CLEVELAND STATE MAGAZINE fall 2017/ winter 2018
CSU Fights Opioid Epidemic P 12
Successful ENGAGE Campaign Concludes P 22
Distinguished Alumni Awards P 31
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Cleveland State Magazine EDITOR/WRITER Barbara Chudzik CONTRIBUTORS Brian Breittholz Jordan Burress William Dube Anthony Fossaceca John Soeder Christian Taske GRAPHIC DESIGN Ivy Garrigan PHOTOGRAPHY Jeremiah Berghone Brian Hart Jack Tibbitts PRESIDENT Ronald M. Berkman PROVOST Jianping Zhu VICE PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CSU FOUNDATION Berinthia R. LeVine CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER Rob Spademan ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT, ALUMNI RELATIONS Brian Breittholz
CO N T E N T S
Best of the Best CSU ranked 18th in nation for improving lives and expanding knowledge
Opioid Epidemic CSU takes interdisciplinary approach to crisis
The Future of Filmmaking Bachelor of fine arts degree to be offered
Living on Campus Growing student population creates downtown neighborhood
ENGAGE: The Campaign for Cleveland State University More than $114 million raised for student success
Homecoming 2017 Alumni “bring it home” to CSU Contact Us 216-687-2201 csuohio.edu clevelandstatemagazine.com 2121 Euclid Avenue, UN 501 Cleveland, Ohio 44115-2214
Distinguished Alumni Awards
Postmaster Send address changes to Cleveland State University Division of University Advancement 2121 Euclid Ave, UN 501 Cleveland, Ohio 44115-2214
President’s Message 1
Twelve graduates honored for achievements D E PA R T M E N T S
Around Campus Class Notes
Cleveland State University is an AA/EO institution. Copyright © 2017 CSU University Marketing. Cleveland State Magazine is for alumni and friends of CSU and is published by the Division of University Advancement, located in the Union Building, 2121 Euclid Ave., RM 501, Cleveland, Ohio 44115. Third-class postage is paid at Cleveland, Ohio. 170165 / 109M
ON THE COVER Homecoming 2017
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A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
student success initiatives designed to save them time and money. With CSU’s world-class faculty and dedicated staff to guide them, our students increasingly graduate on time and workforce-ready. CSU’s ever-evolving campus is reinvigorating the surrounding neighborhood. Our addition to the Washkewicz College of Engineering is set to open in early 2018. On the CSU Arts Campus, our new School of Film & Media Arts soon will take shape on the top floor of the Idea Center at Playhouse Square. We’ve also strengthened the connectivity between CSU and Cleveland. A perfect example is the new Campus International School, which provides a dynamic learning environment on the CSU campus for students in grades K through 8.
As you may know, I will retire from Cleveland State University in June. But for the remainder of my term as president (and beyond!), I am committed to doing all I can to ensure the success of CSU and its students. In making this life decision, I have reflected on a four-decade career in academia that has taken me from the classroom to administration at several institutions of higher learning. Without a doubt, my time at Cleveland State University represents the very pinnacle of my life’s work. When I first came to CSU in 2009, I saw a university with the potential to reinvent higher education. Today, we’re doing just that. This fall, we welcomed the largest freshman class in CSU history, with 2,000 first-year students. They find a full array of nationally recognized
All of us can take tremendous pride in Cleveland State’s growing national stature. According to a datadriven study by the Brookings Institution, CSU is No. 18 in the nation among public universities that fulfill a critical dual mission: providing upward mobility AND conducting vital research. CSU is the only Ohio university in the top tier of the Brookings list. At the same time, our cutting-edge research enterprise encompasses a broad range of fields, from gene regulation to population dynamics. When it comes to improving lives and expanding knowledge, CSU is proud to be counted among the best of the best. CSU’s achievements and growing reputation for excellence undoubtedly contributed to the overwhelming success of ENGAGE: The Campaign for Cleveland State University, which exceeded its goal, raising more than $114 million to benefit scholarships and student success programs. Cleveland State is on solid footing. I am so proud of all that we have achieved – together. And I will forever be grateful for the privilege of serving as president of this great institution.
Ronald M. Berkman PRESIDENT
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President C to Retire
leveland State University’s sixth president, Ronald M. Berkman, has announced his decision to retire in June 2018. A national search for his successor is underway. “The opportunity to lead CSU for nine years is, without question, the most rewarding experience of my 40-plus year academic career,” said Dr. Berkman, who
A salute to Ronald M. Berkman and a review of his presidency will be included in the spring issue of Cleveland State magazine.
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has served as president since July 2009. “It has been an honor to lead CSU during an amazing period of progress. In so many ways, CSU is a different university than it was in 2009. My goal is to best position CSU to continue the progress we have collectively achieved.” Bernie Moreno, chair of CSU’s Board of Trustees, said, “It’s hard to overstate the impact Ron has had on CSU. He has led the transformation of the University across every dimension, from his focus on student success, to the many innovative community partnerships he’s created, to the remaking of the campus and his extraordinary success attracting philanthropy. We will miss having him as president, but we also owe him a huge debt of gratitude for putting us in a position to attract a great candidate to succeed him.” Dr. Berkman believes the timing of the transition will help the new president get off to a good start. “We’ve just successfully completed a number of major efforts, including our first comprehensive campaign, and will soon be launching some large, multi-year projects that would be better to hand off early rather than in midstream,” he said. The Board of Trustees has selected the national consulting and search firm Wheless Partners to manage the presidential search. The firm has coordinated multiple successful executive searches in the state of Ohio and has specific expertise leading presidential and chancellor searches for numerous public and private universities nationally. A Presidential Search Committee, chaired by Moreno and consisting of board
members, students, faculty, staff and community members, is working closely with Wheless to review potential candidates and make a recommendation on selection to the CSU Board of Trustees. The committee has held dozens of one-on-one meetings and group forums to solicit input on finding the best qualified leader. In addition, a website has been created — www.csuohio.edu/ presidential-transition/ — to keep everyone informed. “CSU has never occupied a better position than it does today, thanks to the outstanding leadership of President Berkman. Our next president will build on this legacy,” said Moreno. “The future will bring challenges. We seek an inspirational leader who is prepared to meet these challenges with vision, creativity and a passion for the transformative power of higher education.” It is hoped that the next president of CSU will take office in July. President Berkman has agreed to be available to help his successor and will return to CSU to teach following a one-year sabbatical.
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CSU RANKED
I
mproving lives. Expanding knowledge. The best colleges and universities excel at one or the other; a very select few deliver outstanding results on both counts. A new national study ranks Cleveland State University among the elite group that excels at both. According to a new report from the highly respected Brookings Institution, CSU ranks 18th in the nation among public universities that provide upward mobility for their students and conduct vital research that benefits society. CSU is the only Ohio university ranked in the “Best of the Best” category. Brookings researchers assessed the relative strengths of four-year public universities across the United States. Some improved
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opportunities for students from underprivileged backgrounds. Some expanded the boundaries of knowledge via impactful research. Only 20 percent of the 342 universities in the study successfully did both, fulfilling a dual mission. This elite group includes CSU. Cleveland State offers equal access to many low-income students — nearly 11 percent of total enrollment. In addition, 40 percent of CSU students are the first members of their families to attend college.
And due to the unique educational environment at CSU, these students have a significant advantage over their peers in achieving professional success. In fact, a previous Brookings report found that the mid-career salaries of Cleveland State graduates are more than $10,000 higher than those of demographically comparable graduates from other higher education institutions. At the same time, CSU’s cuttingedge research enterprise encompasses a broad range of fields, from gene regulation to human motion and control to population dynamics. “When it comes to improving lives and expanding knowledge, Cleveland State University’s standing as a national leader among public universities should be a source of great pride for all Vikings,” said President Ronald M. Berkman.
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R E C O R D F R E S H M A N C L A S S S E T S M I L E S TO N E
Fall semester brought
2,000
first-year students to campus — setting a record high.
“This milestone further highlights the transformation Cleveland State has undergone,” says President Ronald M. Berkman. “We are now a destination university with a growing national reputation for offering students tremendous academic quality and excellent career connections in a vibrant urban environment.”
Despite fewer high school graduates and increased competition, CSU has succeeded in attracting more freshmen by focusing on retention, graduation and student success. With the city as its campus, CSU is uniquely positioned to provide experiences outside the classroom and bridges to future careers through its connectivity with the broader community. CSU has longstanding research, education and experiential learning collaborations with numerous area businesses, nonprofit and cultural institutions and government agencies and offers over 3,000 internship opportunities annually, more than any other public university in Ohio. The University has also developed a range of nationally recognized student success initiatives specifically designed to improve retention and graduation rates while also reducing student debt. CSU was the first in Ohio to offer multi-term registration, which allows students to plan their entire academic year in advance and better balance academic requirements with other priorities. It also implemented a 120-credit-hour standard for most degree programs, reducing the time and courses needed to complete a degree. As a result of these efforts, CSU received the 2015 Excellence and Innovation Award from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. In addition, CSU is investigating potential options to construct additional freshman housing and green space to enhance the student experience on campus. “The model of higher education for the past several decades no longer meets the needs of the modern college student,” Dr. Berkman adds. “Universities must innovate, adapt and develop a new educational paradigm that can assist today’s students in thriving academically, socially and ultimately in a career of their choice. At CSU, we have placed a premium on student success because when our students excel, we excel.”
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Opening Soon With a ribbon-cutting scheduled for midDecember, the new Washkewicz College of Engineering building will open for classes when spring semester begins in January. The 100,000-square-foot building on Chester Avenue near East 24th Street will feature the Parker Hannifin Motion and Control Laboratory, the Dan T. Moore MakerSpace where students can transform their ideas to reality using state-of-the-art technology, multiple flexible research laboratories, teaching laboratories, simulation labs for computer modeling, student collaboration spaces and much more.
NASA Honors Alumna Alumna Annie Easley began her career in 1955 as a “human computer,” doing computations for researchers at what is today NASA Glenn Research Center. Sixty years later, she was inducted into the inaugural class of the NASA Glenn Hall of Fame honoring those whose exemplary careers have contributed to the Center’s success. Her Hall of Fame plaque is now prominently displayed on the Honor Wall for Mathematics on the 15th floor of Rhodes Tower as an inspiration to current and future generations of students. Easley, selected for CSU’s first group of Fascinating Alumni in 2015, was one of the women whose story inspired the highly acclaimed Hidden Figures movie. When hired by NASA, she was one of only four AfricanAmerican employees on a staff of 2,500 people. Easley’s solid work ethic and determination to succeed helped her thrive during her 34 years with NASA. When human computers were replaced by machines, she evolved along with the technology, becoming an adept computer programmer. She developed and implemented code used in researching energy-conversion systems and analyzing 6 Cleveland State Magazine
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alternative power technology. Later in her career, she took on the additional role of equal employment opportunity counselor. Easley, who earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1978, did much of her coursework while working full time. NASA assigned her a schedule that allowed her to arrive at work at 6:30 a.m. and get to CSU by 4 p.m. to begin six hours of evening classes. Easley retired from NASA in 1989 and passed away on June 25, 2011. CSU is proud of her groundbreaking accomplishments and honored to house her Hall of Fame plaque.
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C|M|LAW Unveils Hall of Fame As part of its yearlong 120th anniversary celebration, ClevelandMarshall College of Law has established a Hall of Fame recognizing 120 distinguished individuals who have contributed to the past, present and/or future success and reputation of C|M|LAW. Three groups of inductees are recognized:
FOUNDING HONOREES graduated from or made significant
contributions to Cleveland Law School and/or John Marshall School of Law prior to the merger of the two law schools in 1946.
COMMEMORATED HONOREES graduated from or made
significant contributions to Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and/or Cleveland-Marshall Law School after 1946 and are recognized for their lasting legacies in memoriam.
LIVING LEGENDS graduated from or made significant
contributions to Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and continue to contribute to the esteemed reputation of C|M|LAW today. The Hall of Fame unveiling brought out a “who’s who” of the legal community, as well as alumni and friends. Speakers included honoree/ Ohio Supreme Court Justice Maureen O’Connor, ’80, and former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala, daughter of the late honoree Edna Shalala, ’52. As part of the anniversary, C|M|LAW also launched a 120 Scholarship Campaign to increase its first-year class from 100 to 120 students and provide them with financial support.
Street Naming Honors Krumholz The city of Cleveland honored Professor Emeritus Norman Krumholz on his 90th birthday by renaming the one-block stretch of East 18th Street from Euclid Avenue to Chester Avenue as Norman Krumholz Way. As an educator, researcher and nationally and internationally recognized expert and leader in equity planning, Dr. Krumholz has few peers. His scholarship and public service have impacted urban planning and public policy worldwide. As a member of the Levin College faculty since 1985, he has inspired countless numbers of students and urban planners while impacting community development. Dr. Krumholz served as Cleveland’s planning director under mayors Carl Stokes, Ralph Perk and Dennis Kucinich and founded and directed the Cleveland Center for Neighborhood Development. Cleveland State awarded him the Distinguished Emeritus Faculty honorary degree at spring 2016 commencement. csuohio.edu
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Award Supports Student Success Nursing Meets Growing Need With the aging population, Northeast Ohio anticipates a shortage of 3,500 nurses, including nurse managers with advanced degrees, by 2020. But CSU’s School of Nursing is leading the way in providing enhanced educational opportunities to ensure the region has enough nursing professionals to meet health-care demand. Along with University Hospitals, CSU is offering a blended RN to BSN program on-site at UH. In a collaboration with the MetroHealth System, CSU is offering both a master of science in nursing and a bachelor of science in nursing for registered nurses at the hospital. And in January, a new collaboration with Cleveland Clinic will offer a bachelor of science in nursing program for registered nurses there. All three programs offer on-site and online coursework taught by CSU faculty. They are designed to enable working nurses to enhance their education affordably and conveniently.
