The event will include La Verne Artist in Residence and pianist Grace Xia Zhao, award-winning soprano Courtney Huffman, violinist Alex Russell and cellist Joy Song Thompson. Selections will include Gwyneth Walker’s “No Ordinary Woman!” Chopin’s Fantasia-Impromptu, Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio Op. 17 and the World Premiere of Timothy Takach’s “Where Beauty Comes From” with poetry by Julia Klatt Singer. La Verne English Professor Dr. Cathy Irwin will also be reciting poetry for mothers.

This event is open to the public. General admission is $10, for students and mothers $5.

When: Sunday, May 13, 2012, 3 p.m.

Where:  University of La Verne’s Morgan Auditorium, 1950 Third St. La Verne, CA 91750

Contacts: Alisha Rosas, Assistant Director of Media Relations, University of La Verne
(909) 593-3511 ext. 4608 or (909) 702-3205, arosas@laverne.edu.

Students and parents from Yorba Elementary School will be the focal point of that mission at a one-day conference titled, “Building Community Ties From the Inside Out.”

Through interactive workshops, developed and designed by graduate students, elementary school students will be exposed to lessons on character development, social skills, bullying, mindfulness and nutrition, and other developmental premises.

Coordinated by Assistant Professor of Education, Adonay Montes, the conference will also offer programs for parents and community guests upon registration.

The Professional School Counseling Preparation Program is one of the core programs in the College of Education and Organizational Leadership at La Verne. It concentrates on implementing and developing cutting-edge action research, which reflects the university’s mission of community engagement.

When:  Saturday, May 12, 2012; 8 – 2 p.m.

Where: Yorba Elementary School, 250 W. La Verne Ave. Pomona, 91767. Upon arrival, guests will be directed to appropriate classrooms.

Details: Guests who wish to register for the workshops may do so on-site the morning of the event.

Over the past two years, the one-day conference was offered for middle school students and parents from Bassett Unified School District. This year’s focus is set upon students from Yorba Elementary School, which is part of Pomona Unified School District, and is identified as one of the professional development schools in the local area.

Contacts: Adonay Montes, Assistant Professor of Education, University of La Verne, (909) 593-3511 ext. 4705, amontes@laverne.edu.

Alisha Rosas, Assistant Director of Media Relations, University of La Verne, (909) 593 – 3511, ext. 4708, arosas@laverne.edu.

BASEBALL

The Leopard baseball squad captured outright claim to the 2012 SCIAC Championship by posting a 3-0 shutout win over Whittier on April 27 at Mt. SAC’s Mazmanian Field in Walnut. Starting pitcher Phil Schick outdueled Whittier ace Ryan Schwenn for the Leopards with a stellar outing, pitching 7.1 shutout innings
while recording five strikeouts, six hits and stranding seven on base. Junior outfielder Cody Hazel went 2-for-4 at the plate with a solo homer. A week earlier, the Leopards earned a share of the conference crown with a 13-0 shutout win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on April 21. As the conference champion, LaVerne (25-14, 20-8 SCIAC) receives the automatic berth to the NCAA Regionals with the date and site to be determined. La Verne wins its 20th SCIAC baseball title in school history and the fourth under head coach Scott Winterburn, who also led the Leopards to conference crowns in 2004, 2005, and 2008.

GOLF

The championship reign continues for the Leopard
golf squad, finishing in first place at SCIAC 36 Hole
Championship by seven strokes on April 23 at Diamond
Valley Golf Club in Hemet. La Verne shot a team total of
582 with Cal Lutheran placing second at 589. Redlands
earned a third place finish at 594 followed by Claremont-
Mudd-Scripps in fourth at 597. With the victory the
Leos managed to overtake Redlands for first place in the
conference overall team standings with 43 total points
with the Bulldogs placing second with 40 followed by Cal
Lutheran with 37. Derek Zachman propelled the Leos to
victory by earning medalist honors after defeating Brad Shigezawa of CMS on the first hole of a sudden-death
playoff, sinking a 6-foot putt for birdie on the 18th hole. Zachman finished with a total of 141 (69-72). Both Nick
Ericson (72-74) and Kelby Scharmann (73-73) each shot 146 to tie for sixth overall while Andre Bedard (72-77)
carded a 149 to tie for 11th. The Leos receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships to be held May 15-18
in Orlando, Fla.

This entertaining production will run Thursday through Saturday May 3-5, and 10– 12, at 7:30 p.m. There will be a final performance Sunday, May 13th at 2 p.m. Ticket prices are $10 general admission, $8 for seniors and La Verne faculty and staff, and $5 for students/children.

Guest Resident Artist Georgij Paro, the former Intendant of the National Theatre of Croatia in Zagreb, has brilliantly managed to compress the three plays into an uninterrupted performance of about 90 minutes without sacrificing the richness and force of the original trilogy. His approach incorporates the great tradition of Greek theatre in a manner that will make it accessible and relevant to a contemporary audience.

