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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
STANISLAUS

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CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
STANISLAUS
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May 15, 2008
What:
Turlock HEAD Start Kids & Parents Learn Fitness
Tips With CSU Stanislaus Varsity Basketball Team.
When: Friday, May
16, 2008, 10 a.m. to Noon at the Pergola Meadows on
the
CSU Campus by the Student Dormitories.
Turlock – (May 14, 2008) The
Office of Service Learning at California State University,
Stanislaus is partnering with Head Basketball Coach
Keith Larsen and his Varsity Basketball students to
co-sponsor a sports fitness clinic for 3 to 5 year old
students and their parents enrolled in the Turlock Head
Start program.
Head Start students from Crane Elementary,
Cunningham Elementary, Wakefield Elementary and Osborn
Elementary will learn how to stay healthy through fun
sports-related activities. The track field will be transformed
into different sport “stations” for activities
such as Dodgeball, Soccer, and Kickball. Under the direction
of Coach Larsen, CSU Students, interested in fitness
education and health, will be teaching younger students
sports related activities and information on healthy
eating habits. The young students and their parents
will also receive information for healthy food menus
along the way. Coach Larsen will also be sharing age
appropriate activities and positive ways to encourage
children and their parents to adopt and maintain a healthy,
active lifestyle.
This fun and educational event will
take place at the CSU Stanislaus at Pergola Meadows
near the student dormitories on Friday, May 16, from
10 a.m. to noon. Entry to the campus is off Geer Road
at Calaveras Way. |
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| May 15, 2008
CSU Stanislaus
to receive $1 million endowment for community college
scholarships
TURLOCK - (May 14, 2008) California State University,
Stanislaus will receive $1 million as its share of a
generous gift to the CSU system from the Bernard Osher
Foundation for community college transfer student scholarship
programs.
The San Francisco-based Bernard Osher Foundation has
committed to donate $16 million to support endowed scholarships
for California community college students transferring
to 15 CSU campuses as part of the foundation’s
overall $70 million private donation to the state’s
community college system. CSU Stanislaus will receive
a $1 million endowment to provide $2,500 individual
scholarships to 20 community college transfer students
each year who can use the funds for fees, books, or
living expenses.
With 43.9 percent of the students at CSU Stanislaus
having transferred from state community colleges, University
President Hamid Shirvani said the new scholarship funding
will come as a welcome addition to the financial aid
program.
“These scholarships will open new doors of opportunity
for many community college students who might not otherwise
be able to afford to pay their own way in college,”
Shirvani said. “Since they will be awarded annually,
the scholarships will help deserving students who are
committed to continue their education and earn four-year
degrees at CSU Stanislaus.”
Of the 997 students who transferred to CSU Stanislaus
from community colleges in Fall 2007, 823 were from
two-year colleges in California.
The Osher Foundation was founded in 1977 by Bernard
Osher, a respected businessman and community leader
in San Francisco. The Foundation seeks to improve quality
of life through support for higher education and the
arts. A special focus of post-secondary scholarship
funding to colleges and universities is on financial
assistance for students who are re-entering the education
system later in life. |
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May 15, 2008
Geography students
to present Airport Community improvement data on May
19
TURLOCK - (May 14, 2008) Dr. Jennifer
Helzer, an Associate Professor of Geography in the College
of Humanities and Social Sciences at California State
University, Stanislaus and students in her urban geography
course have been conducting an innovative and groundbreaking
project with the Modesto Airport Community in an effort
to help residents improve the quality of life in their
neighborhood. The students will present their findings
during a community meeting at the Airport Neighbors
United, Inc. facility, 205 S. Santa Cruz Ave., in Modesto
on Monday, May 19, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Helzer and her students are working
with Airport Neighbors United, Inc., and Habitat for
Humanity in Stanislaus County to develop an “Asset
Map” of the region that highlights the challenges
faced by residents there and improvements that are needed.
Inadequate local transportation that impacts the ability
of residents to attend school and to access commercial
services for fresh and healthy food choices has been
identified a major issue.
The mapping efforts of the area by
students to be presented will serve as supportive data
for neighborhood representatives to request improvements
at city and county government levels.
Helzer’s students recently presented
their work at the 62nd Annual Conference of the California
Geographical Society at CSU Chico.
For more information, please call Jennifer Helzer at
(209) 667-3010, or Julie Fox, Office of Service Learning,
CSU Stanislaus, at (209) 667-3311.
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May 13, 2008
Shirvani returns
from 10 days of service with the Order of Malta in Lourdes,
France
Turlock -- Dr. Hamid Shirvani, President
of California State University, Stanislaus returned
home last week after spending 10 days in Lourdes, France,
serving the poor and the sick as a member of the Roman
Catholic Church’s Order of Malta. Shirvani, who
is a Knight of Holy Sepulchre, has been nominated to
be invested as a Knight of Malta next year.
“It is a distinct honor to have
been nominated to such a rank,” said Shirvani.
“My trip to Lourdes was the most humbling experience,
and I am truly blessed to have been chosen to serve.”
Several leaders of the Roman Catholic
Church in the Central Valley commended Shirvani for
his involvement in the Order of Malta Lourdes Pilgrimage.
“I was delighted to learn that
Dr. Shirvani had the opportunity to accompany the Knights
of Malta to Lourdes,” said Stephen E. Blaire,
Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Stockton. “Each
year, the Knights of Malta bring those who have serious
illnesses and are poor to Lourdes in France. Not necessarily
everyone who goes is cured of their illness, but almost
everyone who comes home is spiritually healed and strengthened.”
Father Joseph Illo of St. Joseph’s
Catholic Church in Modesto said, “I find it most
impressive that the University president would spend
more than a week in service to the infirmed because
the healings – both emotional and physical –
in Lourdes are evident, and his service to the infirmed
is much appreciated.”
The 32nd annual Western Association
Order of Malta Lourdes Pilgrimage took place April 29
– May 7 and served 50 people with serious medical
conditions. Those who participated in this year’s
pilgrimage, including Shirvani, had the opportunity
to participate in the 150th anniversary of “Our
Lady’s Apparitions to Bernadette Soubirous,”
the saint who met with the Virgin Mary through visions
at 16 years of age.
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The Order of Malta’s principles
are summarized in the motto “Tuitio Fidei et Obsequium
Pauperum”, defense of the Faith and assistance
to the poor and the suffering, which is demonstrated
by the voluntary humanitarian work of the Order’s
Dames and Knights in over 120 countries.
For more information on the Order of
Malta and the 2008 pilgrimage to Lourdes, visit http://www.orderofmaltausawestern.org/index.htm.
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May 9, 2008
Student film
project featuring CSU Stanislaus professor showing May
13
TURLOCK - (May 8, 2008) A documentary
film project by a Lodi High School video production
class on issues such as racism, teen drug abuse, and
campus cliques that includes commentary by California
State University, Stanislaus History Professor Samuel
Regalado will make its debut at the University on Tuesday,
May 13.