Congratulations to Paul Clark, regional president of PNC Bank, Cleveland and 2017 recipient of CSU’s In Tribute to the Public Service Award. The annual event recognizes community leaders while supporting scholarships for students in the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs who aspire to careers in public service. Clark has had a significant impact on Northeast Ohio through his banking career and service to numerous civic and business organizations, including the Cuyahoga Community College Foundation, Greater Cleveland Partnership, Baldwin Wallace
Cleveland State’s award-winning student success initiatives continue to receive recognition. A $50,000 Collaborative Opportunity Grant from the Association of Public and Landgrant Universities and Coalition of Urban Serving Universities will help further boost undergraduate achievement. The grant will enable CSU to partner with College Now Greater Cleveland on a (Re) Connecting to College program that will identify individuals who have “stopped out” of college and help them address their financial and academic needs so they can return to school and complete their degrees. College Now advisors will reach out to students who have stopped out, identify the issues that led to them leaving school and work to assist them in addressing those challenges. Students will then be referred to the CSU Transfer Center where they will receive help in addressing academic issues and mapping out a path to a degree.
University, Cuyahoga County Invest in Children, Musical Arts Association, University Circle, Inc., University Hospitals Health Systems and more. Recently, the PNC Foundation awarded CSU a $750,000 grant to create the PNC Scholars Fund and the PNC Mentoring Program. The fund will provide scholarships to upper-level undergraduate students who have maxed out of financial aid, and the program will provide peer mentors to assist incoming freshmen in acclimating to college life. Since 1985, Levin College has sponsored In Tribute to the Public Service. A total of 38 individuals have been recognized. Proceeds from the event support the Mercedes Cotner Endowed Scholarship, named in honor of the first woman clerk of Cleveland City Council.
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Environmental Efforts Win Kudos The University’s commitment to sustainable development and climate action has earned a STARS silver rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. STARS is the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System. Some of CSU’s achievements include: an outdoor LED lighting upgrade, installation of high-efficiency fume hoods in science labs, HVAC system upgrades, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and potable water use. In addition, 99.65 percent of materials from construction of CSU’s Center for Innovation in Medical Professions were diverted from landfills through recycling and reuse, and nearly 86 percent of CSU’s electronic product purchases are Gold registered through EPEAT (the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool).
In the College & University Green Power Challenge, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized CSU as an Individual Conference Champion for using more green power than any other school in the Horizon League.
CSU’s recycling program is expanding, thanks to a $3,000 grant from the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District.
CSU beat its conference rivals by using 18 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power, representing 30 percent of the school’s annual electricity usage. According to the EPA, CSU’s green power usage is equivalent to the electricity use of more than 1,600 average American homes annually.
Twenty-four new recycling receptacles for batteries have been installed across campus. A portion of the grant also will be used to obtain additional recycling bins for bottles, cans and paper.
Green power is zero-emissions electricity that is generated from environmentally preferable renewable resources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, eligible biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro. Using green power helps accelerate the development of new renewable energy capacity nationwide and helps users reduce their carbon footprints.
The campus currently recycles everything from cardboard to electronics to ink cartridges. Over this academic year, CSU aims to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills by more than 50 tons. csuohio.edu
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Way To Go! Congratulations to student Michael Nowoslawski, who demonstrated his agility, strength and athleticism as a participant in the Cleveland episode of television’s American Ninja Warrior. The senior marketing major has long dreamed of being on the show, even building a practice course in his backyard. And a tip of the Viking helmet to CSU mascot Magnus, who advanced to the finals of the MidMajor Mascot Melee. In a 64-team bracket featuring mascots from mid-major
Interns Develop Programs for Public Square
schools, Magnus took the Midwest Regional Championship, defeated Bill the Goat of Navy in the semifinal round, but fell to Scrappy of North Texas in the championship by just five votes. CSU is proud of both Mike and Magnus!
Cleveland’s new and improved Public Square is bringing more and more people downtown. Through a new internship program, CSU sports management students Olivia Brunarski and Nicholas Caspio helped keep visitors engaged and entertained. The students developed a daily walking program called Walk The Square and assisted the Cleveland Public Square Programming and Operations team with a Great Lakes trivia game, soccer initiative, Cars 3 movie promotional tour, American Ninja Warrior taping, Fiesta Latina and more. The internship program will be offered to two students from CSU’s Health & Human Performance, Sports Management Program each semester. “This program is a great match for students who share our passion for downtown Cleveland,” says Ron Willner, general manager, Public Square Programming and Operations. Three-time alumnus Willner holds a master’s degree in sports management and has been an adjunct professor in the program for several years.
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New Life for Geauga Lake? A destination for summer fun from 1887 to 2007, Geauga Lake evokes happy memories for many residents of Northeast Ohio. Sadly, the 652-acre site straddling Portage and Geauga counties has sat vacant for the last decade. This spring, 22 graduate students nearing the completion of their master’s-level coursework in the Levin College of Urban Affairs offered hope for the future through a “Geauga Lake – The Next 100 Years” plan. The plan was commissioned by Cedar Fair, owner of the property. In developing the plan, the students toured the Geauga Lake grounds, conducted more than 50 in-person stakeholder interviews with real estate and environment/conservation professionals and members of community organizations, and surveyed residents in person and by mail to capture suggestions on possible new uses for the site. Their proposed site plan emphasizes a cohesive redevelopment that restores the degraded natural environment and unifies the communities of Bainbridge and Aurora. The plan includes public access to the 61-acre lake, a mix of land uses (including singlefamily and cottage homes, retail space, a public amphitheater, a solar farm, green space, trails, boardwalks, boating, two small beaches, wetlands and lakefront restoration) and a long-term vision of Geauga Lake contributing to both the environmental and economic health of the region.
Oh, What a Beautiful Campus The city is CSU’s campus. Far from a concrete jungle, the campus boasts 18 acres of green space that add to the beauty of downtown. With some 65 varieties of trees and countless flowers, shrubs and other plants, the campus is a verdant oasis in an urban environment. The benches where students and visitors sit, the trees that birds turn into their homes and the magnificent flowers and foliage that passersby enjoy are important parts of the city and campus landscapes and they can also serve as beautiful tributes to loved ones. Consider supporting Cleveland State University’s Annual Fund by purchasing a bench or tree, or contributing to the maintenance fund for flower and shrub beds, and leave a legacy that will continue to shape campus and the city for years to come. Naming opportunities and details at www. supportcsu.org/naming-opportunities.
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ccording to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 90 Americans die after overdosing on opioids every day. The “total economic burden” of prescription opioid misuse in the United States is $78.5 billion a year, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
addicts and preventing the further spread of addiction nationally. The Center for Behavioral Health Sciences focuses on basic and applied research on the science of addiction, the linkages between addiction and mental illness, and the public policies necessary to improve treatment and reduce recidivism. The Center will also develop innovative educational programming and prevention techniques and will work with CSU’s numerous community partners to disseminate best practices locally and nationally.
Overdose deaths in Ohio totaled 4,050 last year, a 32.8 percent jump from 2015, while Cuyahoga County experienced a huge leap in unintentional overdoses, from 275 in 2015 to 547 in 2016, notes Ohio Department of Health data. Those numbers undoubtedly will be even higher this year. Indeed, the epidemic that President Trump officially declared a public health emergency just keeps on growing. A new interdisciplinary research center established by Cleveland State is bringing together expertise in social work, psychology, public health, economics, education, engineering and urban policy with the goal of better treating current
“Drug addiction is an extraordinarily complex disease and is impacted by a wide variety of medical, psychological and cultural factors,” notes Cathleen Lewandowski, professor and director of the School of Social Work at CSU and director of the Center for Behavioral Health Sciences. “To properly address addiction, we need an interdisciplinary approach that looks at the issue holistically. The Center seeks to improve our
understanding of what can cause drug addiction, what can help and what inhibits treatment, and how health systems, government and educational institutions can better collaborate to meet this challenge.” CSU partnered with St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, an acknowledged leader in treating addiction since the founding of Rosary Hall in 1952, to help develop the vision and priorities for the Center for Behavioral Health Sciences. CSU is also collaborating with other healthcare and academic partners on research, data analysis, survey work, interventions and educational initiatives. Currently, 15 faculty from four CSU Colleges are involved with the Center. Their areas of expertise include counseling, criminology, economics, engineering, occupational therapy, psychology, public administration and social work. It is expected that CSU graduate students also will become involved in the Center’s research.
IN 2015, MORE THAN 33,000 AMERICANS
DIED OF AN OPIOID OVERDOSE, I N C LU D I N G P R E S C R I P T I O N S , H E R O I N A N D F E N TA NY L , A S Y N T H E T I C O P I O I D TH E NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DR U G A B U SE
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With funding from CSU’s Office of Research, four initial pilot projects that address major aspects of drug addiction, prevention and treatment are underway. They are: Development of a mobile app/ web service for matching drug addiction treatment services This study will assess the needs of greater Clevelanders in receiving appropriate substance abuse treatment services. Currently, those seeking treatment, as well as their family members, may
face numerous hurdles in being linked with treatment, especially residential treatment. Through interviews with substance abusers, families and workers at treatment centers, the study will examine
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the barriers individuals must overcome to receive residential treatment and how such difficulties in accessing treatment affect an individual’s recovery process. Findings from this study will contribute to the development of a prototype mobile phone app to facilitate linking individuals to substance abuse treatment. A study of dynamic risk factor patterns for opioid use/cravings This study seeks to develop an individualized, real-time feedback
mechanism and intervention for individuals who have received intensive outpatient treatment for opioid or opiate addiction. Intervention will be provided through an app that can be
uploaded to a mobile phone. The app will provide individuals with real-time feedback when they are experiencing craving or a lapse in sobriety, as well as daily feedback to clinical staff working with these patients. Researchers will conduct focus groups with individuals in treatment and with treatment providers to further understand risk factors, craving and individuals’ perceptions of using a mobile app for real-time intervention and feedback to their
clinician. During phase two, researchers will develop a prototype of the software, while the third phase will involve implementing the app and monitoring the extent that this approach improves
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treatment outcomes for those who are addicted to opioids and/or opiates. A study examining gender differences in early adolescence substance abuse This study seeks to identify possible risk factors that may contribute to substance use initiation or continuing use among adolescents ages 10 to 14. Youth and relevant adults (parents, teachers, afterschool community directors) will participate in interviews to identify possible risk factors, such as behavioral and emotional problems, peer substance use, victimization and trauma history. In addition, there will be a cross-sectional survey of 200 youth conducted through city schools, recreation centers, after-school programs and adolescent treatment centers to identify risk factors for substance abuse and develop prevention and treatment strategies. A study to improve the health of elders in Greater Cleveland’s LGBTQ community Preliminary research suggests that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) older adults may be at higher risk of disability, poor mental health, smoking, and excessive drinking and drug use compared to heterosexuals. Historically, the Midwest has been underrepresented in LGBTQ health research. This study seeks to determine whether stress factors experienced by LGBTQ elders may
lead to an increase in alcohol and/ or drug use, affecting physical and mental health and quality of care compared to heterosexual elders. Dr. Lewandowski hopes the Center’s interdisciplinary approach to understanding opioid addiction will result in prevention, education and treatment options to help stem the epidemic. “We are past the Nancy Reagan ‘just say no’ days,” she says. “We need to understand how easy it is to become addicted, especially as it relates to prescription drugs and pain management, and how easy it is to relapse, especially if
someone is taken off drugs too quickly or too soon. We need to educate the community and work with health-care providers on alternatives to opioids. We need treatment resources and facilities and a public health approach to this crisis. “We are very lucky to have a number of key community partners who are on the front lines every day addressing the opioid epidemic,” she adds. “Their expertise and support will be essential to helping the Center reach its goal of reducing the terrible toll addiction has taken on our society.”
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THE FUTURE OF
FILMMAKING Frederic Lahey, inaugural director of CSU’s new School of Film & Media Arts, has been on the job since July. But already, the scholar, filmmaker and former head of the Colorado Film School is impressed with what he’s found on campus and in the community and has made considerable progress in getting the school off the ground.
“I am excited to be working with the wonderful, diverse and talented students at CSU as we build an exciting new program together,” he says. “Film has been my lifelong passion and I have dedicated my career to transferring that love and enthusiasm on to the next generation. This new role at CSU provides the opportunity to develop an innovative and technologically advanced film school for the 21st century. “I am also looking forward to engaging with and enhancing Cleveland’s booming film and artistic community. Cleveland is a fascinating city with a wide variety of cinematic looks, a wealth of locations and a deep reservoir of acting talent to inspire filmmakers.” Lahey served as founding director of the Colorado Film School from 1992 to 2016. During that time, he transformed a small academic program into one of the most
respected film schools in the nation — named by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the Top 25 Film Schools in the United States from 2011 to 2015. Lahey is also a prominent writer, director and producer whose film and video company, Oneiric Films, has received multiple Telly Awards, an
International Business Stevie award and a Platinum Pixie for excellence in animation. In spring 2016, CSU received a $7.5 million appropriation from the state of Ohio to create a School of Film & Media Arts. Earlier this year, the University announced a partnership with ideastream, Cleveland’s public broadcasting station, to house the film school on the sixth floor of the station’s Idea Center located in Cleveland’s Playhouse Square district. It will feature hightech teaching laboratories, digital editing bays, smart classrooms and access to additional facilities in the Idea Center. The school will offer CSU’s firstever bachelor of fine arts degree, with the first three courses available spring semester 2018. The proposed curriculum includes six tracks: writing/directing, writing/producing, acting/directing, cinematography, post-production and interactive media. CSU’s school will be the first standalone undergraduate film program
in the state of Ohio and one of the few between the East and West Coasts. Over the next five years, CSU expects to double its number of film, television and interactive media majors from the current 240 to 500. CSU plans to expand the school’s faculty and staff, hiring new professors with national reputations who have solid work experience in the film industry. In producing the next generation of film, television and media professionals, the School will emphasize hands-on learning, including internships and mentoring, with ideastream, the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, the Cleveland International Film Festival and other partners. Lahey calls film “the language and heartbeat of the global economy.” Indeed, filmmaking is a growing industry in Ohio. According to Box Office Ohio: Analysis & Economic Impact of the Film Industry in Northeast Ohio and Ohio, 31 projects have received tax credit dollars from the state in the past four years. These projects had estimated budgets totaling $117 million, with an estimated $83.2 million spent in Northeast Ohio and $33.8 million in the rest of the state. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 11 percent increase in job growth in film and video production by 2018. csuohio.edu
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student choir sang about being citizens of the world . . . the ribbon was cut . . . Campus International School’s first “official” home was officially open for business.
