summer 2012 - cal u review

CALUREVIEW SU

MMER

2012 ACADEMICS TAKE ROOT

Recreation, research and learninggrow side by side at SAI Farm

CALUREVIEW

F R O M T H E A C T I N G P R E S I D E N T

SUMMER

2012

The California University of Pennsylvania MagazineCAL U REVIEW Vol. 40 - No. 3The Cal U Review is publishedquarterly by the Office of Marketing and University Relationsand is distributed free. Third classpostage paid at California.

CHANCELLORDr. John C. Cavanaugh

BOARD OF GOVERNORSGuido M. Pichini, chairmanMarie Conley, vice chairAaron Walton, vice chair Rep. Matthew E. Baker Jennifer Branstetter (designee for

Gov. Corbett)Gov. Tom Corbett Rep. Michael K. Hanna Ronald G. HenryKenneth M. Jarin

CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIAGeraldine M. Jones, acting presidentDr. Bruce Barnhart, acting provostDr. Nancy Pinardi, interim vice president for Student Affairs Dr. Charles B. Mance, vice president for University Technology ServicesSharon Navoney, interim vice president for University Development and Alumni RelationsRobert Thorn, vice president for Administration and FinanceCraig Butzine, vice president for Marketing and University Relations

COUNCIL OF TRUSTEESRobert J. Irey, chairLawrence Maggi ’79, vice chair Peter J. Daley II ’72, ’75James T. Davis ’73Annette GanassiMichele M. Mandell ’69

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORSLorraine Vitchoff ’74, presidentBarbara (Williams) Fetsko ’75, ’83, vice presidentLynne (Moltz) Stout ’94, secretaryBrian Fernandes ’99, ’00, treasurerTim Gorske ’62, immediate past presidentColleen (Murphy) Arnowitz ’88, ’97Loralie (Koerbel) Bruce ’05Rosemary (Rich) Bucchianeri ’69Trinette (Schmidt) Cunningham ’93Mindi D’Auria-Fisher ’07Kimberly (Mahaffey) Fahey ’97, ’99Christina (Kost) Fosbrink ’01, ’03Josh Fosbrink ’01, ’03Paul Gentile ’62Abigail Grant ’07Jesse Hereda ’04Alan James ’62Len Keller ’61Marc Keller ’94

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERSGeraldine (Johns) Jones ’72, ’80, acting president David Amati ’70, president for Foundation for California University of Pennsylvania Robert J. Irey, chair for the Council of TrusteesSharon Navoney, interim vice president for University Development & Alumni RelationsMichael Slavin ’74, APSCUF presidentCathy Connelly ’95, ’96, manager of the Alumni Fund

STUDENT MEMBERSMichael CrosenAmy Dunn

STUDENT ASSOCIATION, INC. BOARD OF DIRECTORSAlexandra BrooksBrendan DemmyShane Ierardi Robert J. Irey Sam Jessee ’90 Hope Cox, ’00, ’01Kevin McEvoy

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERSDr. Nancy Pinardi ’95, ’96, ’98 Larry SebekLeigh Ann Lincoln

FOUNDATION FOR CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA BOARD OF DIRECTORSDr. David L.Amati ’70,’72, presidentSteven P. Stout ’85, vice presidentPaul Kania ’87, treasurerLinda H. Serene ’64, immediate past presidentArmand E. Balsano ’74William R. Booker ’74Courtney E. Cochran ’12William R. Flinn ’68Richard C. Grace ’63Annette M. Kaleita ’55

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERSGeraldine Jones ’72, ’80, acting presidentSharon Navoney, interim vice president for University Development and Alumni RelationsDr. Lorraine G. Vitchoff ’74

EDITORChristine Kindl

WRITERSWendy Mackall Bruce Wald ’85Jeff Bender

PHOTOGRAPHERSS. C. Spangler Greg Sofranko

Robert Lippencott ’66Lawrence Maggi ’79Michael A. Perry ’63Walter J. Sigut ’64 Dr. Saundra L. Stout ’72William J. Urbanik ’01

David MutichMarc Roncone ’03Jenna TerchanikDr. Donald ThompsonStephen Zemba(Graduate student member TBD atfirst meeting in August/September)

Jonothan DashiellElizabeth Lynerd

2 CAL U REVIEW � SUMMER 2012

Autumn Koerbel ’02Anthony Lazzaro ’55Donald Lee ’69Don Martin ’89Michael Napolitano ’68George Novak ’55Melanie (Stringhill) Patterson ’82, ’88Fred Retsch ’62, ’66Dolly Rozzi ’64Harry Serene ’65James Stofan ’71Tim Susick ’76, ’78Judy (Durko) Zilkowski ’77, ’83

Bonnie L. Keener, student member Jonathan B. MackJoseph F. McGinn C.R. “Chuck” PennoniSen. Jeffrey E. Piccola Harold C. ShieldsRobert S. TaylorRonald J. Tomalis, secretary of educationSen. John T. Yudichak

Robert Miner, Jr. ’78Michael Napolitano ’68Jerry Spangler ’74Aaron Walton ’68The Hon. John C. Cavanaugh,

chancellor, ex-officio

It has been more than three months since the change of leadership at Cal U, and the University is moving forward. Since assuming the role of acting president on May 16, I have concentrated our efforts on ensuring that our University remains vibrant and strong.

My leadership team and I have focused attention on the University’score mission — providing our students with a high-quality education,and offering the support they need to achieve success, both before and after graduation.

There is no doubt that Cal U remains a great value for those seekinghigher education. More than 80 percent of our academic programs are nationally accredited. Our network of student support services is unsurpassed, and our students enjoy living and learning in a secure and dynamic campus environment.

I have been associated with this wonderful institution for 42 years. I have worn many hats during that time — student, alumna, faculty member, department chairperson, College dean, provost and now acting president. There are many, many alumni and University friends who care about Cal U just as strongly as I do, and who have great pride in our successes. Working side by side in the spirit of Cal U for Life, we can continue to realize those successes, as well as the promise and the potential of this great University.

For 160 years, this institution has been an agent of positive change in the lives of our students and graduates. In keeping with that legacy, California University will continue to build character, to provide the foundation for rewarding careers, and to maintain a lifelong connectionwith our valued alumni.

Please visit your alma mater soon. We are planning a wonderfulHomecoming celebration on Oct. 13, so I hope to see many alumni back on campus during that special time.

With my very best wishes,

Geraldine M. JonesActing PresidentCalifornia University of Pennsylvania

Acting President Geraldine M. Jones communicates regularly with the campus community

via e-mail and online. To see all of President Jones’ weekly messages, visit www.calu.edu; click

on “About Us” and choose “Meet the President.” To stay up-to-date with the latest happenings

at Cal U, alumni may send their e-mail address to [email protected].

i n S i d e

'A night on Broadway'Faculty award winners play a starring role at the annual President’s Gala, a fundraiser that supports student scholarships.

stepping into the future Families fill the Convocation Center for the first springtime Commencement ceremonies held in the new facility.

inside the music businessBefore the grand opening concert at the Convocation Center, a young performer gives students the lowdown on the Nashville music scene.

Diving deepAn underwater scuba course is designed to give students an edge in the job market.

A career takes flight A former assistant coach for the Vulcan basketball team lands the head coaching job at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

FeaturesDepartments

Cover sTorY:Now that the farmhouse has been

transformed into a comfortable meeting space, the old milking barn at

SAI Farm awaits a new mission.Page 4

AlUmni CAlendAr 16

AlUmni SpoTlighT 20–21

CAmpUS ClipS 22–23

pAying iT ForwArd 25

SporTS roUndUp 28-29

mileSToneS 31–34

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Your review is onlineThe Cal U Review is available online in an easy-to-read format.

Visit www.calu.edu/news and click on ‘Cal U Review’ to see the current issue or previous editions. ‘As Seen in the Review’

also provides links to special online-only features!

SUMMER 2012 � CAL U REVIEW 3

Capital campaign moves closer to goal

California University’s capital campaign, The Campaign to Build

Character and Careers, hascrossed the $31 million mark on its way to a goal of $35 million.

To date, 14,400* donors have contributed or pledged to thecampaign, which focuses primarilyon raising scholarship funds for Cal U students. Almost $9 millionhas been contributed or pledgedthrough realized bequests andplanned gifts.

To learn more about the campaign,or to give securely online, visitwww.calu.edu/giving.

*Not mutually exclusive

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Academics take root

at SAI FarmsouTh CAmpus pArCel mAkes spACe

for reCreATion, reseArCh AnD leArning

About a mile from Old Main, on Cal U’s south campus, a stone farmhouse has blossomed

into an eco-friendly meeting space. Vegetables are ripening, flowers areblooming and hillside paths have growninto hiking trails. And as fence lineslengthen and an outdoor pavilion goesup, academic partnerships are takingroot at SAI Farm.

The Student Association Inc. (SAI), a nonprofit corporation owned and operated by all Cal U students, boughtthe 94-acre property from the Harrisfamily in 2010. The purchase increasedCal U’s overall acreage by 50 percent.

Initial plans called for renovating the existing farmhouse and using most of the land for outdoor recreation. But soon it became apparent that these fields and wooded hillsides couldhost a variety of projects to supportteaching, research and learning, as wellas campus life.

“We’ve been working with variousgroups for over a year now, tostrengthen the academic tie-ins withthe University,” says Keith Skirpan,property development manager for the SAI Farm. “Requests to use thespace are starting to come in, and we’re doing our best to fulfill them.”

Miles of hiking trails offer hours ofoutdoor recreation at SAI Farm.

Remodeled and equipped with ‘smart’ technology, theSAI Farmhouse welcomes student groups and organizations.



The SAI FarmhouseThe parcel’s jewel is the SAI Farm-

house, a former home renovated toserve as a multifunctional meetingspace. Intended primarily for use by student organizations, the building also is available for small conferences,workshops and other events organizedby Cal U faculty or staff. In addition,the Student Association hopes to gener-ate revenue by renting space for privateevents or community gatherings.

The farmhouse has been upgradedwith all-new electrical, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning systems,plus a 1,200-square-foot addition.

“We looked at the renovations froma sustainability perspective,” Skirpan says.

A soaring ceiling with rough-hewnrafters defines a 64-seat banquet hall or large-group meeting area. At one endof the room, wood doors on a dramaticstone facade conceal a screen for videoor PowerPoint presentations.

Wi-Fi service keeps laptops hummingthroughout the building. The farm-house’s first-floor dining room and second-floor bedrooms have been out-fitted to serve as compact conference

rooms with Internet access, videoscreens and other “smart” technology.

Sunlight streams through energy-efficient windows into a lounge withoverstuffed furniture and an electricfireplace. A small kitchen allows AVI,the University’s food service provider, to offer onsite catering.

During the spring semester, New-Student Orientation leaders held athree-day retreat at the farmhouse instead of training off campus. And the Student Government Associationhosted its year-end banquet at SAI Farm.

“The atmosphere is very homey and inviting,” says Alexandra Brooks,president of Student Government and a member of the SAI board of directors.“The property is close enough to theUniversity that students can get to iteasily, but it’s far enough away that you don’t have so many distractions.

“The meeting space is just right, too.You can set it up for a small group ofpeople without it looking empty, butyou can also set it up for a large groupwithout being cramped.”

Taking advantage of the scenic, ruralsetting, the banquet hall opens onto a

stone patio surrounded by flowerbeds.The farm’s old stone springhouse hasbeen refurbished so AVI can offer food or beverage service outdoors.

A nearby pavilion is being con-structed to seat 130, with a kitchen,restrooms and a level patch of lawn for badminton, horseshoes or other picnic games.

“The pavilion is being done in the same style as the banquet hall,”Skirpan points out, and a driveway and 60-space parking area are beingpaved to accommodate guests.

SAI uses an online request form to schedule space at the farm, and already the calendar is filling up.

“It feels like you’re getting away,even though it’s just a mile from campus,” Skirpan says. “We haven’tdone much marketing yet, but it’s already being used.”

Teaching and learningWorking collaboratively with SAI

and student organizations, Cal U facultymembers have begun to tap the farm’spotential.

During the spring semester, the Department of Earth Sciences and theCal U Geology Club hosted a drillingworkshop sponsored by the PittsburghGeological Society. With guidance fromindustry representatives and Cal U’s Dr. Kyle Fredrick, 40 students fromseven universities took part in drillingdemonstrations, learned to take coresamples and installed water-monitoringwells at the farm.

“Most geology students don’t getthis hands-on experience,” says KelseyRuff, a Cal U student who is studyingboth geology and secondary education.“As much as I understand the conceptsin class, this is where I actually

About the Student Association Inc.

Nonprofit student groups have been supporting the University since the 1930s, when theWomen’s Athletic Association sponsored a bazaar to raise money for a cabin that could be usedfor overnight hikes or weekend activities. Funds raised by the W.A.A. eventually made a down payment on the 82-acre Thomas Lilley Farm, just over a mile from campus. In 1937 the nonprofitStudent Activity Association was incorporated to manage and improve the property.

Over the years the Student Activities Association expanded to encompass all student organ-izations and activities. In 1979, the corporation changed its name to the Student Association Inc.

Through SAI, the University has expanded its student union, constructed and expanded afitness center, and doubled the size of the campus — all to benefit students. To read more aboutSAI’s history, visit http://sai.calu.edu/sai/history.html.

The Student Association Inc. purchased SAI Farm,a 94-acre property, from the Harris family in 2010.

continued on page 6


get experience I can take into a job interview.”

The shallow water wells drilled duringthe workshop will remain in place, Skirpan says, and the “well field” may be expanded.

“This isn’t a ‘one-and-done’ experi-ence,” he explains. “These wells have aminimal footprint, about 1 square metereach, but they have a big benefit in theclassroom. Students can come up here to conduct water table testing and soiltesting.”

Deer, turkeys and other wildlife are at home on the farm. Dr. Sarah Meiss and other faculty from the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciencesconducted a “bio blitz” on the property,identifying plants, insects and more than 40 species of birds.

This summer, artificial skeletons and other artifacts weathered in a field,setting the stage for a mock crime sceneinvestigation organized by Dr. John Nass, of the Department of Justice, Lawand Society.

Students from the GIS program, ledby Dr. Thomas Mueller, are preparing to

use geographic information systems to map hiking trails on the farm. Parks and recreation majors, directed by Dr. John Confer, will gain experience constructing and maintaining the trails.

Marking a nature trail with quick-response codes would align with the Cal U Fusion mobile technology initia-tive, Skirpan adds. Someday, hikers mayuse QR codes and their smartphones to learn more about points of interest on the farm.

In the meantime, the SAI facilitiescrew keeps busy maintaining the property, installing fences and mowingacres of grass.

“This job has been a definite benefitto me,” says Travis Peterson, who workedon the SAI crew as he completed a degreein parks and recreation management. He points with pride to the property’s signature split-rail fences and informationboards.

“This job taught me to use power tools and made me more of a handy-man,” he says. “For the career I want, you need construction skills, and youneed to know how to do maintenance.”

Environmental studies A new environmental center is taking

shape to help manage the growing number of academic and research projectsenvisioned on SAI Farm. A planning workshop at the SAI Farmhouse laid thegroundwork for ICES, the InterdisciplinaryCenter for Environmental Studies.

Sponsored by the University throughits Faculty Professional DevelopmentCommittee and the Office of Marketingand University Relations, the workshopthis summer focused on articulating the center’s mission and outlining itsorganizational structure.

Dr. Robert Whyte, the center’s director,says ICES “will seek to create, build andfacilitate environmental programs thatwill create synergies in teaching, research and service … that are difficultto create strictly within the confines ofthe classroom and the defined disciplinesof individual academic departments.”