Admission is free and open to the public
for the 6 p.m. film preview in the Student Lounge of
the CSU Stanislaus Student Union. Regalado, who served
in an advisory role to the student group, will lead
a panel discussion after the film is shown at CSU Stanislaus.
Titled “Finding Our Own Way:
Teens in Lodi,” the film is made from a teen’s
point of view with an authentic teen voice, according
to Jerry Pike, a Lodi High School teacher who served
as project leader. Pike said Regalado was called upon
to be the project’s humanities adviser.
“He was particularly important
in providing the teens with a historical context for
their topics, especially to the group that made the
video about racism,” Pike said.
Lodi High School received a $300,000
grant last June from the California Council for the
Humanities to conduct the year-long project. It is one
of eight funded by the Council to enable young people
to make films about what matters in their lives and
communities. With the exception of Regalado’s
commentary filmed at CSU Stanislaus, the students conducted
their interviews in Lodi with elected officials and
experts on drug and alcohol abuse.
The film is also being shown at Lodi
Stadium Cinemas on Saturday, May 17, from 9 to 11 a.m.
For more information, contact Lodi
High School teacher Jerry Pike at (209) 367-4834 or
Maura Hurley of the California Council for the Humanities
at (415) 391-1474, ext. 308.
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May 8, 2008
Three
CSU Stanislaus students claim Warrior Book Contest prizes
TURLOCK - (May 7, 2008) Three California
State University, Stanislaus students will be awarded
Warrior Book Collection Contest cash prizes on Friday
for eloquent reports on their favorite series of books.
C. Anne Engert, an English major from
Oakdale, will claim the $300 first place prize for her
report on what she describes as the “New Me”
collection. Second place prize of $200 goes to English
major Maria K. Gasaway of Atwater for her paper on her
Swiss Family Robinson collection and History major Abby
Peretz of Merced will receive the $100 third place award
for an essay about her fantasy literature collection.
The University Library will present
the winners with their awards at 11 a.m. on Friday,
May 9 in the second floor foyer of the Vasche Library
Building. Carolyn Stefanco, Dean of the College of Humanities
& Social Sciences, will make the presentations.
Engert said her collection served as
a catalyst that helped transform her life. Following
a break from her religious tradition, she delved into
once forbidden works that explored psychology, mind
control, loyalty, disclosure, and various worldviews.
Her readings also included an exploration of fictional
works detailing the structures of highly controlled,
oppressive cultures. Engert said the books embody a
search for self-knowledge, each shedding light on “some
corner of the human experience that I needed to see
when I reached a terrible and thrilling crossroads in
my life.”
Gasaway said the Swiss Family Robinson
adventures capture her imagination and curiosity with
each change discovered in a particular version. Describing
her love of books, Gasaway recalled the exhilaration
that she felt when, as a third-grader, she was told
that she could check out anything she wanted from the
library and enjoying the “tickle-your-nose smell
of a real library book.”
Peretz noted that her collection of
fantasy literature began as a medium for distancing
herself from what she described as the restrictive values
of her parents. It has since become a bridge that provides
a new connection between her and her own child, she
pointed out in her essay. “As she begins to conquer
my collection I hope, above all else, that she will
pick up the messages hidden within the lines of so many
of these books: doing what is right is not always easy,
heroes can be found in the most unlikely places, and
even grown-ups can imagine,” Peretz said in her
essay.
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May 8. 2008
Dhaliwal, Wing
capture firsts at CSU Student Research Competition
TURLOCK - (May 7, 2008) – A pair
of California State University, Stanislaus students,
one of them presenting on the use of soil analysis to
locate historic military fort sites and the other making
a report that demonstrated the positive academic impact
of music education on young students, captured first
place honors in the May 2 and 3 CSU Student Research
Competition.
Muninder Dhaliwal, a Psychology major
from Turlock, and Kristina Wing, an Education graduate
student from Turlock, came home with first place prizes
from the systemwide competition held at CSU East Bay
in Hayward.
Dhaliwal, mentored by Chemistry Professor
Claudia Brackett, won the Behavioral and Social Sciences
undergraduate division to top 10 other competitors with
her talk titled "The Curious Tale of the Two Misplaced
Forts: A Soil Investigation by X-Ray Fluorescence."
In her talk, Dhaliwal talked about how new portable
X-ray fluorescent technology was used to analyze soil
in Arizona to locate the former sites of a pair of military
forts once occupied by American and Mexican military
forces.
Wing, mentored by Teacher Education
Professor Dennis Sayers, won the Education Graduate/Undergraduate
division in a field of 11 competitors with a presentation
titled "The Impact of Participation in Music Education
on the Academic Achievement of Fifth- and Sixth-Grade
Students." In her presentation which was compiled
as part of her master’s degree thesis, Wing demonstrated
her findings with comparative data from the California
Standards Test results. Her research revealed that elementary
school students in the Ceres School District who participate
in regular curriculum music programs outscore those
who take part in alternative physical education classes.
Dhaliwal and Wing were joined by 10
other CSU Stanislaus students who qualified for the
CSU competition at the University’s March 5 Student
Research Competition.
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May 7, 2008
PUBLIC SERVICE
ANNOUNCEMENT
Topic: Summer Mathematics and Science
Academy
Date and Time: June 15 through July
3, 2008
Location: California State University,
Stanislaus, One University Circle, Turlock, CA
Information: Contact Rita Glynn in
the CSU Stanislaus, College of Natural Sciences, (209)
664-6931 or RGlynn@csustan.edu
Turlock -- CSU Stanislaus encourages graduating high
school seniors and transferring community college students
to apply for participation in the Summer Mathematics
and Science Academy scheduled for June 15 through July
3, 2008. This program explores mathematics and its application
to other sciences such as biology, chemistry and physics.
The Academy provides an excellent introduction to coursework
at the University and to the use of the information
learned in the working world.
Scholarship opportunities to participate in a Summer
Mathematics and Science Academy at California State
University, Stanislaus are being offered to area graduating
high school seniors and college students who have faced
or face social, educational, or economic barriers to
careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM). Eligible students receive room, board and meals
on the CSU Stanislaus campus during the program.
Student participants also receive a $600 stipend or
$575 + TI-84 graphing calculator for attending Monday
through Friday classes, laboratories and activities
that focus on helping them excel in science and mathematics
fields. Participants must be an intended science or
math major to qualify. Participants continuing at CSU
Stanislaus can earn stipends for academic year enrichment
workshops and internships as well.
Application deadline is May 23, 2008.