NEW SCHOOL
ANCHORS
DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD
A nationally recognized collaboration between Cleveland State and the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), Campus International School (CIS) represents a dream come true for President Ronald M. Berkman. Since CIS opened in 2010, the president has looked forward to the day when it would have its own building. “From the start, one of my top priorities has been cultivating a dynamic neighborhood around our campus. A great school for young students was a must, because you simply can’t have great neighborhoods without great schools,” he says. CIS’ first location — the former First United Methodist Church at East 30th Street and Euclid Avenue, adjacent to the CSU campus — opened with 112 youngsters in kindergarten through second grade. As one grade level was added each year, space constraints prompted a move to CSU’s Cole Center; eventually classes were held at both the Cole and church sites. With the new CIS building at the corner of Payne Avenue and East 22nd Street, students in grades K-8 now have a home of their own. The school serves 720 students — some 91 percent live in Cleveland; the remainder live in suburbs from Geauga County to Westlake. With a waiting list of more than 300 names, new students gain coveted admission to CIS through a lottery. The four-story school has a science lab with a design studio, two art rooms (one with an entire wall of northfacing windows), a dance studio, two music rooms complete with mixing boards, a teaching kitchen where students prepare healthy snacks and birthday treats, and a café (not cafeteria) where students sit at tables of four and learn restaurant etiquette. Colorful décor abounds, hallways and classrooms are adorned with student artwork, and furniture is scaled to the size of students — although they can often be found sitting on rugs on the floor, collaborating with each other and with other classes. Every floor also has a project area designed for collaboration. The challenging International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, which includes Mandarin Chinese beginning in kindergarten, focuses on helping students become
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F E AT U R E
institutions can come together to create an Education Park in downtown Cleveland,” says Dr. Berkman. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and CMSD Chief Executive Officer Eric Gordon were on hand for the building opening.
global citizens by developing intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills. CIS not only provides a unique learning environment for its young students, it also provides access to a teaching environment for CSU education students, some of whom have become CIS teachers following graduation. “The new building is impressive. But what goes on between the walls is even more impressive,” says Ron Abate, CSU professor-in-residence. The Campus International High School (currently grade 9) and CMSD’s MC2STEM High School are also located on the CSU campus.
“Our students deserve the best resources, and that includes state-of-the-art educational facilities. I want to thank Cleveland State University for partnering with CMSD in making this facility a reality and continuing to ensure our CMSD students are provided a clear path to higher education,” said Jackson. “The opening of this new K-8 building on the CSU campus represents another milestone in our growing partnership with the University,” adds Gordon. CIS is the only IB-accredited school in the CMSD and the only downtown lower school in the city’s history. It has earned national recognition, including the Shirley Schwartz Urban Impact Award from the Council of the Great City Schools, and was called “an innovative model for urban education” by The New York Times.
“Our partnership with CMSD represents the true essence of community engagement, illustrating how two anchor
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Cleveland State Magazine 19
F E AT U R E
ON-CAMPUS LIVING
BOOSTS STUDENT SUCCESS AND ENGAGEMENT
“I can’t believe how much the campus has changed,” one alumnus commented. “And to see all the nice dorms. I wish we had it this good when we were in school,” a classmate replied. These were just some of the observations expressed during the Golden Anniversary Reunion when 1966 and 1967 graduates took a walking tour of campus during Homecoming. When they were undergraduates, campus was just a handful of buildings as CSU was transitioning from a small private college to a new public state university. Today, the campus comprises 34 buildings on 85 acres in the heart of Cleveland. Once considered strictly a commuter school, in recent years Cleveland State has undergone a metamorphosis. New student
CSU RESIDENCE HALL AMENITIES INCLUDE: • • • • • •
Great downtown location Fully furnished units Individual leases Kitchenettes available Paid utilities High-speed internet
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• • • •
Cable television Study areas Game room with billiards On-site laundry facilities
housing facilities are located on campus, on its borders and within walking distance. Though the student population is still predominantly commuter, the new mix of housing facilities, and their popularity, have changed the campus and the college experience in profound ways. “I absolutely love the dorms,“ says Mac Lewis, a junior from Cincinnati who is double majoring in urban planning and communication. “I get to deck out my space and show my personality. And I love how CSU is part of Cleveland.” To many, the increase in housing options helps CSU seem more like a traditional college campus than a collection of buildings scattered along Euclid Avenue as it was for many generations of students. The University’s transformation has mirrored the renaissance taking place in downtown Cleveland and adds to the vibrancy of the area. Students often comment “the city is our campus,” and separating the two is no easy task. Indeed, living in the heart of campus and Cleveland are major selling points for potential students, notes Lynn Ellison, director of residence life. The University offers approximately 1,500 bed spaces in its two residence halls — Euclid Commons and Fenn Tower. Private facilities like Statler Arms, Reserve Square and The Domain (formerly the YMCA), along with
CSU ON-CAMPUS HOUSING OFFERS: • • • • •
recent construction projects such as The Langston and The Edge, provide campus housing for an additional 2,000 to 3,000 students. New construction also enhances overall housing quality. Today’s students have many options, from number of roommates to the quality of appliances and finishes in their kitchens. One new complex offers private bedrooms and bathrooms, full kitchens, living rooms, dishwashers, ovens/microwaves and washers and dryers within each unit. Other amenities include a tech lounge, a gaming lounge, a gym, a clubhouse, outdoor grilling stations, a fire pit and private study rooms. The quality of housing plays into students’ admissions decisions. Ellison says she regularly receives feedback that Fenn Tower and Euclid Commons are spectacular. “Their proximity to everything is a great advantage. Not only can students roll out of bed and go right to class, but some classes are
taught in Fenn Tower. Everything is at their fingertips,” she says. Constantine Kiriakou, a senior music therapy major from Warren, has sampled many of the housing options available to students. He began his college experience living on the sixth floor of Fenn Tower in a quad. “It was cozy — like a little house with a kitchen. Everything I needed was there,“ he says. Kiriakou moved to Euclid Commons during his sophomore year. He’s now spending his senior year in The Domain on Prospect Avenue, where he enjoys a private room. “Living on campus makes you more invested in college,” he says. A number of higher education studies echo his remarks. Typically, students who reside on or near campus graduate at higher rates, become more engaged in campus activities, have stronger relationships with classmates and
Monthly community-builders Music and athletic events Community service projects Resident appreciation weeks Student leadership opportunities
faculty/staff and remain engaged as alumni after college. With a waiting list of potential residents each year, the University continues to explore the need for additional student housing. And while the current housing inventory includes many private amenities, the trends moving forward point to “students wanting more shared space with deeper connections to one another and to their learning environments,” notes Ellison. The diverse mix of residential and commuter students at CSU and the overall improvements to the campus physical plant have created a new richness and vibrancy synonymous with CSU’s and Cleveland’s renaissance. That’s a trend that sure to continue. Brian Breittholz is the assistant vice president for alumni relations and enjoys dabbling in writing.
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Cleveland State Magazine 21
ENGAGE
Surpasses Goal “The response to ENGAGE has been overwhelming, with 22 transformational gifts of $1 million or more,” said President Ronald M. Berkman.
Thank you for making ENGAGE: The Campaign for Cleveland State University a success! The University’s firstever campaign raised more than $114 million, surpassing its $100 million goal and concluding two years ahead of schedule.
“Thank you does not begin to express our deep appreciation to everyone who helped make ENGAGE a success. Through their generosity, our donors are having an immediate impact on our University and our students,” added Berinthia R. LeVine, vice president, University Advancement. At a reception marking the campaign’s conclusion, a Donor Recognition Wall was unveiled on the third floor of the Student Center. The names of 280 donors – individuals, businesses and foundations – are etched on the wall, recognizing gifts of $25,000 and more to ENGAGE. In total, there have been nearly 45,000 gifts from more than 20,000 donors to ENGAGE, with more than $55 million given in support of scholarships. Of the $114 million raised, more than $47.7 million has been designated for CSU’s endowment, which will provide annual support for student success, faculty, research, academics and more. More than $46.2 million supports operations and nearly $20 million supports capital needs. “Cleveland State University provides the academic guidance, career support and financial assistance that help our students earn their degrees on time and assist them in becoming productive community leaders,” said President Berkman. “ENGAGE has been essential in helping us provide the support necessary to FIRST-TIME, FULL-TIME accomplish these goals. FRESHMEN WHO RELY ON
88%
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO HELP PAY FOR COLLEGE 22 Cleveland State Magazine
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“My deepest thanks to everyone who helped make ENGAGE such an outstanding success for the benefit of our students and our community.”
Publicly launched in May 2015, ENGAGE set an ambitious goal of $100 million to support student success through scholarships and expansion of the many initiatives already in place to help students stay in school, graduate and use their knowledge and skills to succeed in their careers and in their lives. “Since its founding in 1964, CSU has championed an educational environment and experience committed CONTINUED ON PAGE 24
$1 MILLION
MORE LIFETIME EARNINGS OF
COLLEGE GRADUATES OVER HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES
“The Mandel Scholarship for the Honors College is the reason I came to Cleveland State. Without it, I could never have afforded the out-of-state tuition. I am forever grateful for the opportunity the Mandel family has given me.”
For each of the past four years, Radiance: CSU Realizing the Promise has raised more than $1 million for scholarships. In fact, this year’s event achieved a record $1.3 million. And since its inception in 2011, Radiance has raised $6.1 million, funding some 1,900 scholarships to keep students in school and on track to graduation. With your support, our 2018 Radiance will be bigger and better than ever. We hope you will join us on Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in the CSU Student Center for this final celebration of scholarship of President Ronald M. Berkman’s tenure. The President’s Medal, CSU’s highest nonacademic honor, will be presented to Beth Mooney, chairman and chief executive officer of KeyCorp, and to Tom Adler and Timothy Cosgrove, co-chairs of Radiance for the past seven years. Adler is the CSU Board of Trustees development officer and senior advisor, Playhouse Square Real Estate Services. Cosgrove, BA ’83 and JD ’87, is chair of the CSU Foundation and partner, Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP. Both have stepped down from leading Radiance but are still actively involved.
Radiance is a business casual, cocktail/hors d’oeuvre reception with short program. For sponsorship and ticket information, contact the CSU Advancement Office at 216.875.9839 or email s.ozello@csuohio.edu
— Cameron Caputi csuohio.edu
Cleveland State Magazine 23
ENGAGE
to access, opportunity and excellence,” notes President Berkman. “This campaign ensures the continued success of CSU students and will provide a pipeline of graduates who are committed to using their education for the betterment of Northeast Ohio.”
A Campaign Cabinet of business and civic leaders, many of them alumni, helped guide ENGAGE. Financial support from every member of CSU’s Board of Trustees and CSU Foundation Board of Directors, as well as strong support from the Colleges, Cabinet members, the Alumni Association Board of Directors, faculty and staff helped pave the way to success.
Looking for names on the ENGAGE Donor Recognition Wall
Leading the way with transformational gifts were ENGAGE co-chairs and two of CSU’s greatest ambassadors and most successful alumni — Monte Ahuja, founder and CEO of Transtar Industries, and Don Washkewicz, retired chairman of Parker Hannifin Corporation. Ahuja, MBA ’75, turned a business plan done as a class assignment into Transtar, the global leader in transmission and driveline-related solutions. He went on to serve on the CSU Board of Trustees from 1991 to 2000, including six years as chairman, and holds the Distinguished Alumni Award, the President’s Medal and an honorary Doctor of Business degree from CSU. In 2011, he and his wife, Usha, made a $10 million gift to CSU. The University renamed the Monte Ahuja College of Business in his honor.
Monte and Usha Ahuja, President Ronald M. Berkman
“It’s been my honor to co-chair ENGAGE because without CSU, I would not be where I am today. My MBA provided the foundation for a business career that transformed my life,” he said. “The future of this region and this country is education. ENGAGE will help many students realize their educational dreams.” Washkewicz, BSME ’72, holds the Distinguished Alumni Award, an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree, and the President’s Medal from CSU. He joined Parker Hannifin upon graduation and over 40-plus years progressed from engineer to president, CEO and chairman while growing the company into a multi-billion-dollar business. Along the way, Parker provided substantial support to CSU for scholarships, buildings, a human motion and control laboratory and more.
Don and Pam Washkewicz
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engage campaign cabinet Washkewicz and his wife, Pam, have made two gifts totaling $10 million to CSU. The University renamed the Washkewicz College of Engineering in his honor. “I have no words to convey how proud I am of the success of ENGAGE and to be part of this University and the campaign to advance higher education in Northeast Ohio,” he said. “CSU is an anchor in this city. ENGAGE is an investment in the city and in the students who are the leaders and workforce of the future. ENGAGE is an investment that pays dividends.”
