LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP - calu.edu · PDF fileBoth the current edition and back ... Larry Maggi...

2017

FALL

LEADERSHIPLESSONS IN

CAMPUS CLIPS 12–16

ALUMNI NEWS 18–19

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT 22–23

SPORTS ROUNDUP 26–27

MILESTONES 29–33

A NOTE TO OUR READERSThe Cal U Review is published three times a year to keep you updated with alumni news and information from all four Colleges at California University. Both the current edition and back issues, along with Cal U Review “extras,” are available online at calu.edu/review.

To stay updated, alumni may send their email address to [email protected].

Email Milestones items to [email protected].

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DEPARTMENTS FEATURES

‘Own your career’Alumni with top-tier careers in the filmmaking and fashion industries reflect on their paths to success.

Letting GoWhen pet owners face difficult decisions, this social work graduate provides counseling and support.

INTERIM CHANCELLORDr. Karen M. Whitney

BOARD OF GOVERNORSCynthia D. Shapira, chairDavid M. Maser, vice chair; chair,

Finance, Administration and FacilitiesHarold C. Shields, vice chair; chair,

Human ResourcesSen. Ryan P. AumentRep. Matthew E. Baker Audrey F. Bronson Secretary of Policy and Planning

Sarah Galbally, Governor’s DesigneeRep. Michael K. HannaShaina Marie Hilsey

Donald E. Houser Jr.Jonathan B. Mack, chair,

Academic and Student AffairsBarbara McIlvaine SmithThomas S. Muller, chair, AuditGuido M. PichiniSecretary of Education Pedro A. RiveraSen. Judith L. Schwank Brian Swatt Governor Tom WolfThree vacancies

CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIAGeraldine M. Jones, University PresidentDr. Bruce Barnhart, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs Robert Thorn, vice president for Administration and FinanceDr. Nancy Pinardi, vice president for Student Affairs

COUNCIL OF TRUSTEESAnnette Ganassi, chairJames T. Davis ’73, vice chairRoberta M. BetzaSarah R. Cassin ’97Sean T. LogueLarry Maggi ’79 Michele M. Mandell ’69

Robert Miner, Jr. ’78Thomas UramEllen “Mari” Boyle,

student trustee/secretary Dr. Karen M. Whitney,

interim chancellor, ex-officio

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORSJesse Hereda ’04, presidentAshely (Baird) Roth ’10, ’12,

vice presidentDante Morelli ’02, secretaryJustin Binion ’11, treasurerLynne (Moltz) Stout ’94,

immediate past presidentAlisha Carter ’06, ’11Robert Crall ’10, ’12

Shelly (Fetchen) DiCesaro ’94Mindi (D’Auria) Fisher ’07Brendan Garay ’15, ’16David Gwyer ’65Erica McDill ’92Melissa McKean ’07Marc Quann ’88Bryan Schuerman ’09, ’16Tim Susick ’76, ’78

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERSGeraldine M. (Johns) Jones ’72, ’80Annette GanassiAnthony Mauro ’92, ’93

William Flinn II ’68Barbara Hess

LIFETIME HONORARY MEMBERS Paul Gentile ’62Anthony Lazzaro ’55

Michael Napolitano ’68George Novak ’55

SAI BOARD OF DIRECTORSEllen “Mari” Boyle, undergraduate,

presidentJonathan Hershey, undergraduate,

vice president Nathan Connolly, undergraduate,

secretaryEmily Moyer, undergraduate, treasurerCody Ambrose, undergraduate

Hope Cox ’00, ’01, alumnaJessica Crosson, undergraduateAnthony D’Agostino, undergraduateJustin DiPerna ’16, alumnusRyan Jerico ’09, alumnusJordan Lockhart, graduate studentAshley Roth ’10, ’12, alumnaBryan Schuerman ’09, ’16, alumnus

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERSDr. Nancy Pinardi ’94, ’96, ’98, vice president for Student AffairsLeigh Ann Lincoln, chief financial officer for SAILarry Sebek ’90, ’94, associate vice president for Student Affairs

FOUNDATION FOR CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA William R. Flinn II ’68, presidentHarry E. Serene ’65, vice presidentDonald J. Thompson, secretaryPaul L. Kania ’87, treasurerArmand E. Balsano ’74William R. Booker ’74Therese J. Gass ’77Jesse G. Hereda ’04Alan K. James ’62Zeb Jansante ’82, ‘91

Robert E. Lippencott ’66Reginald A. Long ’81John A. Lorenzi ’15Larry Maggi ’79Frederick A. Retsch ’62Anthony J. SaludisLinda H. Serene ’64William G. StoughLynne Stout ’94Deborah E. Takach ’05

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERSGeraldine M. Jones ’72, ‘80, University PresidentAnthony Mauro ’92, ’93, associate vice president for Development and Alumni Relations

EDITORChristine Kindl

PHOTOGRAPHERSZach FraileyGreg Sofranko

WRITERSWendy MackallBruce Wald ’85Kayla Kuntz

Leadership doesn’t just happen. As good leaders are the first to point out, it’s a complex web of skills and personality traits that can be developed over time.

Communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills are essential to leadership. So is the ability to listen thoughtfully, work collaboratively and motivate others.

Good leaders are self-confident but humble, analytical yet willing to take risks. They are passionate — sometimes inspiring! — and they get the job done.

At Cal U, we nurture young leaders in a variety of ways.

In the classroom, we harness the power of applied, active learning to teach teamwork and responsibility.

Through our 100+ student clubs and organizations, we give students a framework for creating projects, setting goals, resolving conflicts and managing budgets.

And whenever possible, we connect students with role models whose career paths and personal brands serve as templates for success. Our Cal U peer mentors, faculty experts, advisory board members and alumni career coaches all contribute to developing a new generation of leaders.

As University President, I have the good fortune to interact with many of the student leaders on our campus. They are wonderful ambassadors for our University, and I am always impressed with their poise, energy and talent.

Whether they serve in Student Government, are active with the Student Association Inc. or lead one of our campus organizations, they make a positive contribution to the college experience that every Cal U student shares.

In this edition of the Review you will meet students and alumni from many walks of life. They are just a few of the many committed, passionate and successful leaders who got their start at Cal U.

We want to hear your story, too. As the new year begins, please resolve to keep in touch. Tell us about your achievements, and let us know how California made a difference in your life. I’ll be listening!

With best wishes,

Geraldine M. JonesPresident, California University of Pennsylvania

Mapping the past: Students create a digital map of the cemetery at The Historic

Church of St. Peter, in Brownsville, Pa.

‘Winning is a habit’The Vulcans' head football coach cultivates a winning mindset by encouraging leadership and service.6

Leadership 101A professional career coach explains what it takes to recognize a leader, or become one.7

To serve and protectGraduates of the first full-time police academy held at Cal U are poised for careers as municipal police officers.8

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linkedin.com/edu/school?id=19227

facebook.com/CalUofPA

@CalUofPA

@CalUofPA

LESS DEBT. BRIGHTER FUTURE.LendEDU’s 2017 Student Loan Debt by School by State report contained good news for prospective Cal U students concerned about higher education costs.

The online marketplace for private student loans ranked Cal U among the 10 Pennsylvania schools that leave the average student borrower with the least educational debt.

Cal U’s comparatively low tuition rate is one factor in the ranking. Scholarships also can reduce student debt. The University disbursed $2.7 million in merit- and need-based scholarships in the fall 2017 semester alone.

The Schools.com website also gives Cal U high marks, ranking it No. 1 among the Best Four-Year Colleges in Pennsylvania.

Cal U provides excellent value, the site reports. “No other school on our list reported a lower median debt load for its graduates.”

The California University of Pennsylvania Magazine

CAL U REVIEWFALL 2017 • VOL. 45 - NO. 3The Cal U Review is published by the Office of Communications and Public Relations and is distributed free. Third-class postage paid at California.

FROM THE PRESIDENT

IN THE PHOTO: Student leaders meet with President Jones and Dr. Karen Whitney, interim chancellor for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. Just weeks after assuming her new position, Whitney visited campus to share her views and learn more about Cal U.

FALL 2017 n CAL U REVIEW 3

figure out how to swim. There’s a certain level of feeling uncomfortable that makes people perform at a higher level.”

Cal U has played a part in who both Snyder and Buffington are today — professionally, but also personally.

Snyder met her husband, Jim ’85, a senior vice president for Citibank, when she was a student. Buffington met his wife, Eftihia ’08, a photographer, at Cal U as well.

“My experience at Cal U prepared me for the real world,” says Snyder, who earned the 2017 Meritorious Award from the Cal U Alumni Association.

“From great collaboration with my peers to interacting with University leaders through Student Government, my time at the University proved to be invaluable as I entered the business world.”

Cal U is a family affair for her, as well. “My three brothers — Richard ’86, John

’90 and Jeff ’90 Krause — are all grads; I still have family in the area. California is very dear to my family.”

Buffington has a message for today’s college students:

“Talk is cheap. No matter which path you decide to go, discussions may start your motivation, but action is more important because it turns words into reality.

“This viewpoint will hold your dreams accountable and push you to execute your ideas with fewer excuses and more results.”

By Wendy Mackall, assistant communications director at Cal U

“I was 26 years old, and I think that experience has motivated me ever since, because I knew the reality. It took me a long time to get there, from opening boxes at a retail store at Ross Park Mall.”

Reach higherNext Buffington accepted a position

with shoe-famous Jimmy Choo, in New York City, that led to a job as a buyer for Bergdorf Goodman.

“It’s probably the No. 1 single store in the world,” he says of the legendary department store frequented by the famous. “People claim Harrods (in London) is close, but they are quite different operations. It was truly the most incredible opportunity.”

Those resume items led to his being recruited for his position at Salvatore Ferragamo. There, as he puts it, “job pressure is an understatement, but you cannot let it affect your vision.”

“I’m responsible for putting the right product in the right place at the right time at the right price,” Buffington says.

“In September, I had fall product on the floor in hundreds of stores globally, I had already sold-in product that was delivering for winter, and I was finalizing what would be shown in November when all the markets come to buy product that delivers in May. Three different collections are on my mind at all times.

“I try to take on responsibilities that are bigger than what I do currently, and then I

My experience at Cal U prepared me for the real world

KIMBERLY KRAUSE SNYDER '84

Push forwardHer mantra — head down, surge

forward, get it done — is shared by Buffington. Nothing comes easy, he says, and he almost prefers it that way, relying on the lessons learned from a hard-knocks upbringing in Pittsburgh, Pa., to keep himself grounded.

“I didn’t get my first break for four years after I graduated, but it didn’t discourage me,” he says. “The game outside of college is tough and competitive, and I think my background prepared me for that.

“You have to learn to manage your time and surround yourself with a great team, because none of this can be done by yourself.”

With an obvious work ethic that has withstood the occasional setback, both Snyder and Buffington pushed for more of the things that would help to ensure success.

“Right after graduation from Cal U, I started my career at Eastman Kodak as a software developer,” Snyder says.

“During my time there, I had the opportunity to work in a variety of roles. I found that the recipe to successfully taking the next big career step included three things: delivering on your current job, networking with the right decision makers and strongly advocating for yourself.”

This recipe eventually led Snyder to being promoted to president of Kodak’s Entertainment Division. In 2012, she joined Panavision as its CEO.

“It’s all about being flexible and being able to adapt,” Snyder advises. “Don’t be intimidated. Own your career and navigate it with confidence.”

It has been an arrow-up career trajectory for Buffington, too.

His first opportunity came as an assistant buyer, based in Dallas, Texas, for Neiman Marcus, where he learned to manage inventory and buy products for 42 U.S. stores.

