La Verne Biology Professor Chosen to Speak at National Conference

University of La Verne — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:48:22 +0000

Professor of Biology Stacey Darling-Novak has been selected to present about the University of La Verne's work with the USDA-HIS program.

University of La Verne Professor of Biology Dr. Stacey Darling-Novak will present at the 2013 North American Colleges & Teachers of Agriculture, NACTA, conference to be held June 25-29, 2013 in Blacksburg Virginia. Darling-Novak originally submitted an abstract about service learning with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Hispanic-Serving Institution National Program grant La Verne has receive for a poster presentation, but was asked to speak about the topic instead. “This is a well-known conference in the agricultural sciences, currently in its 59th year,” Darling-Novak said. “Its focus is on teaching students in agriculture-related disciplines, and plant biology falls into this domain. With the USDA grant we have begun offering a new option within the Environmental Biology concentration called Agricultural Biology.” In line with La Verne’s mission of service and working with the community, Darling-Novak wants others to understand that it is possible to integrate service learning into science programs. Students in the sciences who participate in service learning are able to share their knowledge and passion with the community. The USDA-HIS funded program has given La Verne students the opportunity to develop laboratory lessons and activities to share with local high school students, including underrepresented groups of students. Senior Roshan Gamage, Junior Lila Luna and Senior Avneet Nijjar have all benefited from the USDA program. In a paper they wrote about the USDA-HIS program, the students said “These experiences coupled with student research grants funded by the USDA, allowed for undergraduates to confidently conduct research projects.” Participating La Verne students are also provided with an opportunity to develop leadership, organizational and research skills. Much of the outreach done through this program is to predominantly Hispanic schools, which resulted in a 40 percent Hispanic student enrollment rate in the 2012 summer camp hosted by La Verne students. The conference in June will allow Darling-Novak the opportunity to share what La Verne students and faculty are doing in an effort to further develop the biology department and build lasting relationships with the community. She will also be joined by Luna and Gamage who are preparing to present a poster at the conference.

A Call To Action

Mark Vidal — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:03:39 +0000

Some might have called her soft-spoken, but German Parliament member Marina Schuster’s message was stern and clear: “Never get tired of challenging assumptions of what you hear, see and read,” she said to the packed audience in the University of La Verne Campus Center Ballroom on Wednesday May 1. Schuster’s presentation titled “Human Rights and International Justice: A Common U.S. European Agenda?” was the feature presentation for the sixth annual Benazir Bhutto and Ahmed Ispahani International Lectureship, which addressed the state of several international issues of social injustice. From the state of the Euro to Russia’s perceived passivity regarding problems in the Middle East, Schuster’s expertise in foreign policy and human rights provided an influential perspective on international social issues and the importance of maintaining a bond between the U.S. and Europe. “The goal of attaining lasting peace in Europe is tied to the principles of international justice,” Schuster said. “I think we share a common agenda that attaches human rights to every issue to foreign affairs.” She quoted President Barack Obama on how “political leaders will not take risks if the people do not demand that they do,” a poignant message in her presentation that prompted three calls to action for students:

Become an ambassador for human rights
Write letters to congressmen and foreign ambassadors
Trust your common sense when challenging injustices

At the close of Schuster’s presentation, Professor Ispahani presented her with an award of appreciation and gave closing remarks. “My cousin [Benazir Bhutto] was put into prison for five years during her struggle for democracy in Pakistan, to the point where they clamped her mouth shut so she could not speak. She would have loved you and your organization because in Pakistan they needed human rights advocates like you.” Schuster, who has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2005, is a leading figure of foreign policy and human rights in Germany. She sits on the boards of the United Nations Association of Germany, the German Africa Foundation, the German Foundation for Peace Research, the German Institute for Development Evaluation, and the Hirschfeld Eddy Foundation, an advocate for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights. Sponsored by the university’s International Studies Institute, the Benazir Bhutto & Ahmed Ispahani Lectureship series is named for the late Benazir Bhutto, two-time Prime Minister of Pakistan and the first female head of a Muslim State, who was assasinated in 2007; and for longtime La Verne professor Ahmed Ispahani, Bhutto’s cousin, who joined the university faculty in 1964. The lectureship was established thanks to a gift by La Verne Board of Trustees member and university alumnus Paul Moseley and his wife, Jeanne. The International Studies Institute seeks to establish personal, scholarly, and professional links among American and International faculty and students in order to enhance knowledge and understanding of the global community.

Putting Theory into Practice

University of La Verne — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:06:55 +0000

Students from Torch Middle School visited the University of La Verne Saturday, May 11, 2013 for the annual "Building Community Ties" program.