A description of the program, eligibility requirements,
an application and recommendation forms are available
at: http://web.csustan.edu/math/AMP.html
Contact Rita Glynn at (209) 664-6931 or RGlynn@csustan.edu
for further information. |
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May 6, 2008
University grad
Jacob McDougal named Director of Alumni & Annual
Giving
TURLOCK - (May 5, 2008) California
State University, Stanislaus graduate Jacob McDougal
has returned to his alma mater to become Director of
Alumni Relations and Annual Giving.
Susana Gajic-Bruyea, Vice President
for University Advancement, announced McDougal's appointment,
effective May 5. As CSU Stanislaus prepares to celebrate
its 50th anniversary, he will work closely with the
University's Alumni Council, Alumni Donor Society, and
the community to increase the level of engagement with
CSU Stanislaus alumni through annual giving and other
special support programs as well as special events.
"Jacob McDougal will be a great
addition to our University Advancement team," Gajic-Bruyea
said. "He is an outstanding graduate of California
State University, Stanislaus who has gained excellent
experience at non-profit organizations conducting special
events and fund-raising. He will be a great asset in
building alumni programs and generating enthusiasm and
support for the University."
A 2004 graduate of CSU Stanislaus with
a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Studies and
a Dean's List achiever his last two years at the University,
McDougal has been Director of Special Events with the
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Mission, Kansas, since
September 2005. Participation, revenue, and volunteer
assistance increased significantly during his tenure
with the Foundation, and he orchestrated formation of
a number of community partnerships.
"It is an honor to accept the
position of Director of Alumni Relations and Annual
Giving for CSU Stanislaus," said McDougal, who
is a founding member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity at
CSU Stanislaus. "I am excited about the challenges
ahead and eager to engage the alumni community and to
build key relationships within the Central Valley communities."
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Prior to working for the Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation after graduating from CSU Stanislaus, McDougal
served as logistics manager for the Special Olympics
in North Carolina where he enjoyed similar success with
special events, volunteer networks, and fund-raising.
He was lead event manager for Stanford University's
Athletic Department for five years before turning his
focus to earning a college degree. McDougal said he
chose to attend CSU Stanislaus because “of its
small class sizes and community feel.” |
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May 1, 2008
Agricultural
Studies Chair Mark Bender receives top state FFA honor
TURLOCK - (April 30, 2008) Dr. Mark
Bender, Agricultural Studies Department Chair at California
State University, Stanislaus, was recently awarded the
Honorary California State Future Farmers of America
(FFA) Degree at the 2008 California FFA Conference in
Fresno.
As the recipient of the highest award
bestowed by the California State FFA Association on
April 19, Bender was recognized for his lifelong work
with high school agriculture students and the FFA, as
well as his statewide efforts for agricultural education
at both the secondary and post-secondary levels. He
has more than 36 years of service in agricultural education,
including seven years at CSU Stanislaus as Founding
Chair of the Agricultural Studies Department in the
College of Humanities and Social Sciences, and was one
of only three selected for the statewide honor this
year.
"This honor is especially moving
because it recognizes lifelong achievement and service
to the FFA and is the highest degree bestowed by the
California Association FFA," Bender said. "As
I have dedicated my life to teaching agriculture and
serving young people in high school, community college
and university, as well as 4-H, FFA, and community organizations,
it is truly an honor to have that effort recognized."
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Bender was one of 20 faculty from all over the country
recognized in June 2007 in Washington, D.C., as an E.
(Kikda) de la Garza Fellow in the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's (USDA's) Hispanic-Serving Institutions
National Program (HSINP).
The California Association FFA has a membership of
more than 60,000 students and is part of the National
FFA, one of the largest youth organizations in the world.
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May 1, 2008
Grads, faculty
invited to May 9 Human and Health Sciences departments
reunion
TURLOCK - (April 30, 2008) Alumni and
former faculty of the California State University, Stanislaus
Departments of Nursing, Psychology/Child Development,
and Social Work are invited to attend the first College
of Human and Health Sciences Reunion Reception on Friday,
May 9. The program is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the
John Stuart Rogers Faculty Development Center.
Refreshments, including wine and hors
d'oeuvres, will be served and there will be live jazz
music, along with short presentations by current CSU
Stanislaus faculty who will talk about their research.
Admission is free but people who plan to attend are
asked to RSVP at (209) 667-3155 or by e-mail to chhs@csustan.edu.
College of Human and Health Sciences
Dean Gary Novak said the program should provide a great
opportunity to renew acquaintances and do some networking
with fellow graduates. Many of our students occupy professional
positions in human and health services throughout the
region. More than 5,000 students have earned undergraduate
and graduate degrees in the College's respective departments
during the nearly 50-year history of CSU Stanislaus.
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April 29, 2008
Teacher Education Professors
author book titled "Writing to Heal from Rape"
Turlock -- (Feb. 27, 2008) California State University,
Stanislaus Teacher Education Professors Dr. Brenda Betts
and Dr. Pamela Russ are the authors of a new book that
focuses on helping rape victims recover through writing.
Titled "Writing to Heal from Rape," the book
is described by the authors as a practical guide for
women recovering from rape, as well as their friends,
families, and counselors. It is also designed for use
in college courses, workshops, and conferences to educate
professionals and the public about rape and recovery.
Betts and Russ are Co-Directors of the Healing Ourselves
Project which is designed to help women who are recovering
from rape through their writing workshops. They combined
their knowledge and skills as writers, teachers, and
advocates for women and their families to create the
unique book with interactive and dynamic writing activities
to facilitate the healing process. The authors point
out that rape is a topic that many people avoid talking
about because they feel uncomfortable and embarrassed.
However, Betts and Russ feel strongly that fear and
silence give power to the rapists.
"Talking and writing are tools to empower women
and to help them recover from trauma," Betts said.
"Women and their families desperately need advocacy,
compassion, and understanding. The purpose of our book
is to help women, their families, and friends understand
that they are not alone and to show them that women
can recover from this devastating experience. Women
need to realize they are rape survivors."
Betts and Russ note that writing can be an effective
strategy for healing from trauma. The book includes
a collection of powerful and revealing stories written
by victims of rape, women who reveal intimate details
of their individual struggles to transform themselves
from rape victims to rape survivors.
The book also includes a history of rape in the United
States, a case study, teaching strategies, writing activities,
poetry, and resources to support the journey toward
understanding and healing.
More information on the book and the "Healing
Ourselves Project" conducted by Betts and Russ
is available on their website at www.healingourselvesproject.com
or by calling Betts at (209) 667-3793.
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April 29, 2008
Executive MBA
program cohort gets under way in Stockton
TURLOCK - (April 28, 2008) Following
a successful debut in Tracy, California State University,
Stanislaus has launched its second cohort of the Executive
Master of Business Administration degree program in
Stockton.
