Ken Millar, current dean of College of Professional Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University, has been selected dean of the College of Health and Human Services at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). He will begin his new position on June 1.
Millar brings to Cal State Long Beach 27 years of administrative experience in higher education. Throughout his career he has increased external funding in support of faculty research and scholarly activity, enhanced fund raising and community outreach and bolstered student enrollment.
“Dr. Millar’s breadth of experience and his impressive list of accomplishments as a faculty member and administrator will be a major addition to the College of Health and Human Services, our campus and our region,” said Don Para, CSULB’s interim provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “In addition to his strong record of accomplishments, Dr. Millar demonstrates a high level of collegiality, positive energy and enthusiasm.”
The College of Health and Human Services is the second largest college at CSULB with more than 7,500 declared majors within its programs. Departments in the college include Communicative Disorders, Criminal Justice, Family and Consumer Sciences, Health Care Administration, Health Science, Kinesiology, Nursing, Physical Therapy, Professional Studies, Graduate Center for Public Policy & Administration, Recreation & Leisure Studies and Social Work.
Since 2006, Millar has served as dean of the College of Professional Studies at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Fla. There, he oversees the divisions of Justice Studies, Public Affairs, Resort and Hospitality Management and Social Work. Over the past two years, he has led the college through difficult financial times, working to protect jobs, professional development funds and graduate assistant support.
During his tenure as dean, Millar established a mentoring program among senior and junior faculty members to encourage and support scholarship and research, collaborated throughout the university to provide programs that enhance professional development and has overseen the construction of a new state-of-the-art building for the Resort and Hospitality Management and the Professional Golf Management programs.
“I am looking forward to providing leadership to an enormously talented group of scholar-practitioners in all the disciplines represented in the College of Health and Human Services,” Millar said. “Many of the faculty in the college are on the cutting edge of research in their fields and my job will be to provide the infrastructure support and climate to nurture and enhance their development of new knowledge and skills.
“Despite the fiscal challenges faced by higher education in California, I look forward to the opportunity of leading the educational mission of preparing the next generation of professionals in all the diverse fields represented in the college,” he added. “I look forward to furthering the community outreach/service aspects of our college and, through the actions of our faculty and students, making our community a better place to live and prosper.”
Before joining Florida Gulf Coast University, Millar served as director of the School of Social Work at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, dean of the School of Social Work at Louisiana State University, dean of George Williams College of Health and Human Services at Aurora University in Illinois and director of the School of Social Work at Aurora University.
He earned his doctorate at the University of Texas at Arlington, his master’s in social work at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, British Columbia, and his bachelor’s degree at Sir George Williams University in Montreal, Quebec.
Millar is recognized as a leader in the field of social work. In 1991, he was selected as Social Worker of the Year by the Arkansas Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. That same year, he developed a partnership with the state public child welfare agency. The partnership was one of the first in the country and became a model for state public child welfare-university collaborations nationally. He has authored or co-authored numerous articles and book chapters and co-authored two books. He is currently working on a text on child abuse.
Millar replaces Ron Vogel, who left CSULB in 2009 to become provost at California State University, Dominguez Hills.
-- Linda Fontes
Monday, February 22, 2010
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program at CSULB Offering Free Income Tax Return Assistance to Students, Community
Accounting majors at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) are assisting students and members of the community with their 2009 tax returns free of charge through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
The program will run through April 9 at the university, but volunteers will not see clients when the campus closes for Spring Break, March 29-April 4.
VITA is a cooperative effort by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and many individual states, including California, to provide income tax assistance to low- and moderate-income individuals, the handicapped and the elderly. Volunteers are trained to prepare basic income tax returns at VITA sites, and returns can take up to 30 minutes to prepare.
Last year, Cal State Long Beach’s volunteers prepared more than 550 returns for individuals both on and off campus.
“Cal State Long Beach has had the VITA program for a number of years, and it’s really a great program. Unfortunately, many students and community members are unaware that they can have their taxes done at the campus for free,” said Bernadette Hunter, a senior accounting major and this year’s campus VITA coordinator. “The program is just one of the many ways in which CSULB continues to be conscious of the needs of its students and the Long Beach community.”
Sponsored by the IRS but funded through the campus’ Beta Alpha Psi & Accounting Society, VITA helps students on campus and people from the community who cannot afford to go to paid preparers to get their taxes filed. At the same time, the program gives student volunteers valuable experience that can further help them to attain full-time employment in the accounting field.
Hunter noted that this year’s campus VITA program has 37 volunteers who have been trained and certified by the IRS to prepare and E-file basic income tax returns and foreign student tax returns. They are also qualified to answer many tax questions or concerns that those coming in for assistance may have.
There are limitations to those who can use the service, however. VITA program volunteers do not prepare business tax returns. In addition, the CSULB program can only assist those who made less than $50,000 in 2009.
Those interested in having their 2009 tax returns prepared through the CSULB VITA program should bring the following items: proof of identification; Social Security cards, including spouse’s and dependents’ (or a Social Security number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration); birth dates, including spouse’s and dependents’; current year’s tax package; wage and earnings statements (W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers); and interest and dividend statements from banks (1099 forms).
Additionally, clients also should try to bring a copy of their federal and state returns from last year, if available; bank routing numbers and account numbers for direct deposit; total paid for day-care provider and the day-care provider’s tax identifying number (the provider’s Social Security number or the provider’s business employer identification number); and, if a client paid rent for at least half of 2009 for property in California, he/she should have the rental dates and landlord's information (name, address, phone number).
It is also important to note that when filing taxes electronically on a married filing joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.
The CSULB VITA program operates out of Room 237 on the second floor of CSULB’s College of Business Administration (CBA) Building. It is open to assist students and members of the community on Mondays from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Tuesdays-Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Members of the community are advised to use the metered parking in Lot 15, adjacent to the CBA Building. The cost is $2 per hour. Hunter said returns can take up to 30 minutes to prepare.
Walk-ins are welcome but an appointment can be made by contacting Hunter at 909/645-5488 or by e-mailing her at vita.csulb@gmail.com. Those interested can also visit the Web site at csulb.edu/~bap, then click on VITA.
-- Rick Gloady
The program will run through April 9 at the university, but volunteers will not see clients when the campus closes for Spring Break, March 29-April 4.
VITA is a cooperative effort by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and many individual states, including California, to provide income tax assistance to low- and moderate-income individuals, the handicapped and the elderly. Volunteers are trained to prepare basic income tax returns at VITA sites, and returns can take up to 30 minutes to prepare.
Last year, Cal State Long Beach’s volunteers prepared more than 550 returns for individuals both on and off campus.
“Cal State Long Beach has had the VITA program for a number of years, and it’s really a great program. Unfortunately, many students and community members are unaware that they can have their taxes done at the campus for free,” said Bernadette Hunter, a senior accounting major and this year’s campus VITA coordinator. “The program is just one of the many ways in which CSULB continues to be conscious of the needs of its students and the Long Beach community.”
Sponsored by the IRS but funded through the campus’ Beta Alpha Psi & Accounting Society, VITA helps students on campus and people from the community who cannot afford to go to paid preparers to get their taxes filed. At the same time, the program gives student volunteers valuable experience that can further help them to attain full-time employment in the accounting field.
Hunter noted that this year’s campus VITA program has 37 volunteers who have been trained and certified by the IRS to prepare and E-file basic income tax returns and foreign student tax returns. They are also qualified to answer many tax questions or concerns that those coming in for assistance may have.
There are limitations to those who can use the service, however. VITA program volunteers do not prepare business tax returns. In addition, the CSULB program can only assist those who made less than $50,000 in 2009.
Those interested in having their 2009 tax returns prepared through the CSULB VITA program should bring the following items: proof of identification; Social Security cards, including spouse’s and dependents’ (or a Social Security number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration); birth dates, including spouse’s and dependents’; current year’s tax package; wage and earnings statements (W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers); and interest and dividend statements from banks (1099 forms).
Additionally, clients also should try to bring a copy of their federal and state returns from last year, if available; bank routing numbers and account numbers for direct deposit; total paid for day-care provider and the day-care provider’s tax identifying number (the provider’s Social Security number or the provider’s business employer identification number); and, if a client paid rent for at least half of 2009 for property in California, he/she should have the rental dates and landlord's information (name, address, phone number).