ICES will field all academic and academic club requests for projects at the farm. The center hopes to forge community partnerships, as well, with the goal of providing “an enhanced

iCes will seek To CreATe, BuilD AnD fACiliTATe environmenTAl progrAms ThAT will

CreATe sYnergies in TeAChing, reseArCh AnD serviCe … ThAT Are DiffiCulT To CreATe

sTriCTlY wiThin The Confines of The ClAssroom … DR. ROBERT WHYTE, DIRECTOR, INTERDISCIPLINARY CENTERFOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (ICES)

“

”

The SAI Farmhouse banquet hall can seat 64.

continued from page 5


Twins Troy ’12 and Travis Petersondiscovered disc golf at Codorus StatePark, in York County, Pa., where theirdad is the park manager. Rated one of the most challenging courses in Pennsylvania, Codorus hosted the 2005and 2010 state championships in therapidly growing sport.

With that background, the two Cal Ustudents had no trouble imagining adisc golf course on the fields and hillsides at SAI Farm.

“Dr. (John) Confer started talking to us about it,” says Travis, who needsonly an internship to complete his Cal U degree in parks and recreation manage-ment. A classmate, Graeme Davis, hadsome thoughts about course design,“and pretty soon we started walking the property and figuring out ideas.”

Disc golf has much in common with“ball golf.” But instead of swinging clubsand knocking a ball into a hole, disc golfplayers toss weighted discs toward ametal “basket” on a pole, aiming tocover the course with fewer throws than their opponents.

“There are ‘drivers’ for long throws,mid-range discs and ‘putters,’” Travis explains. “A disc is smaller than a Frisbee — more like a discus. You have to throwit so it sticks in the basket.”

Disc golf can be played on a level fairway, but most courses feature trees,shrubs and changes in elevation. The obstacles add to the game, says Troy,who earned a Cal U degree in biologicaland environmental sciences.

“It’s more fun in the woods. It’s more ofa challenge. Playing takes more finesse.”

The Petersons and a small group ofother students worked with SAI propertydevelopment manager Keith Skirpan toorganize a disc golf club, apply for fund-ing through the Student Association and lay out an 18-hole course.

Club members installed the equipmentthemselves, setting up tee signs and digging postholes for the metal baskets.Scorecards are tucked away in a weather-proof box near the first tee and postedonline at the SAI website.

The Petersons have their own discs— they cost only $8 to $25 each, Troy says, so the equipment is affordable. Students new to the game can borrow a set of discs at no cost from the HerronRecreation and Fitness Center.

Play begins and ends near the SAIFarmhouse. Players walk nearly threemiles to complete the scenic course,which covers about 60 acres of the SAI Farm.

“During the school year, we play justabout every evening, once we get out of class,” Travis says. A weekly doublesleague is growing in popularity, and two tournaments last fall and winterdrew 30 or 40 players each, some fromPittsburgh and beyond.

According to the Professional DiscGolf Association, “Disc golf provides upperand lower body conditioning, aerobic exercise, and promotes a combination of physical and mental abilities that allow very little risk of physical injury.”

Mostly, the Petersons say, it’s fun.“Just getting outdoors and playing

is great,” Travis says, and his brotheragrees. “It’s a fun sport. We all have a really good time.” �

regional resource” while serving Cal U students. And ICES will act as a clearing-house to manage appropriate grant and research proposals involving the SAI Farm.

Although the center is in its formativestages, organizers have their eye on thefarm’s old milking barn. Eventually, ICESwill need a field lab with office space and room to store research supplies andequipment. If suitable funding can be obtained, a renovated barn might somedaybecome a fitting home for the center.

Expanding partnershipsThe Student Association surveyed

many student groups and University departments as it developed its master plan for the farm, and SAI continues tobuild connections across campus.

The Veterans Affairs Office used the Vulcans’ cross country course, which loops around the farm’s perimeter, as a testing site for troops seeking the GermanArmed Forces Proficiency Badge. In April,dozens of service members spent two dayscompleting a series of rigorous physical fitness tests that ended with a roadmarch along the course.

Inside an electric fence that discourageshungry deer, vegetables are ripening in the food service garden planted in coopera-tion with AVI. The homegrown peppers,tomatoes, zucchini and eggplants are destined for use in the Sycamore Bistro.

“In the near future, we’d like to havegarden space available for students or other members of the campus community,”Skirpan says.

In the coming years, the farm may be home to a driving range and a par-3 golf course created with input from Cal U’s professional golf management program.

Leadership programs on campus envision a ropes course for team-buildingexercises. Sports fields, an open-air amphitheater and an archery range also have been suggested.

“We’re taking things step by step,” says Dr. Nancy Pinardi ’95, ’96, ’98, interimvice president for Student Affairs. “After listening to the campus community, wehave short-term goals and long-term plans. The farm has so much potential.” �

By Christine Kindl, communications director at Cal U

plAYing Throughstudents design, install disc golf course on sAi farm

Troy Peterson ‘12 aims a shot.

Travis Peterson flings a disc into the basket.

8 CAL U REVIEW � SUMMER 2012 8 CAL U REVIEW � SUMMER 2012

The spotlight focused on student scholarships when about 250 Cal U faculty, staff, students,alumni and University friends gathered for

“A Night on Broadway” at the 2012 President’s Gala.Acting President Geraldine M. Jones hosted the

black-tie event at the Omni William Penn hotel, in Pittsburgh, where she introduced a slide show recognizingthe gala’s founder, Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr.

“I’d like to thank each and every one of you for joining us this evening and helping us to raise these much-needed scholarship dollars for our deserving students,” Jones told the guests.

Since its inception in 1994, the gala has grossed about $1.4 million, with net proceeds providing scholarship support for deserving Cal U students.

Cast as honorary chairs for the event were alumniCharles Pryor ’73 and his wife, Marianne Finley

Pryor ’72. The vice president of business developmentfor L.R. Kimball, Charles Pryor received an honorary doctorate from Cal U in 2011. He and his family supportthe Pryor-Finley Family Athletic Scholarship.

Alumna Michele Mandell ’69 — now a member of the University’s Council of Trustees —and some remark-able Cal U students starred in video presentations shownbefore dinner in the Omni’s ballroom. Filmed by GregSofranko, the University’s director of Creative Services, the videos emphasized the need for private philanthropyand illustrated how generous donors can change students’ lives and enrich their education.

“Before this, I’d never even been on a plane,” saidNathan Earl, whose Rutledge Family Internship Award allowed him to complete an internship in Sydney, Australia. “I think that an employer will look at this and see that I will do anything they need me to do.”

Acting University President Geraldine M. Jonesand her husband, Jeff, start the dancing afterdinner at the President's Gala.

Honorary chairs Dr. Charles Pryor ’73 and MariannePryor ’72 act as emcees for the annual fundraiser.

Robert Irey, chair of the Council of Trustees, and his wife, Jodi, applaud the faculty award winners.

S C H O L A R S H I P S S T A R D U R I N G

GENEROUS DONORS ‘PAY IT FORWARD’ AT THE 2012 PRESIDENT’S GALA


Above, Dr. David Amati ’70, ’72 accepts the Lillian M. Bassi Core Values Award.

Seen at the gala (right): New graduates Cory Stoner ’12 and Tamara Alkhattar ’12.

Above, Dr. Kevin Koury, dean of the College of Education and Human Services, applaudsthe gala award winners.

Left, alumna Amber McDonald ‘02 traveledfrom Nashville for the gala.

Left, students Keith Fuller ad Liz Lynerdenjoy ‘A Night on Broadway.’

Caught having fun (above): CourtneyCochran ’12, Jeff Ward ’11 and professoremerita Annette Kaleita.

Maria Herrara completed her intern-ship with the Pan American Health Organization in Washington, D.C.

“If someone had told me during my freshman year that I’d be working aspart of the World Health Organization …I wouldn’t have believed them,” she said.“Had it not been for the Rutledge family, I would not have been able to afford it.”

Faculty award winners took theirbows in person at the Gala, acceptingmedallions and hearty rounds of applausebefore their videotaped “thank-yous”were aired.

Dr. Marc S. Federico, of the ExerciseScience and Sport Studies Department, accepted the President’s Faculty Award for Teaching. Dr. Paul F. Crawford, of the Department of History and PoliticalScience, was honored for research, and Dr. Kelton Edmonds, of the same depart-ment, accepted the award for service.

Emeriti faculty honorees were Dr. Phyllis McIlwain, who retired from the Department of Elementary and EarlyChildhood Education, and ProfessorRichard R. Nemec ’65, who served in the Department of Communication Disorders.

In her filmed acceptance speech McIlwain recalled her work with pre-service teachers. Nemec mentioned a former colleague, the late Dr. JohnBitonti, and a number of family memberswho are proud Cal U graduates.

The Lillian M. Bassi Core ValuesAward was presented to Dr. David L.Amati ’70, ’72, president of Global BusinessAssociates, a consulting firmed based inSewickley, Pa. Amati also is president ofthe Foundation for California University.

After-dinner entertainment at thegala included dancing, Monte Carlogames and a silent auction of items donated by University friends. Successfulbids on getaways, artwork, sports memo-rabilia and other prizes boosted the scholarship fund.

“We know that each of you feels the way we do about our University andour students, and that ‘paying it forward’ is a concept that all of us understand,”Charles Pryor said.

“Thank you all for your care and concern for our students, and for yourcommitment to Cal U.” �

By Christine Kindl, communications director at Cal U


To see videos illustrating how scholarships impact

students’ lives and enrich their studies, visit

www.calu.edu/news, click on ‘Cal U review’

and look for ‘As Seen in the review.’

IT’S SHOWTIME

Award winners Dr. Christine Patti, Dr. Robert S. Whyte, Dr. Ralph Belsterling,Professor Marsha L. Nolf and Dr. Donald J.

Thompson pose with Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr.at the 2011President’s Gala.

APPLAUSE!APPLAUSE!

2012 AWARD WINNERS FETED AT PRESIDENT’S GALA

DR. DAVID L. AMATILillian M. Bassi

Core Values Award

Whether advising businesses and nonprofitorganizations or supporting the educationalgoals of students, Dr. David L. Amati ’70,’72 exemplifies the University’s core valuesof integrity, civility and responsibility.

Amati founded Global Business Associatesin 2009 to provide business developmentand leadership services to corporate customers and nonprofit groups.

Prior to this role, he was director of globalautomotive business and automotive head-quarters for The Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International.

Amati also held professional leadership positions in the Material Handling InstituteInc. and the Engineering Society of Detroit.He is a founding member of the nonprofitBuilding America’s Tomorrow, which aimsto reinvigorate America’s interest in manu-facturing.

A former teacher and central staff memberwith Pittsburgh Public Schools, Amati holdsa Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.He earned both master’s and bachelor’s degrees at Cal U, where he established theDavid L. and Nancy M. Sivek-Amati EarlyChildhood/Elementary Education Scholar-ship, honoring his late wife’s exceptionalteaching career.

University honors include the 2009 Alumnusof the Year Award, presented by the Schoolof Graduate Studies and Research, and the2006 W.S. Jackman Award of Distinctionfrom the Cal U Alumni Association. He addressed graduates at Commencement inspring 2008.

Since January, Amati has served as presidentof the Foundation for California University.

DR. MARC S. FEDERICOPresident’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Marc S. Federico, of the Departmentof Exercise Science and Sport Studies,joined Cal U in 1999 as director of thephysical therapist assistant (PTA) program,which he directed to its first accreditationin 2001.

In 2005 Federico was appointed coordi-nator of the Rehabilitation Science trackof the Master of Science in Exercise Science and Health Promotion. In this rolehe teaches online classes; coordinates admission of candidates into the track;and develops, prepares and implementsdidactic and laboratory course work.

His courses include “Corrective Exercisesin Rehabilitation,” “Business and Entre-preneurship in the Fitness Industry,” “Essentials of Human Movement Science”and “Corrective Exercise Program Design.”

Federico also continues to serve on yearlygraduate athletic training research committees at Cal U, and to conduct and publish research in his field.

Outside of the University, Federico is a reviewer for Strength and Condition Journaland a past member of the American Physical Therapist Association and theThree Rivers Academic Consortium.

He has delivered many guest lectures andspeeches across southwestern Pennsylvaniaand Ohio.

Federico holds a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from the University of Pittsburgh and a master’s degree and Doctor of Physical Therapy from Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania.


2012 PRES IDENT ’ S GALA


DR. PAUL F. CRAWFORDPresident’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Research

Dr. Paul F. Crawford, of the Departmentof History and Political Science, is a professor of ancient and medieval history who specializes in the history ofthe Crusades and the military-religiousorders, such as the Templars, Hospitallersand Teutonic Knights.

Among Crawford’s published works isthe first English-language translation of a14th-century Crusader chronicle knownas the “Templar of Tyre.” In addition tomagazine and journal articles, bookchapters and numerous book reviews,he is the author of more than a dozenencyclopedia entries on Crusades-related subjects, as well as several essayswith a popular orientation.

Crawford has presented papers at scholarlyconferences across the United States,and in England, Wales, France andTurkey. He has assisted in the preparationof several television programs on theCrusades and the military-religious orders, and he has appeared in threeHistory Channel productions.

Crawford holds a Ph.D. in medieval history from the University of Wisconsin.His professional memberships includethe Medieval Academy of America.

Since joining the Cal U faculty in 2006,Crawford has taught a wide range ofcourses in ancient and medieval historyand the history of Christianity and Islam.Research accomplishments notwith-standing, he says his students are, inmany ways, the most rewarding part ofhis life.


DR. KELTON EDMONDSPresident’s Faculty Award for Excellence in Service

Dr. Kelton Edmonds is an associateprofessor in the Department of Historyand Political Science and director of theFredrick Douglass Institute.

Since joining the Cal U faculty in 2005,he has worked to institutionalize multi-culturalism and promote diversitythroughout the Cal U community.

As director of the Fredrick Douglass Institute, Edmonds was instrumental in developing a community program in which FDI members offer after-school tutoring in Belle Vernon andUniontown, Pa.

In 2006 he helped to organize the BlackHistory Month Programming Commit-tee, which now offers a full month ofprogramming to celebrate African-American history and culture on campus.Because of the program’s success, Edmonds was awarded a PASSHE SocialEquity Grant to help fund future events.

He also has been involved in a diversityrecruitment committee for the Univer-sity and was a faculty recruiter at theSouthern Regional Board Conference in2007 and 2008.

For his service efforts, Edmonds wasawarded the Faculty Professional Devel-opment Committee’s Service and Service- Learning Merit Award in 2008.

Edmonds holds bachelor’s and master’sdegrees in secondary education fromNorth Carolina A&T State Universityand a doctorate in 20th-century U.S.history from the University of Missouri.He has delivered numerous peer-reviewed papers on African-Americanhistory at professional conferences.

DR. PHYLLIS McILWAINPresident’s Emerita Faculty

Award

Education has always been important toDr. Phyllis McIlwain. For 34 years shewas a professor of elementary and earlychildhood education at California, andshe supervised student teachers.

She also was coordinator of the graduateprogram in early childhood education,a member of Phi Delta Kappa, PiLambda Theta, and an adviser to theUniversity’s chapter of the Kappa DeltaPi education honor society.

Before joining the Cal U faculty in 1969,McIlwain taught elementary educationin the Butler Area School District for fiveyears and was a cooperating teacher forstudent teachers from Slippery Rock.

She was a graduate assistant in the read-ing laboratory at Indiana University ofPennsylvania, where she received hermaster’s degree in education and a reading specialist certificate. She earnedher Ph.D. in reading and language artsat the University of Pittsburgh.

Since she retired in 2003 and became an emerita faculty member in 2004,McIlwain has continued to pursue herlove of learning by taking classes at Cal U, the University of Pittsburgh and Waynesburg University.

She also volunteers with the LeadershipTeam at St. David’s Preschool in Venetia,Pa., and the preschool at South HillsBible Chapel in McMurray, Pa.

PROFESSOR RICHARD R. NEMEC ’65President’s Emeritus Faculty

Award

Professor Richard R. Nemec taught for32 years in the Department of Com-munication Disorders, working withgraduate and undergraduate studentsand supervising the outpatient clinic.

He also supervised student teachers, as well as students involved with a pre-school program at the PennsylvaniaHealth Center in Monessen and a program in the facility’s TherapeuticActivities Center for adults with specialneeds.

Nemec served as department chairand on many department and Univer-sity committees at Cal U. To supportstudents in the Department of Com-munication Disorders, he helped to establish the Dr. John Bitonti MemorialScholarship.