Focusing on producing well-trained
management professionals who are highly sought after
by regional industries and organizations, the program
welcomed 29 students during its inaugural April 20 session
at Old Republic Title Company in Stockton which is partnering
with CSU Stanislaus, Grupe Commercial Co., and Partners
Real Estate to co-sponsor the program.
"What's really exciting about
this cohort is that they come from diverse professional
fields such as engineering and health care providers,
and from different regions, including the Bay Area,
Merced, and Stanislaus County," said Dr. Ashour
Badal, EMBA Senior Associate Director and a member of
the CSU Stanislaus College of Business Administration
faculty. "A number of our students from the Tracy
cohort which started last August were at Saturday's
opening session in Stockton, and they had some really
positive comments about the program. We are off to a
great start."
A third cohort of EMBA sessions is
scheduled to start up in Turlock on August 23.
The 15-month, 36-unit program offers
an aggregate of courses in the University's Accounting
& Finance and Management, Operations & Marketing
departments. Classes in Stockton run all day Saturdays
on seven of the nine-week instruction periods. Students
participate in online instruction the other two weeks,
which gives them the opportunity to tend to other business
on those weekends. An important component of the class
draws on the experiences of participating students and
how to apply that information to problem solutions.
For more information on the EMBA program,
call (209) 667-3288 or visit the website at www.csustanEMBA.com.
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April 24, 2008
Economics Professor
Eric Houk cited for outstanding achievement
TURLOCK - (April 21, 2008) - Economics
Professor Eric Houk has been named recipient of the
Elizabeth Anne B. Papageorge Faculty Development Award
at California State University, Stanislaus. The award
recognizes and encourages outstanding achievement by
faculty members who are early in their careers at CSU
Stanislaus.
Houk is commended for his commitment
to engaging and effective teaching, his scholarly record,
and his considerable and involvement in service to both
the institution and the region, noted William A. Covino,
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.
"My philosophy of teaching is
to provide a classroom environment that encourages student
participation, appreciates student diversity, and inspires
students to continue learning outside of the classroom,"
Houk said.
Since coming to CSU Stanislaus in 2003
from Colorado State University where he earned his Ph.D.
in Agricultural & Resource Economics, Agricultural
Production & Finance, Houk has been an active member
of the faculty. He received College Junior Faculty Awards
in 2005 and 2007.
Houk participated as a research associate
in a Center for Public Policy Studies study on the City
of Turlock's water demand and conservation issues and
is involved in a pair of grant-funded projects -- one
titled "Preparing Underrepresented Students for
Careers in Agriculture through Recruitment, Experiential
Learning, and Community Service" and the other
a "Campus and Community Sustainability Program"
that is focusing on global learning in the colleges
issues.
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As an active member of the University
faculty, Houk serves as Co-Advisor of the University's
Economics Club and spearheaded the establishment of
an international economics honor society at CSU Stanislaus.
His extensive research activities have included participation
in a number of programs and organizations at the state
and national level.
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April 24, 2008
Townsend to be
honored, actors performing at Friday Phi Kappa Phi program
TURLOCK - (April 23, 2008) The Phi
Kappa Phi (PKP) academic honor society chapter at California
State University, Stanislaus will present a special
award to Townsend Opera Players Director Erik Buck Townsend,
a pair of actors will team up with a University History
professor for an on-stage performance, and new members
will be inducted this Friday, April 25.
The annual initiation program activities
will open with a 3 p.m. reading of the Lee Blessing
play "A Walk in the Woods" in the University's
Studio Theatre by Los Angeles actor David Razowsky and
CSU Stanislaus Professor of Theatre John Mayer. They
will be joined by special faculty guest Samuel Regalado
of the History Department during the performance that
touches on Cold War negotiations and friendship. The
performance is open to the public and admission is free.
At Friday's 7 p.m. program in the CSU
Stanislaus Dining Hall, Townsend will be recognized
for his artistic contributions to the Central Valley,
and 36 CSU Stanislaus students will be initiated as
new Phi Kappa Phi members. Phi Kappa Phi is the nation's
oldest, largest, and most selective all-discipline honor
society.
Townsend is the Founding and Artistic
Director of Townsend Opera Players in Modesto where
he has produced 74 full operas during a long and successful
career as a singer, actor, director, and teacher. A
Modesto native, Townsend has performed more than 40
leading roles and a large selection of concert songs,
oratorios, and orchestral works in seven languages all
over the U.S. and Europe.
Townsend has received a number of honors,
including the prestigious Stanislaus Arts Commission
Lifetime Achievement in Arts Award and the Modesto Area
Music Association Lifetime Achievement in Music Award.
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April 24, 2008
Guatemalan
forest expert to speak on resource management plans
TURLOCK - (April 23, 2008) Apoliniario
Cordova of a Guatemalan organization called The Association
of Forest Communities in the Petén which has
implemented a successful natural resources management
plan will speak at California State University, Stanislaus
on Thursday, April 24.
The program sponsored by the College
of Humanities and Social Science's Council for Sustainable
Futures is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the University's
South Dining Hall. Admission is free and open to the
public.
Cordova will talk about the successful
land use negotiations with the Guatemalan government
that gave local communities there the right to have
managed access to the forests. Until recently the Guatemalan
government policy strictly enforced conservation of
forests within the Maya Biosphere Reserve and denied
local communities access to the forests they had relied
on in the past. His presentation will focus on the development
of community forest management plans that led to sustainable
development in the region and the challenges posed in
conserving the forests.
Cordova's organization works directly
with communities, conducting training in community development
and forest management that allow for sustainable use
of the resources.
The College of Humanities and Social
Science, Council for Sustainable Futures, is devoted
to teaching, outreach, and research sustainability.
Cordova's lecture is part of the Campus and Sustainability
Program funded by a grant through the CSU Stanislaus
Office of the Provost and Office of International Education
through the U.S. Department of Education's Global Learning
in the Colleges Project. |
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| April 24, 2008
CSU Stanislaus
joins Federal Network of Cooperative Ecosystem Studies
Units
TURLOCK - (April 22, 2008) - California
State University, Stanislaus has been accepted as a
new member of the Californian Cooperative Ecosystem
Studies Unit (Californian CESU), part of a national
network of federal agencies and partnering institutions
that work collaboratively on ecosystem and resources
management issues.
The University joins seven other CSU
campuses, nine University of California campuses, and
nine federal agencies in the Californian CESU —
one of 17 regional cooperatives in the CESU national
network — to provide research, technical assistance,
and education in addressing natural and cultural issues
in an environmental/ecosystem context.
"Modern science is a collective
and collaborative enterprise," said Patrick Kelly,
Professor of Zoology and Coordinator of the CSU Stanislaus
Endangered Species Recovery Program who helped bring
about the University's admission to the Californian
CESU. "Membership increases our potential for expanded
collaboration not only with federal partners in the
CESU network, but also with our own faculty, departments,
colleges, and administration, and with other institutions."