Monte Ahuja ’75
Linda M. Kane ’79
Campaign Co-Chair Founding Chairman & CEO, Transtar Industries
CSU Foundation Secretary Retired Senior Vice President, Treasurer Forest City Enterprises, Inc.
Don Washkewicz ’72
Stephen F. Kirk ’79
Campaign Co-Chair Retired Chairman, Parker Hannifin Corporation
CSU Board of Trustees Retired Chief Operating Officer The Lubrizol Corporation
Thomas W. Adler
Joseph J. Levanduski ’84
CSU Board of Trustees Development Officer Senior Advisor, Playhouse Square Real Estate Services
CSU Foundation Director Executive Vice President & CFO Transtar Industries
Richard A. Barone
Berinthia R. LeVine
CSU Foundation Emeritus Director Chairman Emeritus, Ancora Advisors
Vice President, University Advancement Executive Director, CSU Foundation
Ronald M. Berkman, Ph.D.
Nancy W. McCann
President Cleveland State University
CSU Foundation Vice Chair President & Treasurer, John P. Murphy Foundation, Kulas Foundation
John J. Boyle ’02
Dr. Berkman, who will retire in June, believes ENGAGE provides a foundation for future campaigns under the leadership of his successor. “Students are the heart and soul of Cleveland State University and helping them succeed will always be our mission,” he says. “Thank you to everyone who supported ENGAGE: The Campaign for Cleveland State University. Thank you for your belief in CSU and its students. Thank you for making students’ dreams possible.”
OVER
80%
CSU Foundation Director Senior Fellow, Cleveland State University
Steven A. Minter CSU Foundation Director Senior Fellow, Cleveland State University
Timothy J. Cosgrove, ’83, ’87 CSU Foundation Chair Partner, Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP
Bernie Moreno CSU Board of Trustees Chair President, Bernie Moreno Companies
Barbara J. Danforth Former CSU Foundation Director Chief Executive Officer Summit Academy Schools
Steven W. Percy ’79 CSU Foundation Treasurer Retired CEO, BP America
Derek Green Former CSU Foundation Director Director – Consumer Credit and Deposit, Product Management and Pricing KeyBank
Robert H. Rawson, Jr. CSU Foundation Director Retired Senior Counsel, Jones Day
David H. Gunning II ’94
Daria L. Roebuck ’80
CSU Board of Trustees Treasurer Member, McDonald Hopkins
CSU Foundation Director Retired Vice President, Human Resources ERICO International Corporation
Matthew K. Hlavin ’98 CSU Foundation Director CEO, Thogus
OF CSU GRADUATES STAY IN NORTHEAST OHIO AND BOOST THE LOCAL ECONOMY
“I will graduate with my master’s in public administration in 2018 and can hardly wait to begin my career in the Cleveland community. I’ve been privileged to work alongside faculty on research and am so grateful for generous donors who are making my education a reality.” — Alexandra Higl csuohio.edu
Cleveland State Magazine 25
ENGAGE
ENGAGE: THE CAMPAIGN FOR CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY RECOGNITION WALL
Thank you to our donors!
Cleveland Foundation Neeraj Julka and Bill Julka MSIE ‘74 Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation
The Lubrizol Foundation Polly Percy and Steven Percy JD ‘79 PNC Bonnie E. Raquet MA ‘73 and Peter A. Raquet Audrey and Albert Ratner Judy and Robert H. Rawson, Jr. Frederick H. Ray* BS ‘49 Betty Willis Ruben and Alan Myles Ruben Saint Luke’s Foundation Genella* and Vir K. Sondhi
$1 MILLION-$4.99 MILLION
$250,000-$499,999
$10 MILLION + Usha Ahuja and Monte Ahuja MBA ‘75 Parker-Hannifin Foundation Pamela Washkewicz and Donald Washkewicz BSME ‘72
$5 MILLION-$9.99 MILLION
Anonymous Joanie and Tom Adler Weston, Inc. Jenniffer and Daryl Deckard Family Mary D. Fergus and Terrence P. Fergus BBA ‘82 Lee A. Glasscock BA ‘91 and Larry C. Glasscock BBA ‘70 KeyBank Foundation Robert W. Lyczkowski BChE ‘64 Medical Mutual of Ohio Bernie Moreno Companies David and Inez Myers Foundation Fred E. Sheibley* Myra and Darwin Smith Barbara and Frank Sullivan Randolph L. Kelly BBA ‘79
$500,000-$999,999 Eaton Paul J. Everson* General Electric Company John D. Holm Mrs. Charolotte M. Kruger Ibele* and Dr. Oscar H. Ibele*
26 Cleveland State Magazine
Anonymous Winifred Bell* Carol G. Emerling JD ‘55 Fairmount Santrol Thomas Gray* JD ‘41 Denise Hlavin and Matthew Hlavin BA ‘98 Huntington Bank Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Joanne Kirk and Stephen F. Kirk MBA ‘79 Karen L. Krause and Alan M. Krause Judith and Morton Q. Levin Dan T. Moore Felicia Peters Pollock* BBA ‘41 and Michael Pollock BSEE ‘40 Lela and Richard Schier* Margaret Taber* BS ‘58 and William Taber* BBA ‘59
$100,000-$249,999 Anonymous (3) Charlotte E. Adomaitis Danferd C. Avis* BBA ‘51 Kathleen Bakale and Anthony S. Bakale BBA ‘82 David L. Balint* BBA ‘69
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Melissa Ballard BA ‘77, MA ‘79 and Ralph Ballard BEd ‘75, MEd ‘82 Richard A. Barone Foundation Barbara and Edward* F. Bell Ronald M. Berkman Carol and Howard Berusch Timothy Beyer BM ‘04, MM ‘09 Meredith Bond and Toni Scarpa Dr. James Borchert Mary O. Boyle BSN ‘04 and John J. Boyle III MS ‘02 The Robert F. Busbey Charitable Foundation Annie Champa Cleveland Clinic Anne Fornari BS ‘76 and David Fornari BBA ‘76, MBA ‘80 Ann M. Frangos MS ‘77 Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Corporation William R. Hill* BSME ‘49 Mary Jo Hobe and David Hobe BBA ‘72 Marsha G. Hopkins and Thomas E. Hopkins MA ‘82 John Hubbard, P.E. BSMetE ‘70, MBA ‘73 Steven Kimmelman BBA ‘80 Kulas Foundation Charles Lent* BBA ‘43 Cheryl Levanduski and Joseph J. Levanduski BBA ‘84 Robert Lisy BBA ‘82 John Lonsak BA ‘68 Robert P. Madison The Honorable Robert S. Malaga* McCarthy, Lebit, Crystal & Liffman Co., LPA Lois McFarland and David McFarland* BS ‘64 Meisel Family Foundation
John P. Murphy Foundation Nordson Corporation Foundation Joseph Z. Pinczuk* BBA ‘75 Patricia and Richard Pogue Jodie Raney BA ‘77, BS ‘83 and Linn Raney JD ‘68 William H. Roberts BA ‘69, MEd ‘78 Daria L. Roebuck BS ‘80 RPM International Inc. Joyce Senney and Walter Senney BBA ‘78 Marjorie Shorrock MBA ‘88 and William Shorrock* Alice Sobey* and Edmond Sobey* BS ‘40, BS ‘43 Mary Stark and George Stark Ann Stockwell and Joe Stockwell BBA ‘81 Third Federal Foundation Sally Thomas and James Thomas JD ‘63 Patricia Thompson BBA ‘71 and John Thompson BBA ‘71 Marjorie D. Thompson* BBA ‘55 The Unger Family Foundation Jearl Walker Terri and Ronald Weinberg
$50,000 -$99,999 Anonymous Aradhana Committee Brian W. Aring* BS ‘88 Lawrence Berdis Gail and Richard Bowen Cleveland Indians Baseball Company Marilyn Colnar and Anthony Colnar BSME ‘42 Robert Conrad – In memory of Jean Smith Conrad Mary and Bill Conway
Janis and Paul DiCorleto Jessica Hart and Matthew Dolan The Dominion Foundation The Richard Eaton Foundation, Inc. The Enterline Foundation Forest City Realty Trust Fouly and Michael Frangos Carol Garner and James Garner BS ‘78 Leah Gary and J.B. Silvers Robin Gilbert and Terry Gilbert JD ‘73 Kristine M. Gill MEd ‘78 and Richard A. Gill The George Gund Foundation Ellen and Mark Hoffman The Honor Project Trust Jayne Janus and Richard Janus MA ‘77 Ruth Kabat BSN ‘79 Linda Kane BBA ‘79 and Gary Stewart Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation James Kochan BBA ‘81, MBA ‘85 The Honorable Steven C. LaTourette* JD ‘79 Bonnie Laufik and Theodore Laufik BBA ‘77, MBA ‘86 Berinthia R. and Mark J. LeVine The Lincoln Electric Foundation Nancy W. McCann Ellen and Judge Timothy McGinty JD ‘81 The MetroHealth System Darius Milhaud Society Dolly Minter* MEd ‘80 and Steven A. Minter Patricia Mintz and Charles Mintz MS ‘76 Gean E. Morrill Charles Stewart Mott Foundation Lee J. Mull* BA ‘75, JD ‘80 and Donald P. Mull* Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy Co., LPA Orbital Research Inc. Oswald Companies The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation Rascal House USA Joanne and Michael Schwartz Beth Sersig BS ‘79, MS ‘80 and Christopher P. Brandt
The Kelvin & Eleanor Smith Foundation The Spencer Foundation Roberta Steinbacher The Stocker Foundation Nancy Taubman ‘62 and Sheldon Taubman United Way of Greater Cleveland University Hospitals William M. Weber Bruce Wilburn BS ‘75 Margaret Wong
$25,000-$49,999 Anonymous (5) Pierre Y. Abboud, BS ’82, MS ’84, PhD ’93 The Agnich Family - In memory of Michael Agnich American Greetings Corporation The Andrews Foundation Battelle Foundation Fund Michele and Lawrence Beyer Rebecca Bompiedi BS ‘84, MS ‘92 and Robert Bompiedi Boodjeh Charitable Foundation/Discount Drug Mart Marye and Richard Boyd The Charles M. & Helen M. Brown Memorial Foundation Janet E. Burney JD ‘79 Cavaliers Operating Company Daniel, Matthew and Kathryn Cherry Cleveland-Marshall Law Alumni Association Cohen & Company Kimberly Cosgrove and Timothy J. Cosgrove BA ‘83, JD ‘87 Rob Cutietta BA ‘75, MA ‘78 and Marybeth Cutietta BA ‘73 DAPCEL, Inc. The George Davis Family in memory of Ronald J. Davis, BBA ’69, MBA ’75 Nancy Lisowski Dembny BBA ’80 and Christopher Dembny Dr. Bart A. DiLiddo ChE ‘54 Elizabeth Domholdt Fifth Third Bank of Northeast Ohio The Char and Chuck Fowler Family Foundation Uleto Fuentes MAcc ‘94 Fund For Our Economic Future Michael E. Gibbons JD ‘82
Lynne and Derek Green Diana Griesser BBA ‘89 and Dr. John W. Griesser Gina K. Gunning and David H. Gunning II JD ‘94 Renee Fetko Hall BBA ‘82 Robin and Leonard Heiser Cynthia Henry and Theodore Henry MBA ‘98 Janice A. Holkenborg Constance Hollinger Timothy Hughes JD ‘73 and Gail Coutcher Hughes Hyland Software, Inc. Jones Day Trevor and Jennie Jones Rajiv Joseph The Honorable Diane J. Karpinski JD ‘80 Karpinski Engineering Richard C. Klein JD ‘63 Audrey and Kenny Koblitz John* and Sandra Konstantinos Debra Krenzler Concetta and Tom Kuluris Julia R. Kunes* BA ‘04 Ken Larson BEE ‘61 Nanci Lemanowicz and John Lemanowicz BS ‘80, MS ‘82, JD ‘92 Georgia Lesh-Laurie and William F. Laurie* Teresa Lowe and James A. Lowe JD ‘72 Milton and Tamar Maltz Judge Richard Markus John J. Matejka MBA’ 81 John J. McCann BA ‘87 McDonald Hopkins LLC The McGregor Foundation Barbara McWilliams BS ‘78 and Thomas Piraino, Jr. Diane J. Monteleone and J. Michael Monteleone JD ‘74 Susan and William J. Napier National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying NE Ohio AFT 279 - Retirees Deborah L. Neale Melody Niederst and Michael Niederst Iris and Mort* November The American Concrete Institute, NE Ohio Chapter Jill D. Olwert and Eric J. Olwert BBA ‘93 The William J. & Dorothy K. O’Neill Foundation James Opalek BS ‘65 and Julia Opalek Tammie and Kurt Packer
Pearne & Gordon LLP Anne Marie Pecon and Jeffrey Pecon BSIE ’77, MSIE ’82 Loree E. Potash JD ‘79 and Steven Potash JD ‘78 Progressive Lisa Brennan and Scott Alan Raab BA ‘83 The Rak Family Scholarship Robert Neil Rapp John H. Roberts BBA ‘75 Enid and David Rosenberg Richard E. Sarosi BA ‘78 “Saving our Daughters In Memory of Iliss Marie Benjamin” Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Donna and Robert Simons Friends and Family of Tom Smolinski Mark Solomon* MEd ‘71 Mary Spremulli BA ‘79, MA ‘79 Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP The Staley Family - In memory of Werner Barthol JD ‘95 Carl L. Stern JD ‘66 Betsy Stovsky and Richard Stovsky JD ‘83 Mary Lou Stricklin Amy Struble The Swagelok Foundation Thompson Hine LLP P. Kelly Tompkins JD ‘81 Barbara Trela and Eugene Trela BSEE ‘69 Tucker Ellis LLP United Black Fund of Greater Cleveland Inc. Bradley Upham BA ‘96 Betty W. Waetjen Steve and Farah Walters Walthall CPAs Mary and Gil Younger*
csuohio.edu
*D EC EA S ED
Cleveland State Magazine 27
ALUMNI
Bring it
HOME
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ALUMNI
B
ring It Home was the theme for Homecoming 2017. And alumni did just that – bringing themselves back home to CSU to share memories and new experiences. Activities throughout Homecoming week focused on building school spirit and reconnecting alumni with one another, their Colleges and the University. Highlights included a parade from Krenzler Field down Euclid Avenue to the front lawn of Mather Mansion. Led by Grand Marshal President Ronald M. Berkman, the parade featured representatives from numerous student organizations and the Shaw High School Marching Band. The parade culminated in a lively VikeFest celebration of food, music and fun. Other special events included the Distinguished Alumni Awards (see story on page 31), the Golden Apple Awards honoring faculty and staff nominated by alumni, and a Golden Anniversary Luncheon saluting 1966 and 1967 graduates. Among those receiving 50th anniversary medallions were James and Bernadette Plantner, who will mark their 50th wedding
anniversary next August. The couple met during their freshman year when they were enrolled in the same German and calculus classes. She graduated with a degree in sociology and worked at both Ohio Bell and Cleveland Clinic while raising their family. He graduated with a degree in engineering and earned a Ph.D. in biochemistry at Case Western Reserve University, where he spent his career doing eye research. Now retired, they live in North Olmsted and have four children and nine grandchildren. Returning home to CSU from their home in Midlothian, VA were Sandy and Jim Schrecengost. A member of the Viking swim team who lived in Fenn Tower before joining Pi Sigma Tau fraternity, Jim earned a degree in civil engineering and spent his career as a construction/contracting project manager for the Virginia Department of Corrections, working with water and wastewater treatment plants as an environmental engineer. Sandy, an accounting student, met Jim at a fraternity party. They dated for seven years, have been married 46 years and have two children and three grandchildren. “He’s still my best buddy,” says Sandy. Alan Wragg, BBA ’66, expressed gratitude for his education and its impact on his career, which included 14 years at Time Inc. in senior sales management roles at Sports Illustrated and LIFE magazines. “CSU is extremely important to my life,” he said.