It is also important to note that when filing taxes electronically on a married filing joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms.
The CSULB VITA program operates out of Room 237 on the second floor of CSULB’s College of Business Administration (CBA) Building. It is open to assist students and members of the community on Mondays from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Tuesdays-Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and on Fridays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Members of the community are advised to use the metered parking in Lot 15, adjacent to the CBA Building. The cost is $2 per hour. Hunter said returns can take up to 30 minutes to prepare.
Walk-ins are welcome but an appointment can be made by contacting Hunter at 909/645-5488 or by e-mailing her at vita.csulb@gmail.com. Those interested can also visit the Web site at csulb.edu/~bap, then click on VITA.
-- Rick Gloady
Cal State Long Beach President, VP, Others to Speak at African American Churches as Part of CSU Super Sunday
Encouraged by their contribution to a 78 percent increase in African Americans applying to the California State University (CSU), Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) President F. King Alexander and others on Feb. 28 will again address church congregations to discuss early college preparation during the fifth annual CSU Super Sunday.
The program is part of the CSU’s African American Initiative, which strives to find new ways to educate youth and parents about the value of a college degree and the steps that must be completed in launching a successful college career.
Alexander will speak at Friendship Baptist Church, located at 17145 Bastanchury Road in Yorba Linda during the 8 to 11:30 a.m. service. CSULB Vice President for Student Services Douglas Robinson will address the congregation at First AME Church, located at 2270 S. Harvard Boulevard in Los Angeles during the 8 to 10 a.m. service.
“Over the past five years, Super Sunday has proven to be an increasingly important component of California State University’s and Cal State Long Beach’s overall commitment in reaching out to local and regional underserved communities,” said Alexander. “Because of our, CSU’s and the churches’ efforts, tens-of-thousands of students and their families learn that planning for college should start as early as the sixth grade.”
Since Jan. 31, CSU officials, such as Chancellor Charles Reed, trustees, campus presidents, and other higher education representatives have been reaching out to more than 100,000 families in 100 African American churches throughout the state. In 2005, Super Sunday was launched with only 11 churches in Los Angeles and 13 churches in Northern California.
In just five years, the initiative has contributed to a 78 percent increase in the number of African American students applying for freshman admission to the 23 CSU campuses and a 20 percent increase in undergraduate enrollment by African American students.
Besides promoting higher education, CSULB speakers will also highlight the role of parental involvement and early preparation in facilitating successful access to college for African Americans.
“As long as the need is there, and that need is apparently increasing, we will continue to deliver these messages each year, because the data shows that our efforts are paying off. We believe that good information drives good decisions for children, students and families,” said Alexander. “Therefore, it is our responsibility to reach beyond the confines and comfort of our own campuses to put important college-bound information about what students should be studying and learning in order to prepare adequately.”
Also speaking and representing CSULB during Super Sunday will be Hearst Scholar Tanisha Washington, a management information systems/applications development graduate student at CSULB who will address church goers at Price Chapel AME Church at 4000 W. Slauson Ave. in Los Angeles at 11 a.m.
Washington earned the prestigious William R. Hearst/CSU Trustees Award after demonstrating the courage and tenacity to go from briefly living in poverty on Skid Row, to becoming a top CSULB student while, in her “spare time,” translating textbooks into Braille and helping struggling college students and impoverished children.
Corion Lucas will speak at Holy Trinity AME Church in Long Beach at 9:30 a.m. Lucas is the campus tours and special projects assistant at CSULB.
The complete list of churches and schedule of events is available online and includes locations in Northern California, Southern California and Fresno. For the first time, this list includes congregations in Corona, Oceanside, Oxnard, Riverside, Santa Ana, Yorba Linda, Fresno and the San Fernando Valley.
Following Super Sunday services, CSU outreach staff and church education counselors will provide information about the steps to college and financial aid. Students and their families will receive information about CSU Mentor, the website that prospective students use to find information and apply to a CSU campus. Participants will also receive the “How to Get to College” poster, which provides middle and high school students and their parents step-by-step information on planning for college.
“It is amazing how broad the scope and reach of Super Sunday has become. Now, outreach staff work with the congregations throughout the year on college outreach programs. We have also further developed our financial aid workshops and have expanded distribution of college materials to sixth-12th grade students and their parents,” said Robinson. “The church educational advisers and liaisons who work directly with young students and their families are phenomenal. We are definitely making a difference here in Long Beach and across the state.”
For more information, visit the CSU Super Sunday website.
-- Paul Browning
The program is part of the CSU’s African American Initiative, which strives to find new ways to educate youth and parents about the value of a college degree and the steps that must be completed in launching a successful college career.
Alexander will speak at Friendship Baptist Church, located at 17145 Bastanchury Road in Yorba Linda during the 8 to 11:30 a.m. service. CSULB Vice President for Student Services Douglas Robinson will address the congregation at First AME Church, located at 2270 S. Harvard Boulevard in Los Angeles during the 8 to 10 a.m. service.
“Over the past five years, Super Sunday has proven to be an increasingly important component of California State University’s and Cal State Long Beach’s overall commitment in reaching out to local and regional underserved communities,” said Alexander. “Because of our, CSU’s and the churches’ efforts, tens-of-thousands of students and their families learn that planning for college should start as early as the sixth grade.”
Since Jan. 31, CSU officials, such as Chancellor Charles Reed, trustees, campus presidents, and other higher education representatives have been reaching out to more than 100,000 families in 100 African American churches throughout the state. In 2005, Super Sunday was launched with only 11 churches in Los Angeles and 13 churches in Northern California.
In just five years, the initiative has contributed to a 78 percent increase in the number of African American students applying for freshman admission to the 23 CSU campuses and a 20 percent increase in undergraduate enrollment by African American students.
Besides promoting higher education, CSULB speakers will also highlight the role of parental involvement and early preparation in facilitating successful access to college for African Americans.
“As long as the need is there, and that need is apparently increasing, we will continue to deliver these messages each year, because the data shows that our efforts are paying off. We believe that good information drives good decisions for children, students and families,” said Alexander. “Therefore, it is our responsibility to reach beyond the confines and comfort of our own campuses to put important college-bound information about what students should be studying and learning in order to prepare adequately.”
Also speaking and representing CSULB during Super Sunday will be Hearst Scholar Tanisha Washington, a management information systems/applications development graduate student at CSULB who will address church goers at Price Chapel AME Church at 4000 W. Slauson Ave. in Los Angeles at 11 a.m.
Washington earned the prestigious William R. Hearst/CSU Trustees Award after demonstrating the courage and tenacity to go from briefly living in poverty on Skid Row, to becoming a top CSULB student while, in her “spare time,” translating textbooks into Braille and helping struggling college students and impoverished children.
Corion Lucas will speak at Holy Trinity AME Church in Long Beach at 9:30 a.m. Lucas is the campus tours and special projects assistant at CSULB.
The complete list of churches and schedule of events is available online and includes locations in Northern California, Southern California and Fresno. For the first time, this list includes congregations in Corona, Oceanside, Oxnard, Riverside, Santa Ana, Yorba Linda, Fresno and the San Fernando Valley.
Following Super Sunday services, CSU outreach staff and church education counselors will provide information about the steps to college and financial aid. Students and their families will receive information about CSU Mentor, the website that prospective students use to find information and apply to a CSU campus. Participants will also receive the “How to Get to College” poster, which provides middle and high school students and their parents step-by-step information on planning for college.
“It is amazing how broad the scope and reach of Super Sunday has become. Now, outreach staff work with the congregations throughout the year on college outreach programs. We have also further developed our financial aid workshops and have expanded distribution of college materials to sixth-12th grade students and their parents,” said Robinson. “The church educational advisers and liaisons who work directly with young students and their families are phenomenal. We are definitely making a difference here in Long Beach and across the state.”
For more information, visit the CSU Super Sunday website.
-- Paul Browning
Japanese Garden at California State University, Long Beach to Host 'Kimono In Color: A Spectrum of Seasons' on Feb. 26
How the beauty of changing seasons is reflected in harmonious colors of kimono in ancient and modern Japanese culture is the topic of the Winter Lecture titled “Kimono in Color: A Spectrum of Seasons,” presented by Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB).