He retired and was granted emeritusstatus in 1999.

A veteran of the U.S. Army Reservesand a former steelworker, Nemecearned his bachelor’s degree at Cal Uand his master’s degree from West Virginia University, then continuedwith doctoral-level studies at the University of Pittsburgh.

Before coming to Cal U he worked as aspeech pathologist for the McKeesportPublic Schools.

He now serves as treasurer for both theCalifornia University Emeriti Faculty Association and American Legion Post22, in Charleroi, where he was instru-mental in establishing an endowedscholarship at Cal U in the post’s name.

In retirement, Nemec enjoys hunting,fishing and spending time outdoorswith his family.



Stepping into the futuregrADuATes look AheAD As CAl u mArks iTs 174Th CommenCemenT

Families and friendsof the Class of 2012 filledthe Convocation Centerfor California University’s174th Commencement.Master’s degree candidatesreceived their diplomasand were vested in theiracademic hoods at an

evening ceremony on May 11. Undergraduatespicked up their associate and bachelor’s degreeson May 12.

For the first time, both ceremonies werestreamed online, so that faraway friends andfamily could watch in real time.

Before undergraduates received their diplomas, Corey Stoner, chair of the SeniorGift Drive Committee, presented a check formore than $8,000 contributed by graduatingseniors and their families.

And in keeping with tradition, UniversityPresident Angelo Armenti, Jr. greeted the audience and shook every student’s hand.

In all, Cal U awarded personalized diplomas to nearly 1,000 undergraduates and almost 300 graduate students. The University also honored a pioneering educator, Muriel Summers, with an honoraryDoctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.

At each ceremony a distinguished graduateshared an inspiring life story. Excerpts fromthose Commencement addresses are includedhere. To read the complete text of the speakers’remarks, or to see video of the graduate andundergraduate ceremonies, visit www.calu.eduand search for “Commencement videos.”

The line of students stretches all the way across campus. It starts on the Quad, where undergraduates in caps and gowns assemble near the statue of mighty Vulcan.

Under clear blue skies they call out to friends and snap cellphonephotos. Some touch the mascot’s bronze hammer for luck.

The line spills onto Third Street at the Emeriti Fountain, snakes back past Herron Hall, and eventually reaches the Convocation Center.

Smiling students parade indoors for the first springtime Commencement in the new facility. Two hours later they emerge, diplomas in hand, as freshly minted Cal U alumni.

We all have stories. In fact, we don’t just have stories,we are a story, and we

create our stories every time we make a decision. I would like to share some highlights of my story with you todaybecause of the important role that California University played in my life. …

I could be characterized as an uninspired student. I did not make badgrades, but I did not make good ones,either. … At the beginning of my senioryear (at Cal U), I took a philosophycourse as an elective, and I vividlyrecall a particular lesson on Aristotelianlogic. To my great surprise, I under-stood it with absolute and completeclarity. Something in me had clicked.

I recall thinking at the time,“Maybe I can do more. Maybe I havesome latent capability I didn’t know

I possessed.” …(In 1978) I decided that I did not

want to be a corporate executive, so I took a position with a consulting firmin Princeton, N.J. At that time a newproduct had come onto the marketcalled a microcomputer. I didn’t knowwhat it did, but I knew I had to haveone. …

I had purchased an adventure gamealong with the computer — you know,fly an airplane, calculate wind speed,search the islands and save theprincess. … I recall sitting back in mychair and thinking, “This machine is going to change education as weknow it.” And that’s when I decided to start a company, called EduNeering,to build educational software.

To my knowledge, in 1984 we werethe first educational technology com-pany in the world. We had to invent

not only the instructional design, buthow it was presented on the computer.There was no graphics package — our first programs were written in Interpreted Basic, using animated line drawings. You could actually see thegraphics being drawn as you went from screen to screen. …

Nevertheless, the company managedto survive, and I managed it for 25years. In 2007 the company was sold to Kaplan for over $100 million. Not bad for a company that started in my basement. …

I will be forever grateful to CaliforniaUniversity for providing the heat and light I needed to have that one insight: “Maybe I could do more.” I am certain that I would not have attempted the things I did without the confidence that one insightprovided.

“

”

‘we create our stories’Dr. Robert P. Delamontagne ’66 is the founder and past chairman of

EduNeering Inc., the first company to create computer-based training

programs for business and industry. He retired from the firm in 2007 after

25 years at the helm and managing more than 7 million computer-based

course completions by learners. He also has written two books dedicated

to helping people adjust to retirement. Dr. Delamontagne spoke to

master’s degree candidates on May 11, 2012.


Dr. Robert P. Delamontagne

Istarted here (at California) as a nontraditional student. I had had a successful nursing career,

a military career and a family. I was a farmer, a farmer’s wife and a mother.And I want to tell you that those experiences helped to shape me, but Cal U brought it together. …

I joined the military because Ithought nursing our soldiers was ahigher calling. … After my graduation,I started seeking more responsibility,became a manager, moved on withfurther education and became a faculty member.

The military gave me a lot of opportunities, as well. I became thefirst nurse who ever commanded a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, aM.A.S.H. … (Eventually) my businessdeveloped into one of combating terrorism. … I’ve dealt with some disasters, pandemics and planning for all sorts of pretty catastrophicevents. So I’ve covered a lot of territory.

But I am just one of many Cal Ugrads … CEOs, executive vice presi-dents, entertainers, sports figures, authors, and one of my colleagueswho’s a Secret Service agent who protected a number of our (U.S.) presidents. And, of course, we have

some (military) generals out there. Cal U grads are community leaders,

bankers, entrepreneurs and even more, responsible parents. Lifelongcontributions are the foundation ofwho we are. …

My parting advice to you: Dream.Dream big. Don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it. You’re Cal Ugrads. You have the foundation.Dream big.

Learn. Learn from everybody.Everybody out there has something to teach us, and we can learn fromeveryone and everything we do.

But the rubber meets the roadwhen it comes to doing. Sometimesyou just have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off and move on. Whenyou’re out there looking for a job, ifyou haven’t found the right job yet,it’s a job itself to find a job. You can do it; don’t get discouraged. Your perfect job is out there.

The more you keep doing, themore you become that person youwant to be. … You’ve come a long way on this journey of yours, but the fun has just begun.

As you walk across the stage today,celebrate your success. Tomorrow youradventure begins. You are our future,and I wish you all the best.


”

Chad Conley waves to his family.

‘Cal u brought it together’Maj. Gen. Donna Barbisch ’84

retired from the Army in 2005 and

now is among the foremost subject

matter experts in emergency

preparedness and building resiliency

for catastrophic disasters, terrorism

and unconventional threats. She is

the president of Global Deterrence

Alternatives, a consulting firm

focused on developing creative

solutions to emerging threats, and

a distinguished fellow at George

Mason University’s Center for

Infrastructure Protection and

Homeland Security. Maj. Gen

Barbisch spoke to students who

received their associate or bachelor’s

degrees on May 12, 2012.

Charles Sledge celebrates his graduation.

Maj. Gen. Donna Barbish ‘84

“

‘Diploma of the heart’Dr. Muriel Summers is principal of A.B. Combs Leadership Magnet Elementary

School in Raleigh, N.C. She and her staff created the nation’s first leadership

elementary school to use FranklinCovey's “7 Habits of Highly Effective

People” as a foundation. During her tenure as principal, A.B. Combs has

been named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, a National Title I

Distinguished School, the No. 1 Magnet School in America and the National

Elementary School of the Year. Dr. Summers spoke after receiving an

honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, on May 12, 2012.

“

Dr. Yugo Ikach directs the University Choir.

Master’s degree candidate Paula Jackson receivesher academic hood from Dr. John Cencich.

Dr. Aref Al-Khattar, a professor in the Department of Justice, Law and Society,joins daughter Tamara at Commencement.


”Stephanie Punjack shares her happiness with herbaby, Jack Henry Kush.

Ihave abundant respect, admiration,and affection for California University,a university whose mission —

building character, building careers — embodies everything that is good and right in higher education. …

Graduates, today you will leave this University with a diploma, a certificate that informs the world that you have acquired the necessarymindset and skill set to lead and serve in your chosen fields. You have, nodoubt, worked extremely hard to reachthis very important mile marker in your journey. And I would hope thatmany of you have found your voice,your life’s calling, along the way.

I challenge you to lead your life,from this moment forward, in the way in which you would like to be remembered five years, 10 years, 60 years from now. Think about the legacy you want to leave. Live with love, abundance, passion, citizenship,courage, truth, honesty and integrity.

Your future success and fulfillment,professionally and personally, largelywill be determined by the next diplomayou choose to receive. This diploma,which I like to call “The Diploma of the Heart,” is equally as important as the one you are receiving today. It is deeply rooted in service, compassion,leadership, forgiveness, love, under-standing and tolerance.

You will earn this diploma on yourown, one day at a time, for the rest ofyour life. Make up your mind now thatyou will make a difference in this worldby leading with your heart, mind andsoul. … Listen to life’s whispers and ask yourself often, “What is life askingof me?”

I congratulate you. I commend you.I affirm all that you are — but more importantly, all that you will become.

I wish you much success and happiness. I am so honored to be one of you.

Dr. Muriel Summers

alumni calendar


GREETINGS FROM THE OFFICE OF CAL U FOR LIFE!

This past spring I hadthe pleasure of wel-

coming the Cal U Class of 2012 into the AlumniAssociation. Seeing thepride and excitement ontheir faces as they crossedthe stage at Commence-ment took me back towhen I was in their shoes,

walking across the stage in Hamer Hall to receivemy diploma. The future seemed so bright andfull of possibility!

I have so many fond memories of my time asa student at Cal U. I look back on the lifelongfriendships I made, the professors who gave mea strong foundation to build on, and yes, eventhe food at Gallagher Hall (or Gag, as we calledit!). Cal U has left an indelible mark on my life,just as I’m sure it has on yours.

Those memories, friendships and foundationare all part of the lifelong relationship betweenyou and Cal U — and they are the basis of Cal Ufor Life. During your time in California, you mayhave been a member of Greek Life or an athleticteam. Maybe you played intramurals, joined an academic club or took part in Student Government. All of these are special affinities, or ties to your alma mater. They are part of a lifelong connection. I hope you treasure thosetimes and look forward to continuing those relationships with your fellow alumni.

As a Cal U student, you may have formedpersonal relationships that make you who youare today. Many of us found great friends and co-workers — and possibly a spouse or partner— during our college years.

In addition, you may have built professionalrelationships that helped you become more successful in your career. Your ties to Cal U growstronger when you take continuing educationcredits or professional development programs oncampus, or when you visit our Career Services office — a lifetime benefit for all alumni.

As part of Cal U for Life, we pledge to provideyou with opportunities to build on the relation-ships formed when you were a student. And wepromise to look for ways to create new connec-tions between you and your alma mater.

These are exciting times at California Univer-sity of Pennsylvania. We are all Cal U for Life!

Cathy Holloway Connelly ’95, ’96 Director, Cal U for Life

sepTemBer

Family Day — Sept. 22 Celebrate a University tradition and join the Cal U family for a fun-filled day ofactivities. Students, families, alumni and community members may take part inthe Wildlife Society’s annual Family Field Day or visit the Kids Zone sponsored bythe Black Student Union. Watch the Vulcan football team take on IUP’s CrimsonHawks in the annual Coal Bowl and enjoy Bring Your Kid to the Game Day, with pre-game entertainment by the band Melodime. For more Family Day information, visit www.calu.edu/events/familyday.

‘Cal Gals’ Alumni Gathering — Sept. 27Retired teachers from southwestern Pennsylvania get together for lunch at 11:30a.m. in the Kara Alumni House. The “Cal Gals” meet twice a year to socialize andreminisce as they raise scholarship funds for Cal U education majors. For details,contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 724-938-4418.

oCToBer

Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet — Oct. 12Celebrate the best in Vulcan athletics! The annual Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet, honoring alumni sports standouts from the past, begins at 5:30 p.m.in the Performance Center, inside the Natali Student Center.

Homecoming — Oct. 13Come home for the “Holidays” — this year’s Homecoming theme — and enjoy our biggest alumni celebration of the year!

9 a.m.: The Alumni Association Board of Directors meets in the Kara Alumni House.

Noon: The annual Homecoming Parade steps off. See the floats, enjoy the bands and cheer on our alumni and students!

1:30 p.m.: The Vulcan Huddle Tailgate starts in Roadman Park, with a special section for 1980s graduates. All alumni are welcome!

3:30 p.m.: The Vulcan football team faces Lock Haven University at Adamson Stadium.

Emeriti Faculty Dinner — Oct. 18Emeriti faculty members gather for their biannual dinner in the Kara Alumni House.For details, contact Montean Dean at 724-938-4418 or email to: [email protected].

novemBer

TEEAP Conference — Nov. 8 Cal U alumni reconnect at the annual Technology and Engineering Education Association of Pennsylvania (TEEAP) conference in Harrisburg, Pa.For details, contact Dr. Laura Hummell at [email protected].

Send us your e-mail address at [email protected] to stay connected with the most up-to-date happenings at Cal U, including alumni chapter and sporting events,campus lectures, student events and more!

ALUMNI N E W S

SPEAK UP! WE’RE LISTENING. . .What do you think of the Cal U Review? The editor and staff want to know. Is there a feature you enjoy — or one you don’t? A topic you’d like to read more about? To share your thoughts, send an e-mail to [email protected], or drop us a lineat: Cal U Review, Box 31, 250 University Drive, California, PA 15419-1394.


Meet us in Philadelphia Attorney Reggie Long ’81 hosted more than 25 alumni at a ’Cal U for Life’ event at the Union League Club in downtown Philadelphia.Staff members were on hand to explain the Cal U for Life program, intended to build a lifelong relationship between the University andalumni. Joining them were (seated, from left) Paulette Midgette ’85;Sonja West Tucker ’73; Shirley Respes ’86, ’88; Barbara Ney ’90; andJohn Celani ’58. Also (standing, from left) Darlene Meekins ’84; DennisWynder ’85; Rosa Lynn Rodgers Winborne ’83; Reggie Long ’81; ValerieHaley ’82; Mike Gaillard; Karen Brown Smith ’83; Vincent Wilson ’12;Nina Gray ’87; and Fred Smith ’83.

Capital gathering Alumni and guests from the Washington, D.C., area gathered for a special tour of the National Gallery of Art and a reception downtown.Michelle Torres-Carmona, director of scheduling and exhibitor relationsfor the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, discussed theworld-class collaboration between Cal U and the Smithsonian Institution.In addition, Judy Zilkowski ’77, ’83, a member of the Cal U Alumni Board,encouraged alumni to become involved in the University’s Cal U for Lifeinitiative. Among those attending were Chris Ryan ’65, Carol Nesti Riley ’69,Lou Riley ’67, Myron Boncarosky ’63 and Gaylord Wargo ’64.

Generous PioneersAt the Kara Alumni House (above), members of the Class of 1962 gather for the annual Pioneer Dinner, which recognizes alumni whograduated 50 years ago. To mark that milestone,class members contributed scholarship fundsto assist current Cal U students.

At left, Tim Gorske ‘62, now the immediate past president of the Alumni Association, presents a check to the University’s acting president, Geraldine M. Jones. The Pioneer Dinner was among several activities held during Alumni Weekend 2012.

we’reonpinterest!

Look for California University ofPennsylvania on Pinterest, among the nation’s fastest growing social media and image-sharing sites. Pinterest usesonline pinboards to display images and information that users canbrowse or share.

Check out our boards athttp://pinterest.com/caluofpa, or re-pin our great Cal U photos!

Social media fans also can find CaliforniaUniversity of Pennsylvania on Facebook or follow @CalUofPA on Twitter.

