Cal U Journal - May 5, 2014

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California University

VOLUME 16, NUMBER 8 MAY 5, 2014 READ THE JOURNAL ONLINE: www.calu.edu/news/the‐journal

Attorney Speaks Friday, Saturday at Commencement

TIAA-CREF, a Fortune 500 pension ttorney Reginald A. Long Sr., fund, where he worked in the Mortgage Class of 1981, will address and Real Estate Department. In that graduates and interim University President Geraldine M. Jones role he was instrumental in financing and developing shopping will confer degrees this week malls, hotels, retail at Cal U’s 178th entertainment complexes and Commencement. mixed-use projects, including The School of Graduate the Mall of America in Studies and Research will Bloomington, Minn. award master’s degrees at Long has shared his 7 p.m. Friday. Candidates will expertise as an adjunct be vested in their academic professor at the Rutgers hoods during the ceremony.

School of Business and the Undergraduates in the Rutgers-Newark School of College of Education and Reginald A. Long Sr. ’81 Law, providing instruction in Human Services, the College real estate finance and real of Liberal Arts and the Eberly estate transactions.

College of Science and Technology will He serves on the board of directors receive their diplomas at 10 a.m. for the Foundation for California Saturday.

University of Pennsylvania and the Long will address students at both Union League of Philadelphia, and on ceremonies, which will be held in the the board of trustees for the People for Convocation Center. The doors open at People Charter School Inc. and Family 5 p.m. Friday and at 8 a.m. Saturday.

Connections. He also is a member of Graduates’ families and friends are Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. welcome to attend.

A native of Pittsburgh’s Hill District, Cal U’s 178th Commencement recognizes students who completed their Long earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration at Cal U. He studies this spring. holds an MBA from the Fordham More than 952 undergraduates and University Graduate School of Business, 228 graduate students will receive their in New York, and a Juris Doctorate degrees, although not all will attend the from New York Law School. He is a ceremonies. member of the bar in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.

About the speaker Long lives in South Orange, N.J., A specialist in the legal practice with his wife, Lisa, and their two sons. areas of commercial real estate, Both Commencement ceremonies can be corporate finance, zoning and land use, viewed live online at www.calu.edu. More Long is a partner in the law firm of information, including links to directions Love and Long LLP, which has offices and parking information, is available at in Newark, N.J., and Philadelphia, Pa. www.calu.edu/events/commencement.

He previously was employed by

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Sam Smail ’00, technology education teacher at Derry Area High School, watches Mike Piantine adjust robot Caddywhompus before battle during the 2014 Southwestern Pennsylvania BotsIQ competition at the Convocation Center.

’Bot Battles Spark Interest in STEM ore than 800 students from 47 Pennsylvania high schools competed in the 2014 Southwestern Pennsylvania BotsIQ Finals April 25-26 at the Convocation Center.

Known as the “smart sport,” BotsIQ is an exciting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) robotics competition where 15-pound robots designed and manufactured by high school students face off and fight for survival.

The 66 competing teams also were judged on their engineering skills, documentation, interviews, sportsmanship and school spirit.

Nine years ago the Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Tooling and Machining — Continued on page 3

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Medallions Mark Presidential Award Winners learning project involving Cal U’s PTA students ecipients of the Presidential and students in the physical therapist (PT) Distinguished Merit Awards were program at Slippery Rock University. Using introduced at last month’s Honors videoconferencing, students at the two Convocation, and they will FPDC Merit Award schools can work cooperatively in wear their medallions mock-patient scenarios, simulating the during spring winners/Page 2 true PT/PTA experience.

Commencement.

In addition to teaching core classes in the Recognized for excellence in teaching, PTA program, Dusi advises students and serves service and research, each received an award as adviser to the PTA Club. and a scholarship to be awarded in his or her She holds a bachelor’s degree in health area of study.

