Colleague - Vol. 28, Iss. 2 (Fall/Winter 2011)

Fall/Winter 2011 Volume 28, No. 2

PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY Graduate School of Education and Psychology

Mobile Happiness The Evolution of Psychology INSIDE: Coasting to Comprehension | Learning How to Lead

L E T T E R F RO M T HE D E A N

“There’s a way to do it better…Find it!” —Thomas Edison The Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology prides itself on its dedication to innovation. Our faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to think outside the box to find new methods of solving complex issues and to find creative techniques to improve upon established procedures.

Unsatisfied with the status quo, GSEP professor Drew Erhardt and alumnus Dr. Edrick Dorian (PsyD ’03) created a new way to disseminate mood improvement tools and techniques through mobile technology. Frustrated with the bureaucracy of the conventional school system, alumna Allison Powell (EdD ’11) pursued the emerging field of online K-12 education. Ty Kastendiek (’86, MA ’99), a teacher of 17 years, embodies this culture of innovation by transitioning from a textbook-centered teaching model to a hands-on, textbook-supported approach.

As we model Christ—the greatest innovator—GSEP strives to find the best ways to serve our community. We aim to prepare those who will contribute to a better quality of life for all. Valerie Velazquez, a candidate in our social entrepreneurship and change master’s program, traveled to Haiti to serve young women displaced by the earthquake. Through our annual COASTAL 5k/10k Walk/Run, we were able to create a lunchtime, after-school, and summer science and technology lab at Holmes Avenue Elementary School in Los Angeles and offer 200 hours of oneon-one counseling for children at the Union Rescue Mission’s residential facility for homeless mothers and children.

Because of our dedication to finding new ways to serve, Pepperdine was admitted to the 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction for its strong institutional commitment to service and compelling campus-community partnerships that produce measurable results for the community.

GSEP will continue to value and encourage innovation as we aim to outpace this rapidly changing world.

Margaret J. Weber, PhD Dean

F E AT U R E S

10

10

14

18

Mobile Coasting to Happiness Comprehension

Learning How to Lead

The Evolution of Psychology

Departments 02 News 20 Donor Roll 30 Class Notes 31 Self-Care

Abandoning Conventional Thought

Early Childhood Education

Perspectives 24 Adventures in K–12 Education Allison Powell

26 Reflections on Haiti Valerie Velazquez

28 Empowering Women in India Amanda S. Schulze

PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY Fall/Winter 2011 Volume 28, No. 2

Managing Editor Jennifer Scharnikow Editor John Calvin Byrd III

ADMINISTRATION Dean Margaret J. Weber Associate Dean, Psychology Robert A. deMayo Associate Dean, Education Eric R. Hamilton

Director of Alumni Relations Claudette LaCour Creative Director Brett Sizemore Art Director Maz Ameli

The Pepperdine Colleague© is published two times per year by the Graduate School of Education and Psychology and the Office of Alumni Relations. The opinions expressed in the Colleague do not necessarily reflect those of the University or its administration.

Production Manager Jill McWilliams

Please send address changes and alumni updates to:

Photographer Ron Hall Copy Editor Vincent Way Contributing Writers Yas Djadali, Allison Powell, Amanda S. Schulze, Valerie Velazquez

Pepperdine Colleague GSEP Alumni Office 6100 Center Drive, 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90045 Tel. 310.568.5664 E-mail: gsepalum@pepperdine.edu To contact the Colleague editor, e-mail gsepedit@pepperdine.edu.

GSEP NEWS This year the Celebration of Excellence event will highlight the efforts made to prepare GSEP students with the skills to work effectively in culturally diverse, underserved urban communities for the long term.

“Every year, I look forward to the annual Celebration of Excellence event,” said Dr. Margaret Weber, dean of GSEP. “We designate this time to acknowledge students, alumni, and friends of Pepperdine who have gone far beyond what they are asked in order to forward our mission.”

COASTAL Run/ Walk Supports Local Endeavors Last January, with the intent to improve future generations by providing children with the support, aid, and resources that lead to a prosperous adulthood, over 700 people participated in the first annual Children’s Outreach: Advancing Social Transformation and Learning (COASTAL) 5K/10K Walk/Run and Kiddie K. Because of their generosity, GSEP was able to the create a lunchtime, after-school, and summer science and technology lab developed and implemented by Pepperdine University graduate students at Holmes Avenue Elementary School.

Holmes is a Title I, urban school located within the Pueblo Del Rio Housing Project.

Holmes was recently identified as having the seventh highest percentage of lowincome students—as based on free- and reduced-lunch status—in all of LAUSD. A remarkably high 41 percent of these students are English-language learners.

In addition 2011 COASTAL funds paid for

2 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

almost 200 hours of one-on-one counseling for children at the Union Rescue Mission’s residential facility for homeless mothers and children, Hope Gardens.

Funds also supported a summer expressive arts and drama program for at-risk middle school kids developed and led by Pepperdine University graduate students studying the use of expressive arts in therapy.

“We were stunned at the amount of support we received for this endeavor and the amount of good we were able to do because of it,” said Dr. Margaret Weber, dean of GSEP. “This year, we are expecting an even larger turnout and with that, the ability to make a greater impact on our community.”

Celebration of Excellence On Friday, October 21, GSEP will hold its annual Celebration of Excellence in recognition of the 2011–2012 student scholarship recipients and in appreciation of donors and friends of the University.

The night will begin with a reception featuring Dr. Anthony Collatos, assistant professor of education. "It is not only about having a presence in our academic community,” said Dr. Collatos. “It is about making a difference in our actual community, outside the walls of the classroom."

The dinner program will honor Ms. Betty Rengifo Uribe (MBA ’00), Pepperdine donor, alumna, current doctoral student; a financial services senior executive; and president of Hispanic Outreach Taskforce.

As a passionate donor to GSEP and a current student in the Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership program, Uribe will share from her unique position regarding life-changing education and a commitment to the next generation of leaders.

The 2011 GSEP Waves of Service Award will be presented to Dr. Earnestine Thomas-Robertson (’69, MA ’73, EdD ’03), an alumna of George Pepperdine College and GSEP's Doctor of Education in Institutional Management program, for which she wrote her dissertation Globalizing in Community College Curricula.

Dr. Thomas-Robertson is the president of the Los Angeles-Lusaka Sister City Committee, vice president of business relations for Born Ready Industries, Inc., and Dean Emeritus of Los Angeles Southwest College.

GSEP NEWS Class Begins for Inaugural TESOL Program This fall GSEP introduced its Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) program. This master’s-level pathway addresses the needs of local and international educators working with English learners at all levels from kindergarten to university, both in the United States and beyond. The program is offered as a one-year cohort model with a collegiate environment for candidates to participate in shared learning and professional network building. Candidates will be given a choice of locations for the clinical practicum domestically and internationally, including China, Korea, and Singapore.

The catalyst for this new program was a request by Michael Warder, vice chancellor of Pepperdine University, to build upon burgeoning partnerships with educational institutions in Asia. "The courses focus on the complexities of teaching English learners and an awareness of the need to [in the words of George Peppedine] ‘serve and give’ in diverse communities," said Dr. Martine Jago, academic chair of teacher education and director of TESOL. "Candidates will reflect upon the influence of identity, vocation, and inquiry on their success as professional educators. Themes of empowerment and intercultural communication are embedded in each course. The requirement to begin or improve skills in an additional language fosters the dispositions of continuous growth and learning. We are indebted to Mr. Warder for his continuing support as we welcomed the first cohort in September 2011. It is our goal to inspire the candidates and their students to view teaching as a vocation, for lives of purpose, service, and leadership."

GSEP Attends PDS National Conference

in Education with Teaching Credential) students to present a poster session on their action research projects.

This past March, Dr. Kathy Church, professor of education, attended the 2011 Professional Development Schools (PDS) national conference in New Orleans, Lousiana. She copresented two conference sessions titled “Staying Afloat in Today’s Educational Environment: Partner or Perish” and “Engaging Faculty and Students in Scholarship: A Partnership Project Promoting Teacher Candidates as Change Agents in a Changing Climate” in collaboration with faculty of EARTHS magnet school (Environmental Academy of Research Technology and Ear th Science).

Yas Djadali, GSEP’s assistant director of career Services, also copresented at the PDS conference with an EARTHS teacher and Pepperdine alumna on the “Strengths Pilot Program” launched this past year, which included all EARTHS faculty, administrators, and Westlake Village Graduate Campus MAETC student teachers.

In addition, Dr. Church spearheaded efforts for four GSEP MAETC (Master of Arts

Pepperdine University CABE Selected as Chapter of the Year The California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) selected Pepperdine University as the Chapter of the Year for 2011. Chapter president Edgar Angulo (MA ’06) along with faculty advisor Dr. Reyna Garcia-Ramos received the honor on behalf of Pepperdine University at the annual

This pilot program utilized the Gallup Organization’s “Strengths Finder” assessment as a tool for helping our teacher candidates maximize their natural talents in their work, communicate more effectively with their master teachers, collaborate more intentionally on teams, and clearly articulate their professional brand to prospective employers.

conference at the Long Beach Convention Center on March 24. Pepperdine was recognized for exemplifying CABE’s vision of “Biliteracy and Educational Equity for All” and for exceling in chapter structure, membership growth, parental involvement, advocacy, leadership, and vision.

ELA (Educational Leadership Academy) alumnus and principal at 135th Street Elementary School, Antonio Camacho (MS ’95), received the CABE Visionary Award.

GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 3

GSEP NEWS Margaret Weber Named Professional of the Year in Higher Education Dr. Margaret J. Weber, dean of the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP), has been named a Cambridge Who’s Who Professional of the Year in higher education. While inclusion in the Cambridge Who’s Who Registry is an honor, only a small selection of members in each discipline are chosen for this distinction. These special honorees are distinguished based on their professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, years of service, and the credentials they have provided in association with their Cambridge Who’s Who membership.

For 28 years Dr. Weber has demonstrated her commitment to education and desire to guide students to the next phase of their lives and careers. She established her career as a junior high school teacher in a small rural Illinois community, and has since completed doctoral-level education and taught environmental design at Oklahoma State University. She now works in the administration field for research and graduate education. The dean of the GSEP for 10 years, Dr. Weber enjoys seeing the transformation of students as they cultivate their acumen and develop as leaders in their field. Dr. Weber, who believes strongly in faculty development and program innovation, was recently appointed as director for GSEP's newest master's program, the master of arts in social entrepreneurship and change.

As part of her scholarly work, Dr. Weber has published articles on such topics as multicultural leadership and diversity, scholarship, mentoring and socialization of graduate students, and the value of investing in faculty. In addition, she maintains scholarly interests relating to gender equity, women and leadership, and workfamily life balance issues. Passionate

4 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

about her work, she holds a PhD from the University of Missouri as well as a master of science and a bachelor of science from Eastern Illinois University.

Dr. Weber is also passionate about working with underserved populations. She serves as a board member for the Union Rescue Mission, a nonprofit homeless shelter with a GSEP mental health clinic. Within the past year she has twice visited India, where she built a strong understanding of cultural dynamics influencing educational issues and issues of gender equity.

Fourth Annual Career Week Quickly Approaching Pepperdine University is launching its fourth annual Career Week starting February 6, 2012. Career Week is a campus-wide initiative coordinated by the career center offices of Seaver College, the School of Public Policy, the Graziadio School of Business and Management, the School of Law, and our Graduate School of Education and Psychology. Programs are designed to assist Pepperdine students and alumni with their career planning needs.

Specifically, GSEP Career Services will host a number of customized panels and programs for our education and psychology students and alumni. Last year’s programs included a keynote kick-off event with GSEP alumna Erin Rank, president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, the “MFT Career Options Panel” and the “Careers in Higher Education Alumni Panel.” In addition, career planning workshops were offered across the different GSEP campuses to help prepare our students and alumni for our West L.A. Career Fair and our Irvine Career Fair and Practicum. Workshop topics included resume writing, interviewing, job search strategies, and networking.