Dr. Timothy Skraitz ’80

The W. S. JackmanAward of Distinction

Dr. Melanie Blumberg

The C. B. Wilson DistinguishedFaculty Award

Shaka Smart ’01

The Michael DudaAward for AthleticAchievement

JackZduriencik ’74

The Professional Excellence Award

Blumberg is a professor of political science and campus director of the American Democracy Project at Cal U. She studies American political parties, congressional elections and mass belief systems andhas co-authored numerous articles on local parties,coordinated campaigns, campaign conduct and civicengagement. A recipient of Cal U’s Faculty ProfessionalDevelopment Merit Award for Research, she also hasreceived the Student Government Community EagleAward and the President’s Gala Award for Service.Blumberg is active in Ohio politics and consults on anumber of judicial races. She previously held positionsat Mount Union College and Kent State University,where she received several prestigious awards.

A former standout Vulcan catcher, Zduriencik is inhis fourth season as the executive vice president andgeneral manager for the Seattle Mariners baseballorganization. Before joining the Mariners he spenteight years with the Milwaukee Brewers, where herose to the position of vice president and special assistant to the general manager. In 2007 he wasnamed Baseball America’s Executive of the Year —the first winner who was not a general manager.Zduriencik’s 30-year career also included positionswith the Mets, Pirates and Dodgers. He was inducted into the Lawrence County Sports Hall ofFame in 2009 and last fall joined the Cal U AthleticHall of Fame.

Smart completed his third season as the head coachat Virginia Commonwealth University last spring byguiding the 2011-2012 Rams to the Colonial AthleticAssociation championship, a school-record 29 wins andthe third round of the NCAA Division I Tournament.In 2010-2011 he earned two national Coach of theYear awards when he led Virginia Commonwealth tothe NCAA Final Four. His record as a head coach is84-28. Smart was an academic All-American atKenyon (Ohio) College, where he played for currentCal U head coach Bill Brown; he followed his mentorto Cal U and began his coaching career as a graduateassistant for the Vulcans.

Marshal D. Carper ’09

The Young Alumni Award

Carper’s training in the martial arts, especially Brazilianjiu jitsu, has led to a career as a writer. His first book,a travel memoir about studying and training inHawaii, was published in December 2010, and TheCauliflower Chronicles became a chart-topper in itsgenre on Amazon.com. Since then, Carper has co-authored three other books with professionalfighters. He also has written for Lockflow.com, Ultimate MMA Magazine, Fight! magazine and theEscapist. The former editor-in-chief of Lockflow.com,a website for martial arts practitioners and fans,Carper is continuing to write while pursuing a master’s degree at West Virginia University.

Mitchell is manager for the School Improvement Bureau and the Special Education Learning ResourceCenter North in the Division of Student and FieldServices in the New Jersey Department of Education.She oversees the N.J. Statewide System of Support,which includes overseeing a $120 million U.S. Department of Education School ImprovementGrant program. Previously, Mitchell served as regional manager of the Program Improvement Regional Center North. She is co-author of severalpublications pertaining to school culture and careereducation, and she trains educators and conductsworkshops at the state and national level. Amongher many honors is the Commissioner’s Award forExcellence.

Skraitz has enjoyed a distinguished chiropractic career for nearly 30 years. A member of the NationalAcademy of Manipulation Under Anesthesia Physi-cians and the Spine Research Institute of San Diego,he was the department head at Pittsburgh SpecialtyHospital’s Pain Management Center and chief of chiropractic services at the hospital. He is a diplomateof the American Academy of Pain Management and a member of the Pi Tau Delta national chiropractic honors fraternity. Skraitz founded theDrive to Stay Alive program in April 2007 to helphigh school students learn safe, reactive driving skillsso they can avoid collisions and regain control of theirautomobiles.

Dr. Patricia A.Mitchell ’83, ’85

Meritorious Award

2012 ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONAWARD OF DISTINCTION HONOREES

Barbara Armenti

The Pavlak/Shutsy Special Service Award

Walt Sigut ’64

The John R. GreggAward for Loyalty and Service

A licensed and nationally certified school psycholo-gist, Sigut is the president of WJS Psychological Associates Inc. and a clinician in private practice.He is a loyal supporter of Cal U athletics, a longtimeSixth Man Club member and a generous benefactorto the men’s basketball program. He is an active participant in many Cal U events and recently waselected to serve as a board member for the Foundation for California University. A standout Vulcan basketball and baseball player during his student days, Sigut was inducted into the Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999 and named the Basketball Alumnus of the Year in 2002.

Cal U’s first lady for 20 years, Armenti helped toraise scholarship funds by participating in events onand off campus. She was a board member for theCalifornia Senior Center, the Washington CountyBoard of Tourism, the county chapter of the American Heart Association and The Village ChildCare and Preschool Center. A multi-term boardpresident for the United Way of Mon Valley, she wasinstrumental in the annual State Employees Charitable Appeal (SECA) at Cal U. The WesternPennsylvania Professional Fundraising Organization,the American Heart Association, the WashingtonFoundation, the National Association of Saints andSinners, and Monongahela Valley Hospital all havehonored Armenti for her philanthropy.


S U M M E R 2 0 1 2

C O L L E G E O F E D U C AT I O N A N D H U M A N S E R V I C E SFOCUS ON

California University of Pennsylvania

Score oNeFor FITNeSSPenguins and Cal U team up

on floor hockey program

Greetings!As we begin the new academic year, I’d

like to direct your attention to the educationalopportunities we offer to students in the College of Education and Human Services.

In this College we educate professionals forthe workplace in four distinct areas: teachereducation, related professional services,health-related fields of study, and sport management. Every eligible program withinour College has earned national accreditation,and the quality and marketability of our graduates is boundless.

While it is assumed that we educate teachers, Cal U students who graduate withteacher certification have many opportunities— not only in the public schools, but also inrelated service agencies, day care facilities and

early learning centers. Many of our teacher education graduates accept employment in industry, where they are responsible for development anddelivery of workshops and other training opportunities for the generalworkplace population.

Our graduate programs in school administration offer advancementwithin many educational employment settings in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The College’s related services programs prepare individuals for careersas speech/language therapists, social workers and school counselors.

Those students who complete degrees in communication disorders areemployable in public schools, private agencies, hospitals, elder care centersand rehabilitation centers. The need for social workers continues to increaseas a growing number of families require services in the home and community.And school counselors are able to provide counseling services to individualsin a variety of settings other than the public schools.

Health science programs offer education that supports employment in the areas of athletic training, physical therapy and gerontology. Athletictrainers work in a variety of locations, meeting the needs of professionalsports teams, as well as college and public school athletic programs.

Sport management and exercise science majors enjoy employment inprofessional sports, college athletics and the golf industry. In each of theseareas, our graduates are finding opportunities that pay well and have roomfor advancement.

The College of Education and Human Services is truly the college of theprofessions, opening the door to rewarding and lucrative careers in a widevariety of settings.

As a new academic year begins, I invite our Focus On readers to learnmore about our College, and I offer my best wishes for success in your education and your career.

Sincerely,

Kevin A. Koury, Ed.D.Dean, College of Education and Human Services California University of Pennsylvania

overviewof the COLLEGE OF EDUCATIONAND HUMAN SERVICES

Dean:

Dr. Kevin A. Koury

Interim Associate Dean:

Dr. James Burton

Department Chairs:

Ms. Christine S. Crawford ’77Academic Development Services

Dr. Barbara Bonfanti ’69Communication Disorders

Dr. Jacqueline Walsh ’94Counselor Education and Services

Dr. Caryl Sheffield ’73Early, Middle, Special Education

Mr. Jeffrey HattonExercise Science and Sport Studies

Dr. Tom WestHealth Science

Dr. Connie MonroeSecondary Education and Administrative Leadership

Dr. Pamela TwissSocial Work

Program Directors:

Ms. Christine S. Crawford ’77Student Support Services

Mr. John KulaUpward Bound Program

Dr. Michael BrnaLibrary of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program

Ms. Deborah GrubbStudent Teaching

Dr. Joseph SchickelTechnology Education

On the cover:Dr. Brian Wood, of the Department of Exercise Science and Sport Studies, shows off his floor hockey technique.

F R O M T H E

Dean

2

Cal U and Intermediate Unit 1 are collaborating on a five-year,$1.8 million grant from the U.S.

Department of Education for English as a Second Language instruction.

The goal of the grant is to provideprofessional development in ESL for pre-service teachers, new teachers, experienced teachers, principals, assistantprincipals and paraprofessionals.

Cal U’s focus will be on providing athree-credit course — mandated by thePennsylvania Department of Educationalong with nine credits of special education coursework — that focuses on preparing pre-service teachers for a culturally diverse classroom.

“Essentially, it focuses on providing abetter foundation and understanding ofthe impact of culture and diversity withinthe schools,” says Dr. Christine Peterson,who will be working with Dr. Kevin Koury,dean of the College of Education andHuman Services, to implement the grantat Cal U.

Peterson also is the coordinator of theMaster’s of Education, English as a SecondLanguage program for Cal U Global Online.

“Our culture is constantly changing,and our schools are impacted by that,”she says. “We need educators who cansufficiently address the needs of all learners,and we want our pre-service teachers at Cal U to receive the appropriate educational foundations.”

At IU 1, which provides services for 25 school districts in Washington,Greene and Fayette counties, objectivesinclude developing ESL continuing education programs for teachers, paraprofessionals and principals, as well as a certification program.

Su Verma, ESL curriculum specialist at IU 1, will be in charge of achieving these goals.

“This has turned into such a wonder-ful partnership,” says ESL grant writer

and project coordinator Patricia Hazen, speaking aboutthe relationshipwith Cal U.

“The face of education ischanging,” saysHazen, who is the outreach and developmentspecialist at IU 1.“These types ofcollaborations arevery powerful because in manycases we serve thesame population at different points in their careers. Thesekinds of efforts enable us to provide education that continuously flows.”

An estimated 1,650 educators at Cal U and the IU will be trained in ESLover the five-year grant period.

In addition, IU 1 will post several components on PAIUnet, the website ofthe Pennsylvania Association of IntermediateUnits, making resources available to morethan 122,000 teachers, 2,500 administratorsand 10,000 paraprofessionals.

A website will be developed for sharing

ESL resources, digital portfolios, programs,online surveys and more. Plans also includedevelopment of an online community ofESL educators and learners.

“This is such a wonderful model ofhow higher education and public educationcan work together, and we hope it leads to other opportunities,” says Hazen.

“It makes the most of what each hasto offer. And best of all, it’s the educatorswe both serve who come out winners.” �

3

By Wendy Mackall, assistant communications director at Cal U

$1.8 million gRant pRovideS pRofeSSional development in engliSh aS a SeCond langUage

Many learners, many languages

Su Verma, curriculum specialist at Intermediate Unit 1 (left), is workingwith Cal U’s Dr. Christine Peterson (center) and Patricia Hazen, outreach and development specialist at IU 1.

Childhood obesity is growing at an alarming rate in the United States.

According to the American Heart Association, one in six children ages 2-19 is obese. And total health care costs attributable to obesity could reach $957 billion by 2030, accountingfor 18 percent of U.S. spending for medical care.

Cal U, the Pittsburgh Penguins andthe Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation areteaming up to reduce those figures byencouraging physical activity amongchildren in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Beginning this fall, the Pittsburgh

Penguins Foundation will launch Penguins ASSIST, a program designed to provide free floor hockey equipment to public and private elementary schools in Allegheny County.

Dr. Brian Wood, an assistant professorin the Department of Exercise Scienceand Sport Studies at Cal U, was asked to develop the program’s curriculum, designing lessons that can be used inphysical education classrooms and community recreation centers.

“The program is truly about gettingkids active,” Wood says.

Floor hockey closely resembles icehockey, but players wear sneakers instead

of skates. The game can be played indoors, in a gymnasium or other spacewith a smooth, hard-surfaced floor.

“This effort addresses a serious healthand social concern,” adds Wood. “It isabout using the expertise and resourcesof multiple organizations to implementpractical solutions and achieve a desiredoutcome — mainly, developing a child’scommitment to lifelong physical activity.”

The curriculum is based on soundphysical education pedagogy and coaching principles, Wood says. Futureeditions of the curriculum will be designed for youth sports programs run by community recreation groups.

FaCUlty member wrItes CUrrICUlUm For new Floor hoCkey Program

Cal U, Penguins team up to fightchildhood obesity

4

C

“It’s

an honor

to Partner

wIth the

PengUIns.

”DR. BRIAN WOOD

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR,DEPARTMENT OF EXERCISE SCIENCE

AND SPORT STUDIES

By Jeff Bender, PR and Web writer at Cal U

team chemistry

The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundationprovides financial support to organizationsthat share their desire to promote physical well being, encourage teamwork,stress the value of education and provide essential life skills to youngpeople in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Youth hockey is one vehicle forachieving those aims.

Once the foundation and the Penguinsdecided to pursue the Penguins ASSISTprogram, adding Cal U to the lineup created the perfect team, says RichHixon, executive director of strategicplanning for the Penguins.

“We thought the marriage of thethree groups was a great fit,” he says.“We knew that Cal U had a great reputation for teacher education, and weneeded a turnkey project to hand over to the schools.”

In addition to providing the program’scurriculum, Cal U faculty will assist thePenguins in delivering teacher trainingand continuing education credits forphysical education teachers.

The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundationwill fund the program, which includesfloor hockey equipment for elementaryschools, copies of the curriculum andtraining for teachers.

The Penguins will provide experthockey instruction, the use of CONSOLEnergy Center for teacher training, andmultimedia support for the curriculum.The Pens also will build a number of outdoor street hockey rinks in the region.

“This is a great opportunity for us tointroduce kids to hockey and give backto schools in a time of need,” Hixon says.

“This program get sticks in the hands ofkids and will help grow the sport of hockeywith an emphasis on healthy exercise.”

high expectations

Just as the Penguins strive to win theStanley Cup every season, the PenguinsASSIST program has championship-caliberexpectations for its success.

In the first year, the program’s goal isto place the curriculum in 291 schools inAllegheny County, reaching more than80,000 students.

After three years, the program hopesto see the curriculum in every elementaryschool within 10 counties surroundingAllegheny.

To help meet these goals, the Penguins will introduce the curriculumand help train teachers at CONSOL Energy Center in late summer or early fall.

“Once we open registration for theprogram, we will bring in a mixture ofPenguins alumni and coaches to teachthe proper way to play hockey,” says Hixon.

“We hope this transfers into thephysical education classrooms and givesall kids in our area a chance to learn the game.”

Wood and other Cal U faculty members expect to be on hand.

“Cal U must be a leader at generatingand implementing solutions,” he says.“Faculty and students must take classroom theory and use that educationto solve issues facing our communities.

“It is an honor to partner with thePenguins organization in effort to attackthe dilemmas of childhood obesity andsedentary lifestyles.” �

5

edUCation paRtneRS

California University is the official education partner of the

Pittsburgh Penguins. benefits of the ongoing relationship include:

Scholarships: The Pittsburgh Penguins

Scholarship Fund, which benefits cal U

students, has grown to $25,700 through

online auctions and other fundraising events.

internships: Nearly 20 cal U students have

completed internships with the Penguins

operation, and 60 additional students

have conducted game-day research at

coNSoL energy center.

ice time: cal U hockey players, both men

and women, have experienced playing

on the Pens’ home ice, and thousands of

students and alumni have enjoyed cal U

Hockey Night in Pittsburgh events.

Community service: Dozens of cal U

students have gained public service,

volunteer and work experience at events

hosted by the hockey club and the

Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation.

marketing: Millions of hockey fans have

seen cal U’s name and Web address on the

dasher boards during televised Penguins

games. cal U students have been featured

in Ice Time game-day programs, and

more than 100 of Pittsburgh’s leading

businesses and community organizations

have been introduced to the University

when they used the cal U conference

room at coNSoL energy center.

Brian Wood has written curriculum guides for the Penguins ASSIST floor hockey program.

6

Cal U students pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work degreedelved into the histories of older

volunteers as part of a project fundedby a two-year grant from the Councilon Social Work Education (CSWE) Gero-Ed Center.

Ten baccalaureate social work programs nationwide received the BSWExperiential Learning Program funding,which aims to prepare future socialworkers to interact with older adultsand their families in practical settings.

Dr. Bernadette Jeffrey, assistant professor in the Department of SocialWork, supervised administration of the grant, with guidance from the Rural Aging Initiatives in Social Work Education faculty committee.

