Dreams were realized and academic goals accomplished at the University of La Verne’s Spring Commencement 2013, on Saturday, June 1. Graduates of the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Business & Public Management, and the College of Education & Organizational Leadership were reminded that they will be Leos for life.

As they celebrated with their families and friends, members of the Class of 2013 heard inspirational speeches by esteemed political strategist Joe Trippi and baseball legend Tommy Lasorda.

Three commencement ceremonies honored graduate candidates from the university’s main campus, the Campus Accelerated Program for Adults (CAPA), and the regional campuses and off-campus programs overseen by the Regional Campus Administration (RCA).

“You’ve got to believe you can do it,” Lasorda told his audience. “Dreams can become a reality.”

“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:

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

At the close of Schuster’s presentation, Professor of Business Administration & Economics Dr. Ahmed 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 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.

“When I was doing my senior project, I was working with the most famous local historian, Donald Pflueger of Glendora,” said Clark, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Faculty, at the University of La Verne. “Since he wrote a book on Glendora, I wanted to write a book on Azusa, which is where I grew up. He said, ‘No, find something less extensive.” So I started in to water and there was a tremendous amount of material.”

Clark told his audience that during the next 40 years, water conservation and reclamation efforts will have to increase dramatically, with the threat of less rainfall and more drought conditions.

Lots of material, but, as with the water, documenting civilization’s 500-year history of water in Southern California required some digging. Clark began his quest in earnest in 1970, writing a paper titled, “War Over The San Gabriel,” documenting the power of water in all aspects of life — economics, politics, agriculture, power, colonization, as well as basic survival. His recent campus presentation, “Watershed & Warming: An Environmental History of the San Gabriel River, 1542-2042,” serves as an outline for a book that Clark is writing about the 500-year history of water usage in the Inland Empire, the San Gabriel Valley and the Los Angeles Basin.

“I’m giving myself a little cushion,” Clark said with a chuckle, noting the 2042 end of the span, when he would himself be nearing the century mark.

In his research, Clark discovered six different economies that bubbled up since the region’s first settlers appeared. The course of history has changed, he said, with the shifting path of the water from local mountains.

“Watersheds are fixed, but that doesn’t mean they don’t change,” Clark said.

And, Clark pointed out, as water consumption and use changed, so did life in Southern California. For instance, there are no native grasslands left in the region, Clark said. Migration of non-native cultures, and the introduction of their animals and vegetation from other parts of the world, brought about widespread changes.

“We see on our mountains vegetation that greens up quickly,” Clark said. “These are plants from wetter parts of the world. They also turn brown and dry quickly and so we have fire danger.”

Clark uses a visual aid to illustrate life in the region in the late 1800s.

Clark says the establishment of rancheros and introduction of cattle to the area in the early 1800s made it the worst time in history for the local watershed. Factors such as overgrazing, manure and insects, destruction of native grasses, ground compaction and dust, and hunting of native carnivores to the point of near-extinction had a major impact on the region. Los Angeles became known as the “King of the cow counties.” In a little twist of irony, the great flood of 1862 essentially ended the cattle economy.

With the land boom of the 1880s came new technology and new challenges to the watershed to support life here, Clark said. It was then that 32 thirsty new cities sprang up and the economy shifted to agriculture. Floods in 1914 and 1916 prompted a greater emphasis in flood control and ushered in a new era of water management. Since then, five dams have been built and all are used today in flood control.

Clark said that in 1960, his junior high school teacher announced in class one day that global population had reached three billion. Today, a little more than half a century later, that number is seven billion. Clark estimates that by 2050, there could be nine billion people on the planet. Add to that factors such as a likelihood of less precipitation and more droughts, and the challenge for future generations will be greater than ever.

It’s a situation Clark will continue to monitor. He took the plunge into the subject nearly fifty years ago, and finds continued intrigue.

“Water has become so central to our needs,” Clark said. “I won’t say that it has consumed me, but it certainly has interested me.”

Van Hook, Chancellor of Santa Clarita Community College District and President of College of the Canyons, earned her masters and doctoral degrees through the University of La Verne’s extension sites.  At that time, she was already a successful administrator and had to find a way to juggle her education and her career.