• Dr. Jodi Dusi, an associate professor in the science, a master’s degree in physical therapy and a doctorate in rehabilitation science, all Department of Health Science and director of from Duquesne University. the physical therapy assistant (PTA) program, • Dr. Craig Smith, an associate professor in was honored for excellence in teaching. the Department of History and Political Dusi makes extensive use of technology in Science, was recognized for service. the classroom, utilizing text-message polls, President of the Faculty Senate since 2011, Facebook, wikis and Google searches to he was appointed this year to lead the Task encourage mentoring and collaborative learning Force to Study Shared Governance at Cal U. among students.

— Continued on page 2 In addition, she developed an integrated

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Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones with Presidential Distinguished Merit Award winners (from left) Drs. Laura Tuennerman, Jodi Dusi and Craig Smith. Also pictured: Dr. Christine Patti, chair of the merit awards committee.

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MAY 5, 2014

‘Green’ Practices Hailed

Lavender Graduation

al U again has been recognized as one of the most environmentally responsible colleges in North America.

The Princeton Review has included the University in the 2014 edition of its free downloadable book, The Princeton Review’s Guide to 332 Green Colleges, published in partnership with the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council.

Cal U has been profiled in the guide annually since 2010. The 216-page guide can be downloaded at www.princetonreview.com/green-guide.

Schools were selected for the guide based on a 2013 survey of more than 800 colleges and universities across the United States and Canada. The Princeton Review collected data in 25 fields, including sustainability-related policies, practices, and programs.

This year’s edition of Green Colleges notes that by using geothermal energy to heat and cool its residence halls, Cal U

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Sheleta Webb, coordinator of the Lambda Bridges and LGBTQA Program Office, addresses the audience at Lavender Graduation.

The April 22 event recognized the personal and academic achievements of 10 lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally students who will graduate in 2014. Webb read remarks sent by Janice Zivic, a 1964 graduate who has assisted the LGBTQA community at Cal U through Lambda Bridges funding, the Janice M. Zivic Scholarship, a speaker series and support for library resources. Dr. Nancy Pinardi, vice president for Student Affairs, also addressed the soon-to-be graduates, and each received a certificate and lavender cords that may be worn at Commencement as a sign of community pride.

Five Win FPDC Merit Awards he Faculty Professional Development Center has recognized five professors for excellence in teaching, research, use of technology, grants and contracts writing, and service learning.

Award recipients Dr. Shelly DiCesaro, Dr. Kyle Fredrick, Dr. Sean Madden, Dr. Sarah Meiss and Dr. Mary Seman will be recognized May 9 at the FPDC’s annual Merit Award Luncheon, and at Commencement.

The FPDC merit award recipients are chosen by faculty committees according to criteria posted on the FPDC page of the Cal U website. The merit awards are meant to assist faculty as they strive to develop their skills and expertise in order to provide high-quality education for Cal U students.

• Dr. Shelly DiCesaro, an assistant professor in the Department of Health Science, received the FPDC Grants and Contracts Merit Award.

As director for the graduate athletic training program and the undergraduate clinical education Dr. Shelly DiCesaro coordinator, DiCesaro strives to provide Cal U students with evidencebased research opportunities that allow them to become leaders in their fields.

DiCesaro works closely with Cheryl Vogrig and the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research to secure funding that benefits faculty, staff and students.

Since 2010, DiCesaro has secured grants from the Pennsylvania Faculty Health and Welfare Fund for the Cal U Healthy Eating Initiative, Experiences in Stress-Relief Techniques, and the Cal U Walk for Wellness. She also received a grant from the PASSHE Foundation/ Highmark Healthcare Academic Program Development for the Cal U High School Student Athletic Trainer Workshop.

A grant from the PASSHE Faculty Professional Development Committee for Volunteer Youth Soccer Coaches Athletic Injury Recognition and Treatment Knowledge is under review.

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• Dr. Kyle Fredrick, an associate professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, received the FPDC Research Merit Award.

Student interest fuels Dr. Kyle Fredrick’s instruction.