Assistant Professor of Education Dr. Adonay Montes and Adjunct Professor Lori Kezos organized an event for 140 middle school students that allowed University of La Verne graduate students in the sections of the “Consultation, Collaboration and Facilitation” class to put theory to practice. “Building Community Ties from the Inside Out,” an annual event hosted by the education department and coordinated by graduate students in the counseling program, took place on Saturday, May 11, 2013. “The objective of these guidance lessons/workshops is to support the college going selves of the student participants and parents while developing counseling and advocacy skills,” Montes said. “The responses from participants, students, parents, teachers, and graduate students overwhelmingly reflected a deep sense of gratitude for being able to spend a day of community building and learning together.” Participating students from Torch Middle School in Bassett Unified School District were assigned to various teams and participated in several workshops throughout the day. Workshops included lessons on how to work smarter and not harder, using social media responsibly, having healthy relationships and the reality of the cost of living in California. Students were also taken on a campus tour to get an idea of what it is like to be a college student at La Verne.

La Verne graduate students led several workshops across campus that taught the middle school students important life skills.

“These types of events provide students and parents with a viable frame of reference, one that provides students and parents with a tangible experience of testing college from an inside perspective, cultivating and nourishing their educational aspirations and possible selves,” Montes said. The first conference was held in 2010 and is organized by the graduate students, under the supervision of their professor, and allows them to facilitate workshops that they develop in order to prepare to become school counselors. Participating middle school students are provided with an opportunity to experience college life and engage with current college students. “The event creates a space where they can also apply their counseling skills, they can acquire key learning from their interaction with local communities from the inside out, and they are exposed to a new dimension of counseling that supports educators in expanding local and state standards to a multiglobal perspective,” Montes said. “Ultimately, having the opportunity to gain counseling and advocacy competency under the premise that cultural, physical, mental, social and humanistic conditions of students, parents, and educators are what define them as full members of the global village was an extraordinary gift for everyone.”

Opportunity of a Lifetime for Anthropology Student

University of La Verne — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:49:06 +0000

Junior Sabrina Consiglio is one of only 30 students chosen from around the world to study on the island of Gozo this summer. Photo courtesy of Michelle Niellose.

Sabrina Consiglio wants to experience the world. She now has that opportunity thanks to the Off the Beaten Track program in the Republic of Malta on the island of Gozo. “Most of the students who attend the Off the Beaten Track program are graduate students, so I did not have expectations of acceptance, but I am so tremendously excited and grateful,” Consiglio said. Touted as a summer school for anthropologists, Off the Beaten Track is an anthropology field school that is held annually on the island of Gozo in the Mediterranean. Only 30 Students from around the world are selected to participate in the program to acquire “in the field” experience, which includes anthropological research about architectural sites and religious sites, tourism, ethnic relations and food. Consiglio, a junior anthropology student at the University of La Verne, who has received unwavering support from her family, has also received tremendous support from Professor of Anthropology Dr. Kim Martin and Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Dr. Felicia Beardsley and she attributes that support to her success. “The program was brought to my attention by Dr. Martin, who has been an unwavering supporter of me throughout my time in the Anthropology department,” Consiglio said. “She and Felicia Beardsley encouraged me, and helped me to perfect my research proposals.” Many social norms in the United States such as divorce and women in industry are relatively new constructs to the Maltese people. During her time in Malta in the summer 2013 program, Consiglio will conduct ethnographic research on the evolving role of women on the island of Gozo. She will write a paper about her findings at the conclusion of the trip and she hopes to be published in the Omerta Journal of Applied Anthropology. “The biggest thing that I hope to gain is real-world experience,” Consiglio said. “You can spend years reading, writing, studying, and discussing, but at the end of the day, until you have actually researched and done what you’ve studied, it is all completely theoretical. I believe that anthropology has the ability to decimate gender barriers, and it is through researching and furthering knowledge of the positive changes that are transpiring world-wide.” After graduation in 2014, Consiglio plans to continue her education in anthropology and eventually earn her Ph.D. in anthropology and eliminate degradation on a global spectrum.