This year’s fourth annual GSEP Career Week events will target: K-12 teaching and administration, higher education, pathways to MFT licensure, career options for MA in Psychology candidates, and networking strategies for social entrepreneurs.

For those interested in being a guest speaker for our fourth annual GSEP Career Week events, please contact Yas Djadali, assistant director of career services, at yas.djadali@pepperdine.edu.

GSEP Career Services Website: gsep.pepperdine.edu/career-services

Pepperdine University Receives National Recognition for Community Service As colleges across the country honor their graduates this commencement season, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) honored Pepperdine University as a leader among institutions of higher education for their support of volunteering, service-learning, and civic engagement. Pepperdine University was admitted to the 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with distinction for its strong institutional commitment to service and compelling campus-community partnerships that produce measurable results for the community.

CNCS, which has administered the Honor Roll since 2006, admitted a total of 641 colleges and universities for their impact on issues from literacy and neighborhood revitalization to supporting at-risk youth.

Of that total, 511 were named to the Honor Roll, 114 received the recognition of Honor Roll with distinction, 11 were identified as finalists, and six received the Presidential Award.

GSEP NEWS Second Annual Summer Institutes Empowered Teachers Against the backdrop of intense educational debates, GSEP has placed its focus on furnishing teachers with advanced technological tools to help them effectively and efficiently prepare the next generation for a life of learning.

Mathematics teachers, in particular, are not expected to be content producers but rather content conveyors, following predefined curriculum in preparation for accountability tests. Pepperdine looks to counter this by encouraging teachers to cultivate their creativity through collectivity and technology.

Last year’s widely praised inaugural Summer Institutes seminars became a part of research in next-generation professional development that both the U.S. National Science Foundation and the

U.S. Department of Education support at Pepperdine University. Following the institutes, teachers from Green Dot Public Schools and from LA Alliance of CollegeReady Public Schools joined together with Pepperdine faculty to form a pilot program that would further develop research on teacher creativity and on cyber platforms for learning that may bring radically transformed experiences in mathematics and science education.

This year ’s five -day program was designed for preK-12 teachers and administrators interested in serving and leading in their home institutions by integrating cutting-edge research, technology, and approaches that are gaining attention and interest from internationally renowned educators. Teachers from the Los Angeles Unified School District, the Long Beach Unified School District, other area districts and various charter and private schools were provided software and training that allowed them to create

This year over 100 math teachers from around 60 schools participated in a highimpact effort to leverage and expand their creativity through media production in service of teaching highly challenging mathematics. Additionally, teachers participated in training in the institute’s satellite locations in east Africa and in Mexico. These teachers then collaborated with their colleagues participating in the institutes here. The 2011 Summer Institutes proved to be invaluable to the culture of mathematics education in Southern California.

FACULTY AUTHORS

ALUMNI AUTHORS Dr. Leo Mallette (EdD ’06 Organizational Leadership)

Dennis Palumbo (MA ’88 Clinical Psychology)

Writing for Conferences: A Handbook for Graduate Students and Faculty

Mirror Image

Due to the quick turnaround and oral presentation requirements, immediate feedback, and abundant networking oppor tunities, publishing at a conference event is a significantly more complex—and for many, more intimidating—proposition than traditional journal and book publishing.

However, the additional benefits of successfully presenting your research project at a conference are well worth the effort.

(ABC-CLIO, 2011)

digital video and animated explanations of mathematics concepts that link flexibly to student needs and to instructor strengths.

Additionally, the videos were organized according to California state standards and topical area. Participants left the institutes with a library of digital materials of their own creation that they can use in their classes.

Mirror Image is the first in a series of thrillers featuring Dr. Daniel Rinaldi, a psychologist who consults with the Pittsburgh Police. His specialty is treating victims of violent crime whose traumatic experience still haunts them.

Kevin Merrick, a victim of an armed assault, is found brutally murdered. Rinaldi is determined to help find the killer, who’s begun leaving death threats for the psychologist. A page-turning novel of suspense, Mirror Image is a puzzling mystery, full of unexpected twists. (Poisoned Pen Press, 2011)

Dr. Miguel Gallardo, Associate Professor of Psychology Culturally Adaptive Counseling Skills: Demonstrations of Evidence-Based Practices A key supplement for courses on multicultural counseling, this book is a practical volume that will help faculty and students see demonstrations of multicultural counseling in practice. The text covers evidence-based practices for working with five major ethnic groups, while weaving in other factors such as gender, disability, sexuality, and more. Each chapter has two case studies by an invited expert who also provides commentary and lessons drawing upon each case. (SAGE, 2011)

GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 5

2011 Education Distinguished Alumnus Award Recipient Randy E. Clark (EdD ’05) is the chief executive officer of Border Foods, Inc. Located in Deming, New Mexico, Border Foods is the “largest green chile company in the world,” also processing jalapeno peppers, tomatillos, enchilada sauces, and salsa for individual, food service, and bulk applications. During his tenure at Border Foods, which he assumed during its bankruptcy, he has transformed the enterprise into a highly successful company.

Mr. Clark began his agricultural career as vice president of marketing and production for Bolthouse Farms. In 1993 he developed the then-new baby carrot product, which has become one of the produce industry’s recent successes. He has gone on to serve as CEO at several produce companies, including Mike Yarosek and Sons; Golden Valley Produce; and Fruit Patch, Inc., the largest tree-fruit supplier in the United States.

6 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

Mr. Clark currently teaches at Wilberforce University in Ohio, one of the oldest historically African American colleges in the United States. He has served as professor of accounting at Master’s College and has held a variety of teaching positions in leadership, marketing, and accounting. He also serves as a consultant, advising client firms on capital resource options and mergers and acquisitions.

Mr. Clark was a board member and project manager for the nonprofit organization Athletes in Action from 2003 to 2006, where he managed capital improvements and building of athletic fields. He has also been a board member and one of the three founding members of the Refuge Center, a nonprofit counseling center for underprivileged children and young adults. Mr. Clark received his bachelor’s degree from Cedarville College; his master’s degree in accounting in 1977 from Kent State University, attaining CPA licensure in 1978; and his Ed.D. in organizational leadership from the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology in 2005. He is also a GSEP Board of Visitors member.

Randy Clark resides in Deming, New Mexico.

2011 Psychology Distinguished Alumnus Award Recipient Erin G. Rank (MA ’89) is the president and chief executive officer for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles (HFH GLA). The Southern California nonprofit services 112 cities and unincorporated areas in Los Angeles County, providing affordable homeownership programs that serve families and individuals earning 30 to 80 percent of the median family income. Since 1990 HFH GLA has built or rehabilitated more than 350 houses in neighborhoods all across Los Angeles County. Ms. Rank has served the Habitat for Humanity organization for more than 12 years and is dedicated to their mission of making housing a global priority. She serves on the Habitat for Humanity International U.S. Council which oversees policy making for all U.S. affiliates.

Since taking the helm of HFH GLA in 1998, Ms. Rank has presided over many achievements including: the

establishment of Hollywood for Habitat for Humanity, a partnership with individuals in the entertainment industry who bring high-profile recognition to HFH GLA’s mission; the naming of HFH GLA as the affiliate with the “Most Homes Built in a Region” and winner of the first Clarence Jordan Award for Creativity and Innovation by Habitat for Humanity International; the formation of the “Power Women, Power Tools affiliate”; the opening of two home improvement stores; and most recently a federal award of over $33 million to build and rehabilitate homes in the cities of Long Beach, South Gate, and Lynwood.

Ms. Rank serves as a member of Leadership Long Beach, which promotes ethical leadership and diversity within the Long Beach community, and she is a board member of Housing for California.

Ms. Rank received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia and her master’s degree in counseling psychology from the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology. Erin Rank resides in Seal Beach, California, with her husband Wallace.

GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 7

In education and psychology careers, professional relationships are integral to growth and success. Recognizing this, the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) named its alumni organization Colleagues.

The relationships that you formed as a student don’t have to end after graduation. Through GSEP Colleagues receptions, lectures, and enrichment offerings, we advance the spirit of collegiality between alumni, faculty, and current students.

Colleagues fosters meaningful connections with opportunities to mentor current students or recent graduates and to volunteer their expertise with some of GSEP’s community partners.

Your annual membership in Colleagues helps GSEP with our most important initiatives: s 'RADUATE STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS AND SCHOLARSHIPS s 2ECRUITMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO ATTRACT TOP STUDENTS and faculty s 3TATE OF THE ART FACILITIES TECHNOLOGY AND research library

Please join as a member of Colleagues by sending your gift in the envelope included in this magazine.

Or, you may join online at our secure website: gsep.pepperdine.edu/alumni/giving If you have questions regarding Colleagues, please CONTACT #LAUDETTE ,A#OUR AT OR VIA E MAIL AT CLAUDETTE LACOUR PEPPERDINE EDU OR GSEPALUM PEPPERDINE EDU

“The Colleagues are a vital part of the GSEP community. They provide scholarships and other forms of academic support for current students and networking opportunities to assist alumni in career advancement. Our alumni are critical to Pepperdine’s success and we look forward to continually advancing the inuence and reputation of Pepperdine in our local community.â€? — Dr. Ed Shafranske, Professor, Psychology

Visit us online at: gsep.pepperdine.edu/alumni/colleagues 8 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

Retiring in an Uncertain Economy

W

e’ve been assured the recession is over.

And it is, but this recovery hasn’t been quite as quick as we had grown accustomed to in recent years. Congress continues to bicker, real estate is slower to improve, the job reports are still cause for concern, we see our schools struggling, and corporate philanthropy is expected to be at in 2011. But if you’re at the age of retirement, your time is now. You’ve worked long and hard to get there. So how do you protect what you’ve worked hard for and make it now work for you? What do you need to know to help you better enjoy your retirement years even amidst these ďŹ nancial challenges?

To better serve our alumni who are retired or approaching retirement, Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) has created a customized resource just for you. In 2011, GSEP hosted private luncheons across the Los Angeles Basin to answer questions such as “How do you keep up with the seemingly ever changing tax laws?� and “How can you create

more expendable income to do more of what you love?� while providing unique strategies that empower our alumni to get the most of their retirement and still achieve the goals they have set for themselves in these golden years. And if you have considered making a gift to Pepperdine, perhaps supporting a program you are passionate about or creating a named scholarship in memory of a loved one, we can show you how to do that while also creating income.

We will be hosting three luncheons this fall in September, October, and November, with additional dates to be determined in 2012. If you would like to attend along with a guest, please contact us for dates and locations. We look forward to serving you.

Contact: Elizabeth Gayed (310) 568-5517 elizabeth.gayed@pepperdine.edu

Save the Date

COASTAL $IJMESFO T 0VUSFBDI "EWBODJOH 4PDJBM 5SBOTGPSNBUJPO BOE -FBSOJOH

L L 8BML 3VO

1SFTFOUJOH 4QPOTPST

Dockweiler Do ckweil k il iler ler B Beach, each ch h C California ali lifforniia t 4BUVSEBZ +BOVBSZ t 4BUVSE U EBZ +BO BOV VBSZ

There are 2.5 million children in Los Angeles. Many endure serious social, economic, and mental health challenges, inhibiting them from realizing their fullest potential. Help future generations by providing children with the resources that lead to a prosperous adulthood.

For information and registration, please visit: HTFQ QFQQFSEJOF FEV DPBTUBM

GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 9

Mobile Happiness The Evolution of Psychology

MOBILE TECHNOLOGY HAS NOW become an essential part of almost every American’s daily life. Eighty-ďŹ ve percent of Americans own a cellular phone and children are being introduced to them at a younger age than ever. On the average cell phone, one can take a picture, shoot a video, surf the web, e-mail the boss, play video games, listen to music, watch television, read a book, pay bills, and scan bar-codes.