An expert in hydrology, he incorporates topics of interest to students Dr. Kyle Fredrick into his classes through data collection exercises and more robust individualized research projects.

At Cal U, Fredrick has focused on issues related to flow and contamination of local streams, with research projects currently being conducted in the Pike Run Watershed and in other parts of Washington County.

He continues to expand his research to include landscape development questions related to landslides and fluvial geomorphology in southwestern Pennsylvania.

• Dr. Sean Madden, a professor in the Department of History and Political Science, received the PDC Teaching and Learning Merit Award.

Currently the director of Cal U’s international studies program, Madden has served as department chair, Dr. Sean Madden academic dean, provost and chief academic officer at the University. He is a Fulbright Specialist, and in 2013 he conducted a 10-day faculty development seminar in Russia that focused on learning and teaching.

Madden has been awarded fellowships with the American Council on Education and the Harvard Institute for Leadership in Higher Education.

The ACE fellowship was the University’s first.

He incorporates fresh ideas into his classes each semester, from using new technologies to assigning different writing assignments.

• Dr. Sarah Meiss, an associate professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, received the Technology Merit Award.

Nominated for her efforts to introduce students to technology in the classroom, she has used iPad tablets to Dr. Sarah Meiss help biology students learn more about plant cellular features and other kingdoms such as Fungi and Protista.

Meiss has worked with students to organize and film 5-minute Web videos that focus on Cal U students working on biology research. These videos will be posted on the new FPDC HIP (HighImpact Practices) website and newsletter.

Meiss also is the chair of the HIP task force, which will have an online newsletter and multiple videos that highlight HIP and faculty on campus.

• Dr. Mary Seman, a professor in the Department of Special Education, received the FPDC Service and ServiceLearning Merit Award.

She has been the academic adviser for the Council for Exceptional Children student organization for 15 years. The CEC sponsors dances Dr. Mary Seman for nearly 200 adults with disabilities.

Seman has directed volunteer efforts at Head Start classrooms in the California area in cooperation with Intermediate Unit 1, as well as in the Brownsville area.

She also has directed service projects and donations to organizations such as area homeless shelters, Toys for Tots and Heifer International.

Most recently, she coordinated efforts with Dr. Cheryl Hettman, a faculty member in the Nursing Department, to provide distance learning classes for the Jamaican International Project, directed at improving the lives of impoverished children and their caregivers.

“reduced energy usage on campus to an astounding 57 percent below the average university in the Pennsylvania State System.” It reports that 37 percent of the school’s energy comes from renewable resources.

“The university also offers internships and employment counseling for environmentally aware and sustainability-related industries,” the guide says, adding that Cal U has been working to “promote campus-wide sustainability awareness programs.”

A “Green Facts” sidebar reports on topics ranging from the school’s use of renewable energy sources, recycling and conservation programs to the availability of environmental studies and the percentage of the campus food budget spent on local/organic food.

Among Cal U’s academic offerings are programs of study in geology, environmental earth science, conservation ecology, environmental studies, fisheries and wildlife biology, meteorology.

Honorees’ Excellence Recognized — Continued from page 1 As an active member of the Faculty Professional Development Committee and FPDC co-chair from 2010-2013, Smith helped to rewrite the committee’s policies and led a successful appeal to obtain additional funding for faculty professional development.

He is the University’s coordinator for pre-law advising, and he revised the prelaw concentration in political science. He was elected this spring as vice president for the local Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties.

Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in history from the University of Arizona and a master’s in history from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he also earned his doctorate in philosophy, history and political science.

• Dr. Laura Tuennerman, a professor in the Department of History and Political Science, was honored for research.

Her scholarly investigations focus on ways in which race, gender and class shape the American experience. She is co-author of At the Border of Empires: The Tohono O’odham, Gender, and Assimilation, 1880-1934, for which she received a PASSHE Research Grant.

She currently is co-editing another work, Transnational Indians of the North American West.