National Voice on Faith to Present at 2013 Spring Baccalaureate

University of La Verne — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:58:24 +0000

Dr. Brooks, whose baccalaureate address is titled “Moving On,” is the author of The Book of Mormon Girl: Stories From an American Faith, and a regular source on Mormonism for the media. She is also a proponent of interfaith collaboration. Professor of English and Comparative Literature at San Diego State University, she has been featured on CNN, NPR, The Daily Show, MSNBC and PBS. Brooks is also a contributor to the Washington Post and Huffington Post, and has been utilized as a source for Newsweek, New York Times, Reuters and Associated Press. Brooks is also a senior correspondent for ReligionDispatches.org and has been named one of “50 Politicos to Watch” by Politico.com, and one of “13 Religious Women to Watch” by the Center for American Progress. A Graduates’ Dinner will commence immediately following the baccalaureate ceremony. Graduates who plan to join the faculty and staff processional must arrive by 3:30 for robing and line-up. When: Friday, May 31, 4-5 p.m. Where: La Verne Church of the Brethren, 2175 Bonita Ave., La Verne, CA 91750

Students, Staff Walk for the Fight Against Cancer

University of La Verne — Fri, 10 May 2013 15:18:14 +0000

In what proved to be a successful rookie season for the University of La Verne Relay for Life team, Cure-iffic!, participants helped raise more than $5,000 toward the fight against cancer on April 28 and 29. Team captain of Cure-iffic!, La Verne administrative aid John Gilmore, said that thanks to the support of the entire campus the team was able to surpass its goal of raising $1000. “We set a modest goal of $1000 and crushed that. It is amazing to think of the impact we were able to make, the people that got involved, and the time and effort our team gave toward this worthy cause,” Gilmore said. Cure-iffic! received support from Facilities Management, Bon Appétit, President Lieberman and La Verne’s student entrepreneurial team, Enactus, which raised $375 at their annual College of Business and Public Management picnic and donated every penny. In addition to Cure-iffic!, other teams that represented La Verne were the Stu-Han Clan, headed by Sasha Jones and the ULV Art Collective, headed up by Danielle Zamora, which also sold ceramics, jewelry and paintings to help raise money. The annual Claremont-La Verne event, held at Claremont High School, raised more than $60,000 all together. Donations are being collected through the month of August. For more information on how to donate, contact John Gilmore at jgilmore@laverne.edu.

La Verne Faculty Recognized for Years of Dedication

University of La Verne — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:04:36 +0000

Four members of the University of La Verne faculty and administrative professional staff have received high honors for their selfless dedication to students in the Alpha Chi Honor Society. Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Al Clark, Professor of English Dr. Jeffrey Kahan, Professor of Journalism Dr. George Keeler and Professor of Education & Director of Teacher Education Dr. Peggy Redman have served a combined 70 years as volunteer sponsors of the national college honor society. Clark, Keeler and Redman were honored with 20 year service pins and Kahan with a 10 year service pin. Additional La Verne sponsors include Assistant Dean, RCA Pam Bergovoy, Executive Director, CAPA Patti Noreen and Associate Dean of College of Business and Public Management Dr. Rita Thakur. Alpha Chi admits students from all disciplines and is limited to the top 10 percent of an institution’s juniors, seniors and graduate students. Qualifying students are issued an invitation for membership by their local institutional chapter based on their cumulative GPA. The California Theta Chapter at La Verne, which was sponsored by Professor of Spanish Emeritus Dr. Andrea Labinger in 1993, currently has about 1,000 members who joined over the last two decades. “Alpha Chi National College Honor Society allows La Verne to recognize its highest performing upperclassmen/women and master’s degree students,” Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Al Clark said. “The University recognizes students in many ways, but Alpha Chi (and other honor societies) are the only way that we recognize student scholars as scholars. Alpha Chi is a special honor society, because it recognizes student scholars of all majors.” Founded in 1922, there are now more than 300 chapters in nearly every state of the United States and in Puerto Rico, with more than 12,000 members inducted annually. “Every induction ceremony includes students from La Verne’s Vandenberg Campus to its Irvine Campus and from its Oxnard Campus to its Ontario Campus,” Clark said. ”About half the students who join each year study at the Main Campus.” Members of Alpha Chi are involved in every aspect of the organization including student representation on the National Council, chapter officer leadership, local chapter event planning, and presenting scholarly programs at regional and national conventions. To learn more about Alphi Chi Honor Society, visit alphachihonor.org. For Media: Alisha Rosas, University of La Verne, Interim Public Relations Director, arosas@laverne.edu or 909-593-3511, ext. 4708.