“There were 15,000 applicants, then three groups of 100 people to be interviewed, then it was down to 39 people who were hired,” he says.

Job pressure is an understatement, but you cannot let it affect your vision. CHRISTOPHER BUFFINGTON '07

Image by EFSCAPES

It’s lights, cameras and non-stop action for two Cal U grads with top-tier careers in the filmmaking and fashion industries.Kimberly Krause Snyder ’84 is

president and chief executive officer of Panavision Inc., which provides camera systems and equipment for the motion picture industry.

Christopher Buffington ’07 is the worldwide merchandising director for Salvatore Ferragamo, an Italian luxury goods company with headquarters in Florence.

Both are highly successful, positive, high-energy innovators in two industries that seem to evolve daily in reaction to changing technologies and consumer behaviors.

“From the moment a company like Netflix or Disney greenlights a production to the final cut, Panavision provides equipment and services all along that

chain,” says Snyder, of Agoura Hills, Calif.She majored in management and

computer science at Cal U before earning her MBA at the University of Rochester. Snyder is the first female CEO at Panavision, which has more than 60 locations around the world, and she’s a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the American Society of Cinematographers.

“People often ask me what it’s like being a woman CEO, especially in what is, sadly, still a male-dominated industry,” she says.

“As I reflect back on my career, I was often the only woman in a meeting. But in those moments, and even today, I don’t let it be a limiter. I strongly believe one has to move through those kinds of roadblocks and let one’s actions and contributions speak for themselves.”

Determination propelled industry leaders to the top

FALL 2017 n CAL U REVIEW 54 CAL U REVIEW n FALL 2017

LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIPOn a sticky, steamy mid-August day,

the thunk! of football players colliding in pads fills the air.

Under the watchful eyes of second-year head coach Gary Dunn ’95, ’97 and his assistants, the 2017 Vulcans squad goes through offensive and defensive repetitions during training camp.

Sweaty and tired near the end of the practice session, they prepare for a “conditioning run,” a taste of what it’s like to push mentally and physically through the fatigue all players feel at the end of a game.

Instead, Dunn gives the team a small reward: He calls the whole thing off.

“I had two different people tell me how polite the guys were yesterday,” he says. “One was a cafeteria worker and one was someone up at Vulcan Village.

“It’s very rewarding to hear that the message of leadership is filtering down through the whole program.”

Dunn’s expectations for the team are straightforward. He and his staff present them to the players repeatedly, beginning with the first team meeting of the season:

Winning is a habit.Do the little things right, day in and day out.

A my Altieri ’13 graduated from Cal U with a master’s degree in education. She is a leadership expert with

five years of experience in global talent management for DDI, which helps companies with strategy, selection, development and succession management.

She began her professional career in corporate communications before being presented with an opportunity to take on a new, very different, role in sales.

“My leader gave me good advice: ‘Get out of your comfort zone, try something new, lead, and GROW!’” Altieri says.

Recently, she launched her own business, The Auxano Company, which provides individual career coaching, resume reviews, leadership development and career transition strategies.

Altieri provides some Leadership 101 thoughts and advice on cultivating such an important skill.

Are great leaders “born that way,” or can people develop into great leaders?

Some people have a desire to lead from an early age, while others prefer — or it’s more natural for them — to take a passive role and follow. This is likely the outcome of

Compete against yourself to become a better person.

Give relentless effort — to academics, friends, family and community.

“Our philosophy is that we’re going to win every day in everything we do,” Dunn says, “from getting up early and going to class, to being a leader in the residence halls, to being a great community member outside of campus.

“You cannot do things all day long that aren’t right and then all of a sudden expect to be a great player at 1 o’clock on Saturday.”

His main off-the-field approach to cultivating a winning mindset is to provide ample opportunities for leadership development through volunteerism.

In the spring 2017 semester, football team members performed more than 750 hours of community service, far exceeding the goal of 500 hours Dunn set in his first year.

“We try to participate in everything we’re asked to do,” the coach says. “We worked the fish fry for the California Volunteer Fire Department. We helped tear out a patio behind the California borough library. We helped set up youth baseball and softball fields in Washington Township.”

factors from earlier in life, such as birth order, opportunities, experiences and personal motivators.

I’ve worked with “born leaders” and “rising leaders.” People can be developed into leaders if they’re open to it. Having the opportunity, and then recognizing and developing essential leadership skills, are keys for success.

The good news is that companies and teams need both — leaders and followers.

What makes a leader successful?

Two things I immediately think of are knowing who you are as a leader and being open to feedback. Besides being a student of leadership, it’s important to self-discover. Teams are most successful when they encounter a consistent experience with their leader.

Leaders need to know the message of their personal brand, just as they would know the brand message for their product or company. One exercise for leaders is to craft a leadership brand statement. Knowing who you are as a leader and living out your brand builds trust with the team, as does asking members for feedback.

Coach builds leaders on and off the field Career counselor knows what it takes

During a Be the Match bone marrow donor event, the players registered 500 students, faculty and staff, part of a team goal to be active and visible on campus.

“Our role as coaches is to provide our student-athletes with the opportunities to develop leadership skills. Those skills aren’t something you’re automatically blessed with, but they are things you can build over a number of years and experiences,” Dunn says.

“The guys have a natural love of competition, and they’ve embraced the challenge to compete to be the best people they can be.”


What is one key step when transitioning to a leadership role?

A new leader must first be a good student by studying leaders in their life and in history to identify their good and bad characteristics. Reading leadership books and case studies is also helpful. Application of these lessons is key, because navigating the new territory of leadership is complex.

Assuming a leadership role is one of life’s most challenging adjustments. The most successful leaders I’ve worked with have approached the transition with humility and curiosity.

How can our Cal U students develop as leaders?

Leadership is not about a title or position. It’s about bringing out the best in others so they can deliver results for the team or company. There are opportunities to lead every day.

Many employers seek top talent with leadership potential. These skills can begin being developed through experiential learning such as internships, volunteer work and leadership roles within a club or organization.


101 The guys have a natural

love of competition, and they’ve embraced the challenge to compete to be the best people they can be. GARY DUNN '95, '97

WINNINGWINNINGIS A HABIT


In addition to the full-time IUP Police Academy on campus, Cal U offers these criminal justice degree programs:

A.S. in Applied Policing and Technology (campus/online)

B.S. in Criminal Justice (campus/online)

M.A. in Social Science: Applied Criminology (online)

Doctor of Criminal Justice (online, plus one week on campus)

For details about these and other Cal U programs of study, visit www.calu.edu or email [email protected].

Essential credentialCal U’s IUP Police Academy is certified by the Municipal Police

Officers’ Education and Training Commission, or MPOETC, which sets certification and training standards for municipal police officers throughout the commonwealth. The satellite program is offered in partnership with the Criminal Justice Training Center at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

To enter the academy, candidates must pass a physical fitness test, a written exam and a psychological test. A criminal background check, drug screening and driving record review also are required.

The program includes 22 written exams, hands-on training and more physical fitness tests. Cadets who complete it successfully earn Act 120 certification, required for employment as a municipal police officer in Pennsylvania.

Grace’s four-year degree gave him a solid background in all aspects of criminal justice and sharpened the communication skills required for effective policing. The academy’s applied learning adds another layer, he explains: skills in self-defense, defensive driving, use of firearms and non-lethal weapons, CPR and first aid.

“To do any type of law enforcement, I knew I’d need this,” he says.In addition to their Act 120 certification, police academy

graduates are awarded 15 college credits. Those who enter the academy without a degree can apply those credits to the B.S. in Criminal Justice or Cal U’s new associate degree in applied policing and technology. Both degree programs are available on campus or through Cal U Global Online.

“Today’s police officer must be prepared to handle complicated and difficult situations,” says program coordinator Dr. Michael Hummel, a professor of criminal justice at Cal U and a part-time police officer.

“This program takes a community-oriented approach to policing. We stress procedural justice — treating people with dignity and respect — along with professionalism, communication, responsibility and accountability.

“We want intelligent police officers out there on the streets, serving our communities.”

Experienced instructorsLike Hummel, the academy’s instructors all have firsthand

experience in law enforcement. One is a former NYPD officer, another a small-town police chief. Hummel patrols the streets in two Mon Valley communities. The academy’s assistant coordinator, Dr. Christopher Wydra, is a former detective with Pittsburgh city police.

The instructors all follow the MPOETC-approved curriculum, but each brings a wealth of experience to the training.

“At the academy, you see different aspects of policing,” Grace says. “You’re networking, too, getting to communicate with different instructors. You learn about every element of local law enforcement.”

Sebastian Cencich spent a semester at Cal U before changing course and serving four years in the Marine Corps. Now he’s back as a new academy graduate who’s working toward his bachelor’s degree through Cal U Global Online.

“I joined the military to serve my country. Now I want to serve in the community,” he says. “What really makes my day is helping people out and doing what I can to change their lives for the better.”

Cencich found a brotherhood in the Marine Corps, and he describes a similar sense of camaraderie among the police cadets. A badge on his uniform identifies him as the top marksman in his class, but he insists the academy is about mutual support rather than competition.

Grace, with his college background, created study guides for his fellow cadets. Those with military experience, like Cencich, shared tips during field exercises. When a cadet’s car broke down, a swarm of classmates stopped to assist.

“It’s a bonding experience,” says Cencich. “Everyone wants to work together. We all have different experiences, different lifestyles, but we all strive to better each other.”

Wydra, the former detective, says the academy is answering society’s call for more professional, accountable and service-oriented officers, whether they find their future in municipal policing or in state or federal law enforcement.

Those careers, and more, are options for academy graduates.Cencich expects to patrol part time while he finishes his degree,

then apply for a full-time job with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police.Grace also plans to remain in western Pennsylvania. “One of our instructors is a K-9 officer, and I think I’d enjoy

that,” he says. “I want to start as a municipal police officer, and then work my way up through the ranks and see where it takes me.

“I’m excited to get out there.”

By Christine Kindl, communications director at Cal UCal U graduates its first class of police cadets

many paths

serve protectto

T hey stand out on campus, their crisply ironed shirts and polished boots making a statement in a crowd of T-shirts and jeans.

Wearing a uniform is part of their learning experience. As members of California University’s full-time IUP Police Academy, these cadets are en route to careers as municipal police officers.

Fifteen cadets graduated from Cal U’s first academy class in October. A second class starts in January. They will meet every weekday, usually in Watkins Hall, to complete 920 hours of classroom instruction and active, applied training.

Their ultimate goal: to exchange those khaki shirts for a professional police officer’s uniform.

“Law enforcement has always been something I wanted to do,” says Andrew Grace ’16, who joined Cal U’s first full-time academy soon after earning his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice.

“This is a good opportunity for me, a good steppingstone.”

Police cadet Casey Hindman handcuffs cadet

Jessy Carter during a training exercise at

Adamson Stadium.

Cadets stand shoulder to shoulder during their graduation ceremony.

and


If you can dream it, you can build it.Two Cal U graduates are helping to spread that

creative idea to primary and secondary school students in southwestern Pennsylvania. Just step inside their “fab labs.”

A fab lab is a digital fabrication laboratory, and Patrick Williams ’14, ’16 and Brandon Prentice ’13, ’15 are happy to show students around.

In these labs, students learn to design and manufacture products using tools such as 3D printers and scanners, laser cutters, vinyl cutters, and computer numerical control (CNC) milling machines.

Williams, whose degrees are in technology education and school counseling, worked as a long-term substitute in the Elizabeth Forward School District before accepting a permanent position this fall at Obama Academy 6-12, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Prentice, whose degrees are both in technology education, works for Intermediate Unit 1, which serves schools in Greene, Fayette and Washington counties.