Van Hook said the doctoral program opened doors for her and gave her confidence in her abilities by requiring her to do things, rather than just study theory. She earned her Ed.D. from La Verne in 1981.

“The program was the best single thing I’ve done in my career,” she said.

Years later, when Van Hook was College of the Canyons’ superintendent/president, she was struck by a lack of higher education options in the Santa Clarita Valley and vowed to find a workable and viable way to fill that void.

In 2010, the University Center she dreamed of and brought to fruition was formally dedicated in her honor.

Van Hook speaks at the dedication of the University Center at College of the Canyons that now bears her name.

The Dr. Dianne G. Van Hook University Center allows students to earn bachelor, master or doctoral degrees from a collection of public and private universities – including La Verne – that offer their programs on site. Educators hope the center will improve access to higher education by eliminating the need for residents to make long drives to obtain advanced degrees.  The first tenant, Academy of the Canyons, moved in during August of 2009.

Van Hook said there is a direct link between that achievement and the La Verne doctoral program, where she was required to identify areas that could be improved and write proposals on how to achieve those goals. Doing that gave her crucial experience and the accompanying confidence, she said.

“The University Center is the single biggest thing I’ve done that comes from that confidence,” she said. “It’s a symbol of what I learned in the program. It’s very significant for me.”

In 2002, Van Hook was one of 75 La Verne alumni presented with a Distinguished Educator Award during La Verne’s Teacher Education Program Diamond Anniversary Jubilee. Most recently, she added another honor when she was selected by her four-year alma mater, California State University, Long Beach, as a Distinguished Alumnus.

Van Hook, the longest serving superintendent-president of the College of the Canyons, became chancellor of the Santa Clarita Community College District in 2008. She reshaped her college’s Valencia campus and established a new campus in Canyon Country. College of the Canyons is one of the country’s fastest-growing large community colleges and has a combined enrollment of nearly 25,000 students.

The college is also home to the Academy of the Canyons, operated by the William S. Hart School District, which allows outstanding students to attend high school and college concurrently. The Center for Applied Competitive Technologies and the Employee Training Institute both help local businesses become more efficient.

The University Center is gaining attention, Van Hook said, and others are looking at it as a model to emulate.  She is quick to credit her preparation at La Verne for her many successes.

“I went from being a full-time faculty member to a superintendent/chancellor in four years,” she said. “What got me ready was the La Verne doctoral program.”

Good was in excruciating pain and Neher instructed an assistant to bring him a tool or anything that could force the python to release its grip. The stunned assistant returned with a large knife and then quickly disappeared, leaving Neher and Good to fight off the snake alone. After several attempts to knock out the python’s teeth with the knife — which resulted in a bloody mess — Neher got hold of a screwdriver and broke the snake’s jaw to release Good’s arm.

The meanest python Neher had ever met lived in the science department for another year until one morning when he found it belly up and “deader than a door nail” in its cage. He opened the window and threw the python outside to prevent the room from smelling. Neher tried very hard to keep a straight face as he broke the news to Good that one of his greatest friends was dead. Upon learning the truth, Good broke into a big grin. The next thing Neher knew, Good was outside his window, cutting the head off of the python, which he still keeps in his office.

The story of a 14-foot-long python that once got angry and wrapped up Bob Neher and fellow professor Harvey Good is legendary in the Natural Sciences Division, but most of the time Neher maintains a harmonious existence with all creatures.

As Neher told his La Verne tales, his longtime employee and friend, Sharla Geist, passed behind him and exclaimed that he is the best person in her life.

“I think you believe that,” Neher said.

“I KNOW it,” Geist said.

Geist, Natural Science Division Coordinator, joined others in preparing a slideshow for Neher’s retirement dinner in April.

“Don’t make it too sentimental; I’ll cry,” Neher joked, as Canon in D Major played in the background. “I want this to be happy, happy, joking, funny.”

“He’s such a kind-hearted person,” Geist said. “He’s my best friend and he’s been like a father.”

Geist said Neher has helped her become a better person, both professionally and personally — much the same thing he has done for hundreds of students and colleagues throughout his 55 years as a faculty member and interim provost.