The program takes place Friday, Feb. 26, in the Daniel Recital Hall on the CSULB campus. Light refreshments will be served at 7 p.m. followed by the program at 7:30.
Kimono will be displayed and Alison Redfoot-DiLiddo, the garden’s assistant director for education, will discuss examples of color use in kimono, the imagery of the four seasons based on the garden’s kimono collection and the garden itself, as well as her research into this topic.
Admission is free to members of the Friends of the Japanese Garden and $10 for non-members. Seating is limited and reservations are required by calling the garden’s Education Department at 562/985-8420.
For more information, visit www.csulb.edu/~jgarden.
-- Anne Ambrose
The program takes place Friday, Feb. 26, in the Daniel Recital Hall on the CSULB campus. Light refreshments will be served at 7 p.m. followed by the program at 7:30.
Kimono will be displayed and Alison Redfoot-DiLiddo, the garden’s assistant director for education, will discuss examples of color use in kimono, the imagery of the four seasons based on the garden’s kimono collection and the garden itself, as well as her research into this topic.
Admission is free to members of the Friends of the Japanese Garden and $10 for non-members. Seating is limited and reservations are required by calling the garden’s Education Department at 562/985-8420.
For more information, visit www.csulb.edu/~jgarden.
-- Anne Ambrose
Local Non-Profit Leaders to Address ‘Making a Difference by Serving Others’ During CSULB’s Notable Speakers Series
From helping incarcerated youngsters and those at the end of life, to a multi-facetted crusade for children, animals and the planet, three diverse Long Beach non-profit leaders will share their insights Tuesday, March 2, from 7-9 p.m. during the Notable Speakers Series at Cal State Long Beach (CSULB).
Addressing the topic “Nonprofit Leadership: Making a Difference by Serving Others,” this second installment of the Notable Speakers Series will feature Melanie Washington, founder of Mentoring A Touch From Above (MATFA); Cindy Skovgard, executive director of Pathways Volunteer Hospice, and Justin Rudd, founder of Community Action Team.
CSULB’s College of Business Administration’s (CBA) Notable Speaker Series was established to add relevance to current students’ learning experiences and to offer opportunities for professional development and intellectual engagement to students, alumni, staff, faculty and the community.
“My words [during the Notable Speakers Series] will focus on giving back after you have gone through the trials and tribulations of life,” said Washington. “In life I would go through the worst of times, then get up and take the hand of someone else who may have been going through what I just came out of. This is leading by example, working with others who may not feel like working with me.”
Washington has experienced more than her share of violence. When she was very young, she saw gangs, domestic violence and prejudice tear her family and community apart. Her mother, sister and husband were all murdered. Then, in December 1995, her 19-year-old son was killed by a young gang member he had befriended, taken into his home and tried to help.
MATFA serves youth ages 10-25 who are incarcerated in the juvenile detention centers and California Youth Authority. Many young lives have been turned around through MATFA with program graduates working at stable jobs and attending college, enabling them to become as asset rather than a threat to their communities.
“MATFA is all about my life and the struggles. We teach those less fortunate in life and those who have been or are incarcerated to get up and take hold of life in a positive way, and then turn around and help someone else,” said Washington.
Rudd is the founder and director of a nonprofit organization the Community Action Team (CAT). Its mission is to promote social well-being within the general public and to produce quality events within the community that benefit children, animals and the environment.
Rudd has received numerous awards for his community activism, including the 2004 Outstanding Young Californian Award presented by the California Jaycees Foundation.
“During my speech I’ll share how my upbringing in small-town Alabama prepared me for big city life and service here in Long Beach, as well as how I’ve created my nonprofit to do the things I love,” said Rudd. “I will also cover the past, present and future of CAT and how I have focused my more than 30 annual events and projects in three areas: environment, animals and youth. In addition, I’ll explain how my non-profit works in relations to my diverse portfolio, since I am also a photographer, fitness trainer and pageant interview coach.”
Pathways is a community-based volunteer hospice. It began as a community outreach program in 1985 that was developed by Lakewood Regional Medical Center. Skovgard’s 28 years of experience in community relations, fundraising and nonprofit management has helped Pathways gain its reputation in the Long Beach/Lakewood community as the organization people turn to for hospice, volunteer care-giving and bereavement support.
For the past 14 years, Skovgard has coordinated Pathways’ programs and services, in addition to community outreach efforts that include volunteer training, grant writing, a speaker’s bureau, and a number of community collaborations. Her professional affiliations include the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, National Association of Home Care and Hospice, Volunteer Hospice Network, Los Angeles County Commission on Aging, Women’s Business Council of Long Beach and Soroptimist International of Lakewood/Long Beach.
About the Notable Speakers Series
The Notable Speakers Series will take place on select Tuesdays from 7-9 p.m. in the CBA building Room 140A during the 2010 spring semester and feature renowned professionals from a variety of fields who will share their expertise on leading edge business issues.
There is no cost to attend, but reservations are required. Visitors to the campus must purchase a $4 parking permit at the yellow kiosk in Lot 15.
To register or learn more about the Notable Speaker Series and its speakers visit http://www.csulb.edu/colleges/cba/nss.
-- Paul Browning
Addressing the topic “Nonprofit Leadership: Making a Difference by Serving Others,” this second installment of the Notable Speakers Series will feature Melanie Washington, founder of Mentoring A Touch From Above (MATFA); Cindy Skovgard, executive director of Pathways Volunteer Hospice, and Justin Rudd, founder of Community Action Team.
CSULB’s College of Business Administration’s (CBA) Notable Speaker Series was established to add relevance to current students’ learning experiences and to offer opportunities for professional development and intellectual engagement to students, alumni, staff, faculty and the community.
“My words [during the Notable Speakers Series] will focus on giving back after you have gone through the trials and tribulations of life,” said Washington. “In life I would go through the worst of times, then get up and take the hand of someone else who may have been going through what I just came out of. This is leading by example, working with others who may not feel like working with me.”
Washington has experienced more than her share of violence. When she was very young, she saw gangs, domestic violence and prejudice tear her family and community apart. Her mother, sister and husband were all murdered. Then, in December 1995, her 19-year-old son was killed by a young gang member he had befriended, taken into his home and tried to help.
MATFA serves youth ages 10-25 who are incarcerated in the juvenile detention centers and California Youth Authority. Many young lives have been turned around through MATFA with program graduates working at stable jobs and attending college, enabling them to become as asset rather than a threat to their communities.
“MATFA is all about my life and the struggles. We teach those less fortunate in life and those who have been or are incarcerated to get up and take hold of life in a positive way, and then turn around and help someone else,” said Washington.
Rudd is the founder and director of a nonprofit organization the Community Action Team (CAT). Its mission is to promote social well-being within the general public and to produce quality events within the community that benefit children, animals and the environment.
Rudd has received numerous awards for his community activism, including the 2004 Outstanding Young Californian Award presented by the California Jaycees Foundation.
“During my speech I’ll share how my upbringing in small-town Alabama prepared me for big city life and service here in Long Beach, as well as how I’ve created my nonprofit to do the things I love,” said Rudd. “I will also cover the past, present and future of CAT and how I have focused my more than 30 annual events and projects in three areas: environment, animals and youth. In addition, I’ll explain how my non-profit works in relations to my diverse portfolio, since I am also a photographer, fitness trainer and pageant interview coach.”
Pathways is a community-based volunteer hospice. It began as a community outreach program in 1985 that was developed by Lakewood Regional Medical Center. Skovgard’s 28 years of experience in community relations, fundraising and nonprofit management has helped Pathways gain its reputation in the Long Beach/Lakewood community as the organization people turn to for hospice, volunteer care-giving and bereavement support.
For the past 14 years, Skovgard has coordinated Pathways’ programs and services, in addition to community outreach efforts that include volunteer training, grant writing, a speaker’s bureau, and a number of community collaborations. Her professional affiliations include the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, National Association of Home Care and Hospice, Volunteer Hospice Network, Los Angeles County Commission on Aging, Women’s Business Council of Long Beach and Soroptimist International of Lakewood/Long Beach.
About the Notable Speakers Series
The Notable Speakers Series will take place on select Tuesdays from 7-9 p.m. in the CBA building Room 140A during the 2010 spring semester and feature renowned professionals from a variety of fields who will share their expertise on leading edge business issues.