With a company of 36 actors and costumes designed by Maro Parian and scenography by Dr. David Flaten, the production moves from the murderous House of Atreus to the snake-filled caves of Pythia to the elevated court of the goddess Athena where Orestes, hounded for matricide by the avenging Furies, is defended by Apollo and pronounced innocent.

The Dailey Theatre, Main Stage, is located near the corner of “B” and 2nd Street at the University of La Verne, 1950 Third Street, La Verne, CA 91750. For more information or to make reservations to attend, please call, 909-593-3511, ext. 4386.

La Verne President Devorah Lieberman, City of Oxnard Mayor Thomas Holden and Ventura College President Robin Calote will host the 5 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by light refreshments and an open house, located on the 10^th floor of the City National Bank Tower, at 500 East Esplanade Drive, Suite 1000, Oxnard, CA 93036.

In December, the campus relocated from an 8,000-square-foot facility to a 10,000-square-foot space, which allowed for larger classrooms that feature new instructional technology, including integrated computer equipment. Additionally, the new space features a student lounge, campus-wide wireless Internet and new furnishings to offer an enhanced professional study environment.

According to Regional Campus Director Kevin Laack, the new campus site affords significant upgrades and a vibrant location at no additional cost to the university.

“The new campus location helps us do a better job of serving the residents of Ventura County,” said Laack. “It provides students and faculty with cutting-edge technology that enhances the classroom experience. La Verne is ranked by Forbes Magazine as one of the top 15 percent of colleges and universities in the country, these upgrades only reflect our rising reputation for excellence.”

La Verne has served Ventura County for more than 40 years, starting in 1969 at its Point Magu campus. First established in 1991, the Ventura County Campus is one of nine regional campuses the University of La Verne operates throughout California. The Oxnard campus supports the academic goals of working professionals in Ventura County through quality undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, management and education. All classes are accelerated and offered on convenient evenings or Saturday schedules designed for busy adults.

This event is not open to the public. For more information, please contact Kevin Laack at (805) 981-8030, ext. 6990 or Jacquelyn Nicoll at jnicoll@laverne.edu.

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La Verne President Devorah Lieberman will make opening remarks at the event, which will be followed by the 30-minute documentary. A panel discussion will take place afterward, comprised of the documentary’s director Jeff Kaufman, Baha’i Institute for Higher Education alumnus Pedram Roushan and Iraj Kamalabadi, whose brother is imprisoned for being a Baha’i teacher. The panel will be moderated by actor Justin Baldoni (CSI; NY, Charmed, Heroes, Everwood).

The documentary and panel discussion are designed to focus on the importance of protecting education as a right all human beings deserve. This event is free and open to the public.

When:  Monday, April 23, 2012, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Where: University of La Verne Campus Center Ballroom (Third Floor)
1950 Third St. La Verne, CA 91750

Contacts:  Zandra Wagoner, University Chaplain, University of La Verne
(909) 593-3511 ext. 4446, zwagoner@lavern.edu.

The winning team, lead by Associate Professor of Management, Issam Ghazzawi, and Professor of Law, Kevin Marshall, also received the 4.0 Club award, which recognizes quality educational programs, success in SIFE and long-term sustainability to improve the quality of life and standard of living for others during the 2011-2012 academic year.

This year’s champion team includes students, Melissa Gutierrez, Ralph Saldana, Nawal Atoura, Sajaad Shah, Earle Rojas, Oseas Chavaque and Annette Covarrubias.

Thirty top colleges and universities that participated in the Hollywood regional competition were primarily from the West Coast.

The next move for La Verne’s SIFE team is to join other regional winners for the SIFE National Exhibition in Kansas City, MO May 22-24, 2012. The winning team from the national contest will represent the United States at the SIFE World Cup.

This is the second year in a row La Verne’s SIFE team has won its regional competition. Last year the team advanced to the national competition and traveled to Minneapolis, MN for the 2011 SIFE USA National Exposition.

SIFE competitions are challenging, team-oriented events that create a sense of accountability and motivation for teams to continually improve the quality of their business projects.

The competitions also provide an opportunity for collaboration and best-practice sharing, further strengthening the value of the learning experience and the overall effectiveness of the program.

SIFE global represents the premier international business and higher education network with programs in 40 countries, on more than 1,500 institution campuses, and 48,000 participating students. Improving lives, strengthening communities, and developing socially responsible business leaders is the SIFE goal. For more information visit, http://www.sife.org

Produced by the Association of College Unions International (ACUI), in conjunction with the Sara and Michael Abraham Campus Center, the annual poetry slam (Spoken Word) is a four-day-long performance competition in which student poetry teams read or recite original, creative works in front of their peers and judges. It is the largest college poetry slam tournament of its kind in the United States.

This is the first year La Verne will host CUPSI, which has received a record number of registrants: 48 teams from more than 50 schools.

Renowned slam poet, Beau Sia, will give a closing performance at the finals on Saturday, April 21 at 7 p.m. in the Sports Science and Athletic Pavilion. Sia, who has appeared in the hit movie, Hitch, and performed on Broadway in Def Poetry Jam, is widely respected in the poetry slam community.

President Devorah Lieberman is scheduled to give opening remarks at 7 p.m.