10 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

Dr. Drew Erhardt (left) and Dr. Edrick Dorian (right)

Pretty soon, everything we could possibly need will be at our fingertips. If industries are going to stay relevant, they will need to develop mobile integration that enables them to reach their clients where they are. The health care industry is no exception. However, with respect to mental health and psychotherapy, concerns about confidentiality and the implications of broadening the boundaries of the therapeutic relationship beyond the consultation room have made the field of psychology slow to embrace technology.

Recognizing these deterrents and the potential of mobile technology to both enhance psychotherapy and to bring helpful psychological tools to people who might not be inclined to seek out therapy, Dr. Drew Erhardt, professor of psychology at GSEP, and Dr. Edrick Dorian (PsyD ’03), GSEP alumnus and police psychologist for the Los Angeles Police Department, teamed up to develop a new mood-improvement application for the iPhone, the MoodKit, combining convenience and confidentiality. The collaboration came naturally for the two because of the strong roots established a decade ago, while Dorian was a student and teaching assistant for Erhardt in the PsyD program.

Here, Dr. Erhardt and Dr. Dorian enlighten us on all things MoodKit.

How did you come up with the idea to create the MoodKit app?

D.E.: Actually, we didn’t initially set out to create an app at all. We were trying to figure out how to best disseminate some of the effective principles and strategies of clinical psychology to the general population. Our original idea was to develop a set of cards, with each card describing a distinct moodenhancing activity that a person could choose to engage in. However, after writing over 150 of these activities, we knew that a printed deck of cards was not the best way to share that content.

E.D.: Once we settled on developing an app instead, we realized that this format enabled us to expand what we were offering beyond mood-improving activities to other “tools” that are often used to enhance people’s sense of well-being—things like changing thinking patterns, carefully monitoring one’s mood over time, and various journaling activities. We basically designed MoodKit as the

GSEP Colleague Colleeague Fall/ Fall/Winter / Winter 2011 2011 11

app we wished we could recommend to our own clients, colleagues, family, and friends so that they might benefit from the “wisdom” of the field.

What does the app actually do? How does it work?

E.D.: The app is designed as a toolkit and, like any good toolkit, it helps people to take effective action.

In this case, to do things that will enable them to feel better and to function better across different areas of their lives. The app draws from different psychological approaches but is based predominantly on cognitive behavior therapy, or CBT, an active, skill-building approach that has a great deal of evidence supporting its efficacy. The app’s four core “tools” enable users to engage in a wide variety of mood-enhancing activities, identify and change unhealthy thinking, rate and chart their moods over time, and to create journal entries using custom templates designed to promote healthy mindsets and overall well-being.

D.E.: In order to make the app as useful as possible, we built in lots of ways to customize its features. For example, the activities that are suggested can be tailored to the unique needs of a given user. So, if your life of late has been unbalanced such that you’re working a great deal and feeling pretty productive but neglecting your connections with other people, the app will suggest activities designed to enhance your social relationships. In this way, people can be helped to lead more balanced, fulfilling lives.

What type of consumer is the app designed for?

D.E.: Since our goal from the start was to make some of the tools of professional psychology available to people in their everyday lives, we designed the app in such a way that its usefulness wouldn’t be limited to certain groups. As a result, people from the age of adolescence on, who are looking for ways to enhance their overall well-being through behavioral and cognitive exercises can benefit from MoodKit. Additionally, psychology students can learn about CBT, its principles, and its implementation by becoming familiar with the app.

E.D.: Therapists can recommend it to clients as a resource, not only to suggest or reinforce treatment interventions, but also to develop and keep track of therapy “homework” assignments such as making daily mood ratings, writing journal entries, and engaging in structured exercises to examine and change maladaptive thinking.

12 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

Do you have to be a tech wizard to operate MoodKit? E.D.: Not at all. If you’ve ever used a “smartphone,” you’ll be able to use MoodKit. To be sure, it was important to us to create an app that was rich in content—that offered the user a wide variety of mood-improving tools. Equally important, however, was designing it so that it would be user-friendly and highly accessible, even to people who are not particularly tech-savvy.

D.E.: This was accomplished mostly by spending a lot of time ensuring that the user-interface was very intuitive. However, we also made sure that help screens were included throughout the app to provide lots of how-to guidance and examples.

How do you see MoodKit changing the way people view psychology?

D.E.: It should help to demystify psychology, or at least CBT, by taking some of its key principles and strategies and making them understandable, relevant, and accessible in everyday life. We hope it leads people to think about the tools of psychology not as something you access only by going to see a therapist, but as something that you can proactively incorporate into your day-to-day life. Just as many people follow good nutritional and exercise regimens to improve their physical health, an app such as this can provide people with guidance as to how to establish behavioral and cognitive habits that promote good mental health.

consider how they can use it to share knowledge and interventions more effectively with large numbers of people. Psychotherapy has been around for over a century but it has only been relatively recently that efforts have been made—through telephones, websites, and now mobile apps—to embrace technology as a means of either enhancing therapy or of delivering services to greater numbers of people. In a recent interview, Marty Cooper, the inventor of the modern cell phone, talked about how mobile technology has the potential to revolutionize health care and how we view psychology apps as part of that process.

E.D.: Of course, many people experience difficulties that really do require the help of a well-trained mental health professional and no app can substitute for that. However, even in those instances, incorporating an app like MoodKit as an adjunct to treatment can help people to take a more active role in their own therapy, thereby improving both its benefits and the durability of those benefits.

E.D.:With respect to what makes MoodKit different from other psychology apps, to our knowledge, it is the only current app designed to be used either on its own as a self-help resource or to enhance professional psychotherapy. Additionally, most psychology apps provide a single tool—whether related to suggesting activities that promote wellbeing, to rating and tracking mood, to changing thinking patterns, or to providing templates for journaling. So far as we know, MoodKit is unique in integrating all of these tools into a single app.

What impact do you think MoodKit can have on traditional therapy services?

How has the creation of the app personally impacted your lives?

E.D.: One of the challenges in therapy, for clients and therapists alike, is the need to monitor thoughts, mood, and behaviors between sessions.

Unfortunately, there are often both adherence and accuracy problems with the traditional pen-and-paper approach. Since nowadays the one thing that many people have with them all the time is their mobile phone, it serves as the perfect instrument for timely data collection and therapy homework exercises.

D.E.: Instead of having to carry around forms and remember to rate your mood, make a journal entry, or consider whether you’re thinking about a distressing situation in the most adaptive way possible, the app can remind you to do any or all of these things, provide you with a convenient place to record and store the information, and give you the option of sharing your entries with a therapist or others.

E.D.: We joke about this often, but the truth is the creation and repeated testing of the app has made us much more mindful of our own efforts to strike a healthy life balance. Even through the challenging process of developing the app, the very content we were authoring helped ensure that these proverbial “cobbler’s children” would indeed have shoes.

D.E.: We’re also always thinking in terms of how innovative therapeutic strategies and research findings relevant to mental health can be translated into an activity or principle that we might be able to share with others via the app. The now ubiquitous catchphrase, “There’s an app for that” has for us become, “There’s a MoodKit activity for that!”

MoodKit® is now available worldwide on the Apple App Store. To learn more, visit: www.moodkitapp.com.

What makes MoodKit any different from the other psychology-related apps out there?

D.E.: It’s interesting because the advent of this technology is leading lots of psychologists to

GSEP Colleague Colleeague Fall/ Fall/Winter / Winter 2011 2011 13

COASTING TO COMPREHENSION Abandoning Conventional Thought

14 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

Conventional thought on education would suggest that the flow of inspiration travels from the teacher to the students, but in Ty Kastendiek’s unconventional teaching career, the flow is more circular.

Ty Kastendiek (MA ’94) has spent his entire 17-year educational career teaching math and science in the Los Angles juvenile corrections system, with niine of those years spent at Camp David Gonzales. Camp Gonzales is a Los Angeles County probation camp for 16-to-18-year-olds who have been convicted of a felony (although most of them nonviolent). What makes Kastendiek’s circumstances so unique is the fact that his students serve on average, six to nine months in the camp. As soon as he begins to build a relationship, they move on.

So when Kastendiek came across the Metropolitan Water District’s annual Solar Cup race— a solar-powered competition where high school students design, build, equip, and race solarpowered boats—conventional thought would have led him to pass on this opportunity.

The Solar Cup is a contest of design, speed, and endurance that allows the participants to use an alternative power source in a real-world application.

Being a seasoned sailor, Kastendiek saw this as a great opportunity to engage his students in practical applications of classroom theories.

GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 15

Having never worked with solar power, this was going to be a learning experience for him as well.

For a school to enter the race, it must be sponsored by a local water district. Camp Gonzales happens to be located near the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, so Kastendiek decided to give a shot in the dark and called them.

“It was a bit serendipitous,” said Kastendiek. “I asked them if they would have any problems sponsoring a probation camp and they informed me that they had been outreaching to schools for the last few years to get involved, but were unsuccessful. They were excited that I called and jumped on the opportunity.”

Las Virgenes donated $4,000 (the maximum budget for an entering school). These funds were spent buying materials such as the motor, batteries, solar panels, frames and other miscellaneous expenses. The $4,000 doesn’t go a long way, so on top of everything else; the students had to learn budgeting and money management.

Kastendiek started the project with 10 students, but because of the nature of the school, students arrive

16 GSEP Co 1 Colleague olleague Fall/Win Fall/Winter Winter 2011

and depart at different times. Two months into the program, he was moving forward with seven students to build the hull. Since the team members constantly changed, Kastendiek was faced with the challenge of bringing students up to speed and reteaching the mechanics of buoyancy and solar technology.

Because Camp Gonzales students are subject to strict schedules, they only had after-school and weekends to build their boat. This drove them to work even harder at reaching their goal. The team was so excited about the project that word of the competition spread throughout the camp. At one point, Kastendiek had over 20 volunteers to simply sand the boat. Everyone wanted to participate in any way they could. It didn't matter how important their role was, they simply wanted to be a part of the final product and experience.

The Camp Gonzales

team was going up against schools whose students had far more experience and much more sophisticated tools to work with. In fact, one school in particular dedicated a yearlong honors class to this endeavor. Ironically, Kastendiek’s students were not intimidated, but motivated by this fact.

They researched designs from previous Solar Cup competitions and improved upon them.

“We want to create our own unique design,” said Camp Gonzales teammate Marco. “We liked the idea of using an outbound design. Because our advisor, Mr. Ty had been raised around boats and is familiar with outboard designs, we decided to go with that particular design.”

As different milestones were accomplished, other obstacles presented themselves. In order to receive day-leaves for prerequisites set by the Solar Cup committee, such as boat water tests and swimming tests, they had to petition their sentencing judges. Through this, they gained experience dealing with the bureaucracy of the penal system.

Every time they ran up against a roadblock, it somehow was resolved; often at the last minute.

Kastendiek was able to incorporate many academic lessons into this project that cater to learning styles which are often ignored in the conventional textbook styled classroom settings. Through the budget, they learned arithmetic. Through the dayleave petitions, they learned reading comprehension.

Through boat building, they learned geometry

and algebra. Through the work journal, they learned grammar and clarity. They also learned intangible lessons such as time management, delegation skills, teamwork, and problem solving.

To Kastendiek, the joy of this project was watching the kids learn with their hands. “Traditional education inundates you with the book, then you reinforce with the lab,” said Kastendiek. “The way I approached the Solar Cup was by going to the lab first; then when we got stuck, we would go back to the book to find a way through.”

A month before the competition, none of the original team members were still involved. They often joked that the boat driver on the day of the competition may not have been arrested yet.

By the day of the competition, only three students had met all the requirements needed to participate and none of them had ever steered a boat. Going into the last leg of the competition, the boat stopped working.