Kelly said that membership in the Californian
CESU should prove especially beneficial in providing
CSU Stanislaus with streamlined processes to pursue
collaborative opportunities and grant programs for a
great variety of ecosystem issues and interests spanning
the natural and social sciences. He emphasized that
the study of ecosystems involves a lot more than studying
plants, animals, and biological or physical processes.
“Today, understanding the human
dimension is the most important element in how we manage
and conserve our ecosystems,” Kelly said.
For more information on the CESU, see
the following websites -- http://nature.berkeley.edu/cesu
and www.cesu.psu.edu.
More information on the University's Endangered Species
Recovery Program is at http://esrp.csustan.edu.
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April 21, 2008
CSU Stanislaus
History students sweep Northern California Conference
awards
TURLOCK - (April 18, 2008) Three California
State University, Stanislaus History Department students
from the College of Humanities and Social Sciences swept
top honors at the April 11-12 Northern California Regional
International History Honor Society Conference at CSU
Chico.
Three of the seven CSU Stanislaus students
who participated swept the top three awards in the Graduate
Student category of the Phi Alpha Theta Conference essay
competition that included students from the California
State University system Northern California campuses,
UC Berkeley, UC Davis, Santa Clara University, the University
of the Pacific, and a number of other private universities
and colleges.
CSU Stanislaus student Aerynn Dighton
of Turlock won the graduate competition with a research
paper and presentation titled "Portraiture as Propaganda:
Color and Elizabethan Iconography." Grant Louis
Ashley of Stockton was second with "Charley Bates:
One of Stockton, California's Slaves," and Therese
Lunt of Waterford was third with "International
Collusion: The Creation of Stateless People in the Japanese
Internment Camps." Dighton has been invited to
present her paper at the prestigious Pacific Coast Branch
of the American Historical Association (AHA) conference
this summer.
Other CSU Stanislaus students who presented
their research papers and won high acclaim from their
panel chairs were Rae Ann Tourville-Nelson of Stockton;
Doug Scott Gilbert and Paul Muncy, both of Modesto;
and Victoria Gottlieb of Merced. Student competitors
were judged on their writing, research, and oral presentation
criteria. Dr. Samuel Regalado, History Department Chair,
said that the students' success came about through a
combination of hard work and dedication to their studies
and department discipline as well as dedicated teaching
and mentoring by faculty, particularly Dr. Phillip Garone,
Phi Alpha Theta adviser.
"The high quality of writing and
research exhibited by the Phi Alpha Theta students is
in step with the rigid standards of the Department of
History itself; whose faculty mentor by example, as
seen through their own nationally recognized scholarship
in the form of books, articles, and public participation
in the discipline of history," Regalado said. |
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April 18, 2008
History
Professor Samuel Regalado to appear on PBS show "American
Experience"

TURLOCK - (April 17, 2008) - California
State University, Stanislaus History Professor Samuel
Regalado, recognized for his expertise on the impact
of Latin baseball players in American professional baseball,
will make an appearance on an April 21 national public
television special about the late Roberto Clemente.
Regalado will be interviewed during
the nationally televised American Experience program
"Roberto Clemente" on Public Broadcasting
Stations (PBS). Locally, the program will air at 9 p.m.
Monday, April 21 on KVIE Channel 6 in Sacramento.
A member of the CSU Stanislaus faculty
for 21 years, Regalado has appeared in a number of national
television specials and was designated a Smithsonian
Faculty Fellow in 1994. He recently released the third
edition of his popular book titled "Viva Baseball:
Latin Major Leaguers and their Special Hunger."
In addition to being interviewed during
the program, Regalado served as academic adviser for
Monday's documentary film that was produced by award-winning
writer and filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz for WGBH Public TV
in Boston.
The program reveals that Clemente,
who died on New Year's Eve 1972 when the cargo plane
he was aboard crashed while flying relief supplies to
earthquake victims in Nicaragua, was more than an exceptional
baseball player. The 37-year-old Puerto Rico native,
who had established a special relief fund for the earthquake
victims, was a committed humanitarian who challenged
racial discrimination and worked for social justice.
During his 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh
Pirates, Clemente led the team to a pair of World Series
championships, won four National League batting titles,
had 3,000 career hits, received the Most Valuable Player
Award, and earned 12 Gold Gloves. |
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|
April 18, 2008
UC Davis dinosaur
expert will step in as keynote speaker at state conference
TURLOCK - (April 17, 2008) Ryosuke
Motani, a UC Davis expert on the shapes of dinosaurs
and other prehistoric creatures, will step in as the
featured speaker on Saturday, April 19 as California
State University, Stanislaus hosts a gathering of scientists
called California Paleontology (or Cal Paleo) for the
first time ever.
Motani is filling in for scheduled
keynote speaker, renowned Canadian paleontologist and
"Dinosaur Planet" TV show host Scott Sampson
who had to cancel on Tuesday night after his mother
suffered a stroke. The all-day program is scheduled
for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the new Hashem and Nora Naraghi
Hall of Science, with Motani's keynote address opening
the event in Room 101. The program is open and free
to the general public. The Physics, Physical Sciences,
Geology, and Biology Departments and the College of
Natural Sciences are co-sponsoring the program along
with the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs,
University Advancement, and the University Paleo Club.
The research presentations will include
talks and posters on dinosaurs, giant alligators from
Texas, ancient birds from China, mammoths from the Central
Valley of California, and other topics. CSU Stanislaus
faculty members Dr. Julia Sankey and Dr. Terry Jones
are organizing the event. They are also advisors to
the University's new Paleo Club, which will help run
the event.
Sankey has led paleontological expeditions
in the Western United States, has participated in digs
in Canada and Mongolia, and has made some significant
dinosaur discoveries. Jones uses modern animals and
the fossil record to reconstruct the biology of extinct
groups, including dinosaurs and their relatives.
Motani, a Geology Department faculty
member at UC Davis, conducts physics-based research
that focuses on the evolution of animal shapes, such
as what made tunas, lamnid sharks, cetaceans, and ichthyosaurs
all look similar in silhouette and what constraints
were behind the long necks of long-necked prehistoric
reptiles called plesiosaurs (elasmosaurs). |
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April 18, 2008
New Educational
Doctorate admissions deadline is April 30
Turlock - (April 17, 2008) April 30 is the priority
deadline for admission to the inaugural California State
University, Stanislaus Doctor of Education in Educational
Leadership degree program.
Preparations and the student application process for
the University's groundbreaking doctorate program that
will start in the fall are continuing under the direction
of Dr. Steven K. Lee, Founding Director. The program
is designed for educators interested in earning a doctorate
to advance their careers in education.
The three-year program is designed to meet the need
for highly trained educational leaders in the Central
Valley. Two specializations will be offered -- one in
leadership for preschool to grade 12 schools and the
other for community college leadership. Acceptance to
the program after April 30 will be based on space availability.