In addition to her research, Tuennerman served as acting department chair from 2003-2005, and as chair from 2005-2007. She was interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts from 2007-2009.

A recipient of the 2006 Presidential Merit Award for Excellence in Teaching, Tuennerman holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Wooster University in Ohio, a master’s degree with certification in museum studies from the University of Delaware, and a doctorate in history from the University of Minnesota.

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Faculty Authors Take a Bow at Ceremony anderino Library recognized the scholarly achievements of current faculty members who have published books over the past five years by holding a ceremony for them on April 14 in the third floor gallery.

Several of the faculty authors spoke at the event, and each received a certificate.

Special bookplates will be placed on their books in the library’s permanent collection.

“Writing and publishing a book is a very interesting experience and a great diversion from our daily work. I recommend it to all of you,” said Margo Wilson, chair of Cal U’s Department of English.

Her novel, The Main Ingredient, was published last summer.

Dr. Laura Tuennerman co-authored At the Border of Empires: The Tohono O’odham, Gender, and Assimilation, 18801934 with former Cal U colleague Dr. Andre Marak.

She emphasized the role of research in depicting the everyday life of her book’s Native American subjects.

“All of my work has examined, in one way or another, the ways in which culture and identity have been mediated between the majority culture and minority

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Dr. Craig Smith listens to speakers at the April 14 faculty authors ceremony in Manderino Library with colleagues Drs. Laura Tuennerman (center) and Clarissa Confer.

cultures,” she said.

Douglas Hoover, dean of Library Services, served as emcee for the event.

He praised the efforts of library faculty Monica Ruane Rogers and Bill Denny, who began collecting the faculty works and coordinating the ceremony last fall.

The authors’ books were displayed throughout April in the library’s lobby.

“We wanted to showcase our faculty creativity and scholarship, which plays such an important and integral role on this campus,” Ruane Rogers said.

Dr. Grafton Eliason, Dr. John Patrick

and Dr. Jeff Samide, all of the Department of Counselor Education, have collaborated on several books. Each reflected on the support he received and the importance of mentoring students who show an interest in writing.

Mentoring extends to colleagues, as well, Samide said. He came to Cal U nine years ago after working as a clinician, and Patrick and Eliason helped him to become a published academic author.

“These two gentlemen mentored me, allowed me to write with them, and it’s been a life-changing experience, the capstone of my career,” Samide said.

Dr. Caryl Sheffield, interim associate provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, spoke on behalf of the administration.

“President Jones is very proud of you, and I would like to congratulate you as well for this major accomplishment,” she said.

In alphabetical order, these faculty authors were recognized: John Cencich, Clarissa Confer, Paul Crawford, Bob Diotalevi, Eliason, Brent House, Raymond Hsieh, Patrick, Christine Romani-Ruby, Ben Rueter, Samide, Ryan Sittler, Craig Smith, Tuennerman, Carol Waterhouse and Wilson.

’Bot Battles Spark Interest in STEM — Continued from page 1 Association, along with a committed group of manufacturers and educators, brought BotsIQ to southwestern Pennsylvania. Today, executive director Bill Padnos calls it “a workforce development program disguised as a high school robotics contest.”

In addition to the smash-’em-up robot battles, the two-day event included a discussion of “The Resurgence of Manufacturing in Southwestern Pennsylvania,” with a legislative forum attended by U.S. Congressmen Timothy Murphy (R-18th District) and Michael Doyle (D-14th District), who also spoke to competitors at the opening ceremony.

“The ability to create a product and work as a team are valuable lessons you’ll carry throughout your life,” Murphy said.

Doyle added, “Working and learning with STEM education is so important because these are the jobs of the future.”

State Rep. Brandon Neuman. (DWashington County,) spoke at Saturday’s competition and presented the Southwestern Pennsylvania BotsIQ organization with a resolution recognizing April 13-19 as STEM Initiative Week.

“If there are local jobs, we want local people to fill them,” Neuman told the students. “This competition will help you prepare for your future.”