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Cleveland State Magazine 29
ALUMNI
Magazine Impresses Alum Since receiving his master of business administration degree from CSU in 1985, Steven Markey’s career in marketing, sourcing and trading agricultural commodities and raw materials has taken him to live in four states, travel to more than 40 countries and have a four-year consulting position in London. He retired in 2014 and visits Cleveland occasionally. He wrote to President Ronald M. Berkman after receiving his summer 2017 Cleveland State magazine. Here are some excerpts: “I am writing to congratulate you and tell you how very impressed I am with the activities of your University. I have not followed closely the growth that CSU has undergone. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to walk around campus and see firsthand some of the physical changes and I was duly impressed. “I started reading through this latest edition of the magazine and found myself increasingly impressed. I showed the magazine to my wife and said CSU is really living up to the lofty ideals of an urban institution of higher learning and making me quite proud to be an alumnus.”
Markey took special interest in a story about CSU’s phone center, noting that as a retiree on a fixed income, he cannot afford to give to all the causes that come his way. Then he was solicited for CSU’s Annual Fund by a student caller. “The young man asked me all about my CSU experience, which resulted in a somewhat lengthy conversation. I agreed to make a donation. In retrospect and having read the recent CSU magazine, I feel it was a bit too small. “Having students make the calls and truly engaging with the recipients does indeed make a difference. In the future, I plan to budget 100 percent of my planned donations for higher learning to CSU. “I thank you and all those responsible for making CSU an institution of quality and character and one of which all those who have attended can be proud.”
e print th g in d a e r y jo n Do you e and State? l e v e l C f o n o versi e to publish th e u n ti n o c l e ’l We ; however, w r a e y a e ic tw t magazine mber of prin u n e th g in c with are redu te beginning u ib tr is d e w copies e. the next issu go paperless, to r fe re p o is a For those wh agazine.com M te ta S d n la e Clev y our official jo n e to y a w convenient sktop, phone e d r u o y n o magazine ver and vice – whene e d e il b o m r o nt for you. ie n e v n o c is r whereve 30 Cleveland State Magazine
csuohio.edu
t copy ceiving a prin re e u n ti n o c To in” , please “opt te ta S d n la ve le C of in this the postcard g in n r tu m, re y b sualumni.co .c w w w g in it is g issue, v 78 or emailin 0 .2 7 8 .6 16 2 calling suohio.edu. alumassoc@c
Thanks for rea
ding!
ALUMNI
H
ealth care, business, education, public service, journalism . . . this year’s Distinguished Alumni Award recipients have achieved excellence in a variety of fields. And in doing so, they are a testament to the power of a CSU education. Twelve accomplished alumni were celebrated at the 27th annual event. More than 400 guests were on hand for the reception, dinner and salute to the winners at Wolstein Center, which was transformed into an elegant venue with sparkling décor for the biggest night of the Alumni Association’s year and the conclusion of Homecoming Week. “Our awardees are a credit to our Viking family, which now numbers more than 126,000 alumni worldwide,” said Kathy Jennings, EMBA ’09, president of the CSU Alumni Association. “These alumni have excelled in their careers and in their service to their communities and to CSU. We couldn’t be prouder of them and all CSU alumni for their impact on the economy, workforce, and quality of life in Northeast Ohio and beyond,” added Brian Breittholz, assistant vice president of alumni relations and executive director of the Alumni Association. The annual awards gala is co-hosted by the Alumni Association and the University. CONTINUED ON PAGE 32
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ALUMNI
TO THE OUTSTANDING GRADUATES HONORED FOR THEIR SERVICE, LEADERSHIP AND CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS:
George B. Davis Award for Service to the University CHRISTINE SCHOMISCH MORAVEC, Ph.D. ’88 — In 34 years with Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Moravec has earned respect in numerous positions of responsibility. She currently is assistant dean in the Lerner College of Medicine, where she also serves as director of graduate programs. She runs a research program in the department of molecular cardiology and is director of the Research Education and Training Center in the Lerner Research Institute. In addition, she is an adjunct faculty member in CSU’s Biology, Geology and Environmental Sciences department and head of CSU adjunct faculty at Cleveland Clinic.
Washkewicz College of Engineering THEODORE A. BELTAVSKI, BSCE ’82 and MSCE ’86 — The president and chairman of R.E. Warner & Associates, Inc. serves on the College of Engineering Visiting Committee, has participated in the Business Alumni Speaker Series, and has taught engineering structural mechanics at CSU.
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Honors College AMANDA B. DENNISON, BA ’09 and BS ’09 — As manager of the Ohio Department of Health’s Sexually Transmitted Disease and Hepatitis Prevention Program, she is responsible for screening and treatment programs, disease investigations, prevention messages and health education initiatives.
School of Nursing KRISTINE M. GILL, MEd ’78 — An associate professor emerita of nursing at The University of Akron, Dr. Gill is a founding member of the Visiting Committee for CSU’s School of Nursing. She also is a 25-year member and past president of the Summit County Board of Health.
Athletics DAVID W. GUINTHER, BSEE ’69 — The former co-captain of the Viking swim team remains engaged through the renaming of the Robert F. Busbey Natatorium, the Champions Campaign which raised funds to revitalize the pool, and the Heritage Project which honored coaches, teams and alumni while creating a platform for continued recruiting, fundraising and connecting. He retired from a sales and marketing career in the semiconductor industry.
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ALUMNI
Monte Ahuja College of Business JANET L. KRAMER, MBA ’83 — Kramer is a member of the College of Business Visiting Committee, was inducted into the College of Business Hall of Fame in 2012, and is a former chair of the CSU Alumni Association Board of Directors. She retired as president of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s Ohio Buckeye Chapter.
College of Education and Human Services MARK M. POLATAJKO, Ph.D. ’11 — The senior vice president for finance and administration at Kent State University has more than 16 years of senior fiscal management experience with Wright State University, Cuyahoga Community College and the Ohio Lottery Commission.
Cleveland-Marshall College of Law STEVEN POTASH, JD ’78 — Potash is the founder and chief executive officer of OverDrive, Inc., the leading digital reading platform for eBooks, audiobooks and other digital media. He has served on the C|M|LAW Visiting Committee and National Advisory Committee, and currently serves on the Board of Visitors.
College of Liberal Arts and Social Studies SCOTT A. RAAB, BA ’83, has enjoyed a high-profile career as a writer, journalist and media commentator. A long-time writer-at-large for both GQ and Esquire magazines, he has published three books and was a co-producer of the ESPN film documentary Believeland.
College of Sciences and Health Professions MISSI ZAHORANSKY, BSOT ’89 and MS ’02 — Zahoransky has started two health-care companies, one of which was the first therapist-owned, Medicare-certified home health-care agency in the nation. She has taught part time in CSU’s master of occupational therapy program for 20 years, served as the program’s interim director, and is a former member and chair of the College’s Visiting Committee.
Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs MATTHEW C. ZONE, BAUS ’99 — Zone has represented Ward 15 on Cleveland City Council since 2001 and currently serves as president of the National League of Cities. He is a past president of the Northeast Ohio City Council Association, an advocate for alternative energy and green building and a driving force behind development of the Gordon Square Arts District.
College of Graduate Studies GEORGE W. JACKSON, MS ’75, Ph.D. ’79 and MBA ’81 — Jackson was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in chemistry from Cleveland State. A high school graduate at age 15 and Talladega College graduate at age 20, he celebrated his 88th birthday three days before the DAA event. Dr. Jackson is the retired president of Alpha Omega Chemical Company and AOCC Group Consulting, Inc., and the founder and senior minister of Agape Renaissance Center. csuohio.edu
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ALUMNI
N E W S F R O M A L U M N I A F FA I R S
Trophy Case
FirstVike
We couldn’t be prouder! The Alumni Office received seven awards in the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District 5 awards competition. CSU was recognized for: Viking Days for Viking Families, gold for Best New Alumni Program; Senior Series, silver for Best Student Alumni Programming; ENGAGE: The Campaign for Cleveland State University, silver for Best Electronic Newsletter; Cleveland State University Foundation website, silver for Best Institutional Web Site; Annual Fund Direct Mail, silver for Excellence in Design; Women’s Leadership Symposium and Women’s Leadership Conversation Series, silver for Excellence in Special Events, Series of Events; and Viking Pride, honorable mention for Best Electronic Newsletter.
Remember what it was like starting on the great adventure — college — at CSU? If you were lucky, you had a mentor or someone who could give you advice on what to expect, answer questions about navigating an urban campus, and help you succeed.
In addition, our Senior Series was recognized nationally and regionally as Outstanding Student Advancement Program by both CASE ASAP and CASE ASAP District 5. District 5 also recognized the 1964 Society as Outstanding Organization and Kathleen Piper, BA ’06/MEd ’15, manager of alumni relations, as Outstanding Advisor. CASE ASAP comprises student alumni associations, student foundations and similar organizations at more than 300 CASE member institutions.
Not all students are so fortunate. In fact, 40 percent of CSU students are firstgeneration college students who have a limited support system or guidance when it comes to higher education. To help them succeed, the Alumni Office has started FirstVike – a new program linking firstgeneration students with first-generation alumni (age 35 and younger). If you were a first-generation student and would like to help guide a current firstgeneration student on the path to success, contact John McCreery at 216.523.7297 or email at j.mccreery@csuohio.edu.
Alumni Book Club Thanks to everyone who participated in the launch of two virtual book clubs focused on professional development and lifelong learning for CSU alumni. More than 200 readers joined in the online communities. For its first book, the Business and Professional Development book club read Originals by Adam Grant, while the Lifelong Learning club read Why Nations Fail by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson. Each club connects through a private online forum where participants discuss the current book and network with each other. Groups read a book every two months and membership is free – alumni need only get a copy of the book. For information and to sign up, visit www.pbc.guru/csuohio/ 34 Cleveland State Magazine
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OUR FOURTH-ANNUAL WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM IS SLATED FOR APRIL 10, 2018 AT THE WOLSTEIN CENTER. THIS DAY OF INSPIRING SPEAKERS, INFORMATIVE WORKSHOPS AND CAMARADERIE IS SURE TO EMPOWER AND ENLIGHTEN ALL PARTICIPANTS. WATCH YOUR MAILBOX AND EMAIL FOR INFORMATION OR VISIT CSUALUMNI.COM
ALUMNI
Board serves alumni interests Welcome to the newest members of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, recently elected to two-year terms.
LaToya Smith, BA ’98, is assistant vice president and talent acquisition manager at Fifth Third Bank. She is an advisor with the CSU LINK program which provides minority students, largely from Greater Cleveland-area high schools, with internship and cooperative education opportunities.
Ron Van Johnson Jr., BBA ’95, is vice president and assistant counsel at KeyBank. He has been a supporter of the LINK program since he graduated and is on the LINK Advisory Board.
Stan Gromek, BA ’78 and MEd ’84, is a principal at Gromek Resources. He has been a Viking men’s and women’s basketball season ticket holder for 30-plus years.
Better late than never Sixty-one years after finishing his studies, Richard Veres finally walked across the commencement stage and received his diploma. Veres, 84, realized a lifelong dream when he participated in May commencement ceremonies with the Class of 2017 at CSU’s invitation. With proud family members in attendance, the Novelty, Ohio resident received special recognition from President Ronald Berkman and a standing ovation from the crowd. Veres earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from CSU’s predecessor, Fenn College, in 1956 but was unable to receive his diploma in person because he was drafted by the U.S. Army.