After 15 minutes, they realized that the controller had malfunctioned. “In the classroom, it took us around 45 minutes to switch out a controller,” said Kastendiek. “On the lake, with the adrenaline running, the kids switched out the controller in 15 minutes.”

Even with all the obstacles, Camp Gonzales placed second in the rookie division and Kastendiek believes that if the controller had not failed, they would have won. To Kastendiek, the redeeming moment came when he was standing on the dock, stressed out, wanting to help fix the controller. One student looked back at him. “Relax Mr. Ty,” Marco calmly said. “We got this!” That growth in confidence was worth the effort.

"What we all gained from this experience will stay with us for the rest of our lives."

“Because of what they learned during this competition, many of these students could pursue professions as electricians or mechanics, or in boating, or carpentry, or even in the emerging fields of solar technology,” says Kastendiek. “Confidence can’t be taught from a book; and what we all gained from this experience will stay with us for the rest of our lives.”

GSEP Colleague Coolleague Fall/Win Fall/Winter Winter 2011 17 1

LEARNING HOW TO

LE

D Early Childhood Education

T

he initial years of learning for children are vital to their overall development. From birth, children can be taught. Something as simple as reading to newborns teaches them new concepts and increases their vocabulary. Since the brain matures most rapidly during early childhood, proper education is critical to the development of intelligence, personality, and proper social behavior. For this reason, early childhood education practitioners must diligently seek to improve their methods and learn new teaching techniques.

Dr. Anissa McNeil (EdD ’10) of Education Works Consulting Firm, Inc., has spent the last five years consulting for nonprofit, for-profit, and public school early childhood education programs throughout the state. She witnessed

18 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

"

This program is designed for those seeking to make a difference."

as a professional and as a consultant that many educational leaders in early childhood education were underprepared for their responsibilities. Because of this, she designed a certificate program to provide organizational leadership information and training to managers, mid-managers, and administrators of early childhood education organizations.

Dr. McNeil pitched the program to the director of UCLA Extension and got approval to create the Early Childhood Education Leadership Institute that is designed to help administrators build capacity to effectively lead and develop their programs.

The program comprises five online courses that include: Leading Change; Quality Assurance and Systems Thinking in Education; Creating a Learning Organization; Organization and Program Development; and Strategic Planning and Analysis.

Successful completion of the five courses earns the candidate the Advanced ECE Administration and Policy Certificate from UCLA Extension.

What makes this program special is the fact that it follows the GSEP student/practitioner model. Candidates are assigned projects that coincide with their current curriculum. They will also receive guidance in their assigned projects by executive coaches who have earned doctoral degrees and work in education organizations.

This allows candidates to learn theory, while

applying it in real classroom settings.

“This program is designed for those seeking to make a difference.” says Dr. McNeil. “The executive coaching I received from Dr. McNeil has truly allowed me to make an increased positive impact to my organization, community, teachers, families, and the students whom I serve,” expressed Dr. Lavada Minor, early Head Start area supervisor of Volunteers of America of Los Angeles.

The world around us is constantly evolving and educational leaders need to be equipped to handle change and to create sustainable learning organizations. Dr. McNeil has committed herself to ensuring that those who teach our children and lead education organizations are evolving as well. “The course content, practical assignments, and the knowledge I have obtained has increased my capacity to lead and sustain our early childhood education center” states Michelle Neal, owner and director of A Child Becomes preschool in Seattle, Washington.

“The Early Childhood Education Leadership Institute is an opportunity to learn new leadership skills and strategies for the leaders of tomorrow!” says Dr. McNeil. Both prospective and current leaders in early childhood education are encouraged to apply.

For more information please contact Dr. Anissa McNeil at (909) 218-3629 or amcneil@edworks4u.org.

GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 19

DONOR ROLL FOSTER GRANDPARENTS PROGRAM Children’s Institute, Inc. GSEP SCHOOL OF URBAN NEEDS Dr. Margaret J. Weber HILTON FOUNDATION — UNION RESCUE MISSION CLINIC Mr. Spencer T. Hardman MBA '08 Dr. Cary L. Mitchell ’76 Dr. Margaret J. Weber MARCO GARCIA MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP Mr. John L. Baker Enrique and Lucy Garcia Family Foundation PAT LUCAS CENTER FOR TEACHER PREPARATION SCHOLARSHIP Albert “Hasty” Arnold EdD ’85 Grace Arnold Mr. John L. Baker Ms. Shirley A. Bowen MS '79 Dr. Janet L. Fortson EDUCATION COLLABORATIVE INITIATIVE California Community Foundation M. NORVEL AND HELEN YOUNG CENTER Mr. John L. Baker Dr. William S. Banowsky MA '94, HON '79

Dr. Diana B. Hiatt-Michael

GSEP SCHOLARSHIP Mrs. Sandra T. Gassner MA '01 Mrs. June Klapakis MA '76 Mrs. Carol M. Nakashima MA '82 GSEP FUND Ms. Diana I. Abidin MA '92 Ms. Laura E. Adams MA '00 Dr. Barbara J. Anable MA '76 Mrs. Lois L. Anderson CER '91, MS '90 Mrs. Mary J. Anderson MS '84 Mrs. Sara B. Applebaum CER '89, MS '89 Mrs. Nellanette Y. Araki MA '75 Mrs. Betty J. Archie MA '77 Dr. Joy K. Asamen Mrs. Sharon Asberry MBA '75 Mrs. Dana L. Atwood-Blaine MA '00 Lt. Col. Richard D. Avery MA '78 Mr. Herman Banton BS '76 Dr. Robert R. Barner Mrs. Carolyn L. Barnes MS '77 Dr. David W. Bates EdD '90 Ms. Valerie A. Bell CER '98, MA '96, CER '93 Dr. Jon A. Bisher MA '77 Mrs. Naomi R. Blackmore MS '81 Mrs. Sharon Y. Braden '00, MS '98 Mrs. Catherine S. Brammer MA '78 Ms. Nancy L. Breuer MA '05 Mr. Harold A. Brunner MS '77 Mr. Joshua J. Burker MA '07 Ms. Donna L. Burns MS '85 Mrs. Sharon Burton CER '88 Mrs. Marianne Campbell MA '89 Mrs. Mildred L. Carley MS '82 Mr. Mark A. Carlock MA '07 Dr. John L. Carter MA '73 Dr. Cheryl A. Carter EdD '08 Ms. Victoria M. Castro MS '78 Mrs. Thelma E. Chapman MA '76 Dr. Robert T. Cheatham EdD '85 Mrs. Barbara J. Clark MS '78 Mr. Ronald F. Clark MS '81 Dr. Juanita I. Coleman-Merritt EdD '04, CER '02 Mrs. Billee A. Collins MS '76 Dr. Margot R. Condon EdD '91, MS '84 Mr. Edmund J. Costa CER '93, CER '87, MS '85 Lt. Col. Dorothea A. Courts MA '79 Mr. Thomas C. Crawford MS '75 Ms. Hirout Dagnew MA '93, CER '92 Dr. Virginia Dailey-Wilson EdD '90

20 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

Mrs. Gola D. Dandridge BA '72 Mr. Arthur R. Delgadillo MA '78 Ms. Elizabeth S. Demarest MA '00 Dr. Robert A. DeMayo Ms. Judith A. Dennington MS '92 Dr. Anne M. Devney MS '81 Mrs. Martha M. Doster MS '77 Dr. Kristine B. Drake EdD '01 Ms. Susan J. Drapkin MS '78 Ms. Burnette S. Durham MS '75 Mrs. Joni Edelman MA '93 Mrs. Mary F. Eves MA '73 Ms. Donna M. Ewing MS '84 Ms. Edith M. Fabiyi MA '03 Mr. Christopher R. Faucher MA '02, MS '98 Ms. Ashley L. Feinstein MA '09 Ms. Jennifer R. Fentress Calderon MA '01 Ms. Renay Ferinac MA '93 Ms. Joanna M. Fernandez MA '07 Dr. Arthur E. Fields EdD '80 Ms. Margaret A. Flores-Garcia MS '75 Mrs. Elizabeth I. Flynn MA '93 Mrs. Gaye K. Forman MA '87 Ms. Sandra L. Fournier MA '88 Dr. Barbara H. Foyil MA '06 Ms. Carol S. Franchi MA '87 Mrs. Leslie H. Frank MS '76 Ms. Mary E. Fuller MA '00 Mr. Michael Garcia MA '74 Ms. Teresa Garcia MA '09 Mr. Anthony J. Garrison-Engbrecht MA '08 Mrs. Sandra J. Gillen MA '76 Mr. Samuel G. Gonzalez MA '02 Mrs. Tanya Grace MS '75 Mr. Miles W. Graff MA '76 Mr. Harold R. Grauman MA '76 Ms. Dorothy E. Greene MS '79 Dr. Linda M. Gresik EdD '94, CER '91 Mrs. Mabel E. Griffin MS '75 Mrs. Flossie V. Guice MA '78 Mrs. Louvonia Hall MA '76 Mr. Richard M. Hall MA '89 Mrs. Lynda N. Hawkins MS '80 Ms. Karen G. Haycraft MA '82 Mrs. Delia A. Hayes MA '75 Ms. Betty J. Hedstrom MA '87 Dr. Carl B. Hillemann EdD '85 Mrs. Pamela A. Hinton MA '75 Ms. Ercell H. Hoffman MA '93 Ms. Phyllis M. Humphrey MA '96 Dr. Leila Iler EdD '94 Mr. Glen I. Isomoto MS '84 The J. Paul Getty Trust

Ms. Stephanie L. Jacobsen MA '98 Mrs. Julie D. Johnson MA '94 Ms. Rosa H. Jones MS '77 Mr. Richard B. Jones MS '80 Ms. Sylvia M. Jones MS '82 Ms. Anne M. Jones MA '77 Ms. Jennifer M. Kelley MA '98 Mr. George J. Khair MA '87 Mr. Charles R. Komrosky MA '75 Mrs. Judith P. Kupperman MA '77 Ms. Elizabeth M. Kuszlejko MS '83 Mrs. Catherine D. Kyker MA '88 Ms. Shirley R. La Beach MA '75 Ms. Wendy A. Lamoreaux MA '00 Commander T. R. Langley MS '75 Dr. Jo Ann Lee MS '84 Mrs. Shirley C. Leick MS '83 Dr. Michael T. Leininger MA '76 Mrs. Marie G. Leiss MA '06 Mrs. Etel Leit MS '99 Ms. Ludella Leonard MA '75 Ms. Carol E. Leslie MA '90 Ms. Carol E. Lewis-Norris MA '91 Mrs. Nancy T. Limm Ms. Loris K. Loper MA '82 Dr. Dennis W. Lowe MA '77, BA '75 Ms. Lottie M. Luke MS '79 Ms. M. S. Magee MA '76 Mrs. Talisen C. Malone Winder CER '02, MA '01 Ms. Maria E. Mangum CER '99, CER '93, MS '92 Mrs. Lin S. Marelic MS '88 Dr. David M. Martinez EdD '02 Mrs. Judith F. Matlock MS '78 Mrs. Verlyn B. McEachin MA '78 Ms. Sandra Jo M. McIntee MA '99 Mr. Sterling P. Miller MS '92 Mr. Douglas J. Miller MA '76 Ms. Michelle E. Mitchell MA '10, MA '00 Dr. Patrick W. Monahan EdD '81 MorganStanley SmithBarney Lt. Col. William E. Myers MA '78 Ms. Rosalind Myers CER '87, MS '87 Mrs. Alvera B. Nafziger MA '76 Mr. Richard J. Nagel MA '97 Mrs. Cheryl A. Newman MA '75 Ms. Melissa A. Nickert MA '09 Mr. Stanley H. Oishi MS '80 Dr. Eno O. Otoyo BA '61, MA '62, EdD '83 Dr. Rebecca A. Otten EdD '05 Mrs. Mary S. Ozamoto MS '77 Mrs. Dorothy N. Palmer MS '81 Mr. Dwight E. Pals MA '95 Mr. Norman K. Pang MA '79 Ms. Margaret S. Paskov Kistel MA '77