There is no cost to attend, but reservations are required. Visitors to the campus must purchase a $4 parking permit at the yellow kiosk in Lot 15.
To register or learn more about the Notable Speaker Series and its speakers visit http://www.csulb.edu/colleges/cba/nss.
-- Paul Browning
Monday, February 15, 2010
Strategic Language Initiative at Cal State Long Beach to Receive $2.88 Million Appropriation from U.S. Defense Bill
California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) will receive a $2.88 million appropriation from a recently approved defense spending bill as the lead institution in the multi-CSU campus Strategic Language Initiative (SLI).
U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., along with U.S. Reps. Laura Richardson, Ed Royce and Diane Watson, requested the funds for the initiative. The U.S. Senate passed the spending bill in late December, and it has since been signed by President Barack Obama.
According to a release from Sen. Boxer’s office, “The defense funding will further the development of critical foreign language programs that will help meet America’s national security needs. The initiative will help graduate more professionals with language skills and cultural knowledge in Arabic, Mandarin, Korean, Persian and Russian.”
Housed in the CSULB College of Liberal Arts, SLI was created in 2006-07 through the Southern Consortium of California State Universities. Now called the CSU Consortium on Strategic Language Initiative, the program brings together the infrastructure and language faculty expertise of five different southern California CSU campuses. This year, the program is adding two northern California CSU campuses.
Those campuses (and the foreign language each focuses on) that will receive funding include CSULB (Mandarin Chinese), Cal State Fullerton (Persian), Cal State L.A. (Korean), Cal State Northridge (Russian) and Cal State San Bernardino (Arabic). The appropriation monies will also support expansion of the program to San Francisco State (Mandarin Chinese) and San Jose State (Arabic).
“We’re extremely grateful to Senator Boxer and Representatives Richardson, Royce and Watson for recognizing the value of the Strategic Language Initiative and the role it can play in meeting the country’s national security needs,” said CSULB President F. King Alexander. “But beyond national security, we can see that languages such as these are called for in both the public and private sectors, especially as our universities and our nation think more globally.”
The consortium has created 18-month intensive and highly demanding programs in these five languages and has integrated language learning with academic majors for career opportunities in government and industry professions. Each campus enrolls students who are subdivided into two cohorts of heritage speakers and advanced non-heritage speakers.
“The success of the SLI Language Immersion Program model is evident in the fact that the completion rate of SLI participants is 98 percent. That’s very high,” noted KimOahn Nguyen-Lam, SLI’s executive director at CSULB. “A number of our SLI graduates received offers to work with international companies and others were accepted to advance their language study in countries where they did their study abroad.
“Moreover, the SLI participants’ average gain in language proficiency is significant across all five campuses. The 18-month language immersion program yields an average language gain equivalent to that of students who had taken three plus years of language study in traditional classroom setting. This is quite significant considering that these students are not language majors,” she added. “We are confident that subsequent cohorts will yield even greater results as the program’s curricula being refined and enhanced.
SLI officials have pointed out that CSU campuses are ideally positioned to lead this language initiative as the campuses serve some of the most linguistically diverse populations in the nation, enrolling more than 100,000 students each year with large heritage language communities near each campus.
-- Rick Gloady
U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., along with U.S. Reps. Laura Richardson, Ed Royce and Diane Watson, requested the funds for the initiative. The U.S. Senate passed the spending bill in late December, and it has since been signed by President Barack Obama.
According to a release from Sen. Boxer’s office, “The defense funding will further the development of critical foreign language programs that will help meet America’s national security needs. The initiative will help graduate more professionals with language skills and cultural knowledge in Arabic, Mandarin, Korean, Persian and Russian.”
Housed in the CSULB College of Liberal Arts, SLI was created in 2006-07 through the Southern Consortium of California State Universities. Now called the CSU Consortium on Strategic Language Initiative, the program brings together the infrastructure and language faculty expertise of five different southern California CSU campuses. This year, the program is adding two northern California CSU campuses.
Those campuses (and the foreign language each focuses on) that will receive funding include CSULB (Mandarin Chinese), Cal State Fullerton (Persian), Cal State L.A. (Korean), Cal State Northridge (Russian) and Cal State San Bernardino (Arabic). The appropriation monies will also support expansion of the program to San Francisco State (Mandarin Chinese) and San Jose State (Arabic).
“We’re extremely grateful to Senator Boxer and Representatives Richardson, Royce and Watson for recognizing the value of the Strategic Language Initiative and the role it can play in meeting the country’s national security needs,” said CSULB President F. King Alexander. “But beyond national security, we can see that languages such as these are called for in both the public and private sectors, especially as our universities and our nation think more globally.”
The consortium has created 18-month intensive and highly demanding programs in these five languages and has integrated language learning with academic majors for career opportunities in government and industry professions. Each campus enrolls students who are subdivided into two cohorts of heritage speakers and advanced non-heritage speakers.
“The success of the SLI Language Immersion Program model is evident in the fact that the completion rate of SLI participants is 98 percent. That’s very high,” noted KimOahn Nguyen-Lam, SLI’s executive director at CSULB. “A number of our SLI graduates received offers to work with international companies and others were accepted to advance their language study in countries where they did their study abroad.
“Moreover, the SLI participants’ average gain in language proficiency is significant across all five campuses. The 18-month language immersion program yields an average language gain equivalent to that of students who had taken three plus years of language study in traditional classroom setting. This is quite significant considering that these students are not language majors,” she added. “We are confident that subsequent cohorts will yield even greater results as the program’s curricula being refined and enhanced.
SLI officials have pointed out that CSU campuses are ideally positioned to lead this language initiative as the campuses serve some of the most linguistically diverse populations in the nation, enrolling more than 100,000 students each year with large heritage language communities near each campus.
-- Rick Gloady
Cal State Long Beach Professor Named "Diversity Champion" for Work in Communicative Disorders of Linguistically Different
Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) Communicative Disorders Chair Carolyn Conway Madding was named a Diversity Champion recently by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in a ceremony held in New Orleans.
Madding was recognized for her initiation, development and supervision of CSULB’s Linguistically Different Clinic, which incorporates instruction in bilingual assessment and management and for restructuring the Communicative Disorders Department curriculum to include instruction in serving clients from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
“During the 20 years I have been here, we have treated clients in 26 different languages with disorders that cover the spectrum, including aphasia, traumatic brain injuries, autism and stuttering,” pointed out Madding, who has brought in nearly $2 million in grant money for the education of bilingual speech-language pathologists. “These linguistically different services are so rare in this area that people will come from 40 to 50 miles away to avail themselves of these services.”
Madding, who joined CSULB in 1989, said she was near tears when she received the award’s medallion and a standing ovation from her peers. “It was a very special honor to get this award,” she said. “It was the highlight of my career.”
Madding believes her initiation of the linguistically different clinic was a big reason for her distinction. “There is no other clinic like this,” she explained. “Some schools allow a student to work with one or two clients in the student and client’s non-English language. All of our graduate students must obtain clinical hours in the Linguistically Different Clinic. Even if they speak only English, they go through the clinic and work with an interpreter to serve people in another language. That is unique in this profession.”
Madding said when she came to CSULB, she came to work on the diversity track. For her, getting the Diversity Champion award from ASHA was icing on the cake after having spent 21 years working in the area of diversity.
"Our linguistically different clinic has been in operation for 21 years to provide services for anybody with any communicative disorder whose first language is not English. We also do special evaluations for the Stephen Benson Program to determine if students being evaluated for a learning disability may have a language-based problem," she said. "A language disorder can only be determined if the student is evaluated and shows problems in all languages spoken, and is not an English-as-a-second-language problem.”
ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 150,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. Speech-language pathologists identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including swallowing disorders. ASHA recognizes Diversity Champions for advancing multicultural issues in communication sciences and disorders.
Madding earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Ohio State, a master’s in communicative disorders from Cal State Fullerton in 1982 and a Ph.D. in anthropology and linguistics from Claremont Graduate University in 1995.
In addition to the clinic, Madding is the co-creator of a new special cohort M.A. program, which is run through the university’s College of Continuing and Professional Education. Started in 2007, the program has doubled the number of graduate students in the Communicative Disorders Department. The first cohort of 30 students graduated last summer, and according to Madding, all 30 students left the program with good-paying jobs. A second cohort of students began last fall.