“I was on a train to Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., for eight weeks of basic training,” he recalls. Veres said a work-study scholarship from Reliance Electric enabled him to attend Fenn and become the first in his extended family to graduate from college. He went on to spend his entire 46-year career at Reliance. Finally donning cap and gown, he advised fellow graduates and current students to “keep your nose down, keep going and don’t give up. That worked for me.”
Cortney Crockett, EMBA ’12, is director of marketing and communications for the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority. She was one of CSU’s Fascinating Alumni for 2017.
Vanita Marzette, BBA ’90, is director of merchant operations and retail experience at American Greetings. She is committed to working with her firm to provide CSU students with internship opportunities.
Michelle Hackim, JD ’09, is an associate attorney with Jackson Lewis P.C. She works with C|M|LAW to recruit graduates for her law firm.
ALUMNI
How did your CSU education impact your personal life and career? Without CSU, I would not be where I am at today in my journalism career at ESPN or in my personal life intellectually. CSU whetted my appetite for knowledge and helped me begin to think analytically. I put my CSU degree up against any of my colleagues and their degrees from Syracuse, Missouri, Duke, Cornell and Seton Hall.
You share your time, talent and treasure with CSU. Why?
Alumnus Dwayne Bray
Pays It Forward Dwayne Bray, BA ’88, recently returned to his Viking roots to help the Alumni Association and Student Affairs launch About Manhood, a new men’s leadership series geared toward students. The East Cleveland native shared stories of his life with a drug-addicted mother just 14 years his senior, his love of sports and his career. The Peabody, Murrow and Dupont Award-winning senior coordinating producer at ESPN lives in Connecticut and is an engaged alumnus, serving on the CSU Foundation Board of Directors and establishing a scholarship in honor of his late mother.
Why did you choose to attend CSU?
The past 30 years have been a blur, but nothing is more important than remembering where you started and trying to pay it forward. If I can’t help the young people of Cleveland, then, frankly, nothing else is important to me as far as outreach.
Did you follow Cleveland sports teams growing up? I like to say Cleveland sports was my gateway to my professional career in journalism and sports. At 12, I started delivering the Plain Dealer. At age 14, I started selling hot dogs and other concessions at Browns and Indians games. Cleveland sports helped keep me grounded and away from the mean, mean streets that have swallowed up so many young people like myself. I read the sports sections of the Plain Dealer and the old Cleveland Press religiously and studied the agate pages for minutiae information on stats. Once I got to ESPN, almost everybody I met had a similar story in their own city.
Are you a jock in real life?
Frankly, CSU was one of my few options. I didn’t have the money to attend school away from home. I was still developing my study habits. CSU offered me admission into its “special studies” program because my GPA wasn’t very high coming out of Shaw High School. CSU is the greatest university in the world because it gives everyone an opportunity.
Yes. I coached youth and AAU basketball for 22 years until recently. I still train kids at basketball and work out with them, and play pickup. And about five years ago, I started to run about 15-18 miles each week and participate in 5Ks. A former high school baseball player at Shaw, I always hated running prior to that. I was a balland-stick guy.
Favorite Viking memories?
What’s your leadership advice to young men and women?
I had plenty of great memories. Working at the Cauldron as a reporter and becoming editor-in-chief is one. Hanging out at the Rascal House or Shire restaurant with friends from the Cauldron and the Vindicator is another. Covering the Sweet 16 Vikings basketball team was certainly a highlight. Graduation was terrific.
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Be a good person. Confront issues head on. Build relationships with others. Learn to think critically. Read, read, read. Learn to listen. Don’t be afraid to seek help. Don’t get mad if you are rejected – figure out how to work harder and smarter.
ALUMNI
NO PASSPORT NEEDED Hundreds of alumni and friends have explored this area’s hidden treasures by participating in Passport Cleveland tours. Have you? Sponsored by the CSU Alumni Affairs Office, the award-winning Passport Cleveland series provides unique access to some of Cleveland’s best-kept secrets. Each tour is prepared exclusively for CSU alumni and is professionally guided. Always sell-outs, tours are affordable and accessible for all. Fall 2017 Passports included: a visit to Cleveland Browns training camp to watch the team practice; a tour of the Pickwick & Frolic entertainment complex and a show at Hilarities Comedy Club; an exploration of the historic U.S.S. Cod; the final Cleveland Indians game of the regular season (the Tribe beat the Chicago White Sox, 3-1), a visit to ethnic and orthodox historic churches, and more. Don’t miss out on future Passport Cleveland adventures. The spring series begins in January. And don’t forget to check out Viking Days for Viking Families, fun outings geared for all ages. Visit csualumni.com for details on both.
CSU is visiting Florida in February to host alumni receptions and our popular CSU2U alumni college. If you live in The Villages, Fort Myers or Boca Raton, watch your mailbox and email for information or visit csualumni.com/csu2u CSU Viking Travelers, a partnership between the Cleveland State University Alumni Association and professional travel experts, is offering 10 world-class travel adventures from February through November 2018. All you have to do is sign up, show up and enjoy! Visit csualumni.com/events-travel/ travel for details. csuohio.edu
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RESEARCH
INQUIRY, INVESTIGATION,
DISCOVERY Cleveland State University is nationally recognized for its groundbreaking research. Here are just a few of the many projects making headlines.
MOO-YEAL LEE, assistant professor of chemical and biomedical engineering, received $100,000 as a stage-two winner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Transform Toxicity Testing Challenge. Dr. Lee partnered with Rayton Gerald of 3D MicroArray, Inc. to develop robotic, high-precision, cell printing technology which allows for the generation of testable human tissues in a laboratory environment. The innovation could increase the accuracy of toxicity testing and drastically reduce the associated costs.
BIBO LI, professor of biology, geology and THIJS HEUS, assistant professor of physics, was awarded $602,178 by the Department of Energy for his project, Size decompositions of observed and simulated shallow convective cloud fields. The three-year award includes support for co-investigators at the University of Cologne in Germany. Dr. Heus studies cloud formation and atmospheric flow by developing high-resolution computer models known as large eddy simulations, which he combines with data from airplanes, radar and satellites. In climate prediction models, the behavior of clouds is one of the largest uncertainties. His work will improve the accuracy of mathematical models of cloud formation and change, which has the potential to improve both weather forecasting and climate prediction.
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environmental sciences (BGES) and a faculty member in CSU’s Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease (GRHD), was awarded $816,750 over five years as part of a National Institutes of Health research grant. The research program, titled “Molecular dynamics of genome and epigenome integrity in Trypanosoma brucei,” is led by Rockefeller University. The NIH funding will enable RU and CSU to investigate how alterations of specific structures on chromosomes influence DNA replication. Dr. Li’s team will determine the spatial organization of chromosome structures with support from Valentin Börner, associate professor in BGES and GRHD faculty member.
XUE-LONG SUN, professor of chemistry and GRHD faculty member, was awarded a grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. His project, “Synthesis of Biomimetic
Proteoglycan and Its Antithrombotic Activity,” was funded for $445,500 over three years. Thrombosis is the major cause of cardiovascular diseases with significant mortality and morbidity in the United States. New antithrombotic drugs are in high demand for both treatment and prevention of thrombotic diseases. Dr. Sun’s research focuses on developing a novel antithrombotic agent for effective and safe therapy. His research group investigates novel antithrombotic and antiviral agents, targeted drug delivery systems, and cell surface reengineering.
FESTIVAL ENGAGES MINDS, LIFTS SPIRITS An outdoor book festival... dancing with a star... engaging with Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award-winning authors... exploring other worlds with an astrophysicist. All were part of CSU’s inaugural Arts and Humanities Alive! (AHA!) Festival. The three-day event, the first of its kind in Ohio, attracted sold-out audiences, with attendees eager to immerse themselves in books, theater, music, art, dance and ideas. Highlights included presidential historian/TIME magazine editor Jon Meacham discussing “The Art of Leadership,” Adler Planetarium astronomer Lucianne Walkowicz sharing “Astral Stories,” author Isabel Wilkerson chronicling “The AfricanAmerican Experience,” dancer Karina Smirnoff leading hundreds of would-be hoofers in a workshop on the State Theatre stage, actress Yvette Nicole Brown examining “The Arts as a Tool for Personal Growth” and a preview of The Vietnam War PBS documentary. The event garnered a cheer from the Plain Dealer, which noted, “Music, theater, writing and dance tell us stories about ourselves that keep us alive.”
The next AHA! Festival will be held June 7, 8 and 9, 2018. DON’T MISS OUT! AHACSU.COM
CLASS NOTES
1960s ALAN T. WRAGG, BBA ’66, is president and chairman of Time Life Alumni Society, which publishes newsletters for a global membership of 1,500 and hosts author luncheons for members. The Bedford, N.Y. resident is retired from the advertising business in New York City. His career included 14 years at Time Inc. in senior sales management roles at Sports Illustrated and LIFE magazine. He also served as publisher of the cable television industry’s largest magazine, The Cable Guide, and helped build the cable industry’s first electronic programming guide, Total TV Online. PAULETTE S. GOLL, BA ‘69 and MEd ‘74, is the president of Global Vocabulary LLC. The firm recently launched UPGRADE Vocabulary, an iPad app for GRE test vocabulary acquisition and retention.
1970s JAMES MASTANDREA, BBA ’70, received the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Gulf Coast Texas Region in the transformational CEO category. The chairman and chief executive officer of Whitestone REIT is a member of the CSU Foundation board of directors and a 2000 recipient of CSU’s Distinguished Alumni Award. He lives in Houston. WILLIAM L. EVANS, JD ’74, is special counsel to the Dallas Zoo & Children’s Aquarium and was named a director of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. He lives in Dallas. DONNA MARIE KISLEY PRZYBOJEWSKI, BA ’74, lives in Garfield Heights and is a junior high language arts teacher at St. Benedict Catholic School. Her fourth book about author Henry David Thoreau was published in July. She launched Henry David Thoreau Loved the Seasons of the Year at the Thoreau Farm in Concord, Mass., participated in a Thoreau workshop sponsored by the National Endowment of the Humanities, and planned a yearlong celebration of the author at her school.
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GEORGE S. YANNARAS, BBA ’74, retired from the Defense Finance and Accounting Service as an accountability certifying officer and IPAC system agency administrator. He was also a financial systems specialist for the U.S. Navy Finance Center, with training in systems analysis and design at the U.S. Army Materiel Command Engineering Training Activity in Rock Island, Ill., and worked in business control for IBM in Athens with training in financial planning at IBM’s International Education Center in La Hulpe, Belgium. He was lecturer of finance at the University of La Verne and Capital University, board member and scholarships and awards chair of the Association of Government Accountants Cleveland Chapter, and earned the CGFM certification and an MBA from St. John’s University. JOSEPH A. SALEM, JR., BBA ’74 and BA ’98, was named the 2017 Library and Information Science Alumnus of the Year by Kent State University’s School of Library and Information Science for his contributions to the profession. The Port Matilda, Pa. resident is associate dean of learning, undergraduate services and commonwealth campus libraries at Penn State University. ANNETTE MERRITT CUMMINGS, BA ’77, is the author of The Only Woman in the Room. The recently published memoir features inspirational quotes and reflections from a 30-year career in advertising, public relations and diversity training. She lives in Shaker Heights and Columbia, S.C. DAN WAETJEN, MBA ’79, retired after 10 years as president of the Greater Washington region of BB&T, a financial services holding company. His banking career spanned 44 years.
1980s KEVIN M. HINKEL, JD ’80, was named to the 2018 edition of Best Lawyers in the fields of Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Real Estate Law and Tax Law. He is the managing partner of Kadish, Hinkel & Weibel in downtown Cleveland and lives in Westlake. ROBERT M c GEE, JD ’80, won world championships in taekwondo, kung fu and karate, as well as a silver medal in tai chi in a single weekend — at age 70. Since age 65, he has won 22 gold medals in taekwondo national championships and six first-place trophies in karate national championships. McGee was inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame in July. His career gold medal count is 197 (as of
September). McGee holds 13 doctorates from universities in the United States and four European countries. He has published 58 nonfiction books and more than 700 scholarly articles in a half-dozen disciplines. ROBERT PAPONETTI, BBA ’80, has been the executive director of the Literacy Cooperative for 10 years. He formerly was vice president of workforce and economic development at Cuyahoga Community College. MARC NANCE, MSUS ’82, was named executive vice president of excess and surplus property at AXIS Capital Holdings. He is based in Chicago and joined the firm in 2003 as senior vice president. LINDA LEHMANN MASEK, MA ’83, wrote and illustrated her 11th book, The Mag-ni-fi-cat Mysteries. The series continues the story of Maggie the cat and her human friends in 1950s America. FAITH MILLER, BBA ’84, retired as human resources director at Dalton State College in Georgia and relocated to Frederick, Md. REBECCA A. BOMPIEDI, BS ’84 and MS ’92, joined San Antonio-based Argillite, Inc. as chief technology officer, responsible for global engineering functions. A CSU Distinguished Alumni Award recipient in 2013, she has held leadership positions in the lighting industry, including senior vice president of business transformation at Philips Lighting and restructuring and transformation leader at GE Lighting. DAVID ODUM, BA ’85, is a disabled Vietnam veteran who lives in Cleveland. He enjoys spending time with his grandson and following Viking athletics. CHIP HAUTALA, BA ’86, was named chief executive officer of MotionSource International, an industrial engineering, hydraulics and lubrication firm headquartered in Solon. GLORIA WATKINS BROWN, MMusic ’87, published Through It All: A Compilation of Short Stories Based on Lived Experiences. She lives in Streetsboro. CHRISTOPHER HELSEL, BSME ’88, was named vice president and chief technology officer of the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. He joined the firm in 1996 and most recently served as director, North America commercial and global off-highway technology.