Elizabeth Forward and IU1 have permanent classroom labs, as well as mobile versions.

“A physics teacher may say, ‘I have a lesson prepared for a mousetrap car,’ so our mobile lab provides the design process for creating the different parts they need — such as laser-cutting the chassis or 3D-printing the most efficient wheel design,” Prentice explains.

“Sometimes I have to introduce students to what a fab lab is. Sometimes a teacher has a lesson in mind; sometimes I provide the lesson.

“Some of the prepared lessons involve multiple engineering principles to design, create and test projects

When a pet dies or the diagnosis is difficult, where can the owner turn?

At the Pittsburgh Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Clinic, comfort and guidance comes from Lori Harbert ’03, who works in the emerging field of veterinary social work.

Harbert earned her master’s degree in social work from Cal U and is a licensed clinical social worker. Her previous social

such as illuminated LED signs, solar cars, MP3 speakers, mini-trebuchets and digital clock circuits.”

The goal is to develop out-of-the-box thinking and problem-solving skills.

“I want students to be able to say, ‘This needs to be changed or improved in the world. What can we create in this space that will help these people?’” says Williams.

Elizabeth Forward has a K-12 digital fabrication curriculum, says assistant superintendent Dr. Todd Keruskin ’96, ’02, an adjunct professor in Cal U’s Department of Secondary Education and Administrative Leadership.

“The lab is integrated into the science curriculum, but projects can be done in other classes. Our message is, ‘You can design anything you want; you just have to be a creative thinker.’”

Williams brought the district’s mobile fab lab, which serves its four elementary schools and some community events, to Cal U this summer for GEAR UP Vulcan, a science camp for 40 high school sophomores from central Pennsylvania.

The camp was funded by a Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) grant from the U.S. Department of Education that was awarded to Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. It was the first year for Cal U to host the camp.

Students are welcome to take field trips to IU1’s permanent lab in Grindstone, Pa. Prentice also takes the mobile lab on the road to events such as the Southwestern Pennsylvania BotsIQ competitions held at Cal U.

“Digital fabrication is very practical, and technology has made it accessible,” Prentice says.

“You don’t have to be an engineer to learn this curriculum.”


work experience is in mental health counseling, crisis counseling, and grief and bereavement counseling.

All of those skills apply to her career as a veterinary social worker.

Harbert helps pet owners make decisions regarding treatment, provides support immediately following a pet’s death, and offers guidance in the weeks and months that follow.

“If you’re older, the animal is your family, and that bond is significant for socialization and exercise,” Harbert says.

“If you’ve experienced a trauma or have mental health issues or have been a victim of abuse, the animal is your trusted friend. When you lose that support system, it can cross into the mental health arena.

“And sometimes the animal has simply been a part of your life for a very long time. Its death or a difficult diagnosis can be devastating.”

Part of Harbert’s job is to help owners see the reasons behind their grief and give them strategies for healing.

“People ask, ‘Am I crazy? Why do I feel this way? Why is this grief so intense?” Harbert says. “I connect that for them.”

She provides group and individual support services, referrals and general information on pet loss.

“Letting go can be difficult. I help pet owners see when the time is right.”

She also provides services to staff at the clinic, who must manage their own stresses.

“Our hospital is a tertiary referral clinic, which means it gets the toughest cases, very sick animals,” says Dr. Christine Guenther, director of critical care services and a doctor-owner at PVSEC.

“Stress impacts our staff as well; we get compassion fatigue and decision-making fatigue. Our staff retention rate has improved by 25 percent since Lori came.”

Being able to refer families to Harbert has helped the staff in other ways, as well.

“We have people in exam rooms who can take eight hours to make a decision about what to do with their pet, but I can’t spend time with them because I need to be in the intensive care unit. People have left the clinic in very emotional states, and we did not have a way to deal with that before.

“Someone may come to our clinic and want to talk about a pet that was euthanized two months ago, and I had nowhere to point them.”

Now she does.“From the second I met Lori, she was far

and away a perfect fit,” Guenther says. By Wendy Mackall, assistant communications director at Cal U

Educators use new tools to build STEM skills

Veterinary social worker helps pet owners cope with loss

Lori Harbert ’03

Patrick Williams ’14, ’16 uses the fab lab to spark out-of-the-box thinking.

FAB LABS TEACH TECH

Brandon Prentice ’13, ’15 provides the design process for hands-on lessons.


CAMPUS C L I P S

Earth sciences, we strengthen our K-12 schools, encourage kids to build STEM skills, and nurture a new generation of young scientists and researchers.”

In the fall and spring semesters, Cal U offers three-credit DataStreme Atmosphere, DataStreme Ocean, and DataStreme Earth’s Climate System courses through its online learning management system — the same system that supports Cal U Global Online degree and certificate programs.

Two workshop-oriented AMS courses meet in summer. The Maury Project is based at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and Project Atmosphere is held at the National Weather Service Training Center in Kansas City, Mo.

Teachers who complete the AMS Education courses become science leaders in their own schools and communities, educating their teaching colleagues and ultimately reaching millions of students nationwide.

“These documents haven’t been digitized. They aren’t even on microfilm,” Heim says. “I made my way through boxes and boxes of original manuscripts … looking for significant patterns.”

He also gave several lectures to acquaint scholars and historians with his research findings.

Heim teaches undergraduate courses in political science at Cal U, but he is familiar with day-to-day life at a British university. He earned a Master of Philosophy, an advanced postgraduate research degree, at the University of Cambridge.

Report says students turned out for elections

Voter apathy? Not in California. A report on student voting rates across the country shows that nearly 55 percent of Cal U students cast their ballots in the 2016 presidential election, exceeding the national average for college voters.

The report comes from the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement (NSLVE), an initiative of the Institute for Democracy and Higher Education at

Tufts University. Since 2013, more than 1,000 colleges and universities have asked NSLVE to use publicly available data to research their voting rates for federal elections.

According to the NSLVE report, 3,979 Cal U students cast a ballot in the 2016 presidential election. Cal U’s 54.6 percent voting rate exceeded the average of 50.4 percent for all colleges in the study.

“Research indicates that if college students participate in politics, they are more apt to remain active in community matters throughout their lives,” says Cal U political science professor Dr. Melanie Blumberg.

“Voter turnout, especially among younger voters, makes a difference.”

To encourage voting in midterm and local elections, Cal U faculty were asked to set aside the first five minutes of class time on Sept. 26, National Voter Registration Day, so students could register to vote online, using their laptops, tablets or smartphones.

Voter engagement efforts on campus are led by the Cal U chapter of the American Democracy Project, a multi-campus initiative focused on preparing a new generation of informed, engaged citizens.

Fellowship takes professor to Oxford

Dr. Joseph Heim, a professor in the Department of History, Politics, Society and Law, spent about four weeks this summer as a visiting fellow at

Oxford University in the United Kingdom, the oldest university in the English-speaking world.

A former U.S. State Department faculty fellow, Heim is internationally recognized for his scholarly work on British policy-making, Islamic thought and government, and politics of the world economy.

At Oxford, he studied centuries-old manuscripts housed at the Oxford University Library, the British Library and the British Museum pertaining to relations between 17th-century England and the Islamic world.

In particular, his research focused on England’s historical ties to the cities of Tangier, Morocco; Aleppo, Syria; Isfahan, Iran (Persia); and Mumbai (Bombay), India.

Grant writers join ranks of ‘Million Dollar Achievers’

Two Cal U professors have been recognized as “Million Dollar Achievers” after obtaining at least $1 million in external funding through the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research.

world to study at U.S. colleges while they teach their native languages, assist in language instruction and serve as cultural ambassadors.

Hakim, who plans to pursue a master’s degree in teaching, is taking Cal U education courses during his assistantship. He has a bachelor’s degree in English from Bani-Suef University, near Cairo, and has been an English teacher for five years.

Partnership promotes Earth science education

Cal U is partnering with the American Meteorological Society to provide graduate level credits tuition-free to K-12 teachers nationwide who take AMS Earth sciences education courses.

Dr. Chad Kauffman, of the Department of Earth Sciences, has been named curriculum development coordinator and lead for the AMS DataStreme program, which engages educators studying the planet’s weather, oceans and climate.

“This program is a natural fit for Cal U, with its long history of teacher education and its special mission in science and technology,” says Kauffman.

“By helping teachers learn more about

Dr. Thomas Mueller, of the Department of Earth Sciences, and Dr. Robert Whyte, chair of the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, join 18 previously recognized Cal U faculty and staff members who have been awarded $1 million or more in grants and/or contracts during their careers at the University.

In fiscal year 2016-2017, California University faculty and staff collectively received more than $5.4 million in awards to fund service projects, conduct research and support instruction. More than 57 percent of the awards were from private funding sources, such as foundations or corporations; the remainder were from federal and state sources or from Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.

In all, 22 faculty and staff members received grant awards last year.

Fulbright teaching assistant tutors students in Arabic

Cal U students are learning Arabic from native speakers, including the University’s second Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant.

Emad Hakim, from Egypt, is tutoring Cal U Global Online students in the bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in Arabic.

Hakim helps students gain language proficiency and complete class assignments. He also is organizing cultural events on campus.

The Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant program brings early-career educators from around the

D-U-EyesFreshmen Davon Brown (left) and Ray Zellars, both business administration majors, play the Mario Kart videogame while wearing goggles that mimic the effects of alcohol consumption. The safety lesson, designed to discourage drunk driving, was provided by the Allegheny Health Network Trauma Center at Cal U’s 30th annual Health Fair.

L aptops, tablets and smartphones are an intrinsic part of college life — and all those devices need charging.

Now Cal U students can recharge their digital devices outdoors, using the power of the sun.

The University has installed a sustainable, solar-powered charging table along Third Street, near the entrance to Manderino Library. The ConnecTable™ Hub offers seating beneath a solar array that provides enough off-grid energy to support 75 to 150 cellphone charges per day, even under cloudy skies.

The all-weather table is equipped with four 120-volt outlets and eight USB ports to accommodate laptops, tablets and phones.

It operates on just two to three hours of direct sunlight per day, and it’s built to withstand winds of 90 miles per hour. The solar array provides shade, and the table is wheelchair accessible.

“Our students have asked for sustainable solutions, and we’re listening,” says Robert Thorn, vice president for Administration and Finance at Cal U.

“There is a lot of foot traffic near the library, so it’s a convenient location for a charging station. And I think students will enjoy having a place to plug in, sit down and spend time together outdoors.”

POWERED BY THE SUN


CAMPUS C L I P S

Princeton Review labels Cal U ‘Best in the Northeast’

Once again, The Princeton Review has recognized Cal U as one of the best universities in the northeastern United States.

The nationally known education services company profiles California University in its “2018 Best Colleges: Region By Region” listing at www.PrincetonReview.com.

This is the 13th consecutive year that Cal U has been included in the “Best in the Northeast” roundup. The 229 institutions profiled for 2018 are “academically outstanding and well worth consideration” as part of a student’s college search, the website says.

The Princeton Review recognized 658 colleges and universities in five zones — Northeastern, Southeastern, Midwestern, Western and International — in its 2018 guide. These represent about 27 percent of the four-year, degree-granting institutions in the United States.

Schools are assessed for academic excellence based on data and information submitted by the school, as well as student surveys and other sources.

In their responses to Princeton Review surveys, students noted that Cal U welcomes people from many backgrounds, including international and older adult students.