Her recognition as a Diversity Champion reflects how CSULB has changed in the 20 years since her arrival, Madding feels. “When I received my first grant, I had to scour the campus to find a bilingual student,” she recalled. “Now bilingual students practically beat down my door. We offer a welcome to students of all linguistic groups and ethnicities. Other programs believe students must speak English as a first language in order to be a competent speech-language pathologist. ASHA doesn’t feel that way and neither do we.”
-- Rick Manly
Madding was recognized for her initiation, development and supervision of CSULB’s Linguistically Different Clinic, which incorporates instruction in bilingual assessment and management and for restructuring the Communicative Disorders Department curriculum to include instruction in serving clients from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds.
“During the 20 years I have been here, we have treated clients in 26 different languages with disorders that cover the spectrum, including aphasia, traumatic brain injuries, autism and stuttering,” pointed out Madding, who has brought in nearly $2 million in grant money for the education of bilingual speech-language pathologists. “These linguistically different services are so rare in this area that people will come from 40 to 50 miles away to avail themselves of these services.”
Madding, who joined CSULB in 1989, said she was near tears when she received the award’s medallion and a standing ovation from her peers. “It was a very special honor to get this award,” she said. “It was the highlight of my career.”
Madding believes her initiation of the linguistically different clinic was a big reason for her distinction. “There is no other clinic like this,” she explained. “Some schools allow a student to work with one or two clients in the student and client’s non-English language. All of our graduate students must obtain clinical hours in the Linguistically Different Clinic. Even if they speak only English, they go through the clinic and work with an interpreter to serve people in another language. That is unique in this profession.”
Madding said when she came to CSULB, she came to work on the diversity track. For her, getting the Diversity Champion award from ASHA was icing on the cake after having spent 21 years working in the area of diversity.
"Our linguistically different clinic has been in operation for 21 years to provide services for anybody with any communicative disorder whose first language is not English. We also do special evaluations for the Stephen Benson Program to determine if students being evaluated for a learning disability may have a language-based problem," she said. "A language disorder can only be determined if the student is evaluated and shows problems in all languages spoken, and is not an English-as-a-second-language problem.”
ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for more than 150,000 audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists. Speech-language pathologists identify, assess, and treat speech and language problems including swallowing disorders. ASHA recognizes Diversity Champions for advancing multicultural issues in communication sciences and disorders.
Madding earned her bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Ohio State, a master’s in communicative disorders from Cal State Fullerton in 1982 and a Ph.D. in anthropology and linguistics from Claremont Graduate University in 1995.
In addition to the clinic, Madding is the co-creator of a new special cohort M.A. program, which is run through the university’s College of Continuing and Professional Education. Started in 2007, the program has doubled the number of graduate students in the Communicative Disorders Department. The first cohort of 30 students graduated last summer, and according to Madding, all 30 students left the program with good-paying jobs. A second cohort of students began last fall.
Her recognition as a Diversity Champion reflects how CSULB has changed in the 20 years since her arrival, Madding feels. “When I received my first grant, I had to scour the campus to find a bilingual student,” she recalled. “Now bilingual students practically beat down my door. We offer a welcome to students of all linguistic groups and ethnicities. Other programs believe students must speak English as a first language in order to be a competent speech-language pathologist. ASHA doesn’t feel that way and neither do we.”
-- Rick Manly
CSULB Biologists to Speak on How Overfishing is Affecting
California sheephead are a popular local sport and food fish with an interesting biological method of managing their own populations. Every fish is born female but can change to male if the dominant male in its area dies.
Professor Christopher Lowe, a marine biologist, and Associate Professor Kelly Young, a reproductive biologist at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), teamed up with researchers from UC Santa Barbara to examine how overfishing of sheephead is affecting local populations. They will discuss their findings at the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (CNSM) Fellows Colloquium and Dean’s Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, in the CSULB Pyramid Annex conference room.
Using a combination of standard fisheries techniques and new reproductive biology methods, their collaborative research is helping fisheries' managers develop more effective protection for sheephead as well as methods that can be used for other species impacted by the pressures of heavy fishing.
Lowe is an expert in the physiological and behavioral ecology of sharks, rays and other economically important game fishes. He earned his master’s in biology from CSULB and his doctorate from the University of Hawaii. In 2009, he was named CSULB’s Outstanding Professor. Young’s research interests are in seasonal reproduction and hormonal regulation of gonadal physiology. She received her doctorate from John Hopkins School of Public Health. In 2009, she was honored with CSULB’s Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award.
The program is free to members of the CNSM Fellows—the college’s premier support group—as well as CNSM students, and $25 for non-members. For reservations and to learn more about this and upcoming colloquia, visit www.beach-biology.com or contact Nicole Algarin-Chavarria, nalgarin@csulb.edu, 562/985-7446.
-- Anne Ambrose
Professor Christopher Lowe, a marine biologist, and Associate Professor Kelly Young, a reproductive biologist at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), teamed up with researchers from UC Santa Barbara to examine how overfishing of sheephead is affecting local populations. They will discuss their findings at the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (CNSM) Fellows Colloquium and Dean’s Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17, in the CSULB Pyramid Annex conference room.
Using a combination of standard fisheries techniques and new reproductive biology methods, their collaborative research is helping fisheries' managers develop more effective protection for sheephead as well as methods that can be used for other species impacted by the pressures of heavy fishing.
Lowe is an expert in the physiological and behavioral ecology of sharks, rays and other economically important game fishes. He earned his master’s in biology from CSULB and his doctorate from the University of Hawaii. In 2009, he was named CSULB’s Outstanding Professor. Young’s research interests are in seasonal reproduction and hormonal regulation of gonadal physiology. She received her doctorate from John Hopkins School of Public Health. In 2009, she was honored with CSULB’s Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award.
The program is free to members of the CNSM Fellows—the college’s premier support group—as well as CNSM students, and $25 for non-members. For reservations and to learn more about this and upcoming colloquia, visit www.beach-biology.com or contact Nicole Algarin-Chavarria, nalgarin@csulb.edu, 562/985-7446.
-- Anne Ambrose
Monday, February 8, 2010
Cal State Long Beach Business Student Finishes Among Nation’s Top Orators at Moot Court Nationals Among Nation’s Top Orators at Moot Court Nationals
For a guy who almost quit college a couple of times and changed his major from engineering to business, Tim Appelbaum seems now on track.
Recently, the California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) senior had another verification that his decision to stay in school was a good move when he finished as the fourth best orator in the country out of 128 competitors at the recent national moot court competition in Miami. Approximately 500 individuals began in regional competition across the country.
“I was shocked,” said Appelbaum. “The competition there is very heavy. When I wasn’t called after the 20th or 19th places, I didn’t think it was in the realm of possibility. There were a lot of people contributing to this and it was really a team effort.”
Orators are judged in four categories -- knowledge of subject matter, response to questioning, forensics, and respect for the courts -- with each category being worth 100 points. Appelbaum received 385.5 points out of the possible 400.
“I think he was genuinely surprised,” said Lewis Ringel, who has served as the moot court team coach for the past four years and has been involved through the program’s entire eight years of existence. “After they called his name there was this long pause.”
Appelbaum’s involvement in the moot court program came about after he took a Political Science 100 class with Ringel.
“He just mentioned something about it and for some reason I decided to give it a shot,” said Appelbaum. “I didn’t feel at home when I first joined the class because there were President’s Scholars there, people with 4.0 GPAs and people graduating in thee-and-a-half years. I felt really out of place, but I’ve been in it the past two years and we have awesome, great people. At Long Beach State, this program ranks right up there with my fraternity as my best experiences and people I will have as lifelong friends out of the program as well.
Ringel credit’s Appelbaum success to a lot of hard work as well as natural talent. In his two years, he has participated in five tournaments, winning one, reaching the semi-final rounds of two, and advancing to the elimination round in each.
“He’s at the very top of all the students we have had in our program. He's certainly in the top five,” said Ringel. “He uses questions to advance his arguments and he layers his answers so that he ends with something that invites further questions. He ends with something almost provocative. Judges pick up on that and they ask him about that so he is completely controlling the direction of the argument. He invites follow-up questions that he is prepared for. It’s not common because you just can’t teach it. I have probably told every student to do that 50 times and some of them do, but Tim consistently does it.”