“He’s a wonderful person, he is a good friend, he has a good sense of humor and he is willing to work with students to accomplish their goals,” said Good, now Professor Emeritus. “He does set high standards and expects a lot from his students, but he is reasonable in helping them to meet the challenges.”

After taking biology with Neher as a junior physical education major in 1958, Good changed his major to biology.

Neher has been truly dedicated to his students and says he was always concerned with what they learned and with helping them become better people.

“When you work with students, you have a chance to have some influence on their lives,” Neher said. “I really hope we can keep those values that we have, with the focus on our students, and seeing that they get a good education. I also hope that they’re inspired to learn how important science is and what they can contribute to it, because every single one of them has the potential to contribute to the body of knowledge that’s so helpful to society in general. The students are fantastic, and they’re what keep your sense of humor and keep you young, or at least you feel young.”

When Neher began his tenure in 1958, La Verne College was vastly different from the growing university on the same grounds today.

“When I came, the place was kind of a ramshackle school,” Neher said. “We didn’t have the money to keep it up.”

The original budget for the science department, which Neher developed into the natural sciences division, was about $400. Under his leadership, faculty with an interest in research have brought in millions of dollars in grants to the department throughout the past 20 years. He led the development of the natural science division and has inspired faculty as well as students.

Neher plans to stick around the University of La Verne and the Montana Magpie Ranch field research station to conduct research. The field station, which is located near Drummond, Mont., has been a place for students and faculty to conduct research and learn more about nature since the 1990s. It was Neher who spearheaded the Montana field station project, convincing President Emeritus Steve Morgan that it was a great opportunity for the university, and that Neher could make it happen.

Neher, who put in two terms as Provost during his 55 years on the job, served as mace bearer at Devorah Lieberman's inauguration in 2011.

“When Bob said he’d make something work, you knew he would,” Morgan said. “And you always knew Bob would be wise with expenditures, and that he’d never waste a dollar. He’d make it go as far as it could.”

Students and faculty who visit Magpie Ranch are able to conduct research that they would not be able to conduct on La Verne’s main campus. That research includes species and population studies, plant and animal surveys, and pollution studies.

“What sticks out in my mind is seeing him in the field at Magpie Ranch with his curiosity and passion for learning alongside students,” said Jonathan Reed, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at La Verne. “Even at 82, he has a childlike enthusiasm for discovery. He’s still excited to discover, to ask questions, to inquire, to turn over rocks, to look up trees and to walk around fields and discover nature. It’s contagious. Anybody who has seen him in the field or in Montana has seen the real Bob. His legacy will be the development of a large group of faculty over time who shape La Verne and his legacy will also be what the Magpie Ranch in Montana represents.”

Because of Neher’s vision and leadership, generations of students and faculty to come will have an opportunity to learn about science and conduct research that they might not have otherwise.

“He knows how to inspire and he has vision,” said Jerome Garcia, Associate Professor of Biology at La Verne and a former student of Neher’s. “A lot of the things we younger faculty enjoy today is because of Bob’s vision.”

Several members of the science division recognize Neher’s impact and feel that the department would not be what it is today had it not been for Neher.

“He’s the rock of the department,” Professor of Biology Kat Weaver said. “He’s very supportive of all the faculty.”

Neher’s passion for biology and teaching was learned at an early age from his father, who was also a biology professor. Oscar Neher taught his son about conservation and sustainability half a century before such topics became fashionable.

“The whole concept of sustainability is one that has captured my imagination for a long time and has helped me develop the environmental classes that I’ve had,” Neher said.

That fascination with sustainability and conservation led Neher to teach classes such as environmental biology to help students understand the importance of protecting the environment.

But Neher doesn’t believe in forcing his ideas or beliefs on others, which is good because he has learned from his trips to Montana that his ideas and values are rarely in line with locals there.

Neher, with his wife, Mary, have spent many summers at Magpie Ranch Field Research Station, surrounded by the beauty and wildlife of rural Montana.

“Up there, I’m called a tree hugger and a granola eater,” Neher said. “With my friends, that’s OK, because they know what I think. But I don’t try to make them think what I think, so it works out pretty well. They like me because I work hard and, to them, that’s really important. I don’t do things which degrade what they believe in and I’ve learned a lot up there because it’s a totally different culture from here.”

