[acumen]
and community that USD instills in its students,” says Rich Easter ’04, program manager for Feeding America San Diego. “That so many former students are not just working here, but serving on the board — that’s compassionate service.” And it’s not just USD’s alumni getting into the spirit of FASD’s mission to help locals in need. A few dozen volunteers from USD’s University of the Third Age (U3A) turned up at the Feeding America San Diego Food Bank one Friday in July, ready to do their part. This was the first community service event for U3A, a lifelong learning program for the 55-and-up set. “USD is so ingrained in this organization, that it’s just a good fit to start with,” says Jodi Waterhouse, USD’s director of corporate and professional programs. As they worked, their corner of the warehouse was filled with the screeching of packing tape being pulled from the roll, crinkles of plastic bags filled with beans, the pounding of bags of potatoes being moved around. All the while, volunteers chatted about their life stories and generally bonded. “To me, this is the perfect kind of project because you don’t feel like you’re leaving something half-done. We don’t feel like we came in the middle and left in the middle,” says Agnes West-Kohler ’65.
SAGE ADVICE RULES
Lessons learned from favorite professors don’t end at graduation by Ryan T. Blystone o counter the age-old adage, out of sight is definitely not out of mind. Even though their lifepaths have led them to the other side of the country, USD alumni Leo Porter and Shauna McCarthy find that the lessons learned from a favorite professor still resonate in their chosen careers. Porter, who earned his USD degree in computer science in 2000, moved his family to Saratoga Springs, N.Y. in July. He’s preparing for his first full-time teaching job as an assistant professor of computer science and mathematics at Skidmore College. It’s a big deal, especially since he comes from a family where both parents were college professors. Reaching a decision on where to begin his teaching career wasn’t easy, but it helped to have a trusted source to turn to for advice. Porter’s decision to go east was aided by lunch and coffee conversations with his former advisor, USD Professor John Glick, PhD, chair of USD’s Department of Computer Science and Mathematics. “As a great mentor, he never told me what to do, he would ask me questions to help me figure out the answers for myself,” recalls Porter. “He’s always been great in that way. He helps me see the big picture.” Porter, who earned his PhD in Computer Science last spring from the University of California, San Diego, said Glick’s mentorship has ranged from deciding on his undergraduate major and where he should go to graduate school to encouragement when Porter struggled during his first
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FRED GREAVES
but I want to help our own city,” Glader says. “I want to start local and do as much as I can. Lots of times when you give, you just don’t know where it’s going. Here, you feel like you’re making a difference.” That’s in part because of FASD’s growth — started just four years ago, it now plans to distribute 18 million pounds of food this fiscal year — and its efficiency. For every $1 donated, 97 cents goes directly to programs. For that dollar, FASD says it can provide six meals locally. Wheeler sums up the attraction this way: “It’s local, they focus on healthy, nutritious food and they fill a basic need. You can’t do anything if you’re hungry.” She and her husband own Naked Café, a group of four San Diego County restaurants that serve up inventive naturalfood dishes. The partnership felt like a good fit. “I wanted to be involved with an organization that would help fill that gap for people who need good, nutritious food and can’t afford it,” she explains. Whether USD attracts serviceminded individuals or instills that mindset, for many, the university provides an impetus for keeping its community connected through altruistic actions. “I think from a former student standpoint, it’s kind of a nod to the sense of social responsibility
year at UCSD. Glick even alerted him to an adjunct teaching position for a digital hardware course at USD in the spring of 2009. Glick, a USD professor since 1993, couldn’t be prouder of Porter’s progression. “I find a lot of satisfaction in interactions with students, but staying in touch with Leo, watching him grow as a researcher and teacher, now heading to a faculty position at a fine liberal arts college, has been very special.” Capitol Hill is where McCarthy ’07 applies what she gained from a USD political science degree. Five years ago she arrived as a House of Representatives intern; her current role is health policy advisor for Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.). Her path to the Hill was paved through participation in USD’s annual Washington Center Intersession trip and a Congress class taught by Political Science and International Relations Professor Noelle Norton, PhD. Not only did these classes educate McCarthy about the political arena, but Norton’s guidance gave her confidence in her abilities to adapt. “It wasn’t so much the specific advice I received from Dr. Norton, but rather the constant support and mentoring I received from her while at USD,” says McCarthy, who sees Norton when the latter brings the USD Intersession students to D.C. “She has a way of making you want to always strive for more, both in and out of the classroom. “Although her honest critique was always tough, she always did it in a way that left you feeling confident that you can, and will, get it done.” FALL 2011
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