“This was a great site for this grant,”says Dr. Pamela Twiss, chair of theDepartment of Social Work and directorof the BSW program. “We are an agingsociety, especially in this region. Ourstudents need to know how to workwith older adults, and our faculty hasidentified aging as an area of ongoinginterest.”

Activities prescribed by the grantincluded designing intergenerationalprogramming, engaging in legislativeadvocacy, and participating in inter-views with volunteers older than 65.

At Cal U, students in Jeffrey’s socialwork class practiced their interviewingskills by interacting directly with olderadult volunteers at the Center in theWoods, a community center near campus.

After a two-part interview, studentswrote papers based on information they learned from those conversations.Topics included experiences duringWorld War II and on Sept. 11, 2001,memories of life in Monongahela Valley steel towns, and more.

As part of her class on social workpolicy, assistant professor Sheri Boyle organized town meetings each semester

at the Center in the Woods on issuesrelevant to older residents, such ashealth care.

Each semester concluded with a luncheon to recognize and thank the volunteers.

“It changed my outlook to meetwith someone older one-on-one,” saysErica Maloney, a senior in the BSW program and a member of the Bachelorof Social Work Association at Cal U.

“It planted a seed. I had a desire to work with high-risk populations, but not so much with the elderly population going into this experience.This population will need help from a social work perspective, so it is an interesting career path.”

Adds Jeffrey: “In spending time together, our students found much theyhad in common with the volunteers.”

Twiss says Cal U will continue to expose social work students to theneeds of an aging population.

“To have funding come in that enhances learning and lets our students apply skills is very importantand is a great contribution to our curriculum,” she says.

“(The CSWE’s) expectation was

that this would be sustained, and we would do even better things in the future. So this was an important initiative, but it is a part of a largeremphasis on rural aging.”

Boyle, Jeffrey and Dr. NormaThomas, the Master of Social Work program director at Cal U, will be presenting on the BEL grant in November at the CSWE’s annual program meeting in Washington, D.C. �

By Wendy Mackall, assistantcommunications director at Cal U

Social Work Department members (from left) Sheri Boyle, Dr. Bernadette Jeffrey and Dr. Pamela Twiss recognize the needs of an aging population.

learning by listeningsoCIal work stUdents FInd

‘mUCh In Common’ wIth older adUlts

aChIevements From the College oF edUCatIon and hUman servICes

CLOVER WRIGHT and Charlotte Orient,accompanied by several students from the early childhood education program, participated with Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial at a conference designedto help young children cope when large-scale disasters occur.

KATE MITCHEM recently became a BoardCertified Behavior Analyst, Doctoral Level,completing that program at Florida Institute of Technology.

JANE BONARI and Charlotte Orient both have retired after distinguished careers in the College of Education and Human Services.

DONNA GILMORE, the former administrativeassistant in the College of Education andHuman Services, has accepted the position of post-award coordinator in the Office ofGrants and Contracts. She will assist all grantrecipients at the University in creating and

submitting annual/final reports to the funding agencies.

DEBORAH GRUBB assumes a new role as director of student placements in the Collegeof Education and Human Services. In additionto securing field placements, she will securestudent teaching placements, conduct cooperating teacher workshops, plan the

student teaching orientation at the beginning of each semester,and conduct the student teacher showcase at the conclusion of each semester.

Among our accomplishments …

7

SCOTT HARGRAVES, of the Health Science Department, has been a board-certified specialistin geriatric physical therapy since May 2005. Recently, the American Board of Physical TherapySpecialties appointed him to the SpecializationAcademy of Content Experts (SACE) as an item

writer for the geriatrics specialty area. SACE was established tocreate a pool of certified specialists and content experts to writeitems for the specialist certification examinations. Hargraves’ appointment is for two years.

MICHAEL BRNA, director of Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS), launched the inauguralTPS Ambassador training program with a learningcohort composed of an Intermediate Unit 1technology integrator/teacher trainer, a schoollibrarian from Canon-McMillan School District,

and a middle school teacher from Southmoreland School District.TPS Ambassadors have completed TPS training and are capableof advocating and training their peers to use Library of Congressprimary sources and inquiry-based learning effectively to raisestudent achievement.

VANESSA MacKINNON, of the Exercise Scienceand Sport Studies Department’s professionalgolf management program, served as a delegateto the International Olympic Committee’s WorldConference on Women and Sport in February2012. More than 700 delegates from 135 countries

attended, along with the top leadership of the InternationalOlympic Committee. She met with representatives of the National Olympic Committees to discuss increasing women’s participation in golf. MacKinnon completed her doctoral degreein November 2011 at Northcentral University in Prescott, Ariz.

CHRISTINE PATTI AND CONNIE MONROE will coordinate selection of mathand science teacher educationmajors in the Secondary EducationAdministrative Leadership

Department for a scholarship funded through the W.T. MorrisFoundation. Two students will be selected to receive $5,000 each to support their educational costs.

California University of PennsylvaniaThe College of Education and Human Services250 University Avenue, California, PA 15419-1394Phone: 724-938-4125Fax: 724-938-4346

www.calu.edu

A proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.

Integrity, Civility, Responsibility

Recent changes in state laws regarding the autonomous practiceof physical therapist assistants,

or PTAs, have shed light on the need for better communication skills with their administering physical therapists, or PTs.

This fall, California and Slippery Rockuniversities will look to bridge these communication gaps through a technologically driven collaborative learning project.

“This project will develop early communication skills in our students andcreate a realistic work environment,” saysDr. Jodi Dusi, an assistant professor in theDepartment of Health Science at Cal U.

“It also will enhance the developmentand implementation of patient carewithin the entire physical therapy sector.”

The effectiveness of the project will bestudied through a grant from the PASSHEFoundation’s Highmark Healthcare Academic Program Development fund.

PT students at Slippery Rock willrecord themselves evaluating mock patients, create a treatment plan, andthen present their results to Cal U studentsusing Desire2Learn, a Web-based learningmanagement system utilized by both schools.

The PTAs at Cal U will collaborate withtheir designated therapists, using FaceTimesoftware on Apple iPads, to implement

exercise plans and other treatments for their patients’ first therapy sessions.

After learning how an individual patient responds to the initial training session, PTA students at Cal U must makea determination: Should they allow the patient to proceed with the second treatment as scheduled or contact the PT at Slippery Rock to adjust the treatment plan?

“This project offers the PT and PTAstudents a unique opportunity to learnmore about the role each discipline playsin patient care,” says Dr. Kelly Lindenberg,

an associate professor in the GraduateSchool of Physical Therapy at Slippery Rock.

Both sets of students will completequestionnaires before and after the courseto compare the effectiveness of a traditionalclassroom model to the simulated workplace environment.

“We talk about the role of the PT andthe PTA in class, but now they can engageand collaborate with each other,” saysDusi. “This method should really getthem collaborating and using their problem-solving skills effectively.” �

Communication advances patient careCal U and SlippeRy RoCk CollaboRate on phySiCal theRapy pRojeCt


R

Dr. Judy Dusi says better communication will benefit patients.


Andy Gibson and his band give an impromptu acoustic performancefor commercial music technology students.

Nashville singer Amber McDonald ’02 performs with the University Choir duringthe free Community Celebration of Music in the Convocation Center courtyard.

Fans enjoy a performance by American musiclegend Kenny Rogers, who headlined the grand opening concert in the ConvocationCenter.

Celebration spotlights music educationA rising nAshville sTAr meeTs wiTh sTuDenTsBefore grAnD opening ConCerT

During the grand opening celebrationfor the new Convocation Center, Cal U students had the opportunity

to meet with one of Nashville’s hottestyoung talents.

Country music singer-songwriter AndyGibson met with commercial music technol-ogy students, fielding questions about themusic industry and giving an intimateacoustic performance.

The workshop was a prelude to the freeCommunity Celebration of Music held in the Convocation Center courtyard, and agrand opening concert that featured Gibson,Grammy award-winner Billy Dean, andAmerican music legend Kenny Rogers.

“As a songwriter, I thought the AndyGibson event was a great chance to seeinside the machine, as it were, and get

insights and stories from someone who is actively doing what my classmates and I aspire to achieve,” says Cal U student Regis Whetzel.

Gibson co-wrote “Don’t You Want toStay,” the No. 1 country hit for Jason Aldeanand Kelly Clarkson that won a standing ovation at last year’s Country Music Association Awards.

His recent single, “Wanna Make YouLove Me,” had a 10-week run on Billboard’sCounty Top 30 music chart.

“I believe that if you keep working hard,opportunities will come to you,” Gibson told the students. “I’m not in this industry for the rich-and-famous part of it. I just want to be able to play my music. That has worked for me.” �


ALUMNI S P O T L I G H T


Asuccessful manufacturing business relies on data-driven

information. Are products pricedcompetitively? How quickly is theeconomic climate changing? Is now a good time to buy supplies?

Under the direction of Dr. DonSabbarese ’72, the Econometric Centerat Kennesaw State University in Atlanta, Ga., provides these answersand many more to manufacturers andother businesses in six states — Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee,

Mississippi andLouisiana.

Sabbarese,who receivedhis Ph.D. fromGeorgia StateUniversity, alsohas been a professor in the Department of Economics, Finance and

Quantitative Analysis at KennesawState for 30 years.

“We gather a variety of economicdata; one of the types is called the Purchasing Managers’ Index,” he says.“It gives us the earliest measure ofmanufacturing activity in the six-state area.

“Our data on commodity prices,new orders, production and inventoryare released earlier than the federalgovernment releases data by at least a month.”

The center provides other information, such as industry surveys, economic impact studies and tax forecasting, and Sabbarese regularlypens op-eds, appears on TV andradio, and speaks to chambers ofcommerce and other organizationson topics such as fiscal policies andtheir impact on the economy.

“I feel like my experience in theprivate sector allows me to be more effective in the classroom,” he says

of his roles as director and professor.“Not only do I bring the theory and the concepts, but I can relate that for students in the real world.Teaching is a very important part of my job.”

Among his role models is Dr. William Kania, an associate professor of business and economicsat Cal U from 1961-1987 and the first chair of the school’s Departmentof Business and Economics.

“He had an experience not only as an economist but also in the realworld (as an accountant), so he didn’t limit his analysis to economicmodels and concepts, but related it to the real world.

“He stood out to me because he really got me interested in economics.”


economic impact

Dr. Don Sabbarese ‘72

DreAm JoBIt took a full-time job as a paralegal, the birth of her first child and an exercise class for Jamie Nixon

Howell ’09, ’10 to discover her dream job.“I was miserable working in a law firm each day,”

says Howell.“I gained 80 lbs. in my first pregnancy, and it was

dreadful to work out every day alone, with my daughtercrying in the stroller. That led me to a group fitness class,which led me to becoming a personal trainer and working in my dream job.”

But Howell needed to fuel her new passion with aneducation. She turned to Cal U Global Online, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in sport managementand her master’s degree in exercise science and health promotion.

“I would have to say that my biggest accomplishmentin life was finishing my degrees at Cal U while being a full-time, working mother of three,” she says.

“Without Cal U Global Online, I wouldn’t be where I am today.“

Howell now works as the SMRT-CORE™ programmingand training manager for Trigger Point

Performance, a company based in Austin, Texas, that focuses on empowering people to move with soft tissue compression tools, release tools and training education.

In her role with Trigger Point Perform-ance, Howell travels the world to teachpersonal trainers, chiropractors andother fitness professionals aboutSMRT-CORE™, a total body train-ing system that restores functionwhile strengthening the bodyusing a revolutionary foam roller called the GRID™.

“It is definitely an amazingexperience to travel to othercountries and teach peoplethe benefits of SMRT-CORE™,” says Howell.

“To travel the world helping people feel and move better is priceless.”


Jamie Nixon Howell ‘09, ‘10

The desire to be part of a fast-paced team that presents new

and exciting challenges led PatrickBetschart ’05, ’07 to a career withthe U.S. Border Patrol.

“I wanted something highspeed, and the U.S. Border Patrolcertainly opened that door for me,”he says.

Betschart, a field training officer stationed in Nogales, Ariz., spendshis days scanning for illegal aliensin mobile surveillance trucks, chasing smugglers on all-terrainvehicles, and training other field officers to protect our nation’s borders.

“You don’t hear too many people say they love their job, but I do,” he says. “It has gotten to thepoint where it really is not workanymore, but a game of hide-and-seek with really cool resources.”

Although it may seem like agame, Betschart says it takes a mixture of motivation, patienceand a significant understanding of the law to be a successful agent.

Most of those ingredients hepicked up at Cal U.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, Betschartpursued a master’s degree in justicestudies with a homeland securityconcentration.

“The normal coursework andlegal material I learned at Cal U really gave me an advantage during training,” he says.

In April, Betschart gave back to the University by participatingin a videoconference with students.Speaking from Arizona, he discussedhis career choices and the skillsneeded to be a federal agent.

“If you’re motivated, a day’s

work always provides new sightsand views,” he says. “The ruralareas on the border, including the national parks and forests, really provide some beautifulsights.” �



A game of hide-and-seek

You Don’T heAr Too mAnY people sAYTheY love Their JoB, BuT i Do.PATRICK BETSCHART ’05, ’07

“”

CAMPUS C L I P S

mechatronics programs address industry demand

Cal U hosted industry certification for 25 high school and college-levelmechatronics instructors this summer as the University prepares to launch a new bachelor’s degree program inmechatronics engineering technology.

A $178,000 grant from the ClaudeWorthington Benedum Foundation supported participation in the SiemensMechatronic Systems Instructor Certification Program for teachers from Eastern Westmoreland and Western

Area career and technology centers, plus faculty from Westmoreland CountyCommunity College and Cal U.

Faculty members from community colleges in Tennessee, Missouri, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Indiana also attended the specializedtraining. Classes were taught by instructors from the Siemens TechnicalAcademy in Berlin, Germany.

Level 2 Instructor Certification will be a focus during the second year of the grant-funded program.

Mechatronics blends mechanical and electrical engineering technologywith computer science. A mechatronicsengineer works with mechanical devicesthat incorporate mechanical, electricaland software components, such as robots, automated guided vehicles or other “smart” tools.

Cal U’s four-year mechatronics program, which anticipates a fall 2013launch, will complement the University’s two-year associate degree in robotics engineering technology.

“There is a great demand for workerstrained in mechatronics,” says MichaelAmrhein, director of Cal U’s Office of Integration and Outreach for TEAMS(Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math and Science).

“Establishing a high-quality teachingcorps in mechatronics should result inhighly competent students who will complete their studies well prepared to enter the workforce.”

Acting University President Geraldine Jones and Allan Simons, of Westmoreland County Community College, look over equipment at the Siemens Mechatronic Systems Instructor Certification training.


students float ideas to enhance ‘river towns’

Forty Cal U students recentlyproposed projects designed to increase the number of visitors to Californiaand Coal Center.

Created for a course in Recreation Site Design and Management, the 10 plans were presented to elected officials, community leaders and the public as part of the River Town Program, launched by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council in 2011.

The program is intended to help several towns along the MonongahelaRiver — Point Marion, Greensboro, Rices Landing, Fredericktown, Millsboro,California and Coal Center — expand existing businesses and create new onesto serve the outdoor recreation market.

Dr. John Confer, of the Department of Earth Sciences, said he and the students in his class look forward to an ongoing partnership with the RiverTown Program.

“There are a lot of faculty and students here who could help them solve problems and provide information,”he says. “We have to look to what wehave and use it to bring people to the area.”

Parks and recreation management students (from left) Roman Sulkosky, Lena Danka and Bryce Wilson presented plans to boost outdoor recreation as part of the River Town project.


puT To The TesTROTC member Gage Crosen, a history major at Cal U, qualifies in the shot put as he attempts to earn the prestigious German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge. Members of the active-duty, reserve and National Guardcomponents of the U.S. military competed at Cal U to earnthe badge, a decoration of the armed forces of the FederalRepublic of Germany and one of the few foreign awardsthat U.S. military members may wear on their uniform. To earn the badge, candidates must meet benchmarks inswimming, running and other physical activities; qualify on the pistol range; pass a first-aid test; and complete aroad march while carrying a backpack weighing at least 33 pounds.

ombudsperson named‘woman of excellence’

Dr. Lisa McBride has been chosen as one of the New Pittsburgh Courier’s2012 Women of Excellence, becomingthe second leader at Cal U to earn the distinction.