The competition is designed to focus on three core competencies: communications, intercultural proficiency and student learning.

All students performing will be judged on a numeric scale by previously-selected members of the audience. 

When: Wednesday April 18 – Saturday, April 21

Where: University of La Verne – 1950 Third Street, La Verne, CA (Sports Science Athletic Pavilion)

Details: All preliminary bouts on Wednesday and Thursday, and the semifinal bouts on Friday are free and open to the public. Saturday’s finals ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m.  Tickets for the public are $7, students are $3 and University of La Verne students with ID are free.

Founded in 1914, ACUI is a nonprofit educational organization that brings together students and administrators from hundreds of schools in seven countries with the mission of building campus communities. The first CUPSI began in 2001.

For a detailed schedule of events to take place April 18 – April 21, please click here.

Contacts: Jim Brooks, Associate Director, Campus Center, University of La Verne
(909) 593-3511 ext. 4913, jbrooks@laverne.edu.

Alisha Rosas, Assistant Director of Media Relations, University of La Verne, (909) 593-3511, ext. 4708, arosas@laverne.edu.

What: In an effort to showcase the variety of academic publications completed by its faculty and administrators, the University of La Verne is hosting its annual Faculty Book Day on Thursday, April 12.                

The event will consist of nearly 25 faculty and administrators highlighting their published works. This includes more than 12 published books and nearly 10 chapters that were included in various publications. All works represent the university’s four colleges. The entire La Verne community is invited to view and discuss the works presented. This event is also free and open to the public.

Faculty Book Day is sponsored by the La Verne Academy.

When:  Thursday, April 12, 2012
11:10 to 12:40 p.m.

Where:  University of La Verne’s Wilson Library Foyer
1950 Third Street, La Verne, Calif.

Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, III

Known as one of the most successful college presidents and an advocate for inclusivity in higher education, Freeman A. Hrabowski, III is set to deliver the University of La Verne keynote address on Saturday, May 26, 2012 at the university’s 120th commencement.

Hrabowski is the president of the University of Maryland at Baltimore County (UMBC). In April, he was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He will be speaking at La Verne’s two commencement ceremonies; one at 9 a.m. and the other at 3:30 p.m. This year’s graduating class includes more than 2,000 candidates for undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees from the university’s College of Business & Public Management, College of Education & Organizational Leadership as well as its College of Arts & Sciences.

Due to the university’s current renovation of Ortmayer Stadium, its football field, this year’s commencement will be held at the Citizens Business Bank Arena, located at 4000 E. Ontario Center Parkway in Ontario.

“We are honored to have Freeman Hrabowski, one of the nation’s most acknowledged leaders in higher education, as our commencement speaker,” said La Verne President Devorah Lieberman. “His professional background is an excellent example of how setting high academic standards for students, faculty and staff, is the way to achieve great successes. He is a pioneer for institutional transformation as well as minority education. I believe his insight will be greatly valued by everyone.”

Hrabowski was raised in a household that valued education. The son of teachers, he was born in 1950 in Birmingham, Ala. Inspired after hearing Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. speak at his home church, at 12, he participated in children’s march protesting segregation. As a result, he was jailed for a week. He considers the experience one that helped shape the rest of his life.

An exceptional student, Hrabowski skipped two grade levels and graduated from high school at 15. Four years later, he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the Hampton Institute, graduating with the highest honors. He received both his master’s in mathematics and a doctorate in higher education administration and educational statistics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. At that time, he was 24-years-old.

He was associate dean of graduate studies and associate professor of statistics and research at Alabama A&M University from 1976-77 before moving to Coppin State College as a professor of mathematics. He also served four years as the school’s dean of arts and sciences and six years as vice president for academic affairs. He joined the administration at UMBC as vice provost in 1987.

In 1988, Hrabowski with philanthropist Robert Meyerhoff, co-founded the Meyerhoff Scholarship Program, aiming to increase the diversity of graduates in science, technology, engineering and related fields. The program was originally designed to support black males, but has since expanded to serve students of all races and genders. The success of the program has been widely recognized and has been considered a national model by the National Science Foundation. Based on these successful outcomes, Hrabowski has authored numerous articles and co-authored two books, “Beating the Odds,” and “Overcoming the Odds,” which focus on both parenting and high-achieving African-American young men and women in science. Both books are used by universities, school systems and in community groups from around the country.

In 2009, TIME Magazine named Hrabowski one of America’s 10 Best College Presidents. Under his leadership, UMBC was ranked as the nation’s No. 1 “Up and Coming” university and among the country’s top colleges and universities for commitment to undergraduate teaching in 2009 and 2010 by U.S. News & World Report. He holds honorary degrees from more than a dozen institutions, including Harvard, Princeton, Haverford College, Duke, Georgetown University and the University of Michigan, among others.

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Media Note – This event is not open to the public. Reporters, photographers and camera operators are welcome to attend the La Verne Commencement Ceremonies. All attending media are asked to contact the Public Relations Office prior to the event date so arrangements can be made. You can contact Assistant Director of Media Relations Alisha Rosas by e-mail at arosas@laverne.edu.