Enactus Showcases Entrepreneurial Efforts

University of La Verne — Tue, 07 May 2013 15:51:06 +0000

Having a heart for people doesn’t always mix well with business. But that is exactly what the University of La Verne’s Enactus (Entrepreneurial Action Us) students do on a daily basis, and they proved that on Tuesday, April 30. Led by Associate Professor of Management Dr. Issam Ghazzawi, students presented a high-energy 45-minute presentation showcasing the humanitarian projects they have completed and are currently still working to complete in order to combat the issue of hunger. Two such projects they have completed in the past year include installing three gardens at the LeRoy Haynes Center for children in La Verne, in partnership with Lowe’s Home Improvement, and running the “Let’s Can Hunger: Canning Hunger, a Can at a Time” in partnership with Campbell Soup Company. Enactus, formerly known as SIFE, is a “community of student, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform lives and shape a better more sustainable world.” La Verne’s team has embodied that definition of the organization and has been chosen as a regional winner and members of the chapter will attend the 2013 USA National Exposition in Kansas City Missouri May 21-23 to compete. One team will win the honor of being named a national champion and represent the United States at the Enactus World Cup. It has been a solid year for La Verne’s Enactus team, receiving the 4.0 Club award in recognition of the quality educational programs, success in Enactus and long-term sustainability to improve the quality of life and standard of living for others for the academic year 2013.

Burbank City Manager Discusses Qualities, Challenges of Leadership

University of La Verne — Fri, 03 May 2013 22:03:28 +0000

Burbank City Manager Discusses Qualities, Challenges of Leadership Since change is a constant, Ken Pulskamp believes those seeking to be future leaders need to embrace lifelong learning and recognize societal shifts in order to be truly effective. “To reject change is to reject tomorrow,” Pulskamp said during a recent classroom presentation at the University of La Verne’s San Fernando Valley Regional Campus. Pulskamp, interim City Manager for the City of Burbank, has more than three decades of municipal experience during his career in local government administration. He shared his knowledge and insights with students in Professor Nelly Kazman’s Leadership for the Future class (BUS 586). Meeting the challenges of the day is the primary role of leaders. Pulskamp explained how, over the past 30 years, the major challenges have risen from the transformation of society by factors such as increased knowledge, technological change and demographic shifts. Such challenges represent the new context in which leadership is being practiced. According to Pulskamp, there are six qualities and six actions that separate leaders from followers. The traits are integrity, deep understanding of one’s business, consistency, willingness to admit mistakes, ability to listen, and decisiveness. The actions are creating a sense of excitement, encouraging participation, developing a shared vision, cultivating an environment of teamwork, fostering a sense of urgency, and accomplishing tangible results. Pulskamp’s understanding of leadership roles and requirements stems from his own professional experience. Prior to taking on his role with the City of Burbank, he spent 10 years as City Manager for the City of Santa Clarita. In 2010 he served as president of the League of California Cities’ City Managers Department. In 20007 Pulskamp was presented the City Manager Award for the Advancement of Diverse Communities by the League of California Cities. Three years later he received the league’s inaugural Wes McClure Award of Distinction, which annually honors a city manager for leadership, transparency and creativity. Pulskamp, who holds a Master of Public Administration degree, also has more than 25 years of experience as a facilitator, lecturer, and author. Describing public service as an “honorable and noble profession,” Pulskamp encouraged students in the class to explore job opportunities in the public sector. “I feel good how I spent my professional life and the difference I have made in individual and family lives,” Pulskamp said.

Shakespeare Conference Promotes Scholarly Activities

University of La Verne — Thu, 02 May 2013 17:53:30 +0000

Ashley Lunsford of California State University, Fullerton presented "Verbal and Written Exhibitionism: Demonstrating Transformations Through Language."

The University of La Verne Shakespeare Center held its inaugural Shakespeare Conference Program on Saturday, April 27 2013. In concordance with La Verne Theatre Department’s production of Shakespeare’s “Merchant of Venice,” performed at the conclusion of the conference, it was a day of discussion, and film and theatre presentations to examine various aspects of the play and Shakespeare. Speakers at the event included Director of the La Verne Shakespeare Center Jeffrey Kahan and several other speakers from institutions such as Claremont Graduate University, Queen’s University and University of California, Riverside. Kahan recently published “Shakespiritualism: Shakespeare and the Occult, 1850-1950,” a thought-provoking study on spiritualists and debatable meanings in Shakespeare’s writings, which is now available at Barnes & Noble and on Amazon. On stage, in the classroom and in the community, the La Verne Shakespeare Center promotes an accessible, contemporary, and relevant Shakespeare. Designed for the diverse audiences and participants of Southern California, the center is a resource for creative, educational, and scholarly activities. Through alliances with Arts organizations and theater professionals, the center produces a variety of Shakespeare programs and public events. For more information on the Shakespeare Center, visit http://sites.laverne.edu/shakespearecenter/.