) recently joined the Downtown Long Beach Associates as communications manager. Addison previously served as executive editor of the Long Beach Post.
’00s
KEVIN CLUNE ’00 (B.S. kinesiology) returned to Utah State in January as the new defensive coordinator. He had served as the university’s linebackers coach from 2009 to 2013, but spent the past season as the defensive coordinator at the University of Hawaii. JACKIE A. FILLA ’02 (B.A. political science) is an assistant professor of health policy and management at Mount St. Mary’s University in Los Angeles. Filla earned her master’s and doctorate in political science at UC Riverside. ERIN GUY CASTILLO ’03 (B.A. sociology) has become a shareholder and named partner in the Stockton law firm Parish Guy Castillo PLC. She was elected to the San Joaquin County Bar Association Board of Governors and has served on the board of the San Joaquin County Bar Association, Judge Consuelo M. Callahan American Inn of Court and Mary Graham Children’s Foundation. Guy Castillo holds a Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law.
THOMAS E. LONG ’01 (M.A. history), associate professor of history at Cal State San Bernardino, was honored with the university’s 2015 Golden Apple Award, the equivalent of professor of the year. The annual award was presented to Long in March by CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales, who announced that Long was being recognized for “the quality of his teaching, the quality of his service and his role as a citizen of CSUSB.” Morales also complimented Long for his ongoing work with Native American tribes and local museums. “He has worked incredibly with a number of Native American communities, including the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, the Dorothy Ramon Learning Center, March Air Reserve Field Museum, the Bowers Museum in Santa Ana and the National Archives, the Sherman Indian School Museum,” said Morales, who also credited Long for creating and nurturing the university’s ongoing relationship with the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. Long joined the campus in 2006 and holds a doctorate in history from UC Riverside. Photo: California State University, San Bernardino
BEN GOLD ’04, ’12 (B.A. business administration, MBA) is co-founder and president of Quick Bridge Funding, an Orange-based alternative lending company for area businesses. The business, founded in 2011, was recognized last year by the Orange County Business Journal as the fastest-growing private mid-sized company in the region. JEANETTE (HARVEY) HUMMEL ’04 (B.A. communications-entertainment and tourism studies) is now an account executive at ChicExecs PR. She is also the founder of wellness travel blog fitgirltravels.com. JOSHUA HODOSH ’04 (B.A. criminal justice) is general manager of Professional Community Management, a Lake Forest-based community property management firm. Earlier this year, Hodosh received a Professional Manager of Community Associations designation through the Community Associations Institute. NINA W. HSIEH ’00 (B.S. kinesiology) is in her sixth season as the head athletic trainer for the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the NBA Development League.
AL JABBAR ’04 (B.A. business administration-marketing) is currently serving on the Anaheim Union High School District Board of Trustees. Elected to the board in 2013, Jabbar works as a program supervisor for correctional health services at the Health Care Agency of Orange County. KRISTIN A. KLINGAMAN ’06 (B.A. criminal justice and health science) has joined the Irvine office of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties. MICHELE MARTINEZ ’09 (B.A. criminal justice) is director of the Alliance for a Healthy Orange County and a member of the Santa Ana City Council since 2006. She was seated in March as the city’s representative on the board of directors of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. THOMAS MCGOVERN ’00 (M.F.A. artcreative photography), a photographer and author, has received the American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation for his and poet Juan Delgado’s book “Vital Signs.” Other books by McGovern, a professor at Cal State San Bernardino’s Department of Art, include “Bearing Witness (to AIDS)” and “Amazing Grace.”
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON I 25
RAQUEL LIZARRAGA ’10 and HENRY REYES ’12 (B.A. business administration-entrepreneurship) received a Presidential Volunteer Service Award in recognition of their work through the nonprofit International Surf Lifesaving Association (ISLA), which champions aquatic safety in coastal communities through lifeguard training programs and exchanges and equipment donations. Reyes, ISLA’s co-founder and president, received a gold award for accumulating more than 500 hours of service; Lizarraga, ISLA’s vice president of development, received a silver for 400 hours of service. In addition, Lizarraga was honored with a #Pride58 Award by California State Assembly member Cristina Garcia. The honor recognizes service and dedication in the 58th District, which covers the communities of Artesia, Bellflower, Bell Gardens, Cerritos, Commerce, Downey, Montebello, Pico Rivera and Norwalk.