She joins Acting University PresidentGeraldine M. Jones, who accepted theaward in 2010.

McBride, the University ombuds-person and special assistant to the president for Equal Employment and Educational Opportunity, joined otherawardees for a recognition luncheon in Pittsburgh.

The award winners were nominatedby readers of the New Pittsburgh Courier,which describes itself as “one of the oldest and most prestigious Black newspapers in the United States.” Each year the publication honors womenfor their professional accomplishmentsand their commitment to the region.

As director of Cal U’s Office of SocialEquity, McBride has worked to shape institutional policies and practices that advance a campus climate of inclusion.

She is a founding member of Cal UMen United, a mentoring group aimed at improving retention and graduationrates for male students of color, and chair of the President’s Commission forthe Status of Women.

Dr. Lisa McBride

57 poised to serve with AmeriCorps

Two grants awarded to the Centerfor Civic Engagement will increase thenumber of AmeriCorps fellows on campus by 250 percent.

The Pennsylvania Campus Compacthas awarded Cal U 38 AmeriCorps Community Fellow positions for the upcoming academic year. The Philadel-phia Higher Education Network forNeighborhood Development awarded 19 additional AmeriCorps positionsthrough the Scholars in Service toPennsylvania program.

Last year, 23 Community Fellows and four Scholars in Service were active at Cal U.

Each eligible participant will receive a Segal Education Award of $1,175 from the Corporation for National andCommunity Service — nearly $67,000 in potential scholarships in all. Both programs require students to complete a minimum of 300 service hours per year.

Community Fellows serve in K-12 schools, on Cal U’s campus, and at community-based after-school programs, working with at-risk studentsto enhance college readiness and success.The Scholars in Service program trains and supports students engaged in community service and leadership.

“We’ve seen a direct change in the culture of service on our campus,”says Nancy Skobel, associate dean for Student Affairs. “Once our students serve in these positions, they are comingback to us and asking about different opportunities to serve.”

Advocate: ‘Your vote is priceless’

Cal U marked primary election daywith a talk by a voting rights advocatewho has received national honors for her work.

Jennifer Brunner,who served as secretary of state for Ohio from 2007-2011, was a 2008 winner of the John F. KennedyProfiles in CourageAward.

Now an attorneyin private practice, she discussed Pennsyl-vania’s new voter identification law andthe importance of casting a ballot.

“Democracy is fragile, and the right to vote is at its core,” she said. “You cannot put a price on a vote.”

Brunner’s appearance was sponsored by the American Democracy Project at Cal U.

The election day lineup also featured a roundtable talk by faculty on “New Barriers to the Ballot,” and a panel on“Leadership and Politics” that includedWashington County CommissionerLawrence Maggi, a member of the University’s Council of Trustees, and the Hon. Janet Moschetta Bell, a Washington County judge.

Earlier this spring, the AmericanDemocracy project kicked off the electionseason with “Election Outlook: The Raceto the White House,” featuring a panel of political scientists and moderatorJon Delano, money and politics editor for KDKA-TV.

Jennifer Brunner

DIvIng Deepscuba training fills need, gives job-seekers an edge

Students found themselves in over their heads when they took a new course offered this summer by the Department of Justice, Law and Society.

But “Underwater Search, Recovery and Evidence Collection, with Scuba Certification” may give them aleg up in the job market.

“This course provides a critical skill set that is neededwithin the homeland security, fire and rescue, emergencymanagement, forensics science, law enforcement, and investigations professions,” says Dr. Michael Hummel, associate professor of leadership and security studies.

A certified diver, Hummel participated in underwater recovery and special operations reconnaissance during hismilitary service. The new course teaches the art and scienceof conducting underwater operations for occupational orprofessional purposes, he says.

Successful participants earned full certification from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, or PADI.They also picked up three Cal U credits and a certificate verifying their training in underwater evidence collection,search and recovery, and equipment use.

A PADI-certified master dive instructor, James Gazica,taught most of the course. Hummel was a guest lecturer,along with Kevin Angelilli, a professional public safetydiver and author of Public Safety Diving All the Way to the Bottom: For Divers.

An upper-level course for Justice, Law and Society students, the course also can be a useful elective in disciplines such as biology and archaeology.

“We in the department of Justice, Law and Society are always thinking of new ways to prepare our students

and give them an edge out there in the job market,”Hummel says. “This is one of those skills that is a dire need— and I don’t know of any other school that offers it.”

Senior Alex Ball, a justice studies major, says the coursewill enhance his resume.

“This adds to the value of my International and Homeland Security degree. The more skills and training wepossess, the more we will stand out to future employers.This type of hands-on class is also a lot of fun.”

Dr. David Argent, chair of the Department of Biologicaland Environmental Sciences, does extensive research on thecomposition of fish communities in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Snorkeling and scuba diving are skills in high demandamong fishery and aquatic ecologists, he says. Certified diverscan assist with habitat evaluation work, population estimation,mussel surveys and recovery of gear from waterways.

“In the past, I have even used divers to locate fish thatexpired during radio-telemetry studies,” Argent says.“While the Mon River may appear silty most of the time,water clarity near the bottom is good enough to performspecies-specific assessments.”

The 10-week course introduced students to underwateroperations through academic sessions and practical applicationsin a confined area and in an open-water environment.

Once pool qualifications were met, open-water diveswere conducted at Mount Storm Lake, in West Virginia.

“This is the real deal, with very serious written examsand a lot of work, with safety being our No. 1 concern,”Hummel says.

“And with your PADI certification card, you are allowedto scuba dive anywhere in the world.” �

By Bruce Wald ’85, information writer at Cal U

Instructor Jim Gazica (left) helps Jaclyn Billy fit her scuba mask.To see video from the course, visit www.calu.edu/news; choose‘Cal U Review’ and click on ‘As Seen in the Review.’


In the Hamer Hall pool, certified diving instructor Jim Gazica teachesscuba safety procedures to Katie Natter (center) and Alex Peplinski.

PAYING IT F O R W A R D

California University of Pennsylvania students soonwill see the benefits of what is

believed to be the largest scholarshipdonation in its modern history.

The estate of G. Ralph Smith II, a retired assistant professor of Englishwho died in 2010, has bequeathed$1.95 million to Cal U.

The G. Ralph Smith II GeneralScholarships are expected to beawarded beginning in 2013-2014.

The University is in the process ofdeveloping scholarship criteria, butSmith made it clear that the gift couldbe used in a manner that would dothe most good.

“Professor Smith worked with excellent professional advisers in theplanning and management of this extraordinary gift,” says Gordon Core,director of planned giving at Cal U.

“Cal U was fortunate to haveworked with Professor Smith to plan in advance to honor his intentions for his bequest.

“He will be sending students tocollege every fall. Long after we are gone, there will be Smith Scholarshiprecipients at Cal U.”

Smith taught at the University for30 years, retiring in 1994 for healthreasons.

Dr. John Pierce Watkins, emerituspresident at California University anda former chair of the English Depart-ment, worked closely with Smith.

“Classroom evaluations by his colleagues were always exemplary,especially in the areas of linguisticsand post-war European fiction,”Watkins recalls.

“He was very much admired by his students, and his students reallycared about him and told me so numerous times. Despite his healthchallenges, he was a popular professorand made important contributionsto the department.”

Among those contributions was aproject to upgrade the library holdingsin English and literature. Smith also waschair of the English Honors Committee.

As chair of the Freshmen EnglishCommittee, Watkins recalls, the professorwas instrumental in updating Englishrequirements for all students.

Smith served as president of theCalifornia Chapter of the American Association of University Professors,chair of the Western Division of theState College System/AAUP, and president of the Faculty Senate at Cal U.He was a member of several FacultySenate committees.

Watkins also recalls another taskthat Smith took very seriously.

“In the English Department, we, as his colleagues, warmly rememberhim as the ‘keeper of the coffeepot.’There were 40 faculty members in the department at that time, and hetook his duties in that regard seriously.Lots of people didn’t pay for coffee as they should, but he always made

sure we had coffee.”These roles — whether formal

or lighthearted — speak to the kind of person Smith was at heart, Watkins says.

“He always served his Universitywell, and the bequest he left is a continuation of that good service he was known for. He was a complicatedand interesting man who obviously remembered his University with great charity.” �


gift from professor's estate totals $1.95 million

MAKE PLANSFor information about developing

an estate plan, or about establish-

ing or contributing to a student

scholarship through your estate,

contact gordon Core, director of

planned giving, at 724-938-5985

or [email protected].

Assistant Professor G. Ralph Smith II



SPORTS P R O F I L E

A cAreer

tAkes flightformer Cal u assistant lands head

coaching job at u.s. Air force Academy

Dave Pilipovich’s career beganto take flight at Cal U, whenhe was a graduate assistant

coaching men’s basketball in HamerHall. After several stops along the way,he has landed his first head coachingposition, at the U.S. Air Force Academyin Colorado Springs, Colo.

In March, after serving as interimhead coach during the final eight gamesof the academy’s 2011-2012 season,Pilipovich was named the eighth headcoach in the program’s history.

This fall he’ll begin his sixth season at the academy. He joined theFalcons’ staff in 2007 after coaching atfive different schools, including twoseasons at the collegiate powerhouseUniversity of Michigan.

Pilipovich’s 26-year coachingodyssey beganwhen he servedfrom 1987-1988 as a graduate assistantwith the Vulcanmen’s basketballteam. He earned his master’s degreein geography andregional planningin May 1988, thenstayed on at Cal Ufor a third season,this time as an assistant coach.

“Some of the most fun I’ve everhad in coaching was during my timeat Cal,” says Pilipovich, a native ofDuquesne, Pa., and a four-year basketball letter winner at Thiel College. “I think the biggest reason for that was the people at the Universityand in the community. I’ll never forget that time.

“It’s exciting, now, to see howmuch the school has grown.”

A coaching change at Cal U helpedto prepare Pilipovich for his mid-seasonrise to interim head coach for the Falconslast year. He was hired at California inthe summer of 1986 by head coachTim Loomis, who promptly departed

to take a Division I opportunity. Cal U hired coach Jim Boone

just 17 days before the start of the 1986-1987 season. Nevertheless, the Vulcans went on to win consecutivePSAC-West championships and the1988 conference title.

Pilipovich says helearned lessons from both Cal U Hall of Famecoaches.

“When I first got toCal, Tim (Loomis) alwayssaid that whenever youhave a decision to make,you should think abouthow it will hinder or benefit the program, and then make thatdecision as if you were

the head coach, even though you’rejust an assistant,” he recalls.

“And Coach Boone’s organization,practice structure and game prepara-tion are things that have been with me ever since.

“Coaching changes are the natureof our business,” Pilipovich adds. “Thesituation at Air Force (when headcoach Jeff Reynolds was removed andPilipovich stepped in as interim headcoach) was hard on me, my family andour staff, because of the relationshipsinvolved.

“But as we said to our team, you can’t look backward. You have to move forward and make the best of that situation.”

Dave Pilipovich keeps an eye on his Air ForceAcademy players during a home game inColorado Springs.

“Some of the most fun

i’ve ever had in

coaching was during

my time at Cal. ...

i’ll never forget

that time.

dAve pilipoviCh '88

heAd BASKeTBAll CoACh

U.S. Air ForCe ACAdemy

“

ToTAl pACkAge

Air Force athletic director Dr. HansMueh clearly believed Pilipovich couldmove the program ahead. He decidedto forgo a national search and insteadannounced that Pilipovich had beenhired as head coach on the day of thelast regular-season game.

“I buy, but I don’t shop,” Mueh announced. “I’ve seen enough of DavePilipovich and his staff since we madethis change. To see the energy on thebench and to see the excitement in the players’ eyes and to see his positive,motivating approach makes him theright coach for right now at the AirForce Academy.

“He’s got the total package. ... He understands cadets, and I know I will not ever regret this decision.”

Pilipovich says coaching at the Air Force Academy is very differentthan it is at other schools.

While some teens spend the summerafter high school graduation partying at the beach, incoming Air Force fresh-men report to six weeks of Basic CadetTraining in late June. Their 18-week semester begins in early August, witheach cadet taking 18 to 21 academiccredits.

After four years, a successful cadetwill graduate as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, where he or shethen must serve for five years.

“You’re very restricted while you’rehere (as a student),” Pilipovich says.“You’re told when to get up, when to go to bed and what to wear. It’s adifferent environment, but as a coach,I’m dealing with young men andwomen who truly are the best ofthe best.

“When our guys graduate, theynever have to write a resume, becausethey start their jobs immediately. Wemay not have NBA players, but wehave leaders of this country.”

miliTArY flighT

Air Force competes in the MountainWest Conference, which includes suchprominent athletic schools as Boise StateUniversity, Texas Christian Universityand the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.The eight-team league has national television contracts, but the Falconsplayers have no sense of entitlement.

When he was at Michigan, Pilipovichexplains, the team often flew to awaygames in the Detroit Pistons’ privateplane, which was replete with amenities.He experienced a new version of airtravel the first time he took a militarycharter flight with the Falcons.

“So we drive up and go into the military plane carrying our luggage, andthere are no seats,” Pilipovich recalls.“They have these ropes that come off the wall like jumpseats. There are justtwo wooden boxesin the middle ofthe plane, withpadlocks, for theluggage. Thereare no drinksserved, butthey give

you earplugs because of how loud the plane is.

“No one’s getting a big head.”Pilipovich admits that he can’t

remember who spoke at his own Commencement. The situation was different last May, when he and his wife,Kelly, attended the Air Force Academy’sgraduation ceremony to see three of his players receive their diplomas.

“We are in a packed stadium, andthen you see President Obama walk outof the football tunnel to address the audience and present the diplomas,”he said. “Those cadets will never forgetwho spoke at their Commencement.”

Pilipovich says he never forgets thepath he’s taken, and he’s eager to embracehis first head coaching opportunity.

“Sometimes I think, ‘Wow, is this really happening?’” he says. “To bein charge of this basketball programis really something. What more couldyou ask for?” �


Calling him ‘the right coach for right now,’ Air Force athletic director Dr. Hans Mueh said Dave Pilipovich knows how to motivate players and understands cadets.



On The mOveSTuDenT-AThleTeS ChASe SuCCeSS In SprIng SpOrTS

Cal U’s athletic program moves outdoors for thespring sports season. And both individual and teamplayers moved the Vulcans into the winners’ column during the spring semester.

women’s tennisAfter winning its sixth

consecutive PSAC and NCAADivision II Atlantic Region titles, the women’s tennis team advanced to the nationalquarterfinals for the fifth timein six years.

A setback there ended the team’s 14-match winningstreak. The Vulcans finishedthe season with a 24-6 overallrecord and a No. 8 ranking inthe Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Top 50.

Senior Martina Rubesova was named the PSAC-West Athlete of the Year after netting a 26-6 overall record in singlesplay. Senior Annabel Pieschi (25-7) also earned all-conference honors. So did senior Franziska Steinhart, who teamed withRubesova in doubles play for a 30-6 final record.

Ninth-year head coach Pablo Montana improved his cumulative Cal U coaching record to 211-62.

women’s golfThe women’s golf team

advanced to the NCAA Division II National Champi-onships for the third consecu-tive season following a strongthird-place finish at the SuperRegion One Tournament.

The championships closedwith Cal U in sixth place onthe leaderboard, the program’sbest finish.

Senior Dianne Luke endedthe season in a tie for 10thplace, finishing among the top25 nationally for the fourthtime in a row. She received National Golf Coaches Association(NGCA) All-American honors for the second consecutive year.

Junior Maria Lopez tied for 17th.At the regional tournament, Luke finished in a tie for

fourth place, and Lopez tied for ninth.

women’s track and fieldThe Vulcans tied a program-best finish at the PSAC

Championships by finishing fourth in women’s track and field.