JAMES LELKO, BBA ’88, joined Andersen Tax as managing director in the Chicago office. He is part of the firm’s alternative investment funds practice. Previously, he served as client services partner at PwC.
TAK SATO, BS’91 and EMBA ’07, is co-founder of the Center for Aging in the Digital World, a nonprofit empowering seniors through technology. He lives in North Olmsted.
PETER BILLINGTON, BA ’89, owns Whitney Stained Glass in Cleveland. The studio does restoration and new works for churches, businesses and homes. He lives in Cleveland Heights.
CHERYL KANETSKY, BA ’92, was named executive director of the Alzheimer’s Association East Ohio Area Chapter.
ROB BRANDT, BBA ’89, and his wife Carla received the 2017 FBI Directors Community Service Award for their work with their foundation ROBBY’S VOICE. Named for their son who passed away in 2011, the foundation focuses on the drug epidemic, bringing awareness and help to families, schools and communities in need. They live in Medina.
1990s ROY HARDY, MBA ’90, joined the Precision Metalworking Association as president, following eight years as president of the Forging Industry Association. He lives in Bay Village. CATHERINE FOSTER ROWELL, BA ’91, was elected as the first Mayor Pro Tempore and City Councilwoman for District 1 of the newly incorporated city of South Fulton, Ga. Incorporated in November 2016, South Fulton is the fifth largest city in Georgia with a population of nearly 100,000 residents. Dr. Rowell was featured in Who’s Who in Black Atlanta 2017. MIKE CARPENTER, BA ’91 and MA ’92, is the new head wrestling coach of the Westlake High School Demons. The former Viking wrestler is a history teacher with the Berea schools. ELAINE RICHARDSON, BA ’91 and MA ’93, is an Ohio State University professor and singer known as Dr. E whose latest album is Songs for the Struggle. She was a CSU Distinguished Alumni Award recipient in 2007. DAVID JAMES, BA ’91 and MPA ’97, received the 2017 Glass Half Full award from the GAR Foundation and the 2017 Ohio Superintendent Outstanding Performance award from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation. He has been superintendent of Akron public schools since 2008 and also serves as president of the Buckeye Association of School Administrators.
RICHARD KASMER, JD ’92, was named vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College of Pharmacy at Northeast Ohio Medical University. He has been with NEOMED for 10 years, most recently as vice dean of the College of Pharmacy. NANCY STIMLER M c MANUS, MEd ’92, received the Gingy Harshey-Meade Excellence in Leadership Award from the Ohio Nurses Foundation. She is a clinical development educator at Summa Health and lives in Hudson. RINETTE SCARSO, MS ’92, was inducted by the National Association of Professional Women into its VIP Woman of the Year Circle. She is a management consultant with Cisco Systems Inc. and chief executive officer and founder of Rinette Scarso Fitness. JON SILVER, BA ’92, was promoted from midwest regional sales manager to national sales manager at Jain Americas. JACKIE WARREN, MMusic ’92, is a pianist who performs as a soloist and with her jazz trio at such local venues as The Velvet Tango Room, Nighttown and Belinda’s Nightclub. She is on the jazz studies faculty at Cuyahoga Community College, Metro Campus, where she coaches jazz ensembles and teaches piano. She also is on the faculty at the Cleveland Music School Settlement. KELLY FALCONE-HALL, BA ’92 and MA ’95, received a 2017 Women of Note Award from Crain’s Cleveland Business. The president and chief executive officer of the Western Reserve Historical Society was included in CSU’s first group of Fascinating Alumni in 2015. MICHELLE CURRY, BA ’92 and MPA ’98, is the executive director of Merrick House. She lives in Bedford Heights. JAMES WALTON, MBA ’93, is the president/chief executive officer of TRAILSOURCE.COM, Inc., based in Crested Butte, Colo. He provides overall strategic management for a suite of sports-travel websites, including trailsource.com, snorkelingdives.com, myriverguide.com and snowboardguides.com.
ANDY KUCHTA, MPA ’94, was named interim assistant county administrator for Clermont County in the Cincinnati area. He joined county government in 2004 and has served as director of community and economic development since 2011. JOHN BUCKNELL, BSME ’95, is the senior propulsion scientist for Divergent3D in Torrance, Calif. He formerly led advanced engineering teams at Chrysler and General Motors and was senior propulsion engineer at Space Exploration Technologies. KELLIE GLENN, MPA ’95, was named head of the Lorain Building, Housing and Planning Department, after holding the position on an interim basis for four months. She has worked for the city since 2015. MARGARET METZINGER, JD ’95, joined the law firm of Kadish, Hinkel & Weibel as a partner. The Aurora resident was recently approved by the Supreme Court of Ohio as a mentor for its Lawyer Mentoring Program. RONALD WATSON-BOLDEN, MEd ’95 and JD ’01, received an Alumni Award from Malone University, where he earned his undergraduate degree. He is the founder of Medical Search Consultants Unlimited, which recruits and places physicians nationwide. LESLIE LAKE, MBA ’96, is the owner of Leslie’s Pet Care Plus in Westerville, Ohio. She started the pet sitting/boarding/training business in 2012 and has received the Super Service Award from Angie’s List every year since 2014. RUSSELL STOKES, BBA ’96, was named president and chief executive officer of GE Power, after serving as president and chief executive officer of GE Energy Connections for 18 months. He will lead the integration of the legacy GE Power and Energy Connections businesses into one power-focused unit called GE Power. A 20year GE veteran, he has served as president and chief executive officer of GE Transportation, as well as senior roles in GE Lighting and GE Aviation. WEIWU ZHANG, MACTM ’96, is an associate professor and chairperson of the Department of Public Relations in the College of Media and Communication at Texas Tech University. He served as editor for Communication Booknotes Quarterly in 2015-16.
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CLASS NOTES SAL CALANNI, BS ’00, is a San Francisco-based comedian whose latest album is titled Little Dago.
ELWYN McROY, BA ’97, joined Washington State University as recruiting coordinator for the Cougars’ basketball team. The former Viking point guard spent the past three seasons — including the last two as associate head coach — at Coppin State in Baltimore. He also has been an assistant coach at five other Division I schools: Iowa State, Arkansas State, Georgia Southern, Southern University and Texas-Pan American. ROBERT DIVIS, BA ’99, was a ROTC cadet at CSU and was commissioned as an infantry officer. His Army service now complete, he recently completed a JD degree at Mercer University School of Law and is set to embark on a second career. While a student at Mercer, he wrote an article on veterans’ benefits that was selected for publication in Volume 9, Veterans Law Review. Divis lives in Macon, Ga.
2000s GREGG BUDOI, MBA ’00, was appointed interim chief financial officer at McorpCX, Inc.
Four alumni were named to the 2017 Crain’s Cleveland Business 20 in Their 20s list. Congratulations to: STEPHEN LOVE, MPA ’11, program officer, Cleveland Foundation; JESSICA MALONE, MPA ’11, assistant director of development, Philanthropy Institute, Cleveland Clinic; MILES WELO, JD ’14, associate, Mansour Gavin and co-founder, Game Sports Management and Media; and ELIZABETH BONHAM, JD ’15, staff attorney, ACLU of Ohio. Student Selina Pagan also was named to the list.
KEVIN P. KEATING, MA ’00, received a 2017 Cleveland Arts Prize for Emerging Artist. The former CSU faculty member is the author of two novels — The Natural Order of Things and The Captive Condition, as well as a writer of essays and short stories. He is currently teaching at Baldwin Wallace University and pursuing a degree from Southern New Hampshire University. JESSICA KELCE, BEd ’00, is the new Head of School for Holy Trinity Lower School in Florida.
ANGIE NICHOLSON, BEd ’00, was inducted into the Elyria High School Sports Hall of Fame. The former Viking softball player and coach has spent the past 12 years coaching softball at the NCAA Division I level, and is currently at Hampton University. VERONICA COOK-EUELL, MA ’01, is the supplier diversity manager at Kent State University.
DOMINIC CACOLICI, BSME ’02, is a senior mechanical project engineer in the Tampa office of TLC Engineering for Architecture, Inc. A private pilot, he specializes in designing aviation projects. He lives in St. Petersburg, Fla. JENNIFER HOBAN, BEd ’02, participated in Miami University’s Earth Expeditions global field course in Namibia this summer. The Title 1 math teacher at Horizon Science Academy in Lorain studied radio tracking, cheetah conservation, ecosystem management and the design of school and community programs as part of her graduate course work in Miami’s Advanced Inquiry Program. DONALD P. SCOTT, JD ’02, was sworn in for admission to the federal bar by the United States Supreme Court in Washington DC. Scott is a 2015 Ohio State Bar Association Leadership Academy graduate. JENNIFER BERNARD, BA ’02 and MA ’04, works for the Department of Veterans Affairs as director of the Lorain Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Sheffield Village.
CHRISTOS GEORGALIS, JD ’05, and PAUL FLANNERY, JD ’07, launched Flannery | Georgalis LLC, a boutique law firm specializing in white-collar criminal defense and corporate investigations. Both are former assistant U.S. attorneys for the Northern District of Ohio.
JESSE MORGAN, BA ’09, and ALAN MEGARGLE, BS ’13, collaborated on The Back 80, a documentary about Bigfoot. Morgan lives in Mentor; Megargle lives in Painesville.
EMILY PASKERT, MEd ’10, and BROOKE HAMILTON, JD ’16, received the 25 Under 35 award from their high school, Saint Joseph Academy. Paskert is an intervention specialist at Metro Catholic School. Hamilton is an associate attorney at Gallagher Sharp, LLP.
ANDY NG, BSCE ’02 and MSCE ’08, is a civil engineer with Middough Inc., specializing in water resources and land development. He and his wife, Jessie, own Ice or Rice in Cleveland, which provides Asian cooking classes and tastings, tours of Asian grocery stores and more. KEVIN FORREY, BS ’03, was named vice president, IT applications development, at the Selective Insurance Company of America. He joined the firm in 2007 as a technical specialist and was promoted to assistant vice president, application development services, in 2014. BETTE LOU HIGGINS, MEd ’03, was nominated for a Regional National Association of Television Arts and Sciences Emmy Award in the Best Documentary, Historical category for Trail Magic, the Grandma Gatewood Story. The story of Emma Gatewood’s historic solo thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail in 1955 at the age of 67 (after raising 11 children and surviving domestic abuse) has been shown on PBS television stations across the country.
MARTHA MULLINS GILLESPIE, BAUS ’03, was inducted into the Edgewood High School Alumni Association. She retired after 30 years with the Ashtabula County Department of Job and Family Services, including nine years as social services program administrator. GERRY LYONS, MBA ’04, was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of ScanSource Inc. He joined the firm in 2007 and had been serving as senior vice president and interim CFO for the past year. RAKESH PATEL, MBA ’04, was promoted to strategic sourcing manager for ingredients at Dr. Pepper Snapple Group in Texas. He lives in Keller, Texas. MEHDI H. SHISHEHBOR, MPH ’04, was named director of University Hospitals’ Cardiovascular Interventional Center. An expert on minimally invasive approaches to reconstruct lower extremity arteries, Dr. Shishehbor directed the endovascular program at the Cleveland Clinic for the past eight years. SARA ZIEMNIK, MA ’04, was named 2017 Ohio History Teacher of the Year by the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History. She has been with the Rocky River schools for 17 years and teaches history at the high school. PETER BISHOP, MPA ’05, was named the first economic development director of Burlington, N.C. For the past nine years, he has been economic development director of Currituck County, N.C. EMILY LEYAVA, BA ’05, is pursuing a Ph.D. in sociocultural and international development education at Florida State University. The CSU alumna holds a master’s degree in religious studies from John Carroll University and a master’s degree in global development/social justice from St. John’s University. ELIZABETH NEWMAN, MSUS ’05, received a 2017 Women of Note Award from Crain’s Cleveland Business. She is president and chief executive officer of Centers for Families and Children. DENA M. WARMUTH, BA ’05, lives in North Ridgeville and is a home health aide. The dramatic arts graduate volunteers as stage manager and board member at her local community theater.
GIGI TRAORE, BA ’06, traveled to China as a U.S. delegate for the China Communist Youth League’s Young Political Leaders’ Exchange and Dialogue. One of five from the Democratic Party to be invited, she visited Beijing, Inner Mongolia and Shanghai. Traore is the principal consultant for G3 Management Firm. VISHNU VANDANA DANDU, MS ’07, was named to Dealerscope magazine’s 40 Under 40 list. She is an automation engineer with Safeware Inc. The Powell, Ohio resident has been named Innovator of the Year at her company. JODIE SAHOTA, MBA ’07, was named to the newly created chief financial officer position at Orthopaedic and Neurosurgery Specialists in Connecticut. She has served as finance director since joining the firm three years ago. GEORGE WHITFIELD, BS ’09, was named pastor of Fifth Avenue A.M.E. Zion Church in Troy, N.Y. At 34 years old, he is the youngest pastor in the church’s history. FRANCIS AFRAM-GYENING, MBA ’10, was named chief executive officer of Camillus Health, a nonprofit that provides health care for the homeless and poor in Miami. He previously was president and chief executive officer of Care Alliance Health Center in Cleveland. WONCHUK CHA, MBA ’10, earned a Ph.D. in business management from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley this spring. He is now an assistant professor of management at Southern Connecticut State University. DIANA STARKS, MA ’10, was named vice president, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. NORRIS COLE, BS ’11, signed with the Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv basketball team. The former Viking player won NBA championships with the Miami Heat during each of his first two pro seasons. The Maccabi team plays in the Israeli Premier League and internationally in the EuroLeague. JUSTIN HASELTON, MS ’12, was named a 2017 Rising Star in Civil Engineering by Civil + Structural Engineer magazine. He is a civil engineering/survey department manager with R.E. Warner & Associates, Inc. in Westlake.