This year, the ’bots battled inside a new arena bearing the Cal U logo.

Interim University President Geraldine M. Jones took part in the ribbon cutting, and KDKA-TV filmed the thrilling final battles for a 30-minute television show that aired May 3.

Plum Senior High School came away with the grand championship, which takes into account all aspects of the contest, as well as the award for winning the most battles.

Hempfield Area High School took second-place honors. Admiral Peary AVTS battled its way to the “King of the Ring” title for outlasting others in the

VIPs including (at center) Jeff Kelley, CEO and owner of Hamill Manufacturing, and interim University President Geraldine M. Jones cut the ribbon to open the new Cal U Arena at BotsIQ.

multi-bot rumbles, and Punxsutawney Area High School took the spirit award, sponsored by Catalyst Connections.

STEM careers A recent survey of BotsIQ competitors found that 82 percent of respondents plan careers in manufacturing or STEM-related professions.

Among them is Alex Farmery, a senior at Punxsutawney High School who plans to study mechatronics at Cal U beginning in the fall. In his second year as a BotsIQ competitor, his primary duty was making sure that his team’s safety plans and practices were up-to-date and being followed.

“Learning how to do everything and the whole process of putting (the robot) together from raw materials is what I like,” he said. “I am looking forward to coming here (to Cal U) because it’s close to home but far enough away.”

Senior Joe Borsodi, an aspiring engineer who attends Albert Gallatin High School, said his team learned about purchasing procedures and computeraided drafting in the course of building their robot.

“This has helped me learn a lot of electrical work and working with a team — cooperatively — with these guys,” he

said, gesturing toward a couple of classmates.

“Our robot has a really strong weapon, and we tend to be in a lot of fun matches with a lot of hits, which is awesome.”

Katelynn Hill, a junior at Ringgold High School, said it was both a relief and a joy to watch her team’s “masterpiece” in the battle arena. She specialized in the documentation phase of the contest, presenting the judges with a thick binder of technical drawings and other records that show how the robot was designed and constructed.

“Obviously, we do work a lot on manufacturing the ’bot, but we have to document everything we do from the very beginning and every nut and bolt we buy.”

Michael Amrhein, director for the Office of Outreach and Integration for TEAMS (Technology, Engineering, Art, Math and Science) at Cal U, noted that ideally, STEM education starts early. In the south wing of the Convocation Center, for example, 22 teams of middle school students took part in the NFPA Fluid Power Challenge, building devices to complete a task using basic principles of hydraulics.

Back in the BotsIQ “pits,” where students repaired the damage incurred during battles, many of the teams’ faculty

advisers are Cal U alumni.

Larry Johnson ’07, an adviser at Ringgold High School, said the ’bot is “100 percent student produced.”

“This really gets the kids involved and promotes 21st century learning and careers,” he said. “To see the look on my students’ faces when we climb the ranks is incredible.

Mike Steeber ’04 teaches physics and pre-engineering at Frazier High School and coaches the football team. He said BotsIQ provides an ideal avenue for hands-on learning.

“They have to brainstorm, come up with a solution to problems, market (the team) and generate funds,” he said. “As a coach, you learn that anytime you can make something competitive, it’s going to generate excitement. I think the kids get as much or more out of this project than any class out there.”

Sam Smail ’00, a technology education teacher in his 12th year at Derry Area High School, believes students benefit most from the problem-solving skills they learn through BotsIQ. “This project is not built out of a kit.

It’s something that’s built out of their heads,” he said. “Afterward you can send a kid to any job, and they can figure out what they’re supposed to do.”

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APRIL 21, 2014

Cal U Set to Launch New Online Program tudents may register now for four online programs set to debut in the coming months.

• The certificate program in student affairs practice prepares college graduates to work with college students in areas such as university admissions, financial aid, residential life and career services.

The certificate program is offered through the School of Graduate Studies and Research. Students who apply now can begin the nine-credit program in June and complete the program in January 2015.