Sophomore Monique Sims became Cal U’s first individualfemale state champion since 1985, winning the finals of the 100-meter dash with a time of 12.00 seconds. She qualifiedfor the NCAA Division II National Championships, where shefinished in 15th place.

Sims also anchored Cal U’s 4x100-meter relay team, running with junior Jordyn Reagan, sophomore Bria Jayand freshman Danae Burgwin. The quartet won the PSACchampionship, setting a school record with a time of 47.02seconds.

The 4x400-meter relay team also brought PSAC gold backto campus. Seniors Shakeria Love and Samantha Valiton, junior Shantae Motley and Reagan turned in a winning timeof 3 minutes, 50.28 seconds.

softballCal U won its fourth

consecutive PSAC-West soft-ball title — its 15th title in 19 years under head coach Rick Bertagnolli.

The Vulcans finished theseason with a 33-10 overallrecord and a 12-2 divisionalmark, earning a spot in theNCAA Division II playoffs forthe 21st time in 23 years.

Senior third baseman andtwo-time All-American JillianRussell was named the PSAC-West Player of the Year for athird straight year. After batting .397 while hitting 14 homeruns, she finished with a school-record 41 career home runsand 170 runs batted in.

Freshman outfielder Katie Natter was named first-team all-region and PSAC-West Freshman of the Year after belting12 home runs, scoring 40 runs and batting .338.

Sophomore Hope Spancake joined Natter on the first-team all-region list. Named the PSAC-West Pitcher of the Year,she went 17-5 overall with 141 strikeouts and a 1.67 ERA.

Another freshman outfielder, Shelby Heyd, made first-team all-conference, and second-team all-region. She batted.341 and was one of only four players to start all 43 games.

Bertagnolli was awarded division Coach of the Year honorsfor the fourth consecutive season. This was the 12th time hehas accepted the award.

SPORTS R O U N D U P

Martina Rubesova

Jillian Russell

Dianne Luke


men’s golfFor the third consecutive season,

the men’s golf team finished 10th atthe NCAA Atlantic/East RegionalChampionships.

Freshmen Charlie Durman and Jordan Eck were the highest individualfinishers for the Vulcans. Durmanended play in a tie for sixth place, witha three-round total of 228. Eck tied foreighth place, with 229.

Before the post-season, the Vulcanswon team titles at the Carnegie MellonUniversity and St. James (Southport,N.C.) invitational tournaments.

BaseballThe Vulcans qualified for the

PSAC baseball playoffs for the 11thtime in 12 years, making their 12th appearance overall under head coachMike Conte.

Versatile junior Kyle Petty was a national semifinalist for the Tino Martinez Award, which is presented annually to the most outstandingplayer in NCAA Division II.

Petty earned all-conference honorsas a utility player, after previously

earning the same recognition as a relief pitcher and catcher. He startedgames at five different positions thisspring, batted .359 and had 17 multi-hit games. Petty also went 7-4 on the mound and earned one save.

Also earning all-conference honors were seniors Troy Handzaand Kyle Bowser.

Handza, an outfielder, batted .298and finished his career with 99 stolenbases, which ranks second in schooland conference history.

Bowser, a second baseman, was second on the team with 27 RBI and 19 stolen bases.

men’s track and fieldSophomore Marcus Givan became

just the third Vulcan in school historyto win the PSAC high jump title, clearing 1.95 meters.

Also earning all-conference honorswith third-place finishes in men’s trackand field were senior Ryan Schleicherin the javelin (61.18 meters) and sophomore Mitch Codd in the polevault (4.66 meters).

The team finished eighth overall.

Director’s Cup Cal U finished 11th in the final

standings of the 2011-2012 LearfieldSports Directors’ Cup.

This was the highest finish amongall PSAC schools and the fifth consecutive year that Cal U has finished among the top 15 teams vying for the national honor.

The Directors’ Cup annually recognizes institutions that maintain a broad-based program in both men’sand women’s sports. The scoring system is based on the national finishesof seven men’s and seven women’ssports teams.

The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics announced the award in June.

Correcting the recordLast winter, the women’s swimming

team finished third at the PSAC championships for the third time inthe past four years. The team’s finishwas reported incorrectly in the Spring2012 edition; the Review regrets theerror. �


up and over

Senior Brice Meyers became the first six-time NCAA All-Americanin school history when he closedout his career by finishing fourth in the 110-meter hurdles at the2012 NCAA Division II Track andField Championships.

His time of 13.71 seconds set a school and conference record.

The PSAC champion in the 110-meter hurdles for three consecutive years, Myers earnedsecond- and third-place national finishes in 2011 and 2010, respectively.

He also holds three previous All-American finishes in the 60-meter indoor hurdles.


P L A N N E D G I V I N G

It may surprise you to learn that one simple way toget income — a secure, generous, lifelong income — is by making a gift for student scholarships or

programs at California University of Pennsylvania.A charitable gift annuity to the Foundation for

California University of Pennsylvania can help to meetthat objective and more.

In today’s financial world, retirees and others mayhave difficulty finding a stable income with reliable payouts. The best bonds and CDs pay low (and lower) interest. Even the “blue chip” stocks remain volatile. Federal Treasury notes and bonds offer the greatest security,but income from them is too low to meet the needs ofmiddle-class savers and investors.

An annuity translates a lump sum of money into anannual or quarterly income, a lifelong payout calculatedfrom birthdates and interest factors. The payments arepredictable, stable, secure and generously based on life expectancies. At the end, some balance of the lump-sumamount remains as a gift to support Cal U student scholarships or University programs.

A charitable gift annuity with the Foundation for California University produces annual (or quarterly) payments that include current income, as well as a sliverof the original gift. The total is an attractive annual percentage of that gift, and some of it is tax-free over thelife-expectancy years.

Shown here are the benefits of a $10,000 gift, whichalso generates an immediate charitable deduction on the donor’s income tax statement in the year of the gift.

Additional information is available in booklet form oron the Cal U website. Visit www.calu.edu/giving, andclick on “Legacy & Planned Giving.” To receive a bookletor personal details reflecting your age(s) and priorities,please call Gordon Core, director of Planned Giving, at724-938-5985 or send e-mail to [email protected].

Age Annual Payment*

Tax-FreePortion*

Income TaxDeduction*

60 $440 $338 $1,852

65 $470 $367 $2,661

70 $510 $410 $3,469

75 $580 $475 $4,101

80 $680 $567 $4,669

85 $780 $673 $5,418

Age Annual Payment*

Tax-FreePortion*

Income TaxDeduction*

68/64 $430 $340 $1,754

72/68 $460 $369 $2,342

75/71 $480 $389 $2,903

77/73 $500 $409 $3,211

80/76 $540 $447 $3,606

COUPLE

RESULTS OF A $10,000 GIFT AT SAMPLES AGES*

INDIVIDUAL

*gifted 8/31/2012, results vary by ages and gift dates

CHARITABLE GIFT ANNUITIES PROVIDE RELIABLE INCOMEBALANCE REMAINS AS A GIFT TO SUPPORT UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS OR PROGRAMS

50sLou Phillips Wollenberg ’51 is aretired teacher from Moberly, Mo.

60sKatharine O’Hara Scatena ’62 has retired from teaching after 33years. She has lived in Fort Wayne,Ind., since 1963. Her husband,Tony, who also went to Cal U for a brief time, died in 1983.

Diane DalCanton Shook ’65 is retired. She lives in Fort Myers,Fla., with her husband, Roy ’64.

John Martin ’68 is director ofGlobal Education Services forVeeam Software, with locationsin Columbus, Ohio, and St. Petersburg, Russia. When he’s not out of the country, John livesin Alexandria, Ohio, coaches amarathon training pace group and is getting ready for the NewYork City Marathon in November.

70sHerbert Wagner ’71 retired fromteaching in the School District ofCheltenham Township, Pa. He andhis wife, Linda, live in Hatfield, Pa.

Carol Orme ’71 is a retired human resources professional living in Santa Rosa, Calif. She is a volunteer tutor for the Schoolsof Hope program, an initiative of the United Way of the WineCountry that helps children develop reading skills.

Karen Polkabla ’71, ’75, ofDonora, Pa., has been hired as superintendent of the RinggoldSchool District. She was hired by the district in 1987 as an elementary school teacher and became principal of Donora Elementary Center. Five years ago she began serving as assistant superintendent.

Lenora Edwards Kihn ’72 has retired from the U.S. Postal Service.

Dan Mariotti ’73 is looking forward to spending more timewith his wife of 21 years, Mary, ashe retires after 35 years of teaching.Mary and Dan hope to spend timewith granddaughters Athena Tomsic and Gracie Roth, as wellas their five children: Jessica, Nick,Doug, Michele and Denise. Danhopes to continue to play golf andenjoy helping others, as well astraveling across the United States.

Charles “Chuck” White ’75 celebrated his retirement from the Social Security Administrationafter 31.5 years with a trip toWaikiki Beach, Hawaii. He andhis wife of 43 years, Peggy, live in Claysville, Pa.

Mark Cerullo ’76 is retired. He andhis wife, Janet, live in Adah, Pa.

Toni Kendrick ’76 is principal atPittsburgh Allegheny 6-8, part ofthe Pittsburgh (Pa.) Public Schools.She recently was honored by theNew Pittsburgh Courier with a 2012 Women of Excellence Award.

Dr. Leonard Colelli ’77, formerdean of the Eberly College of Science and Technology at Cal U,has been named campus provostat Potomac State College, a two-year institution that is a division of West Virginia University.

80sRetired Air Force Col. Greg Myers’81 has been appointed by NewMexico Gov. Susana Martinez toserve as secretary of the Departmentof Homeland Security and Emer-gency Management. He had servedas deputy secretary since October2011 and took on the role of actingsecretary in January. He previouslywas director of process improve-ment and integration at Kirtland Air Force Base, in Albuquerque,N.M. He also served as commanderof air support operations at FortStewart in Savannah, Ga.

Lloyd Miller ’84 is a consultant at Miller Printing Consultants.He and his wife, Deborah ’91, live in Grayson, Ga.

Robert Korcheck II ’84 is self-employed. He lives in Kintnersville,Pa., with his wife, Rosemary.

Robin Heffner Proietto ’82, ’84 isa compliance officer for the ValleyForge Sewer Authority. She lives inRoyersford, Pa. At Cal U, she was amember of the volleyball team andGamma Theta Upsilon honor society.

Mary Lou Murt ’86 has received the2012 Edward J. Protin MemorialAward from Monongahela ValleyHospital, where she is senior vicepresident of nursing. The ProtinAward, one of the hospital’s mostprestigious honors, was establishedin 1981 in memory of Edward J. Protin, of Charleroi, Pa., formerpresident of the hospital’s board oftrustees and a longtime communityleader in the Mid-Mon Valley.

Vincent Belczyk ’86 has beenhired as business manager in the Peters Township (Pa.) SchoolDistrict.

Dave Lease ’86 has been namedFranklin (Va.) Public SchoolsTeacher of the Year. He is theFranklin High School golf coach,assistant football coach, athletic director and building tradesteacher. He and his wife, Pam,have two children, Heather and Colby Lou.

Michelle Stout ’87 has been promoted to the newly createdposition of manager of communityinitiatives and diversity at SunoviaEnergy Technologies.

Loweda Woods-Veatch ’89 is aBCM/parent mentor for ChestnutRidge Counseling Services Inc. She lives in Brownsville, Pa., withher husband, Gary.

90sRoxanne Cheroki-Tsambarlis ’90is a teacher in the Belle Vernon AreaSchool District. She lives in BelleVernon, Pa., with her husband,Herc.

Richard Albietz ’91 is an internalreview evaluator for the U.S. Army.He and his wife, Donna, live in Forest Hill, Md.

Lisa Yeskey ’91 is a school administrator in the Warren CountySchools. She and her husband,John Kent, live in Stephens City, Va.

Bill Matrogan ’92 has been promoted to the position of vicepresident of claims training for ErieInsurance. He has been with Erie Insurance since 1993 and most recently held the position of sectionsupervisor for property and subrogation.

Jim Mistick ’92 recently receivedhis MBA. At Cal U, he was involvedwith the campus radio station, and at one time he owned his own station.

Michael Andresky ’79, ’92 is semi-retired from his insurance and financial services business. He has switched his registered representative’s registration toWaddell & Reed in Monroeville, Pa.He is working as a sales assistant in the Belle Vernon, Pa., area underJacob Cuthbert. He is still very active in the property and casualtyaspect of the business.

Steven Sarver ’93 of Pittsburgh,Pa., is an archaeologist resource at GAI Consulting Engineers.

Stacey Brooks Ventura ’93 lives in Pearl City, Hawaii, with her husband, Brian ’94.

Tammy Horney Petruzzi ’94is a teacher. She lives in Lehigh Acres, Fla.

CALU M I L E S T O N E S

Encore appearanceFriends from the Cal U Theatre Department in the 1970s recently gathered at the Kara Alumni House. Some in the group had not seeneach other in 30 years. Attending were (front row, from left) Dennis Taylor ’74, Joe Onorato ’76, Rosemary Bertini O’Neil ’76 and Thom Volpe Kummerle ’76. Also (back row, from left) Diane Ludwick Mousseau ’76, Jacqueline Baker Lapisardi ’74, MichieGrimm Merryman ’77 and Charles Nyswaner ’74.

SUMMER 2012 � CAL U REVIEW 31SUMMER 2012 � CAL U REVIEW 31


John Blicha ’95 has been appointed to the newly created position of marketing commu-nications manager for Eriez, a manufacturer of advanced technology for magnetic, vibratory and inspection applications.

Michele Papakie ’96, of Brush Valley, Pa., an associate professor of journalism at Indiana Universityof Pennsylvania, has been selectedfor membership in IUP’s chapter of Phi Kappa Phi National HonorSociety.

Veronica L. Hordubay ’96 has been named the marketing and sales manager for the SMG-managed Big Sandy SuperstoreArena, in Huntington, W.Va.

Kerry Novak-Drilak ’97 was inducted into the Washington-Greene County Chapter of thePennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.Novak-Drilak was a four-time all-conference right fielder from1994-1997. She was a 1997 NFCA All-American and two-timeAcademic All-American who wasthe 1997 PSAC Scholar Athlete of the Year. Novak-Drilak helpedthe Vulcans win four PSAC-West titles, three NCAA Regional championships, two PSAC titles and the 1997 NCAA II NationalChampionship.

Kevin Rice ’94, ’97 is a school administrator for Steel Center Area Vocational Technical School.He and his wife, Cheryl Puskavich-Rice ’91, live in Scenery Hill, Pa.

Sean Blumette ’98 is the new head football coach at Brooke High School, in Wellsburg, W.Va.Previously he was an assistantcoach at Waynesburg (Pa.) University.

00sDr. Gregory Taranto ’00, principalfor seven years at Canonsburg Middle School in the Canon-McMillan School District, has beennamed the 2012 PennsylvaniaMiddle Level Principal of the Year.He was selected for the award by the Pennsylvania Association of Elementary and Secondary Principals.

Robert Randall ’01 is a security officer for Ponte Vedra Beach (Fla.)Resorts. He also is a substituteteacher for Duval County (Fla.)Public Schools.

Amy GardnerLombard ’01 is a major giftsofficer for the University of Pittsburghand UPMC Medical and

Health Sciences Foundation. In her new position she raises fundsfor the Neurological Surgery andNeurology departments. At Cal U,she served as executive director of Alumni Relations for nearly six years, beginning in 2006; shepreviously worked for four years as the University’s manager ofscholarship endowments. Amy lives in Perryopolis, Pa., with her daughters, Ginya and Lola.

Michael Silbaugh ’02 has beenhired as assistant principal at Pine-Richland High School in the Pine-Richland School District,near Pittsburgh, Pa.

Michelle Babalonis Maksymik ’02works for Pennsylvania HighlandsCommunity College. She and herhusband, Joshua, live in Boswell, Pa.

Dr. Carly Brown ’03 isthe co-founder of C. Brown CustomClothiers (www. cbcustom clothiers.com).She lives in

Pittsburgh, Pa. At Cal U, she was a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America and the Black Student Union. She alsowas senior class secretary.