“From freshmen right out of local high schools, (to) students from Brazil, Canada and Europe, to older, nontraditional students pursuing a higher education … it is this unique blend of people that makes Cal U special,” one student says.

TKE chapter recognized for getting involved

The campus chapter of the Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity received two awards at the organization’s 59th Biennial Conclave this summer.

Cal U’s chapter received Excellence in Involvement Awards for community service and alumni relations.

Tau Kappa Epsilon is one of the largest collegiate men’s social fraternities in North America, with more than 272,000 initiated members and 246 active chapters and colonies. TKE says its mission is to aid men in their mental, moral and social development for life.

Josh Worstell, last year’s TKE chapter president, nominated the fraternity for the awards. Each TKE brother at Cal U must complete 25 hours of service work each semester, he explained, and the group meets regularly with alumni.

Fraternity members volunteer at the Washington Humane Society, distribute water at the Pittsburgh Marathon, help incoming students on Move-in Day and organize a popular Homecoming Pumpkin Smash stress-reliever that benefits St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“Our students sincerely care about being positive members of the community,” says Joy Helsel, director of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

“They realize that making a helpful and constructive impact is an important part of their college experience.”

Counselor honored as Addiction Educator of the Year

Associate professor Dr. John D. Massella, a licensed professional counselor, was honored as the 2017 NAADAC Addiction Educator of the Year.

NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, represents the professional interests of more than 95,000 addiction-focused counselors, educators and other healthcare professionals worldwide.

Massella joined Cal U’s Counseling Center in 2010 after working for 30 years at Gateway Rehabilitation in Monroeville, Pa. This fall he became director of Cal U’s Office for Students with Disabilities; he also teaches graduate courses in counselor education and operates a private practice in McMurray, Pa.

Massella has played a key role in developing the University’s innovative Prevention Awareness Recovery Center, or PARC.

Cal U is the first university in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, and one of only 250 nationwide,

to have a designated recovery center that provides support, services and resources for students who are struggling with the use of alcohol and other drugs, as well as students who support the recovery of others.

Grant benefits students, rural communities

A four-year, $1.9 million grant-funded project will prepare Cal U students to serve rural communities in southwestern Pennsylvania as school counselors, mental health counselors and social work practitioners.

First-year honor society ‘Maintaining the Flame’

The Cal U chapter of Alpha Lambda Delta has received the Maintaining the Flame Award for its activities during the 2016-2017 academic year.

ALD is a national honor society that recognizes academic excellence among first-year students. Members must maintain a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher and rank in the top 20 percent of their class.

Each year, the National Council of Alpha Lambda Delta selects winners of the society’s Order of the Torch Award, which honors chapters that have excelled in the areas of programming, activities and service.

Cal U most recently received the Order of the Torch for its 2014-2015 activities. Winners are ineligible to compete for the award for the next four years. Maintaining the Flame is awarded to chapters that continue their excellent work during the ineligibility period.

The chapter’s advisers are Dori Eichelberger, director of Peer Mentoring, and Rhonda Gifford, director of Cal U’s Career and Professional Development Center.

THIS intern assigned to legislator’s office

Junior Jonathan Hoover spent the fall semester working in the office of state Rep. Michael Hanna, a Democrat from Lock Haven, Pa., as part of a 15-week

internship sponsored by Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.

Hoover, a political science major, is one of 11 students who participated this fall in The Harrisburg Internship Semester program.

THIS gives students from each of the State System universities the opportunity to work in some aspect of state government while earning a full semester’s worth of credits.

In Hanna’s office, Hoover assisted staff with policy goals, met with lobbyists and other advocates, and handled constituent correspondence. In addition, he enjoyed meeting public officials and seeing firsthand how government operates.

Like all THIS interns, he also attended academic seminars and completed an individualized research project.

Traveling abroadUniversity Honors Program students Lorraine Bracker (left) and Brynna Sherony show their Cal U pride as they visit Xunantunich, an ancient Mayan archaeological site in Belize. The pair spent two weeks in the Central American country this summer as part of a study abroad experience for honors program students organized by Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. After pre-travel briefings at Mansfield University, which hosted the trip, students visited tourist sites in Belize, explored everyday life in the country, and met with politicians, business leaders, tourism officials and University of Belize professors.

Three generationsUniversity President Geraldine Jones visits with the Husk family on Move-In Day. Freshman Jonathan Husk (left) is a business major; helping him settle in were his dad, James A. Husk ‘86, and grandfather James W. Husk ‘61. As the fall semester began, Cal U welcomed first-year students from 15 states and Washington, D.C.

Dr. Elizabeth Gruber, of the Counselor Education Department, and Dr. Sheri Boyle, chair of the Social Work Department, will lead the four-year project funded by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.

The grant includes $300,000 annually to provide stipends for 30 Cal U graduate students as they complete the lengthy field placements required to earn a master’s degree.

A 600-hour internship is required for students in Cal U’s accredited counselor education program. The accredited social work program requires a 660-hour advanced practicum.

The project focuses on medically underserved areas in Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties — the same five-county region that is home to many Cal U students.

“Our graduate students already are out working in rural settings, but their internships have been unpaid,” Gruber says. “These stipends will relieve the financial burden of field placements, such as lost income, childcare and transportation costs.”

In addition to preparing future counselors and social workers, the grant supports training for Cal U students and their field-placement supervisors, University faculty and community-based professionals. continued...


CAMPUS C L I P S

A University Honors Program student, Hoover plans to attend law school after earning his bachelor’s degree. The Brownsville, Pa., resident is the son of faculty member Dr. Marcia Marcolini Hoover ’89 ’93, in the Department of Secondary Education and Administrative Leadership, and Doug Hoover ’92, dean of Library Services.

Students explore dissent, identify ‘fake news’

Cal U marked Constitution Day with discussions of two timely topics: public dissent and how to distinguish so-called fake news.

Dr. Patrick G. Coy, director of Kent State University’s School of Peace and Conflict Studies, presented “The Right to Dissent and the Dynamics of Nonviolent Dissent.”

“The right to dissent is enshrined in our Constitution,” Coy told the student audience. “Don’t make the mistake of saying nonviolent dissent is about being passive. It’s a very active process where people are waging conflict and exerting power.”

Loring Prest and chair William Meloy, of the Library Services Department, led “UnTruth and Consequences,” designed to help students distinguish fact from fiction, especially online.

“You’ve got to be analytical, do some work, and not just accept something without asking where a fact or statement came from,” Prest told the group.

“You ought to be suspicious and look for citations, just as your professors do.”

All schools that receive federal funds are mandated to observe Constitution Day, which commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

This year’s programs were presented by the campus chapter of the American Democracy Project, the Office of the Provost/Academic Affairs, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Department of History, Politics, Society and Law.

Festival spotlights liberal arts

The College of Liberal Arts showcased world cultures, scholarship, entertainment and more at its fall festival in Manderino Library.

Pep tunes Members of the brass section raise their instruments as the Cal U Marching Band entertains the crowd at Adamson Stadium. Under the direction of Dr. Frank Stetar, the band performed its pregame and halftime shows at Vulcan football contests throughout the season.

Long Island firm weighs in with gift to biology department

Students in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences are measuring with greater accuracy thanks to a technology company in Long Island, N.Y.

Arlyn Scales, a leader in the design and development of weighing technology, donated an industrial, professional-grade Ultra Precision Scale for use in hands-on learning.

“With this instrument, students can make highly precise measurements, which produce more accurate research results,” says Dr. David Argent, professor of wildlife and fisheries science.

The digital scale will be used for teaching and student research.

More than 370 students from 12 area high schools attended the lively event, which included talks by liberal arts faculty, research posters and video presentations by faculty and Cal U students, original performances by theater and dance students, and entertainment by the Young and Gifted Gospel Choir, a cappella groups, and African, salsa and Latino bands.

Cal U students dished up a variety of ethnic foods and guided visitors through crafts projects, such as painting Mexican-style sugar skulls and African masks. They printed T-shirts in a “Convert Your Shirt” communication exercise and explored printmaking, Middle Eastern henna painting, and Chinese writing and culture.

Members of the Sigma Tau Delta English Honors Society read original works, and historian Stephen V. Russell '70 displayed his collection of political memorabilia and discussed "American Presidents: Celebrating Red, White and Blue."

Each of the eclectic activities was intended to showcase the College’s academic departments while promoting diversity, expanding students’ cultural horizons and demonstrating the value of a liberal arts education.

Church cemetery becomes a learning lab for GIS students

Tombstones can tell a story. That’s why Cal U students created a digital map of the cemetery at The Historic Church of

St. Peter, in Brownsville, Pa.About 60 students in Dr. Thomas Mueller’s

Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) class worked in teams on the project, which used an iPhone app called Motion X GPS to record the latitude and longitude coordinates for each tombstone.

Students also wrote down names, dates of birth and death, and any other information on each monument.

Mueller has uploaded this data into ArcMap, a map generation and data management program, to create a fully searchable digitized record of burial information at the church’s cemetery, which dates to the mid-19th century.

It’s a tool for church members, historians, genealogists and others.

“For example, they’ll be able to query the data set to find out how many people were buried in that cemetery from 1800 to 1850,” Mueller says. “They could learn about how the cemetery was developed. Were plots scattered, or were they more organized?”

“We’ll make it available to everyone,” says unofficial church archivist Jane Sheehan. “From time to time, people make requests: ‘My grandmother was buried there; do you have more information?’ People want to know where their loved ones are buried, but we didn’t have any maps. We had lists of names in books.

“We also wanted to do this as a way to honor ancestors and people who built this church.”

Senior Trent Neely, a geography major with a concentration in GIS and emergency management, was the student director for the project. Logistical tasks included setting up a grid at the cemetery and managing student teams.

“The students were very enthusiastic,” says Neely, who was on track to graduate just months after the project wrapped up.

“You feel a little bit of pride knowing you helped with a project that someone may not have been able to do on their own.”

“Real-world projects engage students much more than a planned project,” Mueller says.

“Students want to make a difference and feel like they can change the world. And they get to work with real-life data, which is what they’ll deal with in the workplace.”

Other service-learning projects in Mueller’s GIS classes have included a demographic analysis by ZIP code for the

Pittsburgh Pirates that has helped with marketing decisions such as college nights and the type of entertainment offered at baseball games.

Students also joined YouthMappers, an international consortium of learners, researchers, educators and scholars, to assist with a project to map buildings in Kenya, in order to help the government plan malaria-control initiatives.

“If our knowledge doesn’t benefit the community when possible, then we are missing a big part of our purpose,” Mueller says.

“People can come to Cal U with a problem to solve or a project to do. They don’t have an infinite number of resources, and our students don’t have all the expertise yet, but there is probably a low-hanging-fruit project you’d like to get done. And that’s where our students can help.

“It can be a win for everyone.”


Service-learning is an important element of the Geographic Information Systems program at Cal U. To discuss a possible mapping project suitable for GIS students, contact Dr. Thomas Mueller at [email protected].

need a map?

the past

Students Nicholas Wallace and Ashley O'Hern map the cemetery at The Historic Church of St. Peter in Brownsville, Pa.


ALUMNI CALENDAR ALUMNI NEWSWatch your mailbox, email and the Cal U website for information about these annual springtime events:

Whether you live in California, Pa., or Los Angeles, Calif., we hope you will stay engaged with your alma mater. Stay tuned for more news about events on campus and in your area.

For more information about Cal U alumni events, visit the alumni section of our Cal U website, calu.edu, or call the Alumni Relations Office at 724-938-4418.