Information sessions held all over the region have drawn
large turnouts, Lee noted.
"Interest in the program has been diverse, ranging
from classroom teachers and professors to district superintendents
and college administrators," Lee said. "They
have come from the local area and as far as Korea and
Hawaii."
Doctoral courses in the program taught by 17 core faculty
will be held on Tuesday evenings to accommodate working
professionals. Many of the courses are designed so that
a significant portion of class requirements can be fulfilled
online via the Web. Class registration for the charter
cohort of students will be completed after the California
State University Trustees and Western Association of
Schools and Colleges (WASC) provide final clearances
this spring.
A new addition to the program's full-time faculty for
the fall startup is former Columbia College President
Dr. Jim Riggs. He has 30 years of administrative and
teaching experience at the community college level and
a doctorate in educational leadership from USC. A second
full-time community college specialist will join the
program by 2009.
Open advising sessions are still available with Lee
by contacting him at (209) 667-3364 or by e-mail at
edd@csustan.edu. Program information is available on
the University website at www.csustan.edu/edd |
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April 15, 2008
Social Work Professor
Robin Ringstad receives national diversity Fellowship
TURLOCK - California State University,
Stanislaus Social Work Professor Robin Ringstad has
been selected for an E. (Kikda) de la Garza Educational
Fellowship in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA)
Hispanic-Serving Institutions National Program (HSINP).
The Fellowship program will be held
in Washington, D.C., in June. A member of the University
faculty since 2005, Ringstad said she hopes to initiate
and explore partnership opportunities between governmental
organizations and social work programs in the areas
of workforce development, policy-making, community development,
and research. She teaches courses in social work practice
and policy, research methods and data analysis, and
capstone graduate research, and supervises social work
interns and student researchers.
The Fellowship program is designed
to enhance the professional growth of participants while
fostering workforce diversity and strengthening the
nation's capacity to provide high quality education
and increased opportunities for Hispanic Americans.
Mark Bender, Chair of the Agricultural Studies Department,
the first CSU Stanislaus recipient of the Fellowship
in 2007, said his experience provided an excellent insight
to the myriad of opportunities within the USDA and other
governmental agencies for grants and contract partnerships
and student internships.
Ringstad is working with the CSU Stanislaus
student research project that addresses the needs of
the homeless at a Turlock resource center. She is also
involved in a U.S. Department of Education Global Learning
research grant addressing immigration and migrant services
in the San Joaquin Valley.
In addition to a Ph.D. in Social Work
and Higher Education from the international institution
Berne University, Ringstad holds a state Clinical Social
Worker license and has extensive social work practice
experience in the fields of child and family services,
child protection, health and mental health, and substance
abuse intervention.
Gary Novak, Dean of the College of
Human and Health Sciences, noted that Ringstad has worked
closely with faculty colleagues from Nursing, Psychology,
and Child Development on developing research grants
for the college, including child health and welfare
issues related to healthy eating and nutrition.
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"This program will acquaint her
with many opportunities available through the USDA,"
Novak said. "In addition, she will be able to meet
with representatives from many other agencies relevant
to the interests of the College's faculty."
Margaret A. Tynan, Department of Social
Work Chair, said Ringstad's Fellowship establishes a
partnership between the USDA, CSU Stanislaus, the College
of Human and Health Sciences, and the Social Work Department.
"The goals of each entity are
very compatible; to strengthen the capacity to provide
high quality education, to promote diversity of the
workforce, and to prepare that workforce to address
social and economic issues," Tynan said. "We
are very proud of Dr. Ringstad's achievement. She is
an asset to this University."
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| April 10,
2008
Strongin, Gackowski,
Floyd named 2008 Outstanding Professor Award recipients
TURLOCK - (April 9, 2008) - Psychology
Professor Dawn Strongin has been named recipient of
the Outstanding Professor Award at California State
University, Stanislaus while Computer Information Professor
Zbigniew Gackowski has been recognized for his research,
and Professor of Social Work Charles Floyd was honored
for his community service.
Gackowski was named Outstanding Research,
Scholarship, and Creative Activity Professor and Floyd
received Outstanding Community Service Professor honors.
All three will be recognized at the University's April
11 Faculty Recognition Dinner which will take place
in the Main Dining Hall at 6:30 p.m.
Strongin, who joined CSU Stanislaus
in 2001, is a highly popular faculty member with large
class rosters for all the right reasons -- she is an
engaging, innovated and dedicated scholar-teacher who
has inspired prospective majors to pursue psychology,
and helped non-majors to see psychology as central to
the understanding of what it means to be human, said
William A. Covino, Provost and Vice President for Academic
Affairs. He noted that her courses are impressive, her
scholarly achievements are highly significant, and her
contributions to campus life are welcome and successful.
Gackowski, a member of the University
faculty since 1984, conducts research that has been
recognized and commended by top scholars and scholarly
organizations internationally for its impact on the
understanding of information systems and information
quality. Recognized as an outstanding information scientist,
Gackowski's computer information systems research has
motivated him to author four books, eight book chapters,
more than 30 journal articles and other documents, and
22 presentations at scholarly conferences.
Floyd, who came to CSU Stanislaus in
1993 and serves as Field Coordinator of the Master of
Social Work Program, has played a key role in the development
and success of the graduate program. He has been instrumental
in creating partnerships between professional agencies
and the University while coordinating the field placements
of more than 100 Social Work students each year. Floyd
has been actively involved with many community agencies
all over the region in various capacities. He has drawn
high praise for the ethics, energy, and commitment that
define his work with a variety of human service agencies.
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April 4,
2008
Topic: Louis
Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) in
Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM)
offering Summer scholarship opportunities
Date and Time: June 16 through July 3, 2008
Location: California State University, Stanislaus, One
University Circle, Turlock, CA
Information: Contact Rita Glynn in the CSU Stanislaus,
College of Natural Sciences, (209) 664-6931, RGlynn@csustan.edu
Turlock -- Scholarship opportunities to participate
in a science and mathematics summer academy at California
State University, Stanislaus are being offered to area
graduating high school seniors and college students
who come from backgrounds that are historically under-represented
in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
or have experienced cultural, social or economic barriers
in their pursuit of higher education.
CSU Stanislaus is partnering with Modesto Junior College
and San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton to encourage
graduating seniors and college students to participate
in the California State University - Louis Stokes Alliance
for Minority Participation (CSU - LSAMP) Summer Academy
scheduled for June 16 through July 3. Eligible graduating
high school seniors and CSU Stanislaus, MJC, and San
Joaquin Delta College students receive room and board
and meals on the CSU Stanislaus campus during the program.
Student participants receive a $600 stipend or $575
+ TI-84 graphing calculator, and attend Monday through
Friday classes that focus on helping them to excel in
science and mathematics fields. Participants must be
a declared science or math major to qualify.