• Beginning this fall, two Cal U Global Online programs will be available for students looking to advance their careers in the oil and gas industry.

The B.A. in Jurisprudence: Land Management is designed for students who hold an associate degree or have completed at least 40 college credits; it can be completed in four to six semesters. The land management certificate is an accelerated, 30-credit program for students with at least a high school diploma.

Both programs emphasize legal topics related to the oil and gas industry, oil- and gas-related land management, surface and sub-surface geology, and geographical information systems.

• The Master of Business Administration: Entrepreneurship concentration, also offered through Global Online, is designed for recent college graduates and business professionals who seek advanced managerial skills with an entrepreneurial focus. Classes begin this fall.

Visit www.calu.edu for registration details or more information about Cal U’s academic programs.

S Walk a Mile Dr. William Edmonds (left), dean of admissions and Dr. Stephen Whitehead, associate provost, participate in Walk a Mile in Her Shoes on April 17. The event, part of the International Men’s March to Stop Rape, Sexual Assault and Gender Violence, invited the men in the Cal U community to don women’s shoes and ‘walk the walk’ on campus as a way to create awareness of and support for gender issues.

Approximately 180 people participated in Thursday’s event.

Presentations Take Quartet to Paris wo students in the counselor education program and two Cal U faculty members will travel to France this summer to present their work at the 28th International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP) in Paris.

Students Allyssa Patton, of the school counseling program, and Jake Wheatley, of the clinical and mental health program, will join Dr. Susan Morris-Rutledge from the Secondary Education and Administrative Leadership Department and Dr. Grafton Eliason from the Counselor Educaiton Department at the conference July 8-13.

Every four years the International Association of Applied Psychology organizes the world congress, which typically draws several thousand psychologists from more than 80 countries.

Patton’s and Wheatley’s papers initially were developed as class projects in Eliason’s Research Methods in Counseling course.

Patton will present her paper, Educating the Immigrant Student, with Morris-Rutledge. It examines the

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challenges posed to schools by rapid increases in immigrant populations. In the United States, for example, nonEnglish-speaking youths represent the fastest-growing student population in public schools.

“School counselors or psychologists must serve as a bridge between the different members of the school community to ensure the academic and socio-cultural success of immigrant youth,” Patton explained.

Wheatley’s paper, to be presented with Eliason, examines Life after Dying: A Model of Grief, Loss and Death Anxiety for Survivors of Life-Threatening Diagnoses.

“There has been much research on the topic of dying,” Wheatley said.

“However, there has been little research on what a person experiences after he or she is cured — and obviously there are lingering emotions.”

Both Wheatley and Patton have been invited to present at other conferences, and the student-faculty quartet is preparing the papers for submission to peer-reviewed journals.

“Students write papers, but we really

Cal U professors and students (from left) Dr. Susan Morris-Rutledge, Jake Wheatley, Allyssa Patton and Dr. Grafton Eliason will present their work this summer at the 28th International Congress of Applied Psychology.

want them to see results by publishing or presenting them,” Eliason said. “We believe and our students have proven they have the ability to do this at the professional level.

“We just want them to find something they are passionate about and

make everything a part of the learning experience.”

“This puts us on an international stage,” added Morris-Rutledge.

“Presenting at ICAP puts us on a good footing with other countries and shows Cal U has a lot going on.”

The California Journal is published by California University of Pennsylvania, a member of The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Geraldine M. Jones Interim University President

Robert Thorn Vice President for Administration and Finance

Dr. Nancy Pinardi Interim Vice President for Student Affairs

Dr. Bruce Barnhart Acting Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Craig Butzine Vice President for Marketing and University Relations/ Interim Vice President for University Development and Alumni Relations

Christine Kindl Editor

Dr. Charles Mance Vice President for University Technology Services

Office of Communications and Public Relations

250 University Avenue

California, PA 15419

Bruce Wald, Wendy Mackall, Jeff Bender Writers 724-938-4195

wald@calu.edu