High score for generosityVulcan basketball coach Kent McBride accepts a check from the Edward V. Monaghan Charitable Youth Foundation. The gift will enable children to attend the Cal U Men’s Basketball Camp. Representing the Foundation are (from left) Ted Barnett ’67, a foundation board member; Virginia Sala Monaghan ’68, board member and wife of Edward Monaghan; and coach McBride. A previous foundation gift enabled youths to attend baseball camp at Cal U.

50th Class ReunionMembers of the Class of 1967 gather to celebrate their 50th Class Reunion. Classmates shared their stories and reminisced about the good old days at ‘Cal State.’ The class included a number of ‘Cal couples’ who met on campus and are still married 50 years later.

Coal Bowl brothersBarry Lippencott (left), a 1967 IUP graduate, and Cal U alumnus Bob Lippencott ’66 display the ‘coal miner’s lunch pail’ traveling trophy awarded annually to the winner of the Coal Bowl football game. The brothers, both standout football players at their respective schools, started the Coal Bowl in 2009 to raise scholarship funds. This year the Vulcans fell to the Crimson Hawks, 26-10.

Happy New Year!

As we look ahead to 2018, the Office of

Development and Alumni Relations remains

focused on student success. There are many

ways that you can assist our Cal U students

as they work to earn their degrees and launch

their careers as proud Cal U alumni.

Please let us know how you would

like to get involved this year!

Anthony Mauro ’92, ’93AVP for Development and Alumni Relations

FROM THE OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS

CAL U ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME BANQUET

CAL GALS SPRING LUNCHEON

37TH ANNUAL CAL U GOLF OUTING

f On June 29, athletic training alumni, faculty and their guests from across the country gathered in Houston, Texas, for the annual Athletic Training Alumni Society event. The gathering raises money for the Athletic Training Scholarship Fund.

f On July 7, alumni and friends attended an alumni event at Marilyn’s on Main in Uniontown, Pa. About 25 alumni and their guests enjoyed the delicious food and even better company.

f On Sept. 21, alumni gathered at Bak’n Restaurant in Carnegie, Pa. Chef and owner Randy Tozzie ’89 presented guests with various menu items from his popular restaurant, which was featured on the Food Network show Ginormous Food.

f Alumni engagement events were held in Philadelphia, Pa.; Daytona Beach, Fla.; Washington, D.C.; and Arlington, Va.

f On Sept. 28, more than two-dozen Cal Gals members gathered at SAI Farm to hear biology professor Dr. Sarah Meiss explain the environmental programs and hands-on projects occurring there.

f On Oct. 14, about 30 members of the African American Alumni Society held their annual meeting at Carter Hall. Later, more than 200 graduates from the last decade gathered at Adamson Stadium for a tailgate party before the Homecoming football game.

Cal U Night at PNC ParkGo, Bucs! Emeritus professor Richard Nemec ’65 takes in a Pittsburgh Pirates game with his son Joel Nemec ’92 during Cal U Night at PNC Park. Nearly 650 alumni, faculty, staff, students and University friends enjoyed the ballgame and took home specially designed caps with the Pirates and Cal U logos.

MARCH 18, 2018 LECOM FIELD, BRADENTON, FLA. Watch your mailbox for details.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES SPRING TRAINING GAME

Greetings!

THERE’S STILL TIME FOR SPARKLEStart your collection with the first in our series of Cal U holiday ornaments.

Crafted by a Pittsburgh company, our 2017 ornament depicts Old Main, the first building on California’s campus. The glittering, gold-plated ornament features the historic building and the familiar clock tower that has come to symbolize our University.

Cost for the 2017 holiday ornament is $15. To purchase yours, contact the office of Development and Alumni Relations at 724-938-5775, or send email to Kathy Kuharik at [email protected].


T hey met as freshmen assigned to the seventh floor of Clyde Hall and formed a bond that’s lasted for

35 years. Although the dormitory is long gone, the “Sisters of 7th Heaven” still get together to socialize and reminisce about their time at Cal U.

“There were 22 of us, although two are gone now,” says Mary Pickels ’82, who joined “sisters” JoAnn Lugar ’82, Lynn Giannirakis ’81, Cris Simpson ’81 and Debbie Russell ’82, ’85 on campus for Homecoming 2017.

The group has held unofficial reunions at members’ homes, and Facebook helps them stay in touch. At the Picnic on the Patio outside the Kara Alumni House, they shared cellphone snaps of those get-togethers and a photo of the original “sisterhood” taken during their college years.

“We live all over now, but we still keep in touch,” Pickels says, “and every few years we get together for Homecoming. It’s good to come back and see what’s changed.”

The group watched the Disney-themed

Homecoming parade from prime seats on the steps of Manderino Library. The Cal U Marching Band provided musical accompaniment for a lineup of floats, marching units, high school bands and the Pittsburgh Steeline drummers.

A petting zoo and other family-friendly activities also brought alumni and community members to campus. The fun continued with an afternoon of Vulcans football at Adamson Stadium, where students Corry Cottom and Mari Boyle were crowned Homecoming King and Queen during halftime festivities.

Retired teachers Claudia and Timothy Blake, both from the Class of 1967, were back in town for their 50th class reunion. They met at an Alpha Kappa Lambda fraternity party, where he was the pledge-master. In July, they’ll mark their 50th wedding anniversary.

“Everything is beautiful,” Claudia Blake says of the campus. “Coming back and seeing all the changes, the people and the parade — it’s wonderful.”

Max Getz, 5, enjoys the Disney-themed Homecoming parade with his mother, Vanessa DeSalvo Getz '93, of Pittsburgh.

Former residents of 7th Heaven — Clyde Hall's seventh floor — gather for the Picnic on the Patio. They are (from left) JoAnn Lugar '82, Lynn Giannirakis '81, Cris Simpson '81 and Debbie Russell '82, '85.

Freshman Abriana Scenna (center) and friends cheer as Homecoming floats pass by.

University President Geraldine Jones, granddaughter Jurnee Lantz and first gentleman Jeffrey Jones enjoy a ride down Third Street.

Cinderella’s Carriageby Acacia fraternity and Delta Zeta sorority

The Little Mermaidby Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity

Lilo & Stitchby Alpha Sigma Tau sorority and Theta Xi fraternity

Float Awards

High School Band Awards

Alpha Sigma Tau sorority and Theta Xi fraternity

Carmichaels High School

Ringgold High School

Peters Township High School

Alumni drop in for Disney-themed Homecoming

Grand marshal Annette Ganassi, chair of the

University's Council of Trustees, leads the parade with furry sidekick Tucker.

Alpha Sigma Alpha sisters Keara Ashworth (left) and Megan Cintronshow their support for the Vulcans football team.

Homecoming Queen Mari Boyle and King Cory Cottom are crowned during halftime festivities at Adamson Stadium.


There’s something special about this city, and I like sharing it with others. BRANDON CUNNING ’99

ALUMNI S P O T L I G H T

B randon Cunning ’99 cruises in his 1955 Chevy Bel Air, listening to Elvis Presley on the radio, taking in the

sights of downtown Memphis, Tenn. It’s all in a day’s work. Cunning is co-founder of Rockabilly

Rides, a Memphis tour company focusing on nostalgia, history and music. He drives visitors through the city in classic cars such as a 1955 Chevy Bel Air, a 1955 Plymouth Belvedere or a 1959 Ford Skyliner.

Cunning, who’s originally from Washington, Pa., discovered his rockabilly roots while hosting an oldies and blues show on WVCS, then Cal U’s campus radio station, where he learned to edit, produce commercials and write for a radio audience.

The former communication studies major also recalls playing ’50s and ’60s rock ’n’ roll with his band at the Underground Café.

After graduation, his love for Elvis and rockabilly music steered his career from radio

DJ to Beale Street entertainer to tourism entrepreneur.

“When I worked as a radio disc jockey, I realized that the music I loved came from Memphis,” Cunning says. “There’s something special about this city, and I like sharing it with others.”

Rockabilly Rides offers guests three distinctive tours: Red, Hot & Blue Elvis; Memphis 101; and Million Dollar Quartet. The Red, Hot & Blue tour provides the ultimate Elvis experience, taking fans to Memphis hot spots once frequented by The King.

“One of the most popular tour spots is Levitt Shell, formerly Overton Park Shell, the very spot where Elvis performed the first rock ’n’ roll concert in the United States,” Cunning says.

“When guests stand on the Levitt Shell stage, they become overwhelmed with emotion.”

A bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in exercise science with a focus on wellness and injury

prevention have put Justin Leader ’05, ’07 in a unique position.

“Everybody these days needs a healthcare hero,” he says.

He doesn’t wear a cape, but as vice president of business development for Benefit Design Specialists, Leader does provide a welcome guide for employers and human resources departments that are trying to navigate the ever-changing world of health care.

“My job is to ensure employers can offer the best options to their employees at the best price,” he says. “Health care is (typically) the second-biggest expense for a company, so I try to mitigate that issue.”

Leader was chosen by the Central Penn Business Journal for its “Forty Under 40 Awards 2017,” which honor young business leaders who are committed to business

HEALTH CARE IN THE WORKPLACEgrowth, professional excellence and community service.

He credits his Cal U experience with preparing him for a job where both people skills and a scientific background come into play.

“The moment I got to a human anatomy course at Cal U, I fell in love with science and changed my major to pre-med (biology),” Leader says. “I also was a Community Assistant in Longanecker Hall, where I was able to network and meet hundreds of fellow students.

“From a scientific and people perspective, I can engage with businesses in a way that not everyone can.”

He offers an example: If employees are filing claims related to repetitive-movement injuries, “maybe we can work together to find a more ergonomic way to conduct the work flow. If they need a knee replacement, let’s find a high-quality, low-cost surgical provider.”

Leader credits his alma mater with opening doors.

“I look back to Cal U with a lot of appreciation. The other Community Assistants, the people in other organizations, they gave me a family structure.

“Your college experience is what you make of it, but the atmosphere and opportunity allowed me to get where I am now.”


Carla Anderton ’06 keeps her writing upbeat. As an experienced journalist, she recognizes the need for positivity in print and is committed to sharing uplifting community stories.

Anderton is editor-in-chief of Pennsylvania Bridges, a magazine that focuses on connecting communities within Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties.

Founded in 2014, the publication is available in print and online. It reaches a broad audience of about 10,000 across the five-county region. And it’s free, supported entirely by advertising.

As the magazine’s founder, Anderton embraced her entrepreneurial role and used it as an opportunity to learn new skills.

“When you start your own business, you have to be willing to wear all of the hats,” she says. “Before starting my own publication, I focused primarily on writing and editing. With Pennsylvania Bridges, I learned how to lay out a magazine, which was a fun challenge.”

The publication covers topics such as art, entertainment, lifestyles, personalities and local organizations.

“We write about our neighbors who are doing interesting things that make our communities better places to live and work,” the editor says.

During her time at Cal U, Anderton found mentors who shaped her writing and inspired her passion for storytelling. She recalls the constructive criticism and dedicated work ethic that professor Alan Natali instilled during his writing class.

“Natali would tell stories about waking up at 5 a.m. to put in writing time before starting his work day as an English professor,” Anderton recalls. She felt inspired to pursue a career in professional writing based on her mentor’s positive example of dedication.

Her writing career came full circle when she had the opportunity to interview Dr. Carole Waterhouse, of the English Department, for Pennsylvania Bridges.

NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS

“It was neat for me to transition from a student in Dr. Waterhouse’s class to a reporter covering her story.”

Anderton exudes pride in her alma mater and the surrounding community.

“I came to Cal U from Memphis, Tenn., in 1999. I fell in love with California, Pa., and California University of Pennsylvania,” she says.

“One of my dreams is to eventually be somebody’s Professor Natali or Dr. Waterhouse.”