Eligibility requirements, a description of the program,
application, and recommendation forms are on the CSU
Stanislaus Mathematics Department Web site at: http://web.csustan.edu/math/AMP.html.
Contact Rita Glynn in the University's College of Natural
Sciences by e-mail at RGlynn@csustan.edu for further
information.
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April 4, 2008
Academic technology
on display at CSU Stanislaus on April 16
TURLOCK - The California State University,
Stanislaus Office of Information Technology (OIT) and
Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning will host its
4th Annual Technology Fair on Wednesday, April 16, from
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Mary Stuart Rogers Educational
Services Building lobby. The event is open to the public.
Featuring an expanded program, the
event will be a showcase of innovative technologies
that support academic instruction in the classroom,
office, and home. Selected vendors such as Apple, Dell,
Epson, eInstruction, WolfVision, MediaSite, IT Solutions,
SoftChalk, AT&T Mobility, and ClearWire will give
informal demonstrations of new technology developments.
OIT, the Library, Disabled Student Services, and the
Common Management System (CMS) administrative software
project will have informational displays. For the first
time at the Technology Fair, Astronomy’s new portable
planetarium also will be demonstrated.
For additional information, contact
the University's Office of Mediated & Distance Learning
at 667-3171. |
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March 28
12 students advance
to May 2 and 3 CSU research competition
TURLOCK - (March 27, 2008) - A presentation
about the impact of music education participation on
academic achievement of elementary school youngsters
and another about soil studies were the winners as 12
California State University, Stanislaus students qualified
to advance to the systemwide Student Research competition
in May.
Kristina Wing, an Education graduate
student from Pinole mentored by Teacher Education Professor
Dennis Sayers, won first place in the graduate division
during the March 5 competition with a presentation titled
"The Impact of Participation in Music Education
on the Academic Achievement of Fifth- and Sixth-Grade
Students." Muninder Dhaliwal, a Psychology major
from Turlock mentored by Chemistry Professor Claudia
Brackett, won the undergraduate division with her talk
titled "The Curious Tale of the Two Misplaced Forts:
A Soil Investigation by X-Ray Fluorescence."
The qualifying CSU Stanislaus students
will go up against competitors from the other 22 California
State University campuses in the May 2-3 CSU Student
Research Competition at CSU East Bay in Hayward.

Other top finishers at the CSU Stanislaus
competition who qualified for the CSU competition included:
Graduate division: Angela Yvonne Harwell, a Social Work
master's degree student from Oxford, Massachusetts,
second place; Cathy Burrows, Multidisciplinary Studies
master's degree student from Steger, Illinois, third
place; and runner-up qualifier Gabe Ontiveros Jr., a
Multilingual Education, Curriculum and Instruction master's
degree student from Turlock.
|

Undergraduate division: Gurpreet Shiota,
a Biology major from Modesto, second place; Kristin
Marie Oosterkamp, a Psychology major from Modesto, third
place; and runners-up qualifiers Jennifer Nguyen, a
Chemistry major from Riverbank; Dave Gant, a Music Composition
major from Manteca; and a team composed of Psychology
majors Joseph E. Gonzales of Modesto, Heather M. Adams
of Mission Hills, and Jacob A. Marciel of Modesto.
Other faculty mentors of qualifying
students included Biological Sciences Professor Flora
Watson, Psychology Professors AnaMarie Guichard and
Victor Luevano, Social Work Professor Valerie Leyva,
Art Professor Hope B. Werness, Chemistry Professor Scott
Russell, Music Professor Deborah Kavasch, and Teacher
Education Professor Juan Flores. |
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March 28
"Dinosaur
Planet" host will speak at CSU Stanislaus paleontology
conference
TURLOCK - (March 27, 2008) - Dinosaurs
and other creatures from the past will take center stage
at California State University, Stanislaus on Saturday,
April 19 as Canadian paleontologist and TV show host
Scott Sampson makes a presentation.
The University will host a gathering
of paleontologists at an event called California Paleontology
(or Cal Paleo) for the first time ever. The all-day
program is scheduled for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the new
Hashem and Nora Naraghi Hall of Science, with Sampson's
keynote address titled "Dinosaurs of West America"
set to start at 9:20 a.m. in Room 101. The program is
open and free to the general public. The Physics, Physical
Sciences, Geology, and Biology Departments and the College
of Natural Sciences are co-sponsoring the program along
with the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs,
University Advancement, and the University Paleo Club.
The research presentations will include
talks and posters on dinosaurs, giant alligators from
Texas, ancient birds from China, mammoths from the Central
Valley of California, and other topics. CSU Stanislaus
faculty members Dr. Julia Sankey and Dr. Terry Jones
are organizing the event. They are also advisors to
the University's new Paleo Club, which will help run
the event.
Sankey has led paleontological expeditions
in the Western United States, has participated in digs
in Canada and Mongolia, and has made some significant
dinosaur discoveries. Jones uses modern animals and
the fossil record to reconstruct the biology of extinct
groups, including dinosaurs and their relatives.
Sampson, host of the Discovery Channel's
animated television show "Dinosaur Planet,"
is a Research Professor and Research Curator at the
Utah Museum of Natural History at the University of
Utah, and has published numerous scientific and popular
articles on dinosaurs. He has conducted paleontological
field work all over the world and his discoveries on
the island of Madagascar have included a number of well-preserved
dinosaurs, some of them previously unknown species.
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March 27
University
of Maryland administrator, faculty member named Education
Dean
TURLOCK - (March 26, 2008) - Ruth Fassinger,
currently a Professor of Psychology and Interim Chair
of the Department of Counseling and Personnel Services
at the University of Maryland, College Park, has been
appointed Dean of the College of Education at California
State University, Stanislaus.
An active member of the University
of Maryland's College of Education faculty and administration
for 20 years, Fassinger will start her new post at CSU
Stanislaus in July. She succeeds Carl Brown, who will
retire at the end of the current academic year.
"As we launch the new Doctoral
program in Educational Leadership this fall, and continue
to train the teachers of the future, Ruth Fassinger
brings us scholarly and professional distinction, strong
leadership skills, and delightful energy and enthusiasm,"
CSU Stanislaus Provost and Vice President for Academic
Affairs said.
In addition to her current post of
the past two years in the College of Education at Maryland,
Fassinger is a Distinguished Scholar-Teacher, an affiliate
faculty member in Women's Studies, a founding member
of the Consortium on Race, Gender, and Ethnicity, and
a founding member of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and
Transgender Studies program.
Fassinger served for five years as
Co-Director of the College Park Scholars Advocates for
Children program, a university-wide living-learning
community serving academically talented first- and second-year
undergraduate students. She also served for five years
as Director of the College of Education undergraduate
Honors Program that focuses on selected junior and senior
undergraduate students.