KELLY (TOMLINSON) POLLACK ’09 (B.A. communications-entertainment studies) is the owner of Tomlinson Management Group, a boutique talent agency based in Los Angeles, representing artists in New York City and LA in the fields of hair, makeup and styling.
JOHN F. POPE ’08 (M.A. communications) was named the new director of college advancement, public affairs and governmental relations at Long Beach City College in January. A former writer and reporter for the Long Beach PressTelegram and Los Angeles Times, Pope most recently served as community relations manager for the Port of Long Beach.
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RYAN A. RUELAS ’09 (M.A. history), a social science teacher at Anaheim High School, was honored last December by the Orange County Register as one of the ”100 People Who Influenced Orange County in 2014.” Last year, he helped established BROS, a student-run organization to change negative stereotypes of Latino males by helping them succeed in school, apply to college and serve their hometown of Anaheim. ROBERT SMITH ’05 (B.A. criminal justice) was appointed to head the West Division of the Long Beach Police Department. Smith previously was commander for the department’s Internal Affairs Division. CARLO F. TOMAINO ’04, ’07 (B.A. political science, M.P.A.), a senior management analyst with the city of Lake Forest, is chairman of the Local Governance Task Force and vice chairman of the Ladera Ranch Civic Council. HOWARD YANG ’07 (B.A. psychology) earned his medical degree from St. George’s University and is an internal medicine resident with the University of Hawaii’s John A. Burns School of Medicine.
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26 I TITAN SUMMER/FALL 2015
Fullerton Alumni Association at 657-278-7666. University Advancement 2600 Nutwood Ave., Suite 850, Fullerton, CA 92831
BRITTANY BIBEAU ’12 (M.S. education-elementary curriculum and instruction) has returned to the very classroom at Mabel Paine Elementary School where she attended kindergarten. She is teaching transitional kindergarten in the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District.
’10s
MEGAN A. BOYKOFF ’14 (B.A. communications-journalism) is a morning show reporter for “Wake Up Montana” in Missoula. AISSA CANCHOLA ’13 (B.A. American studies, political science) is a legislative aide for Sen. Patty Murray. She recently presented on the future of STEM education at Teaching & Learning, a national conference for educators held in Washington, D.C.
IN MEMORIAM
n JOSEPH HAMMER died April 25. He and his wife, Peggy, ’66, ’70 (B.A. speech, M.A. reading) served on a wide range of committees, mentoring students, establishing scholarships and providing funds for University programs. They are credited with giving more than $150,000 to CSUF over the course of many years. n WILLIAM J. MCGARVEY JR., founding president of the University’s earliest philanthropic effort, died May 14. He served for decades on the former University Advisory Board, was awarded the President’s Medallion in 1994 and went on to serve on the Philanthropic Foundation Board of Governors. The William J. McGarvey Family Dance Studio in the Clayes Performing Arts Center is named in his honor. n JOHN G. PIERCE, professor emeritus of mathematics, died Jan. 28. The applied mathematician served for more than three decades on campus and was instrumental in establishing the Mathematics Modeling and Simulation Computer Lab, as well as the formation of the master’s program in applied mathematics. n PERRIN REID, associate vice president for
human resources, diversity and inclusion, died May 5. Reid was instrumental in recruiting almost 100 tenure-track faculty members. n WILMA J. TRABER, professor emeritus of nursing, died Jan. 9. She joined the University in 1974 as director of nursing education and project director for the Orange County-Long Beach Nursing Education Consortium that initiated a new type of two-year, upper-division program for registered nurses leading to a baccalaureate degree. The Wilma J. Traber Humanism Award was created to honor her contributions. n KENNETH M. ZARLING ’74 (B.A. business administration-accounting) died March 24 at the age of 71. He had served as community services director in Fairmont, Minn., until his retirement in 2007. He had been a member of the Lee C. Prentice American Legion and the Martin County Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as the Lions Club and Jaycees, who honored him with the International Senatorship award. n LAUREN VU, a physician at the Student Health and Counseling Center, died April 15. She joined the campus community in June 2006 as a part-time physician, moving to full time in 2008.