Neher, who has largely focused on sustainability and conservation, may be a tree hugger in Montana, but at La Verne he is a true visionary. He organized the first Earth Day celebration at La Verne in 1970 and was able to bring renowned biologist Paul Ehrlich to campus.

“Part of his legacy is the way in which sustainability has been woven into the fabric of life at the university,” Reed said. “He was thinking about sustainability and the importance of the ecosystem to human well-being long before it was popular. He really was ahead of his time and now it’s what we all take for granted as part of La Verne, as part of our values.”

Because of his growing concern for the environment and overdevelopment in La Verne, Neher spent eight years on the City Council working to address those issues.

It all leads back to Neher’s values as a Christian. He is also an ordained minister.

“Since I am a Christian, I know my moral values,” Neher said. “I try to go a little past that, in terms of what is right just for me, and I have to expand it and think what’s right for you, what’s right for him and what’s right for her. That doesn’t always equate to the same thing. Should I really get everything I can? Is that morally right? Or, do I share a little more than what I had been sharing? I try to make decisions today not on what affects my pocketbook, but on what I feel is right.”

Morgan, who first met Neher when he took biology as a sophomore in 1965, described Neher as a natural leader and a natural choice for two terms as interim provost.

“People trusted him,” Morgan said. “His word was his bond. He was always very direct and he told the truth and you knew that about him. He didn’t play games and I always appreciated that. He is one of those who will go down in the history of La Verne as having given his career to La Verne and having made a huge difference.”

Neher has been a rock and a pillar to all in the La Verne community; students, faculty, staff and even animals that needed his help. After dedicating 55 years of his life to La Verne, he is likely to be remembered for his longtime dedication to not only the people of the community and institution, but also for his care of various critters throughout the years, including skunks, possums, raccoons, foxes, coyotes, hawks, spiders and tortoises.

Even one nasty python.

“You think of the kind of impact a teacher such as Bob Neher has on generations of students — and I know the kind of impact he had on me and it affects the way I live my life and the way I look at the world — that’s quite an impact,” Morgan said. “He’s touched thousands of lives in very meaningful ways and he’s touched this university because he’s been one of those pillars, one of those foundation blocks that you could always look to for stability and a representation of the values and what we think of the University of La Verne.”

Story by Susan Acker

Public Relations Office, University of La Verne

The University of La Verne Works to Meet the Educational Needs of a Growing Active Duty and Veteran Military Enrollment

A Legacy of Life

For 55 years, Dr. Robert Neher has educated La Verne biology students, and now retires with the admiration of all of those he has touched, except one nasty python.

Speaking of Excellence

The 101-year-old La Verne Debate Team ranks eighth in the nation, but the students’ real benefits extend well beyond competitive forensics.

For Their Own Good

Dr. Janis Dietz is as tough as professors come, but her students emerge ready to be successful in the business world.

The Natural

With an 80-year legacy of teachers in the family, Dr. Cleveland Hayes may have been born to be an educator.

She Has A Whole New Vibe

Former rock ‘n’ roll backup singer Vicki Calhoun hones her leadership skills as a doctoral candidate in Organizational Leadership at La Verne.

Sibling Revelry

For the first time in their athletic careers, sisters Nicole, Stephanie and Catie Tuning are on the same women’s water polo team, at La Verne.

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More than 20 publications were presented that covered several fields of study including archeology, law, sports science, psychology and current events in the Middle East.

However, one of the most unique publications showcased was Max and Leo, a children’s picture word book written by administrative assistant Marcia Collum.

The book, illustrated by her own son, Matthew Del Castillo, represented the accomplishment of a long-time goal.

“Being surrounded by all the great educators in the College of Education and Organizational Leadership encouraged me to make my dream of publishing a children’s book a reality,” Collum said. “I thought, how great would it be to author a book and have my son illustrate it?”

Her book tells the story of two alien children trying to adapt to a new world.

Other published works included Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Dr. Felicia Beardsley’s book, Phase I: Archaeological Exploration of Menke, Utwe Municipality Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia, which documents the first of three archeological field seasons in Micronesia, and Assistant Professor of Movement and Sports Science Dr. Megan Granquist’s chapter, Psychological Aspects of Rehabilitation Adherence, about the psychological component of adhering to rehabilitation after an injury.