Two alumna have joined Campus District, Inc. DIANA HASROUNI, BAUS ’16, is the economic opportunity coordinator through AmeriCorps VISTA. RACHEL OSCAR, MUPD ’17, is the interim community organizer.
VALISSA TURNER HOWARD, MA ’12, is the First Assistant Deputy Inspector General for Cuyahoga County. She also is president of the Norman S. Minor Bar Association, the premier African American bar association in Northeast Ohio. ASHLEY HILL, MPA ’14, is the owner of Homewatch Caregivers in Westlake and managing director of the firm’s Beachwood branch. Three generations of her family have had Alzheimer’s Disease; Homewatch provides care for such patients. YULU LI, MPA ’14, is president of the Friends of Global Cleveland, a career development organization which organized the first InterCLE, an event that welcomed students from other countries to Northeast Ohio. Li is a senior account analyst with Hanna Commercial Real Estate. KATIE LAMAR, BA ’16, is a special assistant in the Office of Communications for Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. As a student, she gained experience working in City Hall through CSU’s Deckard Civic Fellow Scholarship. LEX ECKLES, BS ’17, signed with the Glanmire Basketball Club in Cork, Ireland. She is a former Viking player. OLIVIA GARL, BA ’17, is the curator at the Legacy of the Plains Museum in Nebraska. GRACE KAUTH, BBA ’17, was the Horizon League’s nominee for NCAA Woman of the Year. As a two-year volleyball team captain, she led the Vikings to Horizon League regular season titles and tournament championships in 2015 and 2016. BRIANNA WEIR, BBA ’17, led four Theta Phi Alpha sisters to victory in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man & Woman of the Year fundraising campaign. The team, which included CSU junior Delaney Canfield, raised $80,000 during the 10-week competition. csuohio.edu
Cleveland State Magazine 43
CLASS NOTES
In Memoriam
ALUMNI BERNARD BAUER, JD ’43, in January 2017 • LESTER NIMSKER, BS ’43, in April 2017 • ROBERT CHATTERSON, BA ’45 and BA ’47, in December 2016 • JEAN MURRELL CAPERS, JD ’45 and Honorary Doctor of Laws ’09, in July 2017 • EDNA DUCHON, BS ’46, in June 2017 • ERNEST BALKANY, BSME ’47, in April 2017 • MARYETTA CLOSE, BBA ’47, in December 2016 • JAY KANTER, BBA ’47, in July 2016 • ELOISE COOPER, BS ’48, in October 2016 • VERN DORSCH, BS ’48, in June 2016 • RUSSELL EYERDAM, BBA ’49, in May 2017 • DONALD GREETHAM, BSME ’49, in November 2016 • ROY NIEDERLANDER, BBA ’49, in January 2017 • KARL WILL, BS ’49, in February 2017 • DONALD BROWN, BBA ’50, in October 2016 • JOHN POLLOCK, JD ’52, in September 2017 • DAVID TIBER, BS ’52, in April 2017 • PHILIP BRODSKY, JD ’52 and MEd ’79, in May 2016 • MACK ANDERSON, JD ’53, in May 2016 • JAMES BODFISH, JD ’53, in February 2017 • WILLIAM CAWLEY, BBA ’53, in August 2017 • ALLENE DAW FODOR, BBA ’53, in April 2017 • H. NORMAN SHURE, BS ’53, in April 2017 • CAROLYN HILGENDORFF, BBA ’54, in December 2016 • WILLIAM LUND, BSEE ’54, in December 2016 • DELL RICE JR., BA ’54, in October 2016 • DONALD DZIAK, BS ’55, in July 2017 • S. THEODORE STUMPHAUZER, BS ’55, in October 2016 • NORMAN THOMPSON, JD ’55, in August 2017 • HELEN FINCH, AAS ’56, in June 2017 • RICHARD FRANTZ, BS ’56, in November 2016 • JANET PAVLICK BRAUER, AAS ’57, in February 2017 • EDWARD HERMAN, BSME ’58, in May 2017 • WILLIAM PETERSEN, BSME ’58, in November 2016 • PAUL GRANZIER, JD ’59, in May 2017 • ROBERT KLIMO, BS ’59, in February 2017 • GEORGE McINTOSH, BS ’59, in March 2017 • WILLIAM PINE, BBA ’59, in June 2017 • DONALD WEISENSEE, BSMC ’59, in March 2017 • WILLIAM ROMELL, JD ’61, in December 2016 • JAMES SHILLITO, BSME ’61, in August 2017 • JOHN SONTICH, JD ’61, in May 2017 • GARY TUCHOLSKI, BSM ’63, in June 2017 • JOSEPH MATTS JR., BS ’64, in April 2017 • DAVID McFARLAND, BS ’64, in April 2017 • KALMAN VIZY, BS ’64 and Ph.D. ’90, in March 2017 • THOMAS FUSSNER, BBA ’65, in August 2017 • THOMAS DETTELBACH, JD ’66, in September 2017 • RICHARD FRESCH, BBA ’66, in April 2017 • JOHN KURTZ, JD ’66, in February 2017 • H. DOUGLAS SEIELSTAD, BSME ’66, in February 2016 • LETHA BROWN YAKOVAC, BEd ’66 and MEd 78, in November 2016 • DANIEL O’REILLY, BBA ’67, in January 2017 • GLORIA BENDER PRICE, BEd ’67, in January 2017 • THOMAS SCHMITZ, JD ’67, in March 2017 • FRIEDRICH MAYER, BBA ’69, in October 2016 • WILLIAM OWENS, JD ’69, in June 2017 • DON MICHEL, JD ’70, in September 2017 • RAYMOND MILAVEC, BA ’70 and MEd ’79, in October 2016 • GARY ZIMMERMAN, BBA ‘70, MSUS ’79 and MPA ’79, in July 2017 • RICHARD KLEIN, JD ’71, in July 2017 • WILLIAM LIEDTKE, JD ’71, in October 2016 • DAVID PATRICY, BBA ’71, in January 2017 • MARTHA SINGLETON, MEd ’71, in November 2016 • ELVER STONE, BBA ’71, in October 2016 • BARRY VIROSTEK, BBA ’71, in October 2016 • WILLIAM WIEST, JD ’71, in May 2017 • WAYNE BILLER, BBA ’72, in June 2017 • WILLIAM HODGKISS, BBA ’72, in May 2017 • DONALD BRUSSEE, BBA ’73, in February 2017 • JOSEPH FORRISTELL, BA ’73, in April 2017 • ANTHONY GAMBONE, BBA ’73, in June 2017 • BARRY LAINE, JD ’73, in November 2016 • ROBERT LINDWALL, JD ’73, in July 2017 • JAMES PETERSEN, BBA ’73, in November 2016 • SUSAN SHAPIRO, BA ’73, in May 2016 • KENNETH WALK SR., BBA ’73, in August 2017 • BERNICE SCHMIDT, BEd ’73 and MEd ’79, in May 2017 • MICHELE ADAMS, BMus ’74, in March 2017 • C. THOMAS GREENWOOD, BBA ’74, in July 2017 • JAMES McINTYRE, BS ’74, in December 2016 • PATRICK WASHKO, BA ’74, in April 2016 • ALBERT FRATE, BEd ’74 and MEd ’84, in July 2017 • JERALD BROWN, BA ’75, in July 2017 • RITA BRZEZOWSKI, BEd ’75, in February 2017 • HERBERT CURTIS III, JD ’75, in February 2017 • KEVIN McCUE, BA ’75, in March 2017 • FRANCES STEIN, BA ’75, in March 2017 • DARRYL CROSSMAN, BSCE ’75, MPA ’86 and JD ’92, in January 2017 • JAMES FRANK, BS ’76, in November 2016 • R. MORGAN HAMILTON, JD ’76, in August 2017 • DOROTHY PHILLIPS, BA ’76, in July 2017 • HEINZ KAPUI, BBA ’77, in September 2016 • ELLIOTT RESNICK, JD ’77, in April 2017 • DORRIS FIELDS WALKER, BA ’77 and JD ’89, in July 2017 • KATHLEEN DURCHIK, BA ’77 and MPH ’10, in October 2016 • WILLIAM AVERY, MPA ’79, in June 2017 • SUE GODFREY, BA ’79, in December 2016 • TIMOTHY KRUPP, BA ’79, in May 2017 • HARRY ORRIS, JD ’79, in June 2017 • AGNES PAXTON, MEd ’79, in December 2016 • RICHARD RHOA, BA ’79, in May 2017 • ALLEN GEORGE, LLM ’80, in July 2017 • DOLORES MINTER, MEd ’80, in June 2017 • RICHARD MENDELSOHN, JD ’81, in May 2017 • GREGG REINK, MEd ’81, in September 2017 • CAROLYN HAYES BASSAGE, MEd ’82, in January 2017 • MICHELE MIRANDE, BSN ’82, in April 2017 • JOAN WEILER, BA ’82, in November 2016 • WILLIAM DAVIES, JD ’83, in August 2017 • THOMAS STIBORA, BBA ’83, in December 2016 • JUDITH LARICCIA-GRANT, BA ’83 and MA ’90, in November 2016 • DAVID BANASZAK, BS ’84, in January 2017 • RUTH WELLS, MEd ’84, in April 2016 • EVELYN MAROLT, JD ’85, in August 2017 • STEVEN MILLS, JD ’85, in July 2017 • JOHN GRUTTADAURIO, BA ’86, in December 2016 • PATRICIA KOWALSKI, MEd ’86, in May 2017 • RITA BLOSSOM SHIELDS, MEd ’88, in July 2017 • RONALD ADAMS, EMBA ’88 and MBA ’90, in November 2016 • LETETIA RAWLES, MEd ’89, in August 2017 • GARY STONE, BS ’90, in September 2017 • PAULINE TARVER, JD ’90, in July 2017 • BRUCE DARLING, MBA ’90 and MA ’94, in February 2017 • MARK ATKINSON, MS ’91, in February 2017 • DEBORAH GILBERT, MA ’91, in June 2017 • EILEEN LEUSER, MEd ’91, in April 2017 • MAX POLK, BS ’92, in July 2017 • SANDRA STEIN, BEd ’93, in September 2016 • KENNETH GRADOMSKI, BA ’94, in August 2017 • EMILY POMERANZ, JD ’95, in August 2017 • STEVEN BAKOS, BSN ’96, in September 2017 • MAXINE RUPER GERWIG, MEd ’96, in May 2017 • DANIEL JAMES THORNTON, BA ’97, in February 2017 • JAMES SABREY, JD ’98, in April 2017 • WILLIAM BUZDON, BSIE ’99, in March 2017 • SHARON GREGOR, MSUS ’00, in April 2017 • PRASAD PERUMBETI, MBA ’00, in September 2017 • BRENDA CLINGMAN, BSN ’01, in October 2016 • GERALD STROTHERS, BA ’02, in July 2017 • BRYAN GRIFFIN JR., BA ’03, in August 2017 • FRANK FEOLA, MEd ’03 and Ph.D. ’09, in March 2017 • SHAWN TROWERS, MPA ’04, in July 2017 • JOHN BALLANTYNE, BSN ’05, in April 2017 • KELLY ALLEMAN, BA ’06, in June 2017 • JANOS SZPISJAK, BA ’06, in May 2017 • DARIN RANDELL, BA ’07, in April 2017 • DAVOR NOVAK, BSME ’07 and MSME ’10, in April 2016 • ROBERT STANDRING, MEd ’08, in May 2017 • PAUL KASDEN, MPA ’12, in July 2017 • SAMANTHA DISO, BA ’15, in November 2016 • KEITH JARANOVIC, BEd ’15, in October 2016 • RUSSELL BRILL, BA ’16, in December 2016 44 Cleveland State Magazine
csuohio.edu
In Memoriam
CSU DEATHS
WHAT’S NEW WITH YOU? Have you changed jobs? Earned a degree? Won an award? We’d love to share the news with your fellow alumni.
STEVEN ADAMS , MBA ’82, in November 2016. He retired in 2008 after teaching computer and information science for nine years – three as a part-time lecturer and six as an associate professor.
GARY ENGLE in April 2017. He was an associate professor of English from 1973 until his retirement in 2010.
THOMAS HEINES in April 2017. A professor emeritus, he taught computer and information science from 1965 until his retirement in 1993.
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GENELLA SONDHI in April 2017. Mrs. Sondhi was married for 60 years to Vir K. Sondhi, former CSU trustee and CSU Foundation board member. The atrium in the Monte Ahuja College of Business is named in honor of their service and philanthropy.
SCOTT HAVER , BS ’88 and BA ’89, in July 2017. The 28-year staff member was a desktop/server specialist in Information Services & Technology.
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WARREN F. THOMAS in July 2017. An associate professor emeritus of school administration, he retired in 1982, following 10 years as a faculty member in counseling, administration, supervision and adult learning.
STEVEN BELOVICH , MS ’83 and DrEng ’87, in August
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2017. Dr. Belovich was an assistant professor of electrical engineering from 1987-92 and co-founder of the computer and software engineering program. He received CSU’s Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005. E-MAIL ADDRESS:
ROLLIE MASSIMINO in August 2017. The head coach of men’s basketball led the Vikings to 90 victories from 19962003.
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JAMES ROYSTER in August 2017. An associate professor
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emeritus, he taught religious studies for 23 years before retiring in 1998, then continued to teach part time until 2003.
MARY LOUISE M c KINNEY EDMONDS in October 2017. During her decade at CSU, Dr. Edmonds served as founding director of the physical therapy program and chair of the Health Sciences department.
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