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HELMY EL-MANGOURY ’10 (B.A. business administrationentrepreneurship) is CEO and founder of PostScan Mail, an Anaheim-based company that allows customers to use their personal computers to manage U.S. Postal Service deliveries. DANIEL E. MENDOZA ’11 (B.A. criminal justice) is the creator of Together We Rise, a not-for-profit program that involves high school and college students helping students in foster care. The effort began in 2008 and is now nationwide. ENRIQUE ORTIZ ’10 (B.A. criminal justice), a former participant in the University’s federally funded Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Program, is now a transition coordinator for at-risk youth at Santa Ana-based Community Service Programs Inc., a nonprofit agency that offers shelters and other services for young people in need. He is pursuing a master’s degree in social work at Cal State Long Beach. BHAKTI PAVANI ’11 (MBA-finance) is a senior research analyst in the research division of Euro Pacific Capital, where she is responsible for reporting on companies in the oil and gas, metals and mining industries. TREVOR RAPPLEYE ’12 (B.A. radio-TV-film) is owner/ director of EventFilming.net cinematography. MATTHEW C. SANCHEZ ’12 (B.A. business administrationfinance) is an active trader broker with Charles Schwab & Co. and currently attends the MBA program at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. AMY TABBACK and KELSEY JENSON, both ’13 (B.A. dance), are co-founders of Embark Dance Theatre. The nonprofit theatre, which seeks to promote an understanding of the art and philosophy of modern dance, was founded in 2013. NIMA J. VAHDAT ’11 (MBA-international business), after serving four years as director and senior counsel at Discover Home Loans, joined loanDepot in March as senior vice president and associate general counsel. VANESSA VALENTINE ’06 (B.S. kinesiology) is acting head coach for the Cal Poly Pomona women’s soccer team. She joined the Broncos as assistant coach in August 2014 following positions with the Los Angeles Strikes W-League team, Long Beach FC Soccer Club and Hope International.
28 I TITAN SUMMER/FALL 2015
or nearly a quarter century, engineer Darrell F. Jodoin has worked behind the scenes to help make Disney Parks and Resorts the most magical place on Earth. Jodoin first joined Disney in 1990 as an “imagineer” to develop ride systems. Today, he leads the design and engineering team, overseeing a “cast” of more than 90 technical professionals in various engineering and administrative roles to support attractions at Disneyland Park and Disney’s California Adventure Park. One of his most memorable projects was leading the team that designed and installed a rebuilt ride system for Space Mountain — the spacethemed, roller-coaster thrill ride — for Disneyland’s 50th anniversary in 2005. “I still very much enjoy the wide variety of technical challenges and helping my cast members succeed,” he explains. Jodoin ’85 (B.S. engineering-mechanical engineering), who started his career at a small engineering firm, credits his undergraduate education in the College of Engineering and Computer Science for preparing him for the world of engineering. “If I owe much in this life, it’s to this place. Cal State Fullerton’s engineering program provided me with a balance of theoretical studies in math, physics and engineering, coupled with opportunities to apply that knowledge in the various labs and participate in programs sponsored by the student chapter of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers,” he states. Jodoin was honored as the chapter’s 1985 Student of the Year.
F
A THRILL
for Disney’s
He chose Cal State Fullerton because of its accredited engineering degree programs, the campus was close to his home in La Mirada — where he still resides — and because his sister was a student. “She encouraged me to visit the campus, where I found it would meet my needs,” says Jodoin, who worked to put himself through college. As a proud Titan, he tirelessly gives back by mentoring student engineers and serving on the ECS College Leadership Council and Mechanical Engineering Industry Advisory Board. Jodoin also participates in the college’s Professor for a Day event, supports the women in engineering program and has been instrumental in
CSUF alumnus and Disney engineer Darrell F. Jodoin has come back to his alma mater to mentor aspiring future engineers, including Class of 2015 mechanical engineering graduate Sean Yates.
By Debra Cano Ramos / Image by Matt Gush
RIDE
Darrell Jodoin securing Disneyland Resort grant funding for student senior design projects. “Aside from developing our next generation of problemsolvers that we so desperately need to maintain our edge on innovation, I remember the desire to better understand what I could expect after graduation, but not having many resources to address those concerns,” he explains of his interest in mentoring students. The reward of encouraging future engineers is seeing them develop and succeed in their projects, studies and
careers. “Students need our help to succeed in an increasingly competitive world. I believe alumni involvement just might be a tipping point for many students,” he adds. “I think it’s important to mentor all Cal State Fullerton engineering students to promote the students and the program. To have an impact on the diversity of the engineering community, we also must be mindful of the underrepresented, if we are to make a change.” n
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CAL STATE FULLERTON’S
THE MOTOWN SOUND SATURDAY H SEPTEMBER 19, 2015
Cal State Fullerton Intramural Field (north of Titan Gym) Gates Open 5 p.m. | Concert 7:30 p.m. | Fireworks For more information: fullerton.edu/concert
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