DONOR ROLL Dr. Valeri A. Paul EdD '05 Ms. Emma S. Perez CER '92, CER '86, CER '87, MS '86 Ms. Maria G. Perez-Suing MA '02 Dr. James J. Perino EdD '87 Ms. Florence M. Pike CER '92, MS '92 Miss Cecelia D. Pitts MS '94 Mrs. Mary S. Polite MA '75 Dr. Sarah L. Pool CER '85, MS '85 Ms. Patricia Potter MA '75 Mr. George E. Ramos CER '95, MA '94 Dr. Reyna G. Ramos Mrs. Dorothea Rattelmeier MA '96 Ms. Linda G. Reinhart MA '87 Ms. Susan Rich MS '00 Mr. Edward A. Robinson MS '77 Ms. Linda L. Robinson '94 Mrs. Karen S. Robos MA '91 Ms. Pamela L. Romeka MS '85 Mrs. Joanne H. Rosamond MA '77 Mrs. Theresa M. Rubin CER '04, MA '03 Mr. Nicholas V. Rudd MS '91 Mrs. Gladys M. Saddler MS '86 Ms. Patricia M. Saliba Del Hagen MA '75 Mrs. Jacolyn J. Santo MA '77 Ms. Shukla C. Sarkar MS '99 Ms. Margaret T. Sarris MA '91 Ms. Charlene P. Saurer MA '91 Dr. Richard E. Sauter EdD '00, CER '93 Mrs. Judith A. Scatoloni MS '76 Dr. Sarah L. Schecter EdD '88 Mrs. Janet L. Scheer MS '83 Dr. Olive P. Scott EdD '87 Mrs. Anne B. Seil MA '76 Dr. Stephen L. Shane EdD '99 Ms. Eleanor S. Sheeks MA '78 Mrs. Kristina A. Shrader MA '98 Ms. Phyllis R. Siegel MS '81 Mrs. Pauline T. Singleton MA '77 Dr. Judy A. Smith EdD '00, MS '87 Ms. Connie L. Smith MS '82 Ms. Stephanie S. Smolinski '07, MA '06 Dr. Jo Anne E. Sornborger PsyD '05, MA '01 Ms. Lenora Springer MA '77 Ms. Wendi L. Stewart-Goodson MA '99 Mr. Thomas M. Sunada MS '74 Dr. Ruth C. Sweeney Zimmet BS '76, MS '78 Mr. Gregory R. Swift MA '87 Mrs. Cynthia M. Tate CER '04, MA '03 Mrs. Jean M. Terberg MS '78 Dr. Matthew M. Thomas MA '95 Ms. Geraldine Thomas MA '89 Mr. Paul Tran BS '97

Mr. Eugene B. Trimble MA '76 Dr. Carol F. Tuntland EdD '95 Mr. George B. Turner MA '78 Ms. Elnora C. Tymer MA '98 Dr. Beulah Underwood MA '76 Ms. Deborah Valentine MA '97 Mrs. Janet M. Valenzuela MA '95 Dr. Marlene W. Valter PsyD '96, MA '91 Ms. Karen Varma MA '86 Verizon Foundation Mrs. Adrianna M. Vermilion MA '00 Mrs. Jacquelyne C. Wallace BA '54 Lt. Col. William L. Waters MA '77 Mrs. Candace Webb MA '03 Dr. Margaret J. Weber Ms. Doris I. Weinert MS '91 Ms. Betty J. Wells MA '77 Ms. Elaine C. White MS '91 Ms. Nancy Whitson MA '94 Dr. Linda Wicks MA '93 Mrs. Mary E. Widtmann MA '98 Ms. Cheryl L. Williams MS '91 Mr. Bobby Williams MA '75 Mrs. Sophia G. Williams MS '75 Ms. Donna M. Williams '13 Dr. Edna D. Wilson EdD '87, MA '65 Lt. Col. Alan M. Winner MBA '70 Dr. Lois B. Yeh PsyD '92, MA '88 Mrs. Annette J. Yensen MA '03 Ms. Veronica A. Zofchak CER '87, MS '87

RANDY CLARK ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund

BOONE CENTER FOR THE FAMILY Mr. John L. Baker Ms. Sara A. Crosby-Hartman MBA '93 Mrs. Onnalee O. Doheny Mr. Gerald D. Gage Mrs. Susan K. Giboney BA '62 Mr. Dillard R. Harwell Mrs. Sara Y. Jackson BA '74 Lani Netter Productions, Inc. Mrs. Angie Lemley Dr. Emily Lemley MA '74, BA '67 Dr. Steven T. Potts JD '82 Mrs. Marie E. Reim BS '81 The Maclellan Foundation, Inc. Mr. Thomas J. Trimble Dr. Margaret J. Weber Wolff Shoe Company

Mrs. Patricia L. Yomantas Mrs. Helen M. Young HON '99, BS '39

FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY LEAGUE Mrs. Patti J. Adair Mrs. Carlie Asbury Mrs. Susan J. Ash BA '00 Ms. Patricia M. Atkisson BA '95 Mr. Robert J. Barbera Mrs. Camelia K. Barsoum Mrs. Marilyn E. Baumeister Mrs. Stephanie Beazley President Andrew K. Benton Mrs. Pamela C. Blackwell Mrs. Stephanie Bollenbacher Mrs. Shirley Boone Mrs. Sheila K. Bost Bradford Renaissance Portraits Mrs. Virginia B. Braun* HON '85 Mr. Dale A. Brown BS '64 Ms. Janet O. Buese Mrs. Pearl O. Burns Ms. Catherine Cahill-Murphy California Community Foundation Mr. Roderick Campbell Dr. Ken R. Canfield Mrs. Kathleen E. Carlquist Mrs. June L. Carson Mr. Henry J. Caruso Caruso Family Foundation Mrs. Nancy M. Casey Mrs. Jeannette M. Chandler Children's Book World Mrs. Valerie J. Cigler Coast Medical Service Ms. Ilene Cohen Mrs. Kathleen Colombano Mrs. Lori Conger Mrs. Joanne Cowan Mrs. Kay Cox Mrs. Jacquelin D. Dedona '49 Ms. Salameh R. Dibaei Mrs. Onnalee O. Doheny Mrs. Noelle Donfeld Mrs. Kristie D. Driscoll BS '81 Mrs. Marilyn Droz Mrs. Waltraud Edwards Mrs. Cleo G. Ellis Eris & Larry Field Family Foundation Ernst & Young Foundation Ms. Sherry L. Falkner Mrs. Pat S. Falkner Ms. Lisa Field

Ms. Dorothy Flagler-Tabbah Mrs. Melanie P. Flamminio Ms. Kirsten L. Fox Mrs. Joyce W. Francis Mrs. Sharon Garapedian Mrs. Joline M. Gash BA '92 Mrs. Susan K. Giboney BA '62 Goodway Print & Copy, Inc. Mrs. Tamara H. Gustavson Mrs. Mary A. Harrell Mrs. Jolene R. Harwell '60 Dr. Diana B. Hiatt-Michael Mrs. Elizabeth M. Hinkle Mrs. Inger S. Hogan Ambassador Glen A. Holden HON '88 Mr. Robert G. Jackson Mrs. Sara Y. Jackson BA '74 Julie Kays Design, Inc. Mrs. Michele C. Kahl Karie McMurray, M.D., Inc. Ms. Lea S. Karp Mrs. Linda D. Katch '61 Mrs. Michelle Kent Mrs. Rowena G. Killion Mrs. Debra A. Klumph Mrs. Susan Koenker Mrs. Margaret J. Leake Mrs. Stephanie S. Lehman MA '95 Mrs. Deanne S. Lewis BS '84 Ms. Donna Lewis Mrs. Lois F. Linkletter Mr. David J. Liston Mrs. Lesia M. Maxwell CER '94, MA '94 Ms. Jennifer G. McGoldrick BS '67 Merritt H. Adamson Trust Dr. Charlene U. Miller MJO Staffing, Inc. Montage Beverly Hills Ms. Dolores Movius Ms. Carolyn P. Nicks MA '89 Mrs. Kimberly Okabayashi Mr. Michael T. Okabayashi Mrs. Annette E. Oltmans Mrs. Hans I. Orup Mrs. Lisa L. Osborne Mrs. Susan K. Osti Pacific Park Mr. Raymond A. Payne Mrs. Joyce J. Penner Mrs. Kristen Phillips Dean Ronald F. Phillips Mrs. Nancy F. Pippin Mr. Brian R. Poliquin Mrs. Jutta Portzel Mrs. Claudia Arnold Preston

GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 21

DONOR ROLL Mrs. Mary Alice Reed Mrs. Marie E. Reim BS '81 Dr. Susan F. Rice EdD '86 Mrs. Jennifer A. Ricker BA '76 Mrs. Kelly Roberts Mr. Milton E. Ross Rowley Portraiture Mrs. Garianne C. Rubenstein BA '79, MA '83 Mrs. Ginger Runnels BA '75 Mrs. Amy Jo Runnels BA '00 Mrs. Deborah S. Russell Saddle Peak Lodge Sage Room Salon Vivace Dr. Emily Scott-Lowe BA '76 Mrs. Janice Serote Mrs. Margaret A. Sheppard Mrs. Marilyn D. Simpson Mrs. Jennifer G. Sittel Mrs. Constance M. Slade Dr. Rosa M. Spivey Mrs. Joan Starr Mrs. Alice M. Starr Mrs. Sharon L. Steele BA '90 Mrs. Maritza Stewart BA '80 Mrs. Dorothy B. Straus Mrs. Marni A. Sugden BS '98 Mrs. Beverly S. Sugimoto Takami Sushi & Robata Restaurant Mrs. June Teal The Armand Hammer Foundation The Beverly Hills Hotel The Edison Mrs. Anne H. Tippens Mrs. Denise R. Toberman Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. Mrs. Sheryl D. Turner United Way of Greater Los Angeles Mrs. Carol A. Wallace Dr. Margaret J. Weber Mrs. Ellen L. Weitman Mrs. Mayra L. Wilson BA '88 Wood-Claeyssens Foundation Mrs. Patricia L. Yomantas

Dr. Lydia Ledesma-Reese EdD '87 Dr. Leo A. Mallette MBA '85 Ms. Diane M. Manuel Dr. Melvin L. Musick EdD '08 Dr. Michael D. O'Sullivan MS '74, EdD '87 Dr. Susan F. Rice EdD '86 Mrs. Jennifer Ricker BA '76 Dr. Richard Sherman Dr. Earnestine Thomas-Robertson BA '69 Dr. Marilyn S. Wright MA '89 Mrs. Wendie Young BS '85 Dr. Ziegfred G. Young HON '08, MS '83, EdD '88

OLAF H. TEGNER ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP Mr. John L. Baker Dr. Janet L. Fortson Mrs. Lucinda L. Glossop Dr. Barbara L. Ingram Dr. Cheryl D. Lampe EdD '93, EdD '88 Mr. Theodore O. Porter BS '59, MBA '75 Mrs. Allie E. Tegner BA '47, MA '68 Warner Pacific Insurance Services Ms. L. J. Witte '06, MA '92 Mr. Jack K. Wood

GSEP DEAN'S EXCELLENCE FUND Mr. Perry S. Akins California Community Foundation Comerica Bank Dr. Janet L. Fortson Mr. Jack N. Hayden MA '08 MBA '79 Ms. Kristine J. Kuhl-Klinger '11 Dr. Mary Jo Lass BA '51 Mr. Michael S. Lucas Dr. Farzin Madjidi EdD '91, MBA '88 Mrs. Lani A. Netter '75 Dr. Kent B. Rhodes EdD '90 Dr. June H. Schmieder-Ramirez The Whittier Trust Company Mrs. Wendie Z. Young BS '85

GSEP BOARD OF VISITORS Dr. Fereshteh Amin EdD '06 The Bank of America Foundation The Boeing Company Dr. Randy Clark EdD '05 Dr. Rosalyn S. Heyman HON '08

SUPERINTENDENT OF THE YEAR AWARD Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Piper Jaffray & Co.