By Kayla Kuntz, social media manager at Cal U

When you start your own business, you have to be willing to wear all of the hats. CARLA ANDERTON ’06

THROUGH

Rockabilly Rides preserves the 1950s Memphis experience for visitors of all ages.

“Guests book tours with us because it allows them to relive their past with their own families. They remember growing up and driving 1950s cars,” Cunning says.

“When we’re cruising through town, we always get people waving and honking. It’s like we have our own paparazzi.”

By Kayla Kuntz, social media manager at Cal U


Even when he was a student-athlete helping out with youth baseball camps in summer, Lou Pasquale ’90

knew he wanted to be a coach.This spring he begins his first season

as head coach at California Area High School, one of the top scholastic baseball programs in the region.

“When I started seeing responses from the young players, both physically and mentally, it was a pretty good feeling,” recalls Pasquale, who now has 25 years of high school coaching experience.

“I knew right then and there it was something I wanted to do.”

A former business administration major, Pasquale is the sixth Vulcans alumnus to guide the Trojans baseball team in the past 40 years. He spent the past three seasons as an assistant to head coach Nick Damico ’03. Pasquale’s teammate Don Hartman ’90, the late J. Budd Grebb ’62, Romaine Howell ’79 and Tom Webb ’74 also coached at California High.

The team has made a name for itself on the diamond. Since 1998, Cal baseball has compiled a 306-102 (.750) cumulative

record, with seven WPIAL title game appearances, four WPIAL championships and 13 trips to the state tournament.

But Pasquale sees a difference between intercollegiate athletes and the high school players he coaches.

As a college player, he was a pitcher, infielder and outfielder. In fact, former Vulcans coach Chuck Gismondi ’64 named him Cal U’s Most Versatile Player on the 1990 PSAC finalist team.

Many high school players just want to enjoy the game.

“The college kids have been recruited to play at a higher level, where sometimes high schoolers are there just for something to do,” he says.

“But I can tell … that California (Area) kids are aware of the program’s success and want to be there.”

After previous head coaching stints at Geibel Catholic and Ringgold high schools, Pasquale understands the head coach’s job. It comes with added administrative duties, but also a greater commitment to guiding his players on and off the field.

“There’s definitely a lot of responsibility.

… You have to be a teacher and kind of a parent, as well. Even if you are losing games, you must try to get your players to be successful at something and build on what they are doing well.”

Pasquale is part of a Cal U baseball tradition that has produced numerous WPIAL baseball head coaches. Among them are Craig Kordich ’00, who coaches at Frazier High; Scott “Skooter” Roebuck ’88, at Brownsville; Robert Saddler ’03, Franklin Regional; Scott Van Sickle ’01, Waynesburg; and Tim Vickers ’98, Steel Valley.

Pasquale says he learned the nuances of the game from current head coach Mike Conte ’99, Damico and Hartman, as well as former Major Leaguers Rick Krivda — another Vulcans teammate — and his wife’s cousin, retired catcher Jason Varitek, who has two World Series wins to his credit.

“I’ve been joking since I got the head coaching job that there’s no pressure,” Pasquale says. “This is an opportunity and a challenge that I’m looking forward to.”

By Bruce Wald ’85, information writer at Cal U

Even if you are losing games, you must try to get your players to be successful at something and build on what they are doing well.

LOU PASQUALE '90

Ex-Vulcans player coaches scholastic baseball Pro hockey’s famous trophy pays a call

BRINGING OUT THEIR

SPORTS P R O F I L E

Want to fill the sidewalks along Third Street? Load the Stanley Cup onto a fire truck and drive

it across campus.That’s just what happened this fall

as part of the Kraft Hockeyville™ USA celebration, which recognized the Rostraver Ice Garden — home ice for the Vulcans hockey clubs — as the heart of “America’s most passionate hockey community.”

Cal U hosted several events during the weeklong celebration of the win, including a fundraising gala organized by the nonprofit Mon Ice Project and a community service effort that brought Cal U volunteers and students from 12 local school districts to the Convocation Center.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins players Phil Bourque and John Zeiler got the students fired up for Rise Against Hunger, an international hunger relief project that delivers food to some of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

The volunteers’ goal was to turn bulk food provided by Kraft Heinz into 150,000 prepackaged, nutritious meals for distribution worldwide. Their reward

was a close-up moment with the Stanley Cup, North America’s oldest professional sports trophy.

Cal U hockey players and the University’s marching band also took part in a community parade, and the team was represented at a variety of other Kraft Hockeyville™ USA events. As this year’s winning venue, the Ice Garden will receive more than $150,000 in upgrades.

Here comes


SPORTS R O U N D U P

Softball alumna’s team wins bronze

Coach sets career victory recordThe first win of the 2017 women’s volleyball season was a record-setter for seventh-year head coach Peter Letourneau.

Cal U’s 3-2 victory over Winston-Salem (N.C.) State gave Letourneau a program-high 162 career victories.

He entered the season tied with Melissa Myers, the team’s head coach from 2002-2007 and a 2017 Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame inductee.

Heading into the season, Letourneau owned a .733 winning percentage and had guided the Vulcans to two PSAC championships and five NCAA Division II Tournament appearances.

During his time with the program, Letourneau has developed 18 All-PSAC-West honorees and five academic All-Americans.

Vulcan placekicker is one to watchSenior placekicker Will Brazill’s efforts on the football field and in the community made him a finalist for a prestigious national honor.

He was named to the preseason “watch list” for the Fred Mitchell Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate kicker based on excellence on the field and community service during the offseason.

Brazill was one of 12 kickers from NCAA Division II selected for the watch list.

In 2016, Brazill ranked fifth among NCAA Division II kickers, with 111 points. He was a College Sports Information Directors of America Second-Team Academic All-American.

Off the field, Brazill assisted the football program with various community service programs, volunteering at a bone marrow drive, improving youth baseball fields, and lending a hand at the local volunteer fire department’s Lenten fish fry.

He also helped with the Pike Run Youth Fishing Festival and volunteered at the Cranberry Township (Pa.) recreation department’s Special Needs Family Fun Days.

Cal U softball standout Natalie Wideman ’14 helped Team Canada win the bronze medal at the World Cup of Softball XII.

Team Canada finished with a 5-3 record and defeated Team Australia in the bronze medal game at the World Cup tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla.

Wideman took the field in seven of eight games, playing mostly at third base. She finished with a .318 average (7-for-22) and collected four RBI.

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Wideman has been a key player for the Canadian Women’s National Team since 2012. She contributed to a pair of fourth-place finishes, in the 2012 and 2014 Women’s World Softball Championships, and to the team’s silver medal performance in the 2013 Pan American Softball Championships.

As a Cal U senior, Wideman was named the Diamond Sports NCAA Division II Catcher of the Year. She was a National Fastpitch Coaches Association First-Team All-American and the PSAC-West Athlete of the Year in 2014, when she helped the Vulcans win the conference championship.

Former pitcher tapped for W. Pa. Hall of FameFormer Vulcans baseball pitcher and 2000 Olympic gold medalist Rick Krivda was inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame earlier this year.

A 2003 Cal U Hall of Fame inductee, Krivda played 12 years of professional baseball, including four seasons in Major League Baseball, where he helped the Baltimore Orioles reach the 1996 playoffs. He was the Orioles’ Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 1992.

Krivda competed with USA Baseball at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

As a student in 1991, he led NCAA Division II with 106 strikeouts and was a first-team All-American. He still owns career school records for strikeouts (259), ERA (2.54) and complete games (21), and he ranks No. 2 for career wins, with 22.

New tennis coach has winning recordLauren Morgan has joined the Cal U athletics program as head coach of the women’s tennis team.

She came to California from Rowan College at Gloucester County (N.J.), where she was a coach and faculty member in the school’s Health and Physical Education Department for more than 20 years.

Morgan transformed the Rowan College program into one that was nationally ranked, and the Roadrunners won the National Junior College Athletic Association’s Division III National Championship in three consecutive seasons, from 2012 to 2014.

One head coach for Vulcans golfPeter Coughlin is serving as head coach for both the women’s and men’s golf programs in 2017-2018.

This fall he began his 11th year as head coach for the men’s team. It’s his first year as head coach for the women’s team, although he served as interim golf coach for parts of the past two seasons.

The women’s team has competed in the NCAA Division II East Super Regional tournament 10 times in the past 11 years. After winning five conference titles between 2008 and 2014, the team finished the PSAC Championship in second place in each of the past two years.

Under Coughlin’s guidance, the men’s program made its 10th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Regional Championships in 2017.

Save the date for Hall of FameCal U’s 23rd annual Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet will be held at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 21, at the Performance Center inside the Natali Student Center.

The new class will be announced in January; check www.calvulcans.com for details.

For banquet reservations, call the office of Alumni Relations at 724-938-4418 or email [email protected].


60sBill Nixon ’67, who studied industrial arts at Cal U, is retired. He and Susan Nixon live in Indiana, Pa.

Bill Viola Sr. ’69, who was a promoter of mixed martial arts, was featured in a recent documentary, Tough Guys, which aired on Showtime.

Thomas Snyder ’69 is a retired U.S. Navy officer. He majored in education at Cal U, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Theta, a resident adviser in Johnson Hall, and a dining hall worker. Thomas and Alisandra Snyder live in Knoxville, Tenn.

70sErnie Koontz ’72 was inducted into the Western Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He was the high school girls basketball coach at Upper Saint Clair (Pa.) High School for 29 years.

Charlesa Monosky Fassinger ’74, a French and gifted education teacher at Mars (Pa.) High School, has retired after 29 years with the Mars Area School District. She earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education and French at Cal U.

Patricia Policicchio DeConcilis ’78, of Brownsville, Pa., is an attorney and educator at Penn Commercial Business/Technical School, where she is director of education. She earned her master’s degree in education at Cal U.

Dr. Timothy Susick ’76, ’78, associate vice president for Student Affairs at Cal U, has been inducted into the Belle Vernon (Pa.) Football Hall of Fame.

Karen Robertson ’76, ’79, of Silver Spring, Md., is retired from the Montgomery County (Md.) Public Schools. She earned her bachelor’s degree in education and master’s degree as a reading specialist.

David Kucherawy ’74 earned All-American honors in Master’s Track and Field, winning both the 400- and 200-meter dash and receiving a bronze medal in the 50-meter dash, at Oakland University in Auburn Hills, Mich. David also won the national bronze medal in the 400-meter dash and the national silver medal in the 4X100-meter relay at the 2017 National Senior Games, held at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala. David and Jenny Matta Kucherawy ’73 live in Washington, Pa.

80sRetired Lt. Col. Mark S. Gallo ‘80 recently won a special election for a vacant district supervisor seat within The Villages Community Development District, in Florida.

Mark’s district consists of 4,768 homes with approximately 10,000 residents and an annual operating budget of $2.2 million. He and Lisa, his wife of 31 years, have been living in The Villages since 2011.

Osman Balla ’86, of Monroeville, Pa., is a retired teacher.

Joseph Pointer Jr. ’82 is an information technology specialist for the Defense Finance and Accounting Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense. He and Kimberly Pointer live in Northfield, Ohio.

The Rev. Joseph Bonafed ’83 celebrated the 25th anniversary of his ordination, which occurred on May 16, 1992.

Dave Boden ’85 is general manager of The Garrett County Republican, in Maryland. He helps to oversee the newspaper’s operation while focusing on business development and marketing. Dave majored in communication studies at Cal U.

Diane Flynn ’86 is the pastor of Crafton United Presbyterian Church. She majored in elementary and early childhood education at Cal U.