La Verne faculty and staff are encouraged to focus in areas that are important to them and in which they have passion, a point to which La Verne President Dr. Devorah Lieberman spoke.

“We want to provide the opportunity for the faculty to do the kind of research that they want to do simply because they want to do it. There is no obligation, it’s from a place of desire,” President Lieberman said.

Faculty Book Day is sponsored by the La Verne Academy.

After inviting the audience to take a moment of silence, the 2013 Fasnacht Lecturer shared his thoughts on the importance of religious tolerance in his presentation titled “Standing Your Sacred Ground: There is No Better Time to Stand Up for Your Values than When They Are Under Attack.”

“Religion should be a bridge of cooperation rather that a barrier of division,” Patel said.

As a Muslim with an Indian hertitage and American citizenship, Patel shared his struggles and experiences in dealing his his cultural identity in a world filled with prejudices and hate, especially when it comes to society’s view on certain religions, like Islam.

It wasn’t until after he discovered of a box of photographs in his grandmother’s home that he found his peace. The photographs in the box were of  women that his grandmother had taken in over the last few decades. Many were abused, broken and lost until his grandmother nurtured them and helped them get back up on their feet by letting them stay with her.

“When I asked her why she did what she did, she answered ‘because I’m Muslim,’” Patel said.

It was at that moment that he realized how misconstrued society’s view on religion can be and that people like his grandmother exist – religiously convicted – to make the world a better place.

From that day forward, he vowed to embrace his religion and “stand his sacred ground” so that one day society will not look upon Muslims as terrorists, but as a people who embrace strong values and morals.

As president of IFYC, Patel works to promote cooperation of individuals of all religious backgrounds.

“This lecture each year, which has been going on for nearly 30 years is grounded in what we’re all about, it’s grounded in the values, the core values and the morals of who we are as an institution,” University of La Verne President Dr. Devorah Lieberman.

Patel challenged the audience to work together on the La Verne campus and further develop interfaith understanding and relationships.

“What if one of our values is interfaith cooperation?” Patel asked. “What if we had a commitment that every student who crosses the stage in June at commencement at the University of La Verne, as a result of spending four years on this campus, has interfaith literacy and is able to tell you some appreciative things about other religions?” Patel said.

The Fasnacht Committee was named in honor of the late University of La Verne President Emeritus Harold Fasnacht and works to encourage debate and discussion about the place of religion in society.

-Story by Mark Vidal and Susan Acker
-Image by Mark Vidal

That was one of the common themes at the CEO speaking event hosted by the University of La Verne College of Business & Public Management on April 15, which was live streamed.

On the panel were Luis Faura, President and CEO of C&F Foods, Inc. and University of La Verne Board of Trustees Chair; Valerie Romero, Executive Vice President of Oremor Management & Investment; Michael Abraham, CEO of MKA Capital Group Advisors, Inc.; and Anthony La Fetra, President and CEO of Rain Bird Corporation. The panelists shared with La Verne students their experiences with successes and challenges in the business world.

Luis Faura, left, listens as Valerie Romero answers a question from the audience during the "Meet The CEO's" program at the University of La Verne.

Faura, Romero and La Fetra all grew up around businesses started by their families, but that did not mean that they were given any handouts.

“I started at the very bottom,” Faura said.

His family made it clear to him that he was not going to receive any preferential treatment and that he needed to work three times harder than anyone else so that there were no questions about why he was working for the company.

Similarly, Romero and La Fetra worked for the family business, but they worked diligently to build up their companies and help them grow. There were no free paychecks.

Though his parents didn’t own their own company, Abraham was taught many valuable lessons, including the importance of education. His mother told him that he needed an education in order to be successful in the United States.

After completing college, Abraham began his career in business at IBM as a salesman in the electric typewriter division.

“When you get your first job, look around you,” Abraham said. “I’ve built a number of companies and it was always learning from what they were doing and believing that I could do something better.

“You have to believe so strongly in yourself and you cannot look to anyone else. You are the whole reason you are going to be successful. No one else can make you successful, but yourself.”