* In memorium

22 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

COLLEAGUES Dr. Samson J. Alfi EdD '02 Dr. Barbara J. Anable MA '76 Mr. Lynn Andrews MA '72, MS '73 Mr. Ernest S. Arguello MS '80 Dr. Joy K. Asamen Dr. Patricia G. Ashby EdD '85 Dr. Aaron P. Aviera Ms. Jo Anne Bartlett MA '81 Mr. William Baxter MA '75 Ms. Jane K. Bearman-Smith MA '00 Mr. Richard E. Bee MA '77 Dr. Phyllis L. Beemsterboer EdD '93 Ms. Catherine S. Bessenbacher MA '76 Mrs. Caryl L. Bigenho MS '83 Ms. Anna Bilyk MA '05, MA '00 Ms. Shirley A. Bowen MS '79 Ms. Marlene Brice MA '76 Mrs. Barbara Bronner MA '00 Ms. Donna L. Burns MS '85 Ms. Linda J. Byrne MS '76 Dr. Kim S. Cary EdD '04 Dr. Teresa Casillas EdD '00 Dr. Robert T. Cheatham EdD '85 Mr. Ronald F. Clark MS '81 Mr. James M. Cleland MS '82 Dr. Melba F. Coleman MS '74 Mrs. Mary I. Coleman MS '76 Mrs. Rosemarie L. Cook-Glover MA '75 Mrs. Laurene I. Cooper MS '77 Dr. Janet M. Cosman-Ross EdD '03 Dr. Louis J. Cozolino Dr. April L. Creasey EdD '09 Ms. Thardice G. De Loach MA '76 Mr. Jack A. Dennen MS '75 Mr. Gerald R. Detamore MS '85 Mrs. Lenora S. Dixon MS '76 Mrs. Martha M. Doster MS '77 Mr. Richard C. Dumond MA '97 Mrs. Alta F. Ellis Babino MS '76 Dr. Logan J. Fox BA '46 Mr. Michael Garcia MA '74 Dr. Pauline A. Garstka EdD '84 Mr. Arlen H. Gaynor MS '84 Dr. Susan B. Gesshel MA '85, PsyD '90 Mr. William J. Gibbons MBA '97 Dr. Melva T. Giles EdD '93 Lieutenant General Henry T. Glisson MA '74 Mr. John E. Gonzalez BS '70, MA '78 Ms. Sandra V. Goodson CER '92, CER '88 Dr. Lupe K. Grajeda MS '83 Ms. Katie H. Greene BA '70, MS '85 Ms. Lucie C. Greer MA '98 Mrs. Shirley Grodsky MS '82 Mr. Keith L. Hansen MS '81

Ms. Roslyn B. Harris BA '73 Ms. Adrienne R. Harris MS '80 Ms. Alvina M. Harrison-Wells MA '78 Mrs. Alison E. Havel MA '98 Mrs. Lynda N. Hawkins MS '80 Dr. Jennifer B. Hawthorne PsyD '06 Mrs. Rosemary E. Hayward MA '90 Dr. Joanne Hedgespeth Dr. Juliette R. Henry MS '75, EdD '81 Dr. Frank J. Infusino EdD '92 Dr. Barbara L. Ingram Dr. Chie Iseri EdD '99 Ms. Crystal C. Jensen '16 Ms. Carol B. Kapp MS '75, MS '80 Ms. Mary K. Kemp MA '76 Ms. Joann M. Kennelly MA '98 Major Richard J. Keogh MA '74 Mr. Clark L. Kershner MA '75 Ms. Sadie R. Kestner MA '76 Ms. Tricia C. Kinney Loop MA '83 Mrs. Leontine M. Klarich MS '77 Mr. Scott W. Kloetzke MS '95 Mrs. Grace A. Kojima MS '75 Mr. Elmer W. Langham MS '74 Ms. Kim M. Lattimore MS '93 Mr. Mark A. Leos CER '95, CER '88, MS '88 Dr. Terry S. Leung MA '76, EdD '88 Mrs. Valerie Lev MA '94 Dr. David A. Levy MA '84 Ms. Carol E. Lewis-Norris MA '91 Mrs. Laurie E. Libow BA '74, MS '80 Mr. Jack P. Lipton Ms. Esther N. Lombardi CER '88, MS '88 Mrs. Janie E. Long MS '81 Mrs. Talisen C. Malone Winder CER '02, MA '01 Dr. Amy S. Mandel MA '86, PsyD '90 Mrs. Staci A. Marrs Daringer MA '01 Mrs. Magnolia A. Martin MS '77 Mr. Paul M. Martinez MS '82 Mr. Ralph A. Mauger MA '74 Ms. Carolyn S. Mayes-Taylor MS '82 Mrs. Barbara A. McDonald Mrs. Anne L. McLintock Dr. John F. McManus '82 Mr. Wilson H. McMillan MA '76 Mr. Bryce McWalter MBA '74 Dr. William S. Meyer EdD '98, MBA '88 Ms. Michelle E. Mitchell MA '10, MA '00 Dr. Cary L. Mitchell BA '76 Ms. Kathleen S. Miyamoto MS '79 Ms. Jean S. Mueller MS '90

DONOR ROLL Ms. Arline C. Murrel MS '77 Dr. Frances W. Neely Ms. Elin N. Nozaki MA '90 Mr. John R. O'Brien MS '75 Dr. La Vera Otoyo EdD '84 Mr. Thomas M. Oyan MA '94 Ms. Donna J. Palmer MA '76 Ms. Diane E. Pardue MS '82 Dr. Dabbiru G. Patnaik EdD '08 Mr. Gregory Patterson BA '74, MS '76 Ms. Donna S. Pennell MS '84 Dr. James H. Peoples EdD '84 Ms. Emma S. Perez CER '92, CER '86, CER '87, MS '86 Dr. Gladys L. Phillips-Evans EdD '92 Dr. Linda G. Polin Mrs. Carolyn J. Price MS '78 Ms. Eloise J. Pritchett MS '75 Mrs. Sara Pursche MA '75 Ms. Kendra D. Quinton MA '91 Dr. Juanita M. Rainey-Woods CER '93, CER '90, MA '89 Dr. Joel Recinos MS '83 Mrs. Rebecca S. Reed MA '91 Dr. Patrick S. Ross EdD '03 Dr. Daryl M. Rowe Dr. June H. Schmieder-Ramirez Ms. Esther M. Severy MS '94 Ms. Mahta C. ShaďŹ eha CER '03, MA '03, BA '00 Dr. Edward P. Shafranske Dr. Genevieve A. Shepherd MS '78 Ms. Julie Y. Shibasaki CER '96, MA '95 Mrs. Sheila M. Simmons MA '97, CER '96 Dr. Frank Sinsheimer EdD '94 Dr. Susan M. Stocks EdD '06 Dr. Eric L. Strang PsyD '99 Ms. Esther R. Taira MS '83 Lt. Col. Paul K. Takamiya MA '74 Mrs. Chere C. Talbert MS '78 Mrs. Jo Ann Teal MS '75, MS '87 Miss Elayne Y. Vanasse MS '80 Mrs. Nanette E. Vaughan MS '90 Ms. Linda B. Venable MA '94 Ms. Ennovy E. Vester MA '09 Dr. Lauren E. Walters '06, MS '00, EdD '99, MS '90 Lt. Col. William L. Waters MA '77 Mrs. Marjorie F. Weichal MA '72 Ms. Jacqueline Williams MS '91 Lt. Col. William H. Wilson MA '77 Mr. Garry L. Wright MS '81 Ms. Marilyn Wunsch MA '79

SILVER COLLEAGUES Mrs. Sandra P. Barkley MA '93 Dr. Cheryl D. Barkovich EdD '96, CER '95, CER '90 Dr. Michael L. Botsford Mrs. Pamela J. Cain CER '99, MA '97 Dr. Russell F. Carr EdD '97 Mrs. C. M. Channel MS '75 Dr. Susan B. Clifford EdD '88 Mrs. Christie F. Dailo Mr. James J. Ingersoll MA '87 Dr. Kevin G. Kistler MBA '00, EdD '95 Ms. Claudette T. LaCour Dr. Karen A. Magner EdD '10, MA '00 Mrs. Alice E. Richardson MA '05 Dr. Bruce A. Rush PsyD '99, MA '96 Mrs. Cheryl Saunders CER '04, MA '04, MA '84 Ms. Georgia A. Smith MA '76 Mrs. Mildred F. Smith Williams Ms. Mary C. Tabata '18 Ms. Tinnie S. Taylor Mr. Dan M. Thompson Ms. Susan K. Tiss MA '05 Mrs. Jacquelyne C. Wallace BA '54 Dr. Robert F. Wemheuer MA '75, EdD '79 Mrs. Kathleen S. Wenger MA '92 Dr. Katherine Wolf MA '82

GOLD COLLEAGUES Ms. Elizabeth A. Ashley-Rupp '14, MS '07 Mr. John L. Baker Ms. Carol A. Harrison MS '85 Dr. George A. Reams EdD '92 Dr. Lorynn K. Selby EdD '11

PEPPERDINE EDUCATION ASSOCIATES Dr. Fereshteh Amin EdD '06 Dr. Bennett Annan EdD '08 Dr. Albert H. Arnold BA '61 EdD '85 Ms. Karyn N. Ashby MA '08 BA '03 Dr. Robin Bailey-Chen EdD '07 Mrs. June L. Carson Mrs. Jacquelin D. Dedona '49 Dr. LaRon V. Doucet EdD '10 Mr. Samir S. Elmoghrabi '16 Mrs. Jeannie M. Flint MS '76 Dr. Paul M. Foster EdD '03 Dr. Shreyas Gandhi EdD '09, MBA '98 Dr. Annette M. Gilzene EdD '09, MA '00 Dr. Eric R. Hamilton Dr. Ruth N. Johnson

Dr. Mary Jo Lass BA '51 Ms. Christina N. LeRubio '12 Dr. Farzin Madjidi EdD '91, MBA '88 Dr. Sandra F. Moore EdD '07, MBA '91, BA '81 Mr. Harry R. Nelson BA '50 Dr. Michael D. O'Sullivan MS '74, EdD '87 Mr. Wesley Patterson Mr. Jermaine L. Pearson '12 Mrs. Faye Pinkett MP '76 Dr. Kenneth W. Santarelli EdD '08, MBA '82 Mr. Daniel Stark Mrs. Allie E. Tegner BA '47, MA '68 Mrs. Doris M. Tomlin BA '52 Dr. William D. Walner EdD '00 Dr. William J. Watkins BA '62, EdD '87 Dr. Duncan S. Wigg

Ms. Marian W. Guirguis MBA '05 Mr. Spencer T. Hardman MBA '08 Dr. Rosalyn S. Heyman HON '08 Mr. Michael S. Lucas Dr. John F. McManus '82 Dr. Melvin L. Musick EdD '08 Mr. Michael T. Okabayashi Mr. Christer N. Palsson MBA '75 Dr. Kent B. Rhodes EdD '90 Dr. John E. Richardson Ms. Shirley A. Roper MA '95, BA '67 Dr. June H. Schmieder-Ramirez Dr. Earnestine Thomas-Robertson EdD '03, BA '69 Ms. Araceli R. Vargas CER '89, MS '89 Dr. Ziegfred G. Young HON '08, MS '83, EdD '88