Michael Kennedy ’86 is a journalism professor at Chadron (Neb.) State College.

Kimberly Boscan ’88 is vice president and controller of Armstrong Flooring Inc. A certified public accountant, she has a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Cal U.

90sJames Bower II ’90 is a teacher in the Turkeyfoot Valley School District, in Somerset County, Pa. James, who majored in elementary education at Cal U, and Dale Rae Bower live in Addison, Pa.

Tom Leturgey ’90 recently taught a course at the North Campus of Community College of Allegheny County (Pa.) on professional wrestling and its rich history in western Pennsylvania. He is a ring announcer for the Keystone State Wrestling Alliance and an editor for several professional wrestling websites.

Kathy Miller ’90 is the lead administrator at Madonna Catholic Regional School, in Monongahela, Pa. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary and special education at Cal U.

CAL U M I L E S T O N E S

BACK ON CAMPUSDr. Leonard Colelli ’77 returned to Cal U this fall as associate provost/associate vice president for Academic Affairs. A former professor at Fairmont State University in West Virginia, Len served as dean of the Eberly College of Science and Technology at Cal U from 2000-2012. He then spent four years as campus provost/campus president at Potomac State College of WVU, a branch campus of West Virginia University, followed by a year as special assistant to the provost at WVU’s main campus in Morgantown. In his new role at Cal U, Len’s primary responsibilities include accreditation, assessment and strategic planning.

U.S. AMATEUR QUALIFIERBrett Young ’17 played in the 117th U.S. Amateur Golf Championship, which was held this summer near Los Angeles, Calif. Brett majored in sport management at Cal U and was a member of the Cal U 1 men’s hockey team. Although he did not make the golf championship’s final cut, he was one of 312 qualifiers, out of more than 7,000 seeking to earn that distinction. The U.S. Amateur is the U.S. Golf Association’s oldest championship tournament.

FOR COOVERRENEWAL

HistoryCAL U Every graduate has a Cal U story. To share yours, email [email protected].

Industrial arts in Coover Hall, circa 1960

'Final construction photo' of Coover Hall, dated January 1939.

enovations are under way in Coover Hall, a presence on campus for 80 years. Constructed in 1938 to house the industrial arts program, Coover now is home to the Department of Applied Engineering and

Technology, along with courses in art and graphic design.

Classes have been relocated while the building gets a top-to-bottom makeover, including new instructional equipment. The $11 million project is funded by the state Department of General Services, which authorized the life-cycle renovation in 2004.

The building is expected to reopen in 2019.

Coover Hall is named for Shriver L. Coover, who began California’s first industrial arts program in 1930, in the basement of Dixon Hall. Complementing a similar curriculum at Millersville, it was the first industrial arts program approved for a state teachers college in western Pennsylvania.


John Krupper ’90 is superintendent of the Shade-Central City School District, in Somerset County, Pa. He and Jamie Krupper live in Ligonier, Pa.

Dawn Whalen ’92, of Pittsburgh, Pa., is a senior implementation analyst for PNC Financial Services Group.

Dawn Hargraves ’95 is pastor of Brownsville (Pa.) First United Methodist Church/California Charge in the Monongahela Valley. She most recently served in extension ministry as the Washington District coordinator of Community-based Ministry and Racial Inclusion. She earned her bachelor’s degree in social work at Cal U.

Shannon Vail Higgins ’95, of Canonsburg, Pa., is a respiratory therapist for Allegheny Health Network. She majored in communication studies at Cal U.

Scott McNay ’95 is a real estate sales executive for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Florida Properties Group. He earned his degree in parks and recreation management at Cal U.

Michelle Hostal ’96, who majored in special education at Cal U, is a supervisor for WorkWell Inc., in Carnegie, Pa.

Dr. Sonja Greathouse Simpson ’98, ’99 earned a Doctor of Business Administration degree with a specialization in public administration from Northcentral

University. Sonja is deputy director at the Ohio Department of Transportation. She earned her bachelor’s degree in environmental science and her master’s degree in geography and regional planning at Cal U, where she was active in Alpha Kappa Alpha, Phi Sigma Pi and the choir. Sonja lives in Columbus, Ohio, with her husband of 17 years and three children.

00sRyan Astor ’01, of Elizabeth, Pa., is a regional relationship manager for ARM Institute. He majored in communication studies at Cal U.

Terri Fry ’01 is the administrative director for the operating room at John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital, in Buffalo, N.Y., through January 2018, ensuring a smooth transition to a new workspace for the facility. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Cal U.

Lori Pavlitsa Grant ’02 is the Pennsylvania Health Care Association’s 2017 Assisted Living/Personal Care Executive Director of the Year. Lori majored in communication studies at Cal U.

Nick Damico ’03 is lead support teacher for the California (Pa.) Area School District.

Wes Cates ’02, the all-time leading rusher in Cal U Vulcans football history, has been inducted into the Plaza of Honour for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football

League. Wes spent five seasons with the Roughriders and helped the franchise win the 2007 Grey Cup. He was inducted into the Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006, his first year of eligibility. At Cal U, he rushed for more than 1,600 yards as both a junior and senior and was named the 2001 PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Year after helping the Vulcans post their best record in 14 years.

Chris Dountas ’03 is assistant athletics director and equipment manager for Stanford University, in the state of California, where he oversees day-to-day equipment operations for 36 varsity programs. Chris majored in sport management at Cal U.

Heather Shaner ’03, of Clairton, Pa., is a revenue officer for the Internal Revenue Service. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Cal U, where she was in Theta Phi Alpha.

Gregory Cottrell ’04 is principal of North Hunterdon High School. Previously he was an assistant principal and technology education teacher at the school, located in Annandale, N.J.

Stephen Coode ’05, of King George, Va., works in history/archives for Marine Corps University, in Quantico, Va.

Richard Behun ’05, an assistant professor of counselor education at Marywood University, in Scranton, Pa., has been selected by the National Board of Certified Counselors Foundation as a featured volunteer. He has been an NBCC Foundation volunteer since 2014, serving as a reviewer for the military, rural and minority scholarship. He also was elected president of the Pennsylvania Counseling Association in 2018-2019.

Bryan Doo ’06 owns a company, VO2 breathe LLC, that uses technology and training to maximize athletic success. He earned his master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion from Cal U and was strength coach for the Boston Celtics of the NBA.

Anisa Mitchell Lucas-Grant ’06, a teacher at Chestnut Log Middle School, was a semifinalist for Douglas County (Ga.) Teacher of the Year. She earned her master’s degree in education from Cal U.

Brian Kohlhepp ’07 recently led law enforcement training seminars through Cal U’s Institute for Law and Public Policy, which offered the seminars in Upper Darby, Pa., for the first time this fall. The training sessions were well attended by law enforcement professionals from the greater Philadelphia area. Brian is a detective with the Ross Township (Pa.) Police Department, a temporary faculty member at Cal U and a graduate of the M.S. in Legal Studies program.

William Mincer ’08 was seeking re-election to the Lock Haven (Pa.) City Council.

Kristin Hultin Newton ’07 is assistant director of alumni relations and executive director of South Carolina Osteopathic Medical Society at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine – Carolinas. Kristin majored in athletic training at Cal U. She and Eric Newton live in Spartanburg, S.C.

Jason Burk ’09 is an e-learning instructor in the Department of Instructional Innovations for the United Network for Organ Sharing, with headquarters in Virginia.

10sJeffrey Dietz ’10 is vice president of the web and specialty press division for KBA North America. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Cal U.

Richard Hartz ’10 is a regional management and marketing support representative for Minuteman Press International. He earned his Cal U degree in graphic communications and multimedia.

Marc Stempka ’10, of Danville, Pa., is a digital content writer for Geisinger Health System.

Dr. Janet Koposko ’10 is an assistant professor of psychology at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, in Tifton, Ga.

Kelli Dellarose ’10 is the assistant principal at Ringgold Middle School in Washington County, Pa. She earned her master’s degree in secondary school administration from Cal U.


Dane Conwell ’11, who majored in business administration at Cal U, is a district manager in Ohio for Verizon.

Brandon Spayd ’11 is the strength coach/operations for the Navy men’s basketball team. He earned his Cal U master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion, with a concentration in performance enhancement and injury prevention.

Emily Ellis Marburger ’11 is a teacher in the Belle Vernon (Pa.) Area School District. She majored in technology education at Cal U, where she was active with the Technology Education Association of California. Emily and Casey Marburger ’10 live in Lawrence, Pa.

Andrew Woodley ’11 is sports information director at Bethany College, in West Virginia. He and Rachele Sanschagrin ’12 live in Canonsburg, Pa.

Maxine L. “Tish” Neiberg ’12 teaches anthropology and is an academic adviser at Community College of Allegheny County (Pa.). She studied forensic anthropology at Cal U, with a minor in criminal justice.

Tyler Rosser ’13 is head coach of the Ave Maria (Fla.) University women’s soccer program. He earned his master’s degree in sport management from Cal U.

Patriece Thompson ’13, who studied sport management, leadership and event planning at Cal U, is investor relations manager for the Allegheny Conference on Community Development.

Ashley Malec ’13, of Pittsburgh, Pa., is a teacher for Agora Cyber Charter School. She majored in secondary education at Cal U, where she was active with Delta Zeta, Phi Alpha Theta, Gamma Sigma Alpha, the History Club, and the National Society of Leadership and Success.

Kaitlynn Fratz ’15 is coordinator of recruiting operations for the University of Maryland women’s basketball team. She spent the past two years as a graduate assistant coach for Valdosta (Ga.) State University.

Joey Brown ’15 is the press secretary for U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster, of Pennsylvania. He was promoted from legislative correspondent.

Bill Naumoff ’15 is an event sales manager for Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania.

Brittany Kusniar ’15 is an employer relations specialist for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She studied meteorology at Cal U. She and Donald “D.J.” Jellison Jr. ’12, ’15 live in High Point, N.C.

Zack Noel ’15 works as a product manager for the TE Connectivity Team, formally known as Tyco Electronics. Previously, he worked for UTZ Quality Foods Inc. and Rising Sun Snacks Inc. Zack majored in business administration with a concentration in marketing at Cal U.

SUMMER IN CHINAAmy Burnett ’17 completed a summer 2017 internship in Xi’an, China, for Tophillus, a company that provides educational and career services between the United States and China. Amy, who graduated with a degree in Earth science, taught English to Chinese children and adults; she also participated in business activities such as marketing, developing contracts, developing business plans and interviewing prospective business partners. During her free time, she explored the city of Xi’an and honed her Chinese language skills. She also traveled to other cities, including Beijing and Huayin, where she hiked Mount Huashan.

IN THE SPIRIT OF JENNIE CARTER Blayre Holmes Davis ’12 (center) accepts the 2017 Jennie Carter Leadership Award during Family Day festivities in the Convocation Center courtyard. The award honors an alumnus who personifies the determination and spirit of Elizabeth ‘Jennie’ Adams Carter, Class of 1881, California’s first African-American graduate. Davis is director of community partnerships at Adagio Health, where she works to ensure that Pennsylvania’s rural residents have access to healthcare, education and nutrition. Presenting the award are William Carter, Jennie Carter’s great-grandson, and University President Geraldine M. Jones ’72, ’80.

PENGUINS FANSTom Hasbrouck ’06, ’09, Diane Hasbrouck and their son, Nolan, took a winning family portrait with the Stanley Cup, which was on display at the Convocation Center as part of the Kraft Hockeyville USA 2017 activities. Tom earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sport management at Cal U, and master’s degrees in sport management, and exercise science and health promotion, with a sport psychology concentration. He is the assistant director of Recreational Services at Cal U. Diane is director of the University’s Center for Volunteer Programs and Service Learning. Nolan was born in March 2017.