Prior to moving into higher education
after earning her Ph.D. in Psychology and becoming a
practicing psychologist, Fassinger was a public school
teacher for 10 years at both the elementary (second
and third grades) and high school (English, drama, and
theatre) levels. She remains involved in teaching at
the college level, teaming with a colleague to teach
an undergraduate English course on identity and difference.
Fassinger indicated that she hopes to be able to teach
a class at CSU Stanislaus. |

Fassinger, who has compiled a long
list of published articles during her distinguished
career, maintains an active research program while teaching
and mentoring graduate students in a demanding professional
training program. She serves as a Division President
of the American Psychological Association and maintains
a small therapy and consultation practice focused on
gender, sexuality, and work. Fassinger has received
a number of prestigious awards recognizing her scholarly,
educational, and service contributions.
Prior to joining the University of
Maryland, she served as an instructor and staff psychologist
at Arizona State University and at UC Santa Barbara
before that. She earned her Bachelor's and Master's
Degrees in English from State University of New York,
Fredonia, and a Master's Degree and Ph.D. in Psychology
from Ohio State University. |
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March 25
CSU Stanislaus
receives National Community Service Honor Roll Award
TURLOCK - (March 24, 2008) - California
State University, Stanislaus has received national recognition
for the second straight year citing the University for
its extraordinary service to the community.
The University has been named to the
Presidents Higher Education Community Service Honor
Roll with Distinction by the Corporation for National
and Community Service. CSU Stanislaus was one of 14
CSU campuses selected for the award out of a field of
more than 500 colleges and universities that submitted
applications.
"California State University,
Stanislaus is demonstrating that it is a leader in the
area of community service and civic engagement,"
University President Hamid Shirvani said. "This
award is a tribute to the efforts of all members of
our University community who work so hard to make a
difference in the region."
Leading the way for CSU Stanislaus
involvement in the community is the University's Office
of Service Learning. The department helps coordinate
programs that get students involved in community service
activities. More than 50 of the fall semester classes
at CSU Stanislaus have a service learning component
that enables more than 2,000 students a year to learn
through community involvement while also providing about
30,000 volunteer hours of service. Examples of service-oriented
programs include a home-based literacy program serving
families challenged by poverty and language barriers,
a program that helps low-income and migrant workers
with their income tax returns, other neighborhood-oriented
programs in the region, and a Resource Center in Turlock
where the area's homeless learn job-seeking skills and
receive housing counseling.
"We are very proud to have faculty
at CSU Stanislaus that offer not only a quality education
but also the opportunity to use that education to make
a difference in the community," said Julie Fox,
Service Learning Coordinator. "The university experience
expands beyond the lecture hall and takes our students
into the community to learn first hand about the challenges
faced by a growing and diverse Central Valley. CSU Stanislaus
students have the unique opportunity to grow as leaders
and engaged citizens as they work hand in hand with
the community to forge a better future for themselves
and their neighbors."
Launched in 2006, the President's Honor
Roll recognizes institutions of higher education that
support innovative, effective, and exemplary community
service programs. Other co-sponsors of the award include
the U.S. Department of Education, the Department of
Housing and Urban Development, USA Freedom Corps, Campus
Compact, and the President’s Council on Service
and Civic Participation. |
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| March 21
CRLA Director
Jose Padilla to speak at April 3 Cesar Chavez Celebration
TURLOCK - (March 20, 2008) Jose Padilla,
California Rural Legal Assistance Director, will be
the featured speaker at the 13th Annual California State
University, Stanislaus Cesar Chavez Celebration on Thursday,
April 3.
The program, a birthday salute to the
ideals of the late farm labor leader Cesar Chavez who
died in 1993, gets under way at 5 p.m. with a reception
featuring Latin jazz and a silent auction in the Carol
Burke Lounge. The main program featuring Padilla's presentation
follows at 6 p.m. in the nearby Event Center. Admission
is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored
by the University Union, Associated Students, and the
Cesar Chavez Celebration Planning Board composed of
students and staff.
Winners of the annual Cesar Chavez
poster art, essay, and poetry contest will have their
work showcased at the program and be presented with
their awards. Stanislaus County kindergarten through
12th grade students participate in the contest that
includes two age groups.
Music and dance during the main program
will feature the group "Balet Folklorico, Los Falcones"
and a group sing of "De Colores."
Born and raised in the Imperial Valley
to parents who came from farm worker families, Padilla
has devoted his legal career to serving the needs of
California's poor through his work with California Rural
Legal Assistance (CRLA), a legal services program that
serves 24 of the state's rural counties. During his
23 years as CRLA executive director, Padilla has been
an advocate for the poor in rural counties on issues
such as housing, labor, education, civil rights, immigration,
pesticides, environmental law, and legislative representation.
After graduating from Stanford University
in 1974, Padilla was a head teacher with Campesinos
Unidos, providing preschool services to migrant children
in the Imperial Valley. He later earned his law degree
from Boalt Hall School of Law at UC Berkeley which launched
his legal career with the CRLA.
Padilla has testified before President
Clinton's Commission on Race and the U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights, and serves on the boards of the Poverty
& Race Research Action Council and the National
Legal Aid & Defender Association. He has been recognized
by the Los Angeles/San Francisco Daily Journal as one
of the "100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United
States." Padilla has been involved for many years
with a project he began as a Stanford University undergraduate
student that focuses on migrant education, Latino redistricting,
political asylum applications, and oral history work
with rural Latino farm workers.
For more information, call Gabriela
Nuno at (209) 664-6835. |
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March 19
Sustainable agriculture
expert to speak at CSU Stanislaus on April 2
Turlock - (March 18, 2008) Dr. Miguel
Altieri, an agroecology expert from UC Berkeley, will
speak about sustainable agriculture as a productive
and natural resource preserving process at California
State University, Stanislaus on Wednesday, April 2.
Part of the CSU Stanislaus Agricultural Studies speaker
series sponsored by Yosemite Farm Credit, the program
is scheduled for 6 p.m. in the Faculty Development Center.
"Challenges and Opportunities
for a Sustainable Agriculture in the 21st Century"
is the title of Altier's talk. The program is free and
open to the public.
A member of UC Berkeley's Department
of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, Dr.
Altieri works with a number of universities, non-governmental
organizations, and research centers in Africa, Asia,
and Latin America to promote research, training, and
capacity-building in agroecology and sustainable agriculture.
Altieri uses concepts of agroecology
to study, design, manage, and evaluate sustainable agroecosystems
that are both productive and natural resource conserving.
"The contemporary challenges of agriculture have
evolved from the merely technical to also include social,
cultural, economic, and particularly environmental concerns,"
Altieri said. "In this light, a new technological
and development approach is needed to provide for the
agricultural needs of present and future generations
without depleting our natural resource base."
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