Appelbaum also doesn’t use notes during his presentations, something that only the top orators tend to do, according to Ringel. He also credits his ease of speaking in public in large part because he has played and sung in a band.
“After playing in a band doing stupid stuff up on stage, you kind of stop caring what people think about you,” said Appelbaum “That really helped out in the competition.”
“Presentation is a big part of this, and we work a lot on it,” said Ringel. “Forensics deals with things like eye contact and being conversational. He doesn’t use any notes, which is not unusual for the best orators. It is unusual when you consider that nationally about 450-500 students compete and my guess is that it’s really the select ones who don’t use notes. It’s certainly more impressive to the judges.”
Appelbaum credits his high finish, in part, to his individual style of presenting his argument, which he think the judges like.
“My strength isn’t with a large vocabulary or anything like that,” said Appelbaum, “but a down-to-earth fashion that the judges are able to understand better than if they had a bunch of fancy words thrown at them. I think people appreciate that.”
As for what Appelbaum plans to do upon graduation next year.
“Before this program, I couldn’t write a sentence basically and now I am able to read critically and write,” he said. “After I did the moot court last year, I decided I wanted to go to law school. I’ll probably do corporate litigation or something in the entertainment industry.”
-- Shayne Schroeder
Recently, the California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) senior had another verification that his decision to stay in school was a good move when he finished as the fourth best orator in the country out of 128 competitors at the recent national moot court competition in Miami. Approximately 500 individuals began in regional competition across the country.
“I was shocked,” said Appelbaum. “The competition there is very heavy. When I wasn’t called after the 20th or 19th places, I didn’t think it was in the realm of possibility. There were a lot of people contributing to this and it was really a team effort.”
Orators are judged in four categories -- knowledge of subject matter, response to questioning, forensics, and respect for the courts -- with each category being worth 100 points. Appelbaum received 385.5 points out of the possible 400.
“I think he was genuinely surprised,” said Lewis Ringel, who has served as the moot court team coach for the past four years and has been involved through the program’s entire eight years of existence. “After they called his name there was this long pause.”
Appelbaum’s involvement in the moot court program came about after he took a Political Science 100 class with Ringel.
“He just mentioned something about it and for some reason I decided to give it a shot,” said Appelbaum. “I didn’t feel at home when I first joined the class because there were President’s Scholars there, people with 4.0 GPAs and people graduating in thee-and-a-half years. I felt really out of place, but I’ve been in it the past two years and we have awesome, great people. At Long Beach State, this program ranks right up there with my fraternity as my best experiences and people I will have as lifelong friends out of the program as well.
Ringel credit’s Appelbaum success to a lot of hard work as well as natural talent. In his two years, he has participated in five tournaments, winning one, reaching the semi-final rounds of two, and advancing to the elimination round in each.
“He’s at the very top of all the students we have had in our program. He's certainly in the top five,” said Ringel. “He uses questions to advance his arguments and he layers his answers so that he ends with something that invites further questions. He ends with something almost provocative. Judges pick up on that and they ask him about that so he is completely controlling the direction of the argument. He invites follow-up questions that he is prepared for. It’s not common because you just can’t teach it. I have probably told every student to do that 50 times and some of them do, but Tim consistently does it.”
Appelbaum also doesn’t use notes during his presentations, something that only the top orators tend to do, according to Ringel. He also credits his ease of speaking in public in large part because he has played and sung in a band.
“After playing in a band doing stupid stuff up on stage, you kind of stop caring what people think about you,” said Appelbaum “That really helped out in the competition.”
“Presentation is a big part of this, and we work a lot on it,” said Ringel. “Forensics deals with things like eye contact and being conversational. He doesn’t use any notes, which is not unusual for the best orators. It is unusual when you consider that nationally about 450-500 students compete and my guess is that it’s really the select ones who don’t use notes. It’s certainly more impressive to the judges.”
Appelbaum credits his high finish, in part, to his individual style of presenting his argument, which he think the judges like.
“My strength isn’t with a large vocabulary or anything like that,” said Appelbaum, “but a down-to-earth fashion that the judges are able to understand better than if they had a bunch of fancy words thrown at them. I think people appreciate that.”
As for what Appelbaum plans to do upon graduation next year.
“Before this program, I couldn’t write a sentence basically and now I am able to read critically and write,” he said. “After I did the moot court last year, I decided I wanted to go to law school. I’ll probably do corporate litigation or something in the entertainment industry.”
-- Shayne Schroeder
CSULB President to Offer Glimpse of ‘New World of Higher Education’ at Inaugural CBA Notable Speakers Series
Offering a glimpse into “The New World of Higher Education,” Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) President F. King Alexander will be the inaugural speaker at the College of Business Administration’s (CBA) Notable Speakers Series on Tuesday, Feb. 16 from 7 to 9 p.m.
The CBA’s Notable Speaker Series was established to add relevance to current students’ learning experiences and to offer opportunities for professional development and intellectual engagement to alumni, staff, faculty and the community.
“A university’s stock in trade is developing ideas and knowledge, so providing a platform for the exchange of thoughts and information is a natural extension of what we offer in the classroom and is a great way to give back to the community,” said CBA Dean Michael Solt.
Alexander is a well-respected national expert in domestic and international higher education finance and public policy. He is known as a tireless advocate of public education and has played a national role in the development of federal legislation that expands access to college classrooms through the promotion of enhanced affordability and accountability.
Throughout the last decade, Alexander has been asked to address national legislative bodies on matters of public education policy on behalf of all public colleges and universities across the nation. This includes addressing the U.S. Congress’ and House of Representatives’ subcommittee on education and the workforce regarding student tuition and college affordability during a series of national hearings regarding the Reauthorization of the High Education Act.
The Notable Speakers Series will take place on select Tuesdays from 7-9 p.m. in the CBA building Room 140 during the 2010 spring semester and feature renowned professionals from a variety of fields who will share their expertise on leading edge business issues.
There is no cost to attend, but reservations are required. Visitors to the campus must purchase a $4 parking permit at one of the yellow kiosks in Lot 15.
To register or learn more about the Notable Speaker Series visit http://www.csulb.edu/colleges/cba/nss.
-- Paul Browning
The CBA’s Notable Speaker Series was established to add relevance to current students’ learning experiences and to offer opportunities for professional development and intellectual engagement to alumni, staff, faculty and the community.
“A university’s stock in trade is developing ideas and knowledge, so providing a platform for the exchange of thoughts and information is a natural extension of what we offer in the classroom and is a great way to give back to the community,” said CBA Dean Michael Solt.
Alexander is a well-respected national expert in domestic and international higher education finance and public policy. He is known as a tireless advocate of public education and has played a national role in the development of federal legislation that expands access to college classrooms through the promotion of enhanced affordability and accountability.
Throughout the last decade, Alexander has been asked to address national legislative bodies on matters of public education policy on behalf of all public colleges and universities across the nation. This includes addressing the U.S. Congress’ and House of Representatives’ subcommittee on education and the workforce regarding student tuition and college affordability during a series of national hearings regarding the Reauthorization of the High Education Act.
The Notable Speakers Series will take place on select Tuesdays from 7-9 p.m. in the CBA building Room 140 during the 2010 spring semester and feature renowned professionals from a variety of fields who will share their expertise on leading edge business issues.
There is no cost to attend, but reservations are required. Visitors to the campus must purchase a $4 parking permit at one of the yellow kiosks in Lot 15.
To register or learn more about the Notable Speaker Series visit http://www.csulb.edu/colleges/cba/nss.
-- Paul Browning
Monday, February 1, 2010
49er Women’s Softball Pitcher Named to Top 50 Watch List for USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year Award
Long Beach State (LBSU) women’s softball pitcher Brooke Turner has been named to the USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA).
The 2010 preseason Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 35 schools and 14 different NCAA Division I conferences. This is the second consecutive year Turner has been named to the preseason Top 50 Watch List. She was also selected as a top 25 finalist as a freshman.