PEPPERDINE EDUCATION LIFE ASSOCIATES

PEPPERDINE PSYCHOLOGY SILVER MEDALLION ASSOCIATES

Dr. Nancy M. Durham Dr. Clara M. Lincoln EdD '90 Mr. Michael T. Okabayashi Dr. Doreen S. Oleson EdD '91, MS '86 Dr. Robert C. Paull Dr. Susan F. Rice EdD '86 Dr. Margaret J. Weber

Mr. John L. Baker Mr. Jack N. Hayden MA '08, MBA '79 Dr. Edward P. Shafranske Dr. Richard Sherman Dr. Marilyn S. Wright PsyD '95, MA '89

PEPPERDINE PSYCHOLOGY ASSOCIATES Dr. Joy K. Asamen Ms. Janice L. Carson Dr. Robert A. DeMayo Mr. James B. Douglass Mr. John J. Kim MBA '11 Ms. Catherine L. Kort MA '96 Dr. Dennis W. Lowe MA '77, BA '75 Ms. Leslie A. Mayer BA '08 Dr. Cary L. Mitchell BA '76 Dr. Leland L. Simmons EdD '04, MS '85 Dr. Karen S. Snyder PsyD '00 Ms. Mary C. Tabata '18 Mrs. Patsie L. Trowbridge BA '52, MA '55

PEPPERDINE EDUCATION SILVER MEDALLION ASSOCIATES Mr. Eli Broad HON '07 Mr. Edwin C. Cahill '18, MA '10, '01 Mr. Michael W. Crooke Ms. Sarah Z. Davis Mrs. Lucinda L. Glossop GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 23

GSEP PERSPECTIVES

ADVENTURES IN K–12 EDUCATION : EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENER ATION WITH ONLINE LEARNING

Dr. Allison Powell (left)

By Allison Powell, EdD EdD ’11 Learning Technology As a teacher in the Clark County School District in Las eyes were opened to how this revolutionary learning Vegas, Nevada, I experienced firsthand the inequalities environment changed the lives of all of my students. and frustrations faced by students who could not Students with special needs or behavior problems, access the same opportunities because of their family’s kids who weren’t challenged, athletes and actors who income, or because they simply lived in the wrong traveled a lot, kids who were medically homebound place. There were students enrolled in our district— and couldn’t go to school, or those who wanted more even though they lived over an hour away—because socialization that were previously homeschooled, their smaller local schools gave them no opportunities all came to this new school seeking the opportunity to take advanced placement courses or choose a to master subjects at a pace foreign language. It was a best suited to them, and to be real hardship for them to I do not think I would have had the challenged to the best of their travel the extra distance, courage and skills to get where I abilities. but they did it.

am today as a national leader in With online learning, we were I have always loved using K–12 online learning without the able to provide the same computers and shared opportunities and experiences curriculum as a traditional that love of computers brick-and-mortar school, but with my students in the my professors and cadremates at in a variety of ways that could classroom. But after a Pepperdine empowered me with. be personalized to meet each few years of classroom student’s individual needs. Kids teaching, I grew frustrated were able take the time they needed to learn during the with all of the paperwork and administrative work that times they were most productive. All of a sudden, these got in the way of actually teaching and the inability kids began to love learning again! to work with each student to meet their individual needs. What I loved about teaching was trying out new After working at this full-time school, I was asked concepts or bringing exciting ideas to my students to come back to my previous school district to help that sparked their imaginations and their desire to start an online program for high school students. This learn. The Internet is great for this kind of teaching, but program was designed to provide students courses unfortunately, it was not available in my school. that were not offered in their brick-and-mortar school, or courses that conflicted in their schedule, or makeI was ready to abandon teaching entirely and change up courses they had previously failed while staying careers when I luckily came across an ad in the enrolled in their home school. This program allowed newspaper looking for innovative educators wanting schools to provide their students opportunities to teach at a full-time online charter school. It was that had been previously unavailable because of such a new idea and challenge for me, I decided to try low enrollments in these specialized courses, or the it. I taught in the K–8 program for the first semester inability to find a qualified teacher. of the school year and there I found my passion. My

24 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

GSEP PERSPECTIVES

With online learning, we were able to provide the same curriculum as a traditional brick-and-mortar school, but in a variety of ways that could be personalized to meet each student’s individual needs.

While leading this program, I decided to enroll in Pepperdine’s doctoral program for education technology. I wanted to learn how I could better serve these students and network with others who had a similar passion to my own, but I got so much more out of the experience. Working with “cadremates” from a wide variety of professions from across the globe opened my eyes to the opportunities of what could be done with online learning. We had the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C., during one of our face-to-face meetings to meet with our individual state legislators, as well as advocates for using technology to change our nation’s education system. I was hooked and knew what I wanted to do. Through the program we were also able to do a consultancy which changed my life forever!

In my consultancy, I worked with the president and CEO of a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C., formerly called the North American Council for Online Learning (NACOL), with a mission similar to mine: to ensure all students have access to a world-class education, no matter their zip code or socioeconomic status.

NACOL believed this could happen through online and blended learning opportunities, as I did. I assisted the organization in completing an international survey of developments in the field of K–12 online learning.

We knew what was happening across the country, but not outside of North America. Discovering the opportunities online learning was providing around the globe helped change our organization to become more international and it is now known as the

International Association for K–12 Online Learning (iNACOL).

Through this consultancy I was eventually hired as the vice president of iNACOL and now help states, districts, countries, and policymakers better understand how online learning can help change education to provide a personalized education for every child. I was fortunate to travel to New Zealand to see firsthand how they implemented a nationwide online learning program for their secondary students in my dissertation studies. iNACOL provides advocacy, research, and professional development and technical services for policymakers, administrators, teachers, parents, and students around the world. I enjoy traveling and sharing my passion of providing this new learning environment for students and seeing how it changes students' lives.

I do not think I would have had the courage and skills to get where I am today as a national leader in K–12 online learning without the opportunities and experiences my professors and cadremates at Pepperdine empowered me with.

To learn more about online and blended learning and the work of the International Association for K–12 Online Learning (iNACOL), go to www.inacol.org.

Allison Powell (EdD '11, Learning Technologies) is the vice president for state and district services of the International Association for K–12 Online Learning (iNACOL) in Vienna, Virginia.

GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 25

GSEP PERSPECTIVES

REFLECTIONS ON HAITI

By Valerie Velazquez Student in the Master of Arts in Social Entrepreneurship and Change Program What sustains a community? I asked myself that question a lot while I was in Haiti this past June as I participated as a project assistant and researcher in Girls United: Haiti Through Our Eyes. The project, coordinated by the U.N. Foundation, Meridian Health Foundation, and Full-Circle Learning and hosted

by J/P HRO (J/P Haiti Relief Organization), aimed to provide tools for young Haitian women to consider that question too. For 10 days, our small team of artists and change makers worked with a community of young women and girls in the Petionville section of Port–au-Prince using writing, art, photography, and counseling to help them find their voice to heal from the traumas of the 2010 earthquake, envision a brighter future for Haiti, and begin thinking of themselves as change agents. Each morning we awoke in our damp tents on the grounds of the J/P HRO headquarters around 6 a.m. As the staff there were already well into their work, we hurriedly drank a

26 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

big mug-full of rich Haitian coffee, and headed down to our first stop on our daily journey. That first stop was the Terrain Boulos section of the enormous Petionville tent city, in a community center supported by a tarp roof, muddy floor, and lots of TLC from the neighborhood and J/P HRO staff. While we showed up in clumsy rain gear, our student collaborators arrived in what looked like their Sunday best, with smiles and warmth to share with each one of their teachers.

From the first “Bonjour!” on day one, little by little, we started building our Girls United community. It took root and began growing with the support of our translators, a team of four Haitian women, including Gerardine, a young medical student, and Christine, an insightful and vibrant woman who’s done everything from photo shoots with renowned photo journalists to putting together 40 sandwiches for our hungry students—for seven days straight! Those mornings taught me more than I can put into words, but there are a couple of things that I feel compelled to share.

As we arrived around 8 a.m. each morning, we found a young man, probably around 19, already deep into his work. He taught math to several boys on a tiny chalkboard. I sometimes saw our girls, due to arrive

GSEP PERSPECTIVES

within 30 minutes, rushing to their tent homes from the community showers or skipping over huge mud puddles in what seemed like their best pairs of shoes.

The neighborhood was in its morning motions and we were greeted with penetrating, curious gazes, which were followed by bright smiles. When our classes started, nonparticipants peeked in throughout the morning and some students arrived late from having to drop off a baby with family members. It was really a neighborhood happening, and I Iearned

that while it’s important to have material comforts for survival, community is grown and sustained through two simple things: hard work and love.

Each afternoon, our group headed to the Petionville YWCA, where we worked with a group of young women and girls who made their way to the center—which seemed to us a beacon of warmth and hope in a rubble-filled city—from various spots throughout Port–au-Prince. They navigated through bumpy streets, riding "tap tap" taxis (buses and trucks used for shared-ride transport), running, and walking to receive educational services there. Many of the students were displaced by the 2010 earthquake, and seemed happy to have a place where they could receive a hot meal, and access a playground and some stability.

This part of the growing Girls United community had a little bit more access and material resources than our morning group, but the lessons learned there remain the same. After seven days of direct work with the

two groups of girls, a universe of possibilities opened up. The girls had produced stunning artwork, poetry, and photographs. Some of them had revealed deepseated suffering and sharp insight about the state of Haitian society. They revealed that the transformation of Haiti will rest in the hands of Haitian themselves.

As I write, an anthology of the girl’s work is being produced, and I hope to return this fall and work with one of our translators to share the work with students

in schools around Port–au-Prince. Reflecting on my experience in June and looking toward the work ahead, I think about my own communities. My community in a network of peers, scholars, and teachers at the GSEP Social Entrepreneurship and Change program offers a world of connections to new ways of thinking about social issues and camaraderie in this challenging and rewarding work. My community of work and practice with Synergies in Sync, a social change organization founded by GSEP alumna Dr. Lani Fraizer (EdD ’09) and dedicated to supporting change makers through education and consultancy, offers mentoring and growth opportunities, and challenges me to do and be my very best. Finally, my community of family and dear friends brings comfort, support, and a hug when I need fuel to keep going. Each of my communities is different, but they all sync together with two ingredients that are making way for the better world that’s straight ahead of us: hard work and love.

GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 27

GSEP PERSPECTIVES

EMPOWERING WOMEN IN INDIA Amanda S. Schulze Student in the Doctor of Education in Learning Technology Program There are many ways to participate in the culture of southern India. To greet someone you put your hands together in front of your chest and bow forward while saying, “Vanakkam.” Taking off your shoes when entering someone’s home is also expected. Dressing modestly is important for women. Drinking tea and eating a small bite of food when sitting down with your hosts is another respectful way to behave. By following some simple ways of interacting one can feel more connected with the people of India and they will embrace your effort to learn about their culture.

This is the experience I had in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. I wore traditional clothing, ate the food offered and learned some Tamil phrases to show my respect. In return, people throughout India made me feel welcome and I am now part of a new family.

By living with an Indian family I was fully immersed in their day-to-day life. I learned to expect the unexpected, be flexible because plans will change, and to just go with the flow because there is no typical day in India. If a woman in the community phoned for help, we went to her. If a group arrived at the home to speak with us, we invited them in and chatted for hours. If our transportation was in the shop being fixed, we waited. Life moves at a different pace in India. No one got upset if plans were changed and everyone just took things in stride, one day at a time.

The majority of my service internship took place in a rural village in southern India called Virudhunagar.

My days were spent volunteering for Unity Charitable Trust, which focuses on empowering women in the village and providing education to children. Unity has helped over 500 local women through English instruction, computer classes, child care service, and teaching community-based entrepreneurship.