According to the panel members, success in business comes from persistence. Fearing failure can get in the way of trying something new and that can’t be what keeps a businessperson from starting a business.

Romero, who is a female working in a male-dominated field, encouraged young women and men interested in pursuing a career in business to go into interviews or meetings with confidence and not fear.

Following the hour-long presentation, students in the audience were given the opportunity to pick the brains of the business moguls further on how to reach success in the work place.

Faura put it best: “Do something that you love so that you cannot differentiate work from play.”

— Susan Acker

To say the least, he is on his way.

Campus Compact has named the University of La Verne junior foreign languages major a 2013 Newman Civic Fellow, an honor recognizing community-engaged college students from 36 states as the next generation of public problem solvers and civic leaders. Sharma is one of nine California college students to receive this honor.

“This is not just any award, this represents Tahil’s values, who he is and the changes he makes on this campus,” President Dr. Devorah Lieberman said. “I am so proud of him.”

Campus Compact is a national coalition of nearly 1,200 college and university presidents and the only national higher education association dedicated solely to promoting public and community service to develop students’ citizenship skills. President Lieberman, a recently elected member of the Board of Directors for Campus Compact, nominated Sharma for the award.

To be named a Newman Civic Fellow, a student must demonstrate an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country. Here on the University of La Verne campus, Sharma is doing just that, and more. As president of the Model United Nations Club, president of the Muslim Student Association, co–president and founding member of the Interfaith Student Council, student mentor, among several other campus affiliations, Sharma’s track record for leadership hardly goes unnoticed.

Tahil Sharma worked closely with University Chaplain Dr. Zandra Wagoner (right) to coordinate community service projects for the campus. President Dr. Devorah Lieberman (left) nominated Tahil for the 2013 Newman Civic Fellow award.

“Tahil is not only building greater understanding among diverse people, his interfaith activities are bringing people together to address common issues in our community,” University Chaplain Zandra Wagoner said.

Working closely with Wagoner on several interfaith campus projects, Sharma is helping unite students from all backgrounds, races and faiths to come together peacefully to address the needs of the community through selfless service.

“So far, the outcome has been significantly positive, as my work with the local Sikh temple, and the interfaith communities of many cities, has helped to educate and feed a significant number of people, filling their minds with knowledge and their stomachs with traditional Indian, vegetarian food,” Sharma said.

Helping to educate and integrate students to the understanding of different worldviews, Sharma’s leadership role in the Interfaith Student Council is not only helping to unite a campus, but is providing new opportunities to feed community members in need at the local Sikh temple.

Sharma’s influential leadership draws attention to the greater community, as he is often invited to speak publically at interfaith events throughout the region, including events on campus. But it’s not just his great speaking ability nor his academic success that has helped him come this far, it’s his passion for humanity that others see in him.

“It is communities and society as a whole that play a role in the person that I am today,” Sharma said. “I am thankful for the good and the bad of the realities of the world that I have grown up in and have been exposed to, in order for me to get a better grasp of what life is all about. It is now time for my responsibilities as a grown adult to pay back that society, that world that has given me so much.”

Sharma, an only-child and self-proclaimed “freak of languages,” speaks four languages fluently: English, Spanish, Hindi-Urdu and Panjabi. He is currently learning Japanese and plans to master Arabic and Korean in the near future. An ambition to succeed, coupled with a knack for helping others has brought Sharma to where he is today.

Having grown up in both Los Angeles County and New Delhi, India, where he calls “home” plays a significant role in determining who he wants to become. “I chose La Verne to be my home away from home, Sharma said. “This university has given me the opportunity to voice my beliefs and opinions. I get the education necessary to enter the real world while retaining the relation of a close-knit community.”

Sharma knows what it will take to achieve his goals, and he’s making plans accordingly. He wants to pursue international studies through diplomacy when he reaches grad school and ultimately work for the CIA or the United Nations while continuing work in philanthropy and humanitarian aid.

“There is one dream that I have, it would be to leave this world with a good mark,” Sharma said. Newman Civic Fellow awards are made in memory of Dr. Frank Newman, a founder of Campus Compact, who dedicated his life to creating systemic change through education reform.

To learn more about Campus Compact visit www.compact.org.