The ASA will announce the top 25 finalists on April 7, and a list of 10 finalists will be named and released on May 12. That group will be narrowed down to three finalists on May 26 with the winner of the 2010 National Collegiate Player of the Year award announced prior to the start of the NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Turner is coming off a solid sophomore season in which she earned second-team All-Big West Conference honors. The right-handed pitcher finished the year with 18 wins, which included impressive victories over ranked foes UCLA (No. 3) and Fresno State (No. 12). She also compiled six shutouts, 157 strikeouts and a 2.35 earned run average.
As a freshman, Turner garnered second-team All-America recognition as well as first-team All-West Region and first-team all-conference accolades. She was also tabbed the 2008 Big West Pitcher of the Year.
Turner, who won a conference-record eight Big West Pitcher of the Week awards in 2008, finished the campaign with a 27-6 overall record and an unblemished 12-0 mark in league action. She had a Big West leading 0.80 ERA while she also established a 49er single-season record with 237 strikeouts.
Turner enters her junior season ranked among LBSU's career leaders in strikeouts (third, 394), shutouts (eighth, 23), wins (ninth, 45) and complete games (10th, 53).
Long Beach State, which was receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball preseason poll, is set to open the 2010 campaign Feb. 13-14 at the Sportco Kick-Off Classic in Las Vegas.
-- Todd Miles
The 2010 preseason Watch List is comprised of 50 players representing 35 schools and 14 different NCAA Division I conferences. This is the second consecutive year Turner has been named to the preseason Top 50 Watch List. She was also selected as a top 25 finalist as a freshman.
The ASA will announce the top 25 finalists on April 7, and a list of 10 finalists will be named and released on May 12. That group will be narrowed down to three finalists on May 26 with the winner of the 2010 National Collegiate Player of the Year award announced prior to the start of the NCAA Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Turner is coming off a solid sophomore season in which she earned second-team All-Big West Conference honors. The right-handed pitcher finished the year with 18 wins, which included impressive victories over ranked foes UCLA (No. 3) and Fresno State (No. 12). She also compiled six shutouts, 157 strikeouts and a 2.35 earned run average.
As a freshman, Turner garnered second-team All-America recognition as well as first-team All-West Region and first-team all-conference accolades. She was also tabbed the 2008 Big West Pitcher of the Year.
Turner, who won a conference-record eight Big West Pitcher of the Week awards in 2008, finished the campaign with a 27-6 overall record and an unblemished 12-0 mark in league action. She had a Big West leading 0.80 ERA while she also established a 49er single-season record with 237 strikeouts.
Turner enters her junior season ranked among LBSU's career leaders in strikeouts (third, 394), shutouts (eighth, 23), wins (ninth, 45) and complete games (10th, 53).
Long Beach State, which was receiving votes in the ESPN.com/USA Softball preseason poll, is set to open the 2010 campaign Feb. 13-14 at the Sportco Kick-Off Classic in Las Vegas.
-- Todd Miles
Cal State Long Beach Marine Biology Faculty, Graduates to Speak at International White Shark Symposium in Hawaii
Faculty and several recent master's degree graduates from California State University, Long Beach’s (CSULB) nationally recognized Shark Lab will be among presenters at the International White Shark Symposium, Feb. 7-10 at the New Otani Hotel, Honolulu, Hawaii.
On Monday, Feb. 8, the California session will include "Historic fishery interaction with the white sharks in the Southern California Bight," presented by Christopher G. Lowe, CSULB professor and Shark Lab director, co-authored with adjunct faculty member Gwen D. Goodmanlowe; graduates Mary E. Blasius of Irvine; Erica T. Jarvis and Tom J. Mason of Long Beach; and John B. O’Sullivan, curator of field operations at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Blasius will speak on "Evaluation of organochlorine contaminants in young-of-year and juvenile white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) from the Southern California Bight," co-authored with Lowe and O'Sullivan. Graduate Christopher Mull, now a Ph.D. student at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, will present "Trace elements and heavy metals in the tissues of juvenile white sharks from the Southern California Bight," co-authored with Lowe and O’Sullivan.
Lowe also co-authored several presentations during the Husbandry session on Tuesday, Feb. 9, including "The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Juvenile White Shark Project: How weaving together partners from the scientific and fishing communities with research, conservation and education messaging created a wildly successful program," "Routine metabolic rate of young-of-the-year white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) transported to the Monterey Bay Aquarium," and "Captive feeding and growth of young-of-the-year white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) at the Monterey Bay Aquarium."
To learn more about the CSULB Shark Lab, visit www.csulb.edu/web/labs/sharklab and for more information on the symposium, visit www.whitesharkscience.com.
--Anne Ambrose
On Monday, Feb. 8, the California session will include "Historic fishery interaction with the white sharks in the Southern California Bight," presented by Christopher G. Lowe, CSULB professor and Shark Lab director, co-authored with adjunct faculty member Gwen D. Goodmanlowe; graduates Mary E. Blasius of Irvine; Erica T. Jarvis and Tom J. Mason of Long Beach; and John B. O’Sullivan, curator of field operations at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Blasius will speak on "Evaluation of organochlorine contaminants in young-of-year and juvenile white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) from the Southern California Bight," co-authored with Lowe and O'Sullivan. Graduate Christopher Mull, now a Ph.D. student at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, will present "Trace elements and heavy metals in the tissues of juvenile white sharks from the Southern California Bight," co-authored with Lowe and O’Sullivan.
Lowe also co-authored several presentations during the Husbandry session on Tuesday, Feb. 9, including "The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Juvenile White Shark Project: How weaving together partners from the scientific and fishing communities with research, conservation and education messaging created a wildly successful program," "Routine metabolic rate of young-of-the-year white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) transported to the Monterey Bay Aquarium," and "Captive feeding and growth of young-of-the-year white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) at the Monterey Bay Aquarium."
To learn more about the CSULB Shark Lab, visit www.csulb.edu/web/labs/sharklab and for more information on the symposium, visit www.whitesharkscience.com.
--Anne Ambrose
Cal State Long Beach Public Policy Faculty Member Receives Fulbright Scholar Grant to Lecture in Ukraine
Before she went to Russia for a wedding 10 years ago, Linda-Marie Sundstrom had no real thoughts of visiting that part of the world. Afterwards, she knew she would return some day.
Sundstrom returns to the region this month after being awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to lecture in the masters of public administration program in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
“At that point I wasn’t really familiar with anything dealing with Ukraine, but I loved it,” said Sundstrom of her initial visit a decade ago. “As an aside, when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, it wasn’t a country. So, people from Russia would say ‘I’m going to The Ukraine’ with the ‘the’ in front of it. But you wouldn’t say I am going to The Italy or The France. Most Americans still refer to it as The Ukraine, but that is insulting to them to use ‘the’ which we all have a tendency to do.”
In Ukraine, Sundstrom, a lecturer in the Graduate Center for Public Policy and Administration, will teach at Kharkiv's Regional Institute of Public Administration of the National Academy of Public Administration, which is attached to the Office of the President of Ukraine. Students from the Masters of Public Administration program, along with Ph.D. candidates in economics will attend her classes. Additionally, she will travel throughout the country presenting workshops for elected officials, public administrators, non-governmental organizations and the general public.
“In order to tell them why we would do a program like this, we have to understand that the structure is different and the autonomy at local levels is different, so that’s a lot of what I’ll be teaching at the university,” said Sundstrom, now in her fourth year at CSULB. “And then they added additional funding to my award so I can go talk to elected officials and government officials throughout the country and talk to them about what we would call non-profit sectors and their general public. I will be traveling around the country and doing those kinds of workshops.”
Sundstrom, an experienced grant writer, will teach a little on the basis on how the U.S. public administration is structured and the techniques used when doing program evaluation, especially for people who get grants. In addition, she says they are attempting to get an accreditation so that might be part of the reason she is being sent there.
“The (Ukraine) president has mandated these public administration programs and there is a chance they will want me to help with their accreditation,” she said. “Then, there is also the possibility that they like what they are teaching and there will be more resistance to an outsider coming in.”
Language is going to be a problem, she noted, especially where she will be, but they will provide interpreters for her as often as possible. In the meantime, “I’m trying to learn the language the best I can with Rosetta Stone,” she said.
Sundstrom earned her undergraduate degree from Cal Poly Pomona, master's from CSU San Bernardino and Ph.D. from the University of La Verne.