Adam Sheibley ’15 is the head men’s basketball coach at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College. He earned his master’s degree in sport management from Cal U.

Kelcie Smith ’14, ’16, of California, Pa., is a counselor with SPHS Behavioral Health. She earned her degrees in communication disorders and clinical mental health counseling.

A.J. Lamb ’16 is a senior exercise physiologist at Zarett Rehab and Fitness and an adjunct assistant professor of kinesiology at Holy Family University, both in Philadelphia. He earned his master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion from Cal U.

Natalya Smarra ’16 is an assistant coach for the Cal U softball team. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sport management with a minor in marketing.

Alex Jones ’17 is the head women’s soccer coach at Shepherd University, in West Virginia. He has a master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion with a concentration in performance enhancement and injury prevention from Cal U.

Gina Vaira ’16 participated in Miami University’s Earth Expeditions global field school course in Borneo as part of her master’s degree program. Gina, who earned a bachelor’s degree in biology at Cal U, studied primate denizens and developed new ways to engage communities in primate conservation.

Jeff Hauswirth ’16 has recorded a song, “Too Many Names,” available on music-download sites. Jeff says proceeds from the song will be donated to charities that assist military veterans. He is a U.S. Navy veteran and received his master’s degree in exercise science from Cal U.

Jeffrey Woomer ’15, of Downingtown, Pa., is a registered nurse.

Danielle Horner ’17 is a staff accountant at Barnes Saly & Co., P.C., Certified Public Accountants and Consultants. She will specialize in tax compliance and consulting, payroll services, QuickBooks support, controller services, compilations, and reviews and auditing. Danielle earned a degree in accounting and a minor in finance from Cal U.


Lindsey Vlasic ’06, ’16, of Monessen, Pa., is a probation officer for Westmoreland County, Pa. She earned her degrees in sport management and applied criminology. At Cal U she was a community assistant and secretary of the Sport Management Club.

Senior Airman Kayla Stapf ’17 is a member of the 171st Air Refueling Wing’s Force Support Squadron Fatality Search and Recover Team. Kayla, who has a degree in education, showed her creative side by painting a mural in the dining facility at her military base, near Pittsburgh, Pa.

Leah Glasbrenner ’17 is a special education teacher at Johnson Elementary School, part of the Montrose County (Colo.) School District. She majored in elementary and special education at Cal U, where she was a member of the Council for Exceptional Children.

Matthew Crater ’17 is the sixth-grade assistant principal at Haverford Middle School in Havertown, Pa. He earned his Cal U master’s degree in educational leadership with a concentration in administrative program for principals.

Lauren Williams ’17 is a registered nurse. She earned her master’s degree in nursing at Cal U and lives in Coraopolis, Pa.

Kersty Weaver ’17 is the athletic trainer at York Country Day School, York, Pa. She earned her master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion from Cal U.

Cara Scagline ’15, ’17 works in the Allegheny County (Pa.) Medical Examiner’s Office as a forensic accreditation specialist. She also assists forensic investigators. Cara earned her master’s degree in applied criminology and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology with a concentration in forensics. While at Cal U, she was a Community Assistant in Carter Hall.

ENGAGEMENTS

Shakir McCoy ’09 and Kayla Klimasko ’12 were married in June 2017. Shakir majored in sport management and was a member of the men’s soccer team that won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championship in 2008. Kayla majored in communication studies and was a member of the women’s soccer team that won the PSAC championship in 2011. Shakir and Kayla live in Fort Wayne, Ind. He works for CSL Plasma, and she works for Indiana University Purdue University of Fort Wayne.

Eliza Lewis ’17 and Stephen Maganzini were married in August 2017. Eliza, who earned her master’s degree in educational leadership, is a teacher and tennis coach in the North Pocono (Pa.) School District.

Haley Wallace ’16 and Ryan Steere were married in June 2016. Haley works as a supervisor for The Centre in Rolla, Mo. She majored in social science at Cal U.

Casey Bricker ’15 and Brendon Lamm were married in May 2017. The couple welcomed their son, Brendon Michael Lamm Jr., in August 2017. Casey works in the Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery department at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.

Jarrin Campman ’15 and Victoria Rainey were married in October 2017. Jarrin earned his master’s degree in sport management from Cal U. He works for Bucknell University as director of recreation services.

Devin Barto ’08 and Kristi Stoyko, both of Berks County, Pa., were married in September 2017. Devin, who majored in history, is an organic farmer, and Kristi is an artist.

BIRTHSara Kapsha-Benson ’12, ’15 and Randy Benson welcomed a son, Everett James Benson, in June 2017. Sara earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and her master’s degree

as a reading specialist. She works as a fifth- and sixth-grade language arts and social studies teacher at The Campus School of Carlow University, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

ANNIVERSARIES

Dr. Elwin Dickerson ’72, ’74, an emeritus professor from the Elementary/Early Childhood Education Department, has had his book, Understandings of the Power of Peace, published. After retiring from Cal U in 2005, Elwin taught at Mon Valley Bible Institute until 2008. He and Irene Rose Dickerson ’71, ’79, a retired elementary school teacher, live in Uniontown, Pa.

Dennis Alimena ’81 is the co-author of Harmonization: A New Way of Seeing, Being, and Doing. He earned his master’s degree in counseling psychology from Cal U. The book explores ways of solving common problems in complex organizations. Copies are available via online retailers.

Karl Lee ’82, ’84, of Rio Rancho, N.M., is the author of Awesome God, a compilation of thoughts and meditative ideas. This is his second book; Musing of an Old Man was published in 2007. He retired from the U.S. Army as an infantry first sergeant; he also is retired from Cal U, where he was an academic librarian.

Yoshi Endo ’13 contributed his expertise to Beyond Sightseeing: The Ultimate Guide to Japan, written by Samurai Joe Okada. Endo is a licensed translator and tour guide for travelers to Japan. He earned his master’s degree in exercise science from Cal U and has credentials as a public health specialist and a health and wellness coach. His section of the book addresses the topic of longevity in Japanese society.

Rebel DeVaughn ’10 has published Where Did the Sun Go?, a children’s book released by Dorrance Publishing Inc., of Pittsburgh, Pa. Rebel studied graphic arts at Cal U. Information about the book is available at www.dorrancepressroom.com or www.dorrancebookstore.com.

IN PRINT

Jody Durbin ’13 and Kris Kaczowski are engaged. Jody, who was a member of the soccer team and Alpha Sigma Tau, majored in criminal justice and works as a surveillance agent with Twin Rivers Casino, in Rhode Island. The wedding is set for fall 2018 at Whiteface in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Elizabeth Angell ’16 and Zachary Bittner are engaged. Elizabeth studied criminal justice at Cal U and works at Key Bank. They are planning an August 2018 wedding.

WEDDINGSMark Webber ’12 and Abby Johnson were married in September 2017. Mark is a sales consultant at DJD Medical Inc., in Canton, Ohio.

Jessica Pugh ’12, of Shanksville, Pa., and Brandon Berkey were married in September 2017. Jessica earned her bachelor’s degree in social work and works for Twin Lakes Center as she pursues a master’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.

Jamie Yancich ’07 and Jason Knizner were planning a November 2017 wedding. Jamie is a law librarian in Washington County, Pa.

Zachary Mickey ’14 and Stephanie Root were married in June 2017. Zachary earned his master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion from Cal U and is a quality management project coordinator at the Texana Center, in Rosenberg, Texas. The couple lives just outside of Houston.

Kathy Polakovsky Grosser ’94 and Nathan Grosser celebrated 20 years of marriage in July 2017.

John Glaneman ’92, ’02 and Helena Glaneman ’02 celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. John is vice president of sales for the John Rodgers Pittsburgh Division of Dale Carnegie. Helena is a licensed sales professional with Bottino Financial in Belle Vernon, Pa. They live in Eighty-Four, Pa., with their three children.

IN MEMORIAMShawna M. Affinito ’06

James Dean Bedillion ’66

William B. Burt ’74

Linda C. Byers ’61

Louise G. Cenedella ’66

Donald J. “DeDe” Ceroni ’74

Patricia D. “Diane” Roberts Cowsert ’72

John H. Donelson ’63, ’71

Robert Farquhar ’66

Ruth Elverna Webster Gee ’46

Jason D. Korintus ’93

Dr. Robert T. “Bob” Little ’66, math and computer science professor and former associate dean of arts and sciences at Cal U

Stephen Robert “Steve” Matta Jr. ’70

Florence Scarsellato Matyuf ’75

Megan E. McMillen ’09

Dr. George F. Palmer Jr. ’72

Dr. Louis Razzano ’54

Loren Sims ’98

Edmund A. Slampak ’73

Christian D. Stewart ’97

Paul Timashenka ’50

Dr. Paul David Williams ’66, retired emeritus professor of mathematics at Cal U

Eric Alan Wood ’74

William P. “Billy” Yagnich,* paint foreman at Cal U

*No class year available or on file


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Send your Milestones news or address changes by email to [email protected], by fax to 724-938-5932, or by mail to Office of Alumni Relations, California University of Pennsylvania, 250 University Ave., Box 89, California, PA 15419.

Information will be published as space and deadlines allow. Please indicate on another sheet what activities or sports you participated in while you were a student. We welcome high-resolution electronic photographs. Please email images to [email protected]; put the words “Milestones photo” on the subject line of your email, and be sure to tell us your name, year of graduation and the identity of everyone in the picture. Please do not send computer printouts or low-resolution digital photos, as they will not reproduce well in this magazine.

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MASTER YOUR FUTUREIt all starts with a graduate degree from California University of Pennsylvania.Our Graduate Studies and Global Online programs are designed to provide the education you need to boost your career, or jumpstart a new one.

You decide what fits your schedule, your educational goals and your career aspirations. Choose from several options.

calu.edu/grad

Our ACCELERATED DEGREE programs allow you to complete your master’s degrees in less time.

Consider earning STACKABLE CREDENTIALS, where you can incorporate an online certificate to complement your graduate degree program.

Our DUAL DEGREE and DUAL CONCENTRATION programs allow you to pursue two programs at once so you can create a career path that is customized to your needs and industry demand.

Our FINISH LINE degree completion initiative allows you to seamlessly transfer credits and prior work experience to shorten your time to graduation.

GET A TAX DEDUCTION.MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Would you like to make an end-of-year donation to Cal U? And receive a tax deduction?

Did you know that all donations to Cal U are 100% tax deductible?

At this time of year, we all are looking for additional deductions to include in our yearly tax returns. Donating to a scholarship fund at Cal U is a great way to help our students pursue their dreams of earning a college degree while also providing you with a tax deduction.

Your gift to Cal U can be applied to an existing scholarship fund for an affinity group, your fraternity, sorority or major. It can be used to establish your own named scholarship fund. Or it can support an academic department or our student-athletes.

Today’s students are just like you were — hard-working and dedicated to their studies. Your support will help to shape the future of Cal U and make a difference in their lives.

You can mail your gift in the pre-addressed envelope found in this magazine. To give online, visit www.calu.edu/giving and click on “Make your online gift today.”

For more information on how to maximize the impact of your donation to Cal U, please contact the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at 724-938-5775, or email Tony Mauro, associate vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, at [email protected].

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Family DayFreshman Amaya Rogers, a criminal justice major from Mount Union, Pa., plays with her little brother Kaison, 3, at the Emeriti Fountain. The siblings visited on Family Day, an annual opportunity for students to share campus activities with their family members.

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