This training includes giving the women small

28 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

I learned to expect the unexpected, be flexible because plans will change, and to just go with the flow because there is no typical day in India. loans to start or expand a business for economic independence. My role at the organization was to assist the women with their English, learn about their businesses and technology use, and work at the preschool established by the organization. I also helped with tasks as needed such as giving young women swimming lessons at the local college pool, documenting the organization's work with video, and showing the women how to set up a YouTube account.

Unity is led by one of the village’s former grammar school teachers, Mary Vijaya. Mary is a devout Christian who gives her heart and soul to running

GSEP PERSPECTIVES

the organization. Now Mary opens her home to volunteers like me to learn about the life of the women in Virudhunagar.

Mary spoke to me at length about the stories of the women in the village. She explained how women were being abused by their husbands, were not being given money to feed their families, and without money, the children couldn’t attend school.

About 10 years ago, after much prayer and reflection, Mary took action and formed Unity to help these village women and she has not looked back since.

When I started the doctoral program in learning technologies, I knew I wanted to combine my passion for technology with my desire to serve women in disadvantaged situations. This internship has

strengthened my focus to serve and work to ensure women have the same education and economic opportunities that men have. The culture in India and in the village very much favors men. Hearing the women’s stories has made it clear to me that freedom is a human right not always afforded to women.

Getting to spend my school break in India has been an amazing experience. I greatly appreciate the support from Pepperdine University, the program faculty, and especially Dean Weber for making this trip possible. I will stay in contact with Unity Charitable Trust and hopefully return in the future to see the progress that the organization has made impacting Indian women’s lives.

GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 29

GSEP CL ASS NOTES

’11

MAYSAA MOHAMMAD (MA), was hon-

ored on May 24, 2011, by Delta Kappa Gamma Society International with the Outstanding Student Teacher Award. The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an honorary society of educators promotes professional and personal growth of women educators, and excellence in education.

DR. PARDEEP KRYSTAL KULLAR (MA ’03, EdD ’11) has been selected to serve as dean of summer programs at Amherst College in Massachusetts.

She joins Amherst College from North-West College where she served as the interim dean of education and chair of the national certification programs. She has been recognized by leading organizations for her contribution to educational research, policy, development, and strategy.

as his leadership project for GSEP. He was also able to establish a student-maintained garden at Westside Global Awareness K–8 Magnet where he serves as the science teacher.

MATT JACKSON (MA) is beginning a fellowship for aspiring heads of school with NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools.

’08

MEGHAN B. OWENZ (MA), along

DR. CARLYN LUDLOW (EdD) has been selected to serve as associate dean for College of Education at Grand Canyon University (GCU) in Arizona. She joins GCU from Arizona State University where she operated as the director of the Center for Civic Education and Leadership and also served as assistant clinical professor of education.

with GSEP professor of psychology Dr. Susan Hall, published in the North American Journal of Psychology. The article entitled “Bridging the Research-Practice Gap in Psychotherapy Training: Qualitative Analysis of Master’s Students’ Experiences in a Student-Led Research and Practice Team” explores the experiences of master’s students in a psychotherapy training program who participated in a student-led team designed to bridge a perceived research-practice divide. Qualitative analyses of three team-meeting transcripts revealed that students experienced the meetings as a place for mentoring and support, suggesting that master’s psychotherapy programs should support novel teaching and training opportunities for students to integrate research and clinical practice.

DR. NICOLE E. BROWN (MA ’05, PsyD ’10)

DR. KEEGAN R. TANGEMAN (PsyD), along with

’10

was awarded the prestigious Early Career Psychologist Credentialing Scholarship by the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology, in conjunction with the American Psychological Association Committee on Early Career Psychologists. Brown is also recognized for starting a nonprofit organization called Learning Dynamics, Inc., designed to increase the public’s understanding of mental health and educational issues through culturally harmonious approaches including parent education, adaptive skills training, psychological therapeutic services, educational therapy, and community education.

DR. WAYNE BYRD (EdD) has opened the Los Angeles-based marketing firm Midnight Buzz in March of this year. Byrd, whose dissertation focused on the personal leadership strategies of successful entrepreneurs, now helps small businesses improve their visibility through local Internet marketing and brand management. Byrd also serves as an adjunct professor for Seaver College’s film department.

’09

THOMAS BANGERT (MS), a Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) teacher of 13 years, was recognized by Jamie Oliver’s Food Foundation for creating a K–5 curriculum focusing on food systems, sustaining the environment, growing, cooking, and sharing. Bangert’s philosophy of “Grow, Prepare, Share” led to the creation of the LA Human Garden project, which began

30 GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011

GSEP professor of psychology Dr. Susan Hall, were published in Child & Youth Services journal. The article “Self-Efficacy in Incarcerated Adolescents: The Role of Family and Social Supports” investigates the role of general and specific self-efficacy factors in positive family relationships and perceived social support within a U.S.-incarcerated adolescent population.

’07

DR. MIKE MOODIAN (EdD) was recently selected to be one of 16 Americans to participate in the European Union Visitors Program (EUVP) with the European Union in 2012. EUVP invites young leaders from countries outside the European Union to visit Brussels to gain a firsthand appreciation of the EU's goals, policies, and people, and to increase mutual understanding between professionals from non-EU countries and their EU counterparts.

’06

DR. LEO MALLETTE (MBA ’85, EdD ’06) released Rancho Mirage, through Arcadia Publishing’s Images of America series. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images of Rancho Mirage along with a supportive narrative. Rancho Mirage is a beautiful residential and desertresort community nestled along the Santa Rosa Mountains, located between the cities of Palm Springs and Palm Desert in the Coachella Valley.

Bighorn sheep and the Agua Caliente tribe of Cahuilla Indians were the area’s early inhabitants.

Date farms and ranchos developed after aquifers were discovered. Guest ranches soon followed and became favorite destinations for the rich and famous in the 1940s and 1950s. By the early 1950s, residential communities designed in classic Desert Modern style were being constructed along with the valley’s first two country clubs with 18-hole golf courses.

’04

JENNIFER TRUBENBACH (MA), president and executive director of Operation of Hope, which has donated more than 3,000 surgeries since 1989, returned to Zimbabwe in Africa during July 2011 where 50 children were scheduled to receive reconstructive facial surgery.

TERRY WALKER (MS) has been selected to serve as the next Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) Superintendent of Schools. On July 1 Walker became the seventh superintendent in the history of IUSD.

’99

KIMMARIE CORTEZ-RIGGIO (MA) has created the “Green Project” with her fifth grade students.

In giving students the opportunity to act as catalysts of social change, Cortez-Riggio’s Green Project allows students to incorporate science, math, social studies, and English language arts as they develop a local community environment project.

’98

VERA BIEREND (MA) has been enjoying her position as a tech trainer at Opportunities for Learning since 2008. She writes, “Love my job — thanks, Pepperdine!” Bierend currently resides in Canyon Country, California.

’96

HEATHER STAR GELHART (MA) and her husband Dr. Robert P. Gelhart, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, have recently published Write to Read, an educational kit consisting of 11 fictional stories written and illustrated by children. The kit contains an accompanying DVD with the authors reading and portraying characters in their stories.

’84

DR. ANTHONY TRICOLI (EdD) was honored in Washington, D.C., on June 11 with the national Ralph S. Brown Award for Shared Governance from the American Association of University Professors (AAUP). For the last four years, Tricoli has been transforming Georgia Perimeter College (GPC) through shared governance. GPC now has a model that involves more faculty and staff than ever before in its almost 50-year history. Because of this model Tricoli has been able to open two new campuses, develop an online campus, create partnerships with universities throughout Georgia, and increase enrollment every year.

WHAT WOULD MASLOW HAVE SAID? Self-Care Through Networking: How Connecting in a Challenging Economy Can Make a Difference

By Yas Djadali, Assistant Director of GSEP Career Services

Did the title of this article cause you to pause?

Are you asking yourself, “What does networking have to do with self-care?” Although the word “networking” can evoke a number of emotions, positive or negative (depending on who you ask), it’s true meaning is “the cultivation of relationships,” in whatever capacity that might be.

Now, the next question: What does networking have to do with Maslow?

Abraham Maslow is most commonly remembered for his psychological theory on human motivation, introduced in the 1940s. Specifically, Maslow outlined a hierarchy of needs, illustrated by a pyramid, the base representing our fundamental physiological needs and the tip representing the highest order need for self-actualization.

Somewhere in between is the need for love and belonging—thus, our need to connect, to establish relationships, and to (dare I say) network.

In a challenging and competitive economy, it’s easy to get discouraged or feel alone in your job search.

Cultivating relationships can not only enhance our feelings of social support, but can also enhance our professional pipeline. Most of us whether we realize it or not, already have a network. It’s just a matter of becoming more intentional about how we turn to it.

Consider your existing connections among family, friends, peers, professors, alumni from your alma mater(s), former colleagues/employers, church members, and others with whom you affiliate based on a common interest. Make a list of those you know in order to assess which of your networks are strong and which ones could be further developed.

Begin with your greatest supporters in order to:

s Share your career objectives/aspirations. s Exchange employment leads. s Ask for introductions to prospective employers or influential contacts. s Establish an accountability partner to check in about your job search, celebrate your progress, and provide helpful feedback or an additional boost when you get stuck.

Once you’ve started the process with your current contacts, focus on expanding your network to include others: s Set up informational meetings with people in your field/industry of interest. s Visit your alma maters’ career services offices to inquire about job leads and institutional partnerships with prospective employers. s Contact their alumni relations offices to connect with alumni in your area. s Join organizations that align with your personal and/or professional interests.

Whether you are a new teacher candidate or clinical intern who is just entering the field, or a seasoned professional who has been laid off or is changing careers, the job search process can appear daunting and potentially exhausting.

Therefore, it is important that you are practicing self-care by cultivating a community of personal and professional supporters, to help prevent discouragement and facilitate forward movement.

Yet on second thought, maybe “self-care” isn’t the best word after all. Maybe it’s “reciprocal care.” I have a feeling Maslow would agree.

GSEP Colleague Fall/Winter 2011 31

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS ENGAGE WITH MORE THAN 18,000 GSEP ALUMNI ON FACEBOOK, LINKEDIN, AND TWITTER. Interact with the GSEP community and keep up with program developments on these new, official pages. Use these tools to contact GSEP Career Services for access to PepPro, the ultimate online resource for career guidance and support.

REACH OUT TO 80,000 PEPPERDINE ALUMNI WORLDWIDE THROUGH PAN ONLINE. Pepperdine hosts hundreds of gatherings each year for alumni in areas near you. Visit this alumni network online to update your e-mail address and receive the monthly e-newsletter with details on events and other benefits.

Take full advantage of your Pepperdine University affiliation by joining these valuable social networking groups and online services.

Log on to gsep.pepperdine.edu and get connected today.

Contact us at (310) 568-5649 or gsepalum@pepperdine.edu.

What wou would I do if I were not afraid to fail?

How much potential am I fulfilling compared to how mu much I have? As my professors taught me, when you become an “executive leader” the possib possibilities are endless.

Nicole Johnson EdD Student Graduate School of Education and Psychology Founder F of The ABC Coach, Inc.

change lives. give today. www.pepperdine.edu/campaign w

Malibu t West Los Angeles t Encino t Irvine t Silicon Valley t Westlake Village t Washington, D.C. Heidelberg t London t Florence t Buenos Aires t Lausanne t Shanghai

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage

Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology 6100 Center Drive Los Angeles, CA 90045-1590

PAID Pepperdine University

In honor of the 75th anniversary

A PORTRAIT OF PEPPERDINE Life at an Extraordinary University

A beautiful new book offering a photographic glimpse at the University from a unique perspective.

Publication February 2012 |

www.pepperdine.edu/portrait