She is one of approximately 1,100 U.S. faculty and professionals who will travel abroad through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. The Fulbright program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is an international exchange program offering opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.
-- Shayne Schroeder
Sundstrom returns to the region this month after being awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to lecture in the masters of public administration program in Kharkiv, Ukraine.
“At that point I wasn’t really familiar with anything dealing with Ukraine, but I loved it,” said Sundstrom of her initial visit a decade ago. “As an aside, when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, it wasn’t a country. So, people from Russia would say ‘I’m going to The Ukraine’ with the ‘the’ in front of it. But you wouldn’t say I am going to The Italy or The France. Most Americans still refer to it as The Ukraine, but that is insulting to them to use ‘the’ which we all have a tendency to do.”
In Ukraine, Sundstrom, a lecturer in the Graduate Center for Public Policy and Administration, will teach at Kharkiv's Regional Institute of Public Administration of the National Academy of Public Administration, which is attached to the Office of the President of Ukraine. Students from the Masters of Public Administration program, along with Ph.D. candidates in economics will attend her classes. Additionally, she will travel throughout the country presenting workshops for elected officials, public administrators, non-governmental organizations and the general public.
“In order to tell them why we would do a program like this, we have to understand that the structure is different and the autonomy at local levels is different, so that’s a lot of what I’ll be teaching at the university,” said Sundstrom, now in her fourth year at CSULB. “And then they added additional funding to my award so I can go talk to elected officials and government officials throughout the country and talk to them about what we would call non-profit sectors and their general public. I will be traveling around the country and doing those kinds of workshops.”
Sundstrom, an experienced grant writer, will teach a little on the basis on how the U.S. public administration is structured and the techniques used when doing program evaluation, especially for people who get grants. In addition, she says they are attempting to get an accreditation so that might be part of the reason she is being sent there.
“The (Ukraine) president has mandated these public administration programs and there is a chance they will want me to help with their accreditation,” she said. “Then, there is also the possibility that they like what they are teaching and there will be more resistance to an outsider coming in.”
Language is going to be a problem, she noted, especially where she will be, but they will provide interpreters for her as often as possible. In the meantime, “I’m trying to learn the language the best I can with Rosetta Stone,” she said.
Sundstrom earned her undergraduate degree from Cal Poly Pomona, master's from CSU San Bernardino and Ph.D. from the University of La Verne.
She is one of approximately 1,100 U.S. faculty and professionals who will travel abroad through the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program. The Fulbright program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is an international exchange program offering opportunities for students, scholars, and professionals to undertake international graduate study, advanced research, university teaching, and teaching in elementary and secondary schools worldwide.
-- Shayne Schroeder
Music Professor at CSULB Marks His 20th Year of Running in Marathons to Raise Funds for the University Wind Quintet
Celebrating two decades of sweat philanthropy, Cal State Long Beach Professor John Barcellona will run the 20th Annual Scholarship Run on Feb. 7, a personal fundraiser he created to generate funds for the University Wind Quintet that he directs.
Barcellona’s fundraiser will take place during the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach. He will be one of 2,000 athletes to run the 26.2-mile marathon, which starts at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Huntington Street.
To date, Barcellona, also a professional flutist, has raised nearly $60,000 for his students. Netting about $3,000 a year, he is able to guarantee each of the students in his quintet about $300 a semester. Still, he believes in the expression “a little goes a long way.”
“When I started this, I wanted to attract quality woodwind students to our program, and I thought we needed some scholarship money to attract them. But, there wasn’t then and still isn’t a lot of scholarship money out there for a wind quintet,” said Barcellona.
This is the second year Barcellona will run the Surf City Marathon for this scholarship fund. He began running for the wind quintet in the Long Beach Marathon in 1990, followed by the Los Angeles Marathon until last year when the race was moved by new organizers to May, which is too late in the spring semester.
The quintet is a select group of musicians comprised of a horn player, flute player, clarinetist, bassoonist and oboe player. The five are chosen based on auditions held at the beginning of each academic year and are considered the university’s best at their respective instruments.
Since the inception of his annual scholarship run, Barcellona believes there has been an improvement in the level of musicians selected for the quintet, which he said has acquired a very good reputation over the last two decades.
Besides the ample supply of talented woodwind musicians Barcellona has trained over the years, he was also impressed with the second cohort of Cole Scholar musicians who came to campus as freshman this past fall. The Cole Scholarship program is the result of a $16.4 million donation, the largest in university history, from the Bob Cole Trust to provide scholarships for student musicians to attend CSULB and its newly-named Bob Cole Conservatory of Music.
“Cole Scholarships have brought us many top-quality students. This is making the conservatory even more competitive with the top musical institutions nationally,” said Barcellona.
Barcellona, 62, began running in the Army during basic training. Now, with a regimen that is not quite as tough, he still runs three days a week and lifts weights four. Two to three weeks before the marathon he will tackle a 20-mile run to ensure he is prepared.
“I decided to start running marathons to raise money 20 years ago when I saw groups of people putting together events, such as walk-a-thons, jog-a-thons and 5Ks,” he said. “It was a natural fit for me since I’ve been running for so long. And I get a great workout in the process.”
To solicit donations, Barcellona prints and mails out fliers to mailing lists he has accumulated over the years, including those who have given in the past; Carpenter Center patrons who enjoy chamber music; and all of the woodwind players in Local 47, a musicians union. This year, donors will receive free tickets to the quintet’s annual concert on Wednesday, April 14.
Anyone interested in making a pledge to Barcellona’s 20th Annual Scholarship Run can call him at 562/985-4739. Donations may be sent to John Barcellona, Music Department, Cal State Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840.
-- Paul Browning
Barcellona’s fundraiser will take place during the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach. He will be one of 2,000 athletes to run the 26.2-mile marathon, which starts at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Huntington Street.
To date, Barcellona, also a professional flutist, has raised nearly $60,000 for his students. Netting about $3,000 a year, he is able to guarantee each of the students in his quintet about $300 a semester. Still, he believes in the expression “a little goes a long way.”
“When I started this, I wanted to attract quality woodwind students to our program, and I thought we needed some scholarship money to attract them. But, there wasn’t then and still isn’t a lot of scholarship money out there for a wind quintet,” said Barcellona.
This is the second year Barcellona will run the Surf City Marathon for this scholarship fund. He began running for the wind quintet in the Long Beach Marathon in 1990, followed by the Los Angeles Marathon until last year when the race was moved by new organizers to May, which is too late in the spring semester.
The quintet is a select group of musicians comprised of a horn player, flute player, clarinetist, bassoonist and oboe player. The five are chosen based on auditions held at the beginning of each academic year and are considered the university’s best at their respective instruments.
Since the inception of his annual scholarship run, Barcellona believes there has been an improvement in the level of musicians selected for the quintet, which he said has acquired a very good reputation over the last two decades.
Besides the ample supply of talented woodwind musicians Barcellona has trained over the years, he was also impressed with the second cohort of Cole Scholar musicians who came to campus as freshman this past fall. The Cole Scholarship program is the result of a $16.4 million donation, the largest in university history, from the Bob Cole Trust to provide scholarships for student musicians to attend CSULB and its newly-named Bob Cole Conservatory of Music.
“Cole Scholarships have brought us many top-quality students. This is making the conservatory even more competitive with the top musical institutions nationally,” said Barcellona.
Barcellona, 62, began running in the Army during basic training. Now, with a regimen that is not quite as tough, he still runs three days a week and lifts weights four. Two to three weeks before the marathon he will tackle a 20-mile run to ensure he is prepared.
“I decided to start running marathons to raise money 20 years ago when I saw groups of people putting together events, such as walk-a-thons, jog-a-thons and 5Ks,” he said. “It was a natural fit for me since I’ve been running for so long. And I get a great workout in the process.”
To solicit donations, Barcellona prints and mails out fliers to mailing lists he has accumulated over the years, including those who have given in the past; Carpenter Center patrons who enjoy chamber music; and all of the woodwind players in Local 47, a musicians union. This year, donors will receive free tickets to the quintet’s annual concert on Wednesday, April 14.
Anyone interested in making a pledge to Barcellona’s 20th Annual Scholarship Run can call him at 562/985-4739. Donations may be sent to John Barcellona, Music Department, Cal State Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840.
-- Paul Browning
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