Alan Reid ’04 is an athletic trainerat Trinity Valley School. He lives inFort Worth, Texas, with his wife,Deven. At Cal U, Alan was a gradu-ate assistant athletic trainer, work-ing with football in 2003 andvolleyball and soccer in 2004.

Krista Mathias ’05 has been appointed to the Somerset (Pa.)Hospital Board of Directors. She is the superintendent of the Somerset Area School District.

Anthon McCall ’05 lives in ElkGrove, Calif. He extends his thanksto the Cal U community for its support as he has dealt with serious medical issues.

Megan Ardary Albright ’05 worksin human resources at Eaton Corp.She lives in Columbia, S.C., withher husband, Bernard ‘Bernie’ ’05.

Josh Cramer’05, a teacher at South ParkMiddle School,near Pittsburgh,Pa., recently won the Professor George

Schneider Jr. Manufacturing Tech-nology Education Faculty Award.The national award recognizes afaculty member who exhibits out-standing teaching ability in the fieldof manufacturing and engineeringtechnology and education. Nomi-nations are from peers, studentsand professionals in the field.

Jacqueline Britt’04, ’05 hasbeen namedbranch managerfor MVB Bank,with multiple locations in West Virginia.

Her background includes morethan six years of experience inbanking and investments.

John Zetty ’06 is an internal medi-cine resident at Palmetto GeneralHospital in Hialeah, Fla. At Cal U, he was a member of the Ski andSnowboard Club.

Loren Shirk Luft ’06 is a teacher in the Canon-McMillan School District. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pa.,with her husband, Cliff.

Jim Bayer ’06 lives in Fairview Park,Ohio. He is a speech therapist.

Richard Ruck ’07 is a professor of criminal justice at NorthamptonCommunity College. He lives inRoseto, Pa. At Cal U, he was a Presidential Scholar and an honorgraduate.

Christina Fanning ’07 is an athletictrainer and instructor at Lamar University. She lives in Port Arthur,Texas.

Jason Ramsey ’07 is the new prin-cipal of Foster Elementary School in the Mount Lebanon (Pa.) SchoolDistrict. He previously served as assistant principal at Jefferson Middle School and taught sixth-grade social studies for seven years.

Carla Dyann Brown ’07 is an educator. She lives in Brooks, Ga.

Kenny Statler ’08 has completedtraining in ASTYM, a noninvasivetherapy for degenerated tendonsand scar tissue. He is a physicaltherapist for the East and West

Fairmont, W.Va., offices of CountryRoads Physical Therapy.

Greg Strimel ’08 is an instructionalteam leader in the Howard CountyPublic Schools. He lives inSykesville, Md.

Natalie Martino ’08 is a law school student and legal intern in the Allegheny County Office of the Public Defender. She lives in Bethel Park, Pa. At Cal U, Natalie was a member of AlphaMu, the national honor society for social sciences.

Bonnie PeperakSypolt ’08 andher husband,Matthew Sypolt, recentlycelebrated thefirst birthday of their son,

Jace Andrew Sypolt, who was born July 28, 2011. Bonnie is a fifth-grade teacher in the Harrisburg School District. The family lives in Harrisburg, Pa.

Sarah Drew Hlopick ’09 lives in Morgantown, W.Va., with herhusband, Nicholas. Her degree is in business administration.

Paula Brown Springer ’09 is ateacher in the Hillsborough CountySchool District. She lives in Lithia,Fla., with her husband, Edward.

Brittany Prater ’09 has taken a tournament staff position with the Anthracite Golf Association in Peckville, Pa.

Betty Lynne Hawkins ’05, ’09 was hired full time by the RinggoldSchool District. She is teaching special education at Ringgold Elementary School North. She lives in West Newton, Pa., with her husband, Jay, and daughtersKelly and Sarah.

B.J. DePaoli ’08, ’09 recently hadhis No. 11 jersey retired by the Cal U Hockey Club at the Blade-Runners ice rink in Bethel Park, Pa.,home ice for Cal U’s two men’s and one women’s club teams. DePaoli played 122 games in his five-year career with Vulcanhockey, recording 179 goals and234 assists for 413 points. He is the only Cal U player to recordmore than 400 career points and only the second to have hisnumber retired. He is the founderof InsidePittsburgh Sports.com andlives in the Mon Valley with hiswife, Vanessa.


10sIanthi de Alwis ’10 lives in MorenoValley, Calif.

Capt. Brian Uhrmacher ’10 hasgraduated from the Federal Bureauof Investigation’s National AcademyProgram. He is a member of theGreece (N.Y.) Police Department.

William Roesner ’10 is a studentaffairs professional for South Uni-versity. He lives in South Park, Pa.,with his wife, Briana Panseri ’11.

Nick Kirchhof ’10 has joined theStanford University men’s soccerstaff as a volunteer assistant coach.Previously, he was the University ofDenver’s director of men’s socceroperations.

Kayla Trybus Stevens ’11 is livingin Pennsylvania with her husband,Christopher. At Cal U, she was amember of the Philosophy Club.

Brenda Maroglio ’11 is director of medical and surgical services at Saint Vincent Health Center in Erie, Pa., where she has been a registered nurse for 22 years.

Alix Kunkle '11 is the news editorof the Leesville (La.) Daily Leader. He is also a member of the Leesville Rotary Club and a regularcontributor to the Gridiron Gumbo radio show on KVVP-FMin Leesville.

Elisa Ashton ’12 is a food serviceworker at UPMC Mercy. She lives in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Michael Del Re ’12 lives in Cecil, Pa.

Melanie Harbour Winchester ’12is a stay-at-home mom living inCanton, Ga., with her husband,Patrick.

Samantha Bochna ’12 lives in Brownsville, Pa.

Ashley Farrar ’12 lives in Tarentum, Pa. While at Cal U, she was a student orientationleader and a member of AlphaSigma Alpha. She also worked with Special Olympics, Relay for Life and the S. June Smith Center.

ENGAGEMENTSHeather Baroffio ’98, a registerednurse in surgical services at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC in Pittsburgh, is engaged to MikeJones, who works for Pumpco in

Smithton, Pa. The wedding isplanned for September 2012 in theOuter Banks of North Carolina.

Christina Shaughnessy ’99, of California, Pa., and Craig Lombard,of Perryopolis, Pa., are engaged.Christina is a registered nurse atWashington Hospital. At Cal U, shewas a member of the Delta ZetaSorority. Craig owns and operatesMarcel’s Pottery in Perryopolis.They are planning a wedding in November 2012.

Nicolette Massini ’08 and AdamPenska are engaged. Nicolette worksfor Severstal Resources. Adam worksfor Siemens. They are planning awedding in October 2012.

Erin Giachetti ’10, of Waynesburg,Pa., and Bobby Erjavek, of Dilliner,Pa., are engaged. Erin is a substi-tute teacher for Central GreeneSchool District and an assistant softball coach at Waynesburg University. Bobby works for AtlasServices Corp. They are planningan April 2013 wedding.

Eric Kustron ’07, of McClelland-town, Pa., and Heather Whoolery,of New Geneva, Pa., are engaged.Eric works for Mylan Pharmaceuti-cals Inc. in Morgantown, W.Va.Heather works at JCPenney inUniontown, Pa. They are planningan October 2012 wedding at theMcClellandtown Free MethodistChurch.

Jessie Frame ’09 and Ray Mooreare engaged. Jessie is a service coordinator for SeniorCare Network.Ray is a parts sales associate atWashington Auto Mall. They areplanning a September 2012 wedding.

Gene Steratore’88 and LisaMauro ’92 areengaged. Lisa isteaching all levelsof mathematicsat both Commu-nity College of

Allegheny County and Westmore-land County Community College,and she also is a private mathemat-ics tutor. She has four children:Maria, 14, Gina, 12, Christopher,10, and Nicholas, 8. Gene co-ownsSteratore Sanitary Supply in Eighty-Four, Pa. He is entering his seventhseason as a referee in the NationalFootball League, and also is enter-ing his 16th season as an official forNCAA Division I college basketball. He was named the PAC coordinatorof football officiating in 2012, and

he is head of the Tri-State OfficialsAssociation. He has three children:Natalie, Gene and Andrew. Thecouple is planning a wedding inspring 2013.

MARRIAGESDan Snyder and Hannah Shrinerwere married April 28, 2012, inEnid, Okla. Dan was expected tograduate in summer 2012 from Cal Uwith a master’s degree in sports psychology. He is the strength and conditioning coach at GeorgiaInstitute of Technology.

Kristi Mazzaferri ’07 and KyleDrake were married Sept. 24, 2011,a the Pelican Grand Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Kristi is a physical therapist assistant at Consulate of North Strabane Township, Pa. Kyle served in the U.S. Army for four years and works for Yost Drilling.

Cortney Lapinsky ’10, ’11 andEvan Verostick, both of Windber,Pa., were planning to be marriedAug. 11, 2012. Cortney works for Western Pennsylvania SportsMedicine and Rehabilitation Clinic.

Scott Hilpert ’05, of Oakdale, Pa.,and Amber Kunder of Poland,Ohio, were planning to be marriedJuly 7, 2012, in New Wilmington(Pa.) Presbyterian Church. Scott is a technical education teacher in the Moon (Pa.) School District.Amber is a Title I tutor and substi-tute teacher for West Branch Local School District, in Ohio.

Emily DiFiore ’11 and JohnMitchell were married May 19,2012, in Hickory United Presby-terian Church. Emily is a speech-language pathologist at a pediatrictherapy center. John is a hazardousmaterials supervisor at SPSI. Theytook a honeymoon trip to Jamaicaand are living in Hickory, Pa.

KimberlyHester ’10 andMichael Shankwere marriedAug. 20, 2011.The bridal partyincluded MarkRockage ’10

and Carl Jay ’08. Kimberly is an assistant activities director atGolden Living Center-Haida, andMichael is an electrician for NorfolkSouthern. They live in Hastings, Pa.


To the California University Community:

Since our 20-year tenure as president and first lady of California University ofPennsylvania ended, we have been movedby the many expressions of support and encouragement we have received from thestudents, alumni, faculty, staff, communitymembers and other friends whom we came

to know and love during our time at Cal U. Our only regret after 20 wonderful years at the University —

and the reason for this public statement of gratitude — is that there was neither time nor opportunity to say thankyou and goodbye personally to every one of the wonderfulcolleagues and friends whom we met at, and through, Cal U.

And while we are obviously pleased and excited to be living“back home,” much closer to our children, grandchildren and other family members, we will deeply miss the kind andgenerous people we met and worked with at the University, in Pennsylvania, and beyond since 1992.

Finally, we will cherish the memories of our time together,continue the critically important work we committed ourselves to, and celebrate the numerous achievements, large and small, that we were fortunate enough to accomplish.

We were honored to serve as president and first lady of Cal Ufor the last two decades, and we wish all of God’s blessings on theUniversity, its students, alumni, faculty and staff for the future.

Angelo and Barbara Armenti

ANNIVERSARIESEd Monaghan ’67 and VirginiaSala Monaghan ’68 will be celebrating 44 years of marriage.Ed is retired from the Albert Gal-latin School District after 35 years. Virginia is retired from the Monessen (Pa.) School District.They enjoy being with family, especially their two grandchildren,traveling, golf and gardening.

Virginia had her first children’s book, Manneranimals,published in2011.

BIRTHSJeni DavisBalogh ’99 andher husband,Jim, welcomedtheir daughter,Aife Noelle, onMay 3, 2012.

Jeff Mountain ’01 and AmyMountain ’03 announce the birthof their third child, Maria Lynn, the granddaughter of Ron andConetta Mountain, both 1973graduates.

Genevieve Lawton-Kegley’04 and her husband, Robert,welcomed adaughter, KendallJacqueline, onNov. 11, 2011,

in Pittsburgh, Pa. She joins big sister Chloe. Genevieve is a homemaker.

AutumnParasolickKosanko ’06,’09 and her husband, Justin,announce thebirth of theirfirst child,

Austin Andrew Kosanko, born Nov. 26, 2011, in Pittsburgh, Pa.Autumn is a special educationteacher at Junior High East in theConnellsville (Pa.) Area School District. Justin works for Cigna in Pittsburgh, Pa. They live in Rostraver Township, Pa.

Stephen Fetsko ’05 and AmandaPritchard-Fetsko ’05,’10 announce thebirth of theirfirst child,

Stephen Jeffrey Fetsko, on March22, 2012. Stephen works for Fetsko Heating and Cooling, andAmanda works as a counselor atSPHS. They live in Allenport, Pa.


Send your Milestones news or address changes by fax to 724-938-5932, by mail to Alumni Relations, P.O. Box 668, California, PA 15419,or by e-mail to [email protected]. Questions? Call 724-938-4418.

� JUST THE

FAX


Dr. Gary W. Kennedy ’58, emeritus professor,died May 23, 2012, at age 76. He was an educatorat Cal U for 36 years, until he retired in 1998. At the University he was a member of the EmeritiFaculty, the Athletic Hall of Fame Selection Committee, California Community Choir and Sixth Man Club. A former chair of the ElementaryEducation Department, he served on the board of the Foundation for California University. Among other family members, he leaves behindMildred ‘Midge‘ Warman Kennedy ’60.

FOR THE LOVE OF LINDSEYFamily and friends of Lindsey Popelas, a Cal U student whodied in 2006 after abattle with Hodgkin’slymphoma, have established theLindsey Marie Popelas MemorialScholarship Endowment to supportscholarships for California Area High School students who plan to study education at Cal U.

As part of fundraising efforts forthis scholarship, the second ‘Forthe Love of Lindsey’ 5K run/walkwas held Sept. 1 at the fire hall in Stockdale, Pa.

For information about the run/walk,or to learn more about Lindsey and the scholarship, visitwww.fortheloveoflindsey.info.

IN MEMORIAMRet. Cmdr. Nathan L. Astleford ’60Joseph Mickey Bodnar ’57Helen J. Buk ’38Margaret ‘Peg’ Jane Jenkins Buzza*Roberta Ann ‘Bobbie’ Carter*Mildred M. Chellman ’58Jamie Canning Cushey ’77Joseph Delisi,*

emeritus faculty, BusinessRobert Eugene Gandley ’62Doris J. Geletei,* a cook at Cal UHelen Katherine Perkins Hagan ’58Derrick Van Jones ’74Joseph Katko ’64Frances ‘Frankie’ Brown Komer ’32Michael George Lukac, Jr. ’91Michael ‘Gob’ Vincent Monestersky ’94Ryan M. Moravec ’07, ’09Patricia Ann “Pat” McHenry Quinn ’78Constance Ranson ’02Eric W. Richards ’80Carla J. Riggs ’69, ’76

Melissa M. Ritchey*Jeffries S. Roddy ’63Elwyn Marvin Schmidt,*

emeritus professor, Math and Computer Science

Kenneth ‘Ken’ Stewart Sealy,* a Cal U basketball scoreboard timekeeper for 42 years

Diane Barzanti Sesco,* former event coordinator at Cal U

Linda D. Sichi ’63Dr. Alfred Simpson Sr.,*

emeritus faculty, Applied Engineering and Technology

Ralph V. Steeb II ’43Regis L. Stephenson ’73Charles Vaccaro ’62Howard Villani ’76William Weiler Wagner ’72Jill M. Lindley Woshner ’02

*No class year provided or on file

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Information will be published as space and deadlines allow. Please indicate on another sheet what activities or sports you participated in whileyou were a student. We welcome high-resolution electronic photographs. Please e-mail images to [email protected]; put the words“Milestones photo” on the subject line of your e-mail, and be sure to tell us your name, year of graduation and the identity of everyone inthe 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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2012

Leadership ChallengeRob Joseph, a student in the Upper St. Clair School District, tests himself during the annual Leadership Challenge camp sponsored bythe Linda and Harry Serene Leadership Institute at Cal U. Founded by two Cal U alumni, the institute annually offers leadership andpersonal development training to area high school students. To see a slideshow of images from the camp, visit www.calu.edu/news;choose ‘Cal U Review’ and click on ‘As Seen in the Review.’

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