Academic Affairs News

Transcription

1 Academic Affairs News September 2011 California University of Pennsylvania Honors Students Visit Paris Six California University Honors Program students attended the World Bank's Annual Bank Conference on Development Economics in Paris in May. The students attended sessions on inequality, social protection, job creation, and gender equity, and networked with professionals in the field. The trip culminated with a cultural and historical tour of Paris, including the Louvre, Musee d Orsay, Arc de Triomphe, Sacré Coeur, Notre Dame, Versailles, and the Eiffel Tower. The group, led by Mohamed Yamba (Dean, Liberal Arts) and Ayanna Lyles (Health Science), included Justin Yifu Lin and Ann Harrison of World Bank and Cal U students Tamara Al-Khattar, Ali Dodson, Anna Gerald, Brittney Lees, Stephanie Wharrey, and Amanda Wilson. Streamlining Operations Academic Affairs operations were streamlined this summer. Staff members from the Office of Lifelong Learning and the Pre-College Honors Portal were absorbed into other areas within the division to improve efficiency. Out of Lifelong Learning, Terrie Greene was appointed Director of Articulation & Transfer. Kathy Gavazzi will now direct Summer College out of Academic Affairs. Caleb Tom and Nikki Popielarcheck were moved to Academic Affairs and Gloria McKean was assigned to Communication Disorders. Students in Lifelong Learning s Evening College will now be served by Admissions and Student Retention & Success, while leadership for the summer SEEK program will be spearheaded by Jodie Rooney in Academic Affairs. Out of the Pre-College Honors Portal program, Barb Crofcheck and Janet Houston were moved to Admissions, Deb Grubb was assigned to the College of Education & Human Services, and Pearl Mitchell is now working in the Department of Early, Middle, & Special Education. Arabic Agreement John Cencich (Dean, School of Graduate Studies & Research), Aref AlKhattar (Justice, Law & Society) and Odeese Khalil (Modern Languages & Cultures) participated in the signing of an articulation agreement between the University of Sharjah and California University of Pennsylvania in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates in June. The agreement permits Cal U students who are pursuing studies in Arabic language and culture to attend the Arabic Language Institute at University of Sharjah.

2 California University of Pennsylvania Grant Awards Cheryl Vogrig (Director, Grants & Contracts) reports the following grants were received by faculty and staff during the current quarter. Robert Downey (Public Safety & University Police) received $26,261 from the Federal Emergency Management Act/ Pennsylvania Emergency Management Act through PASSHE for a State Homeland Security Equipment Grant. Gregg Gould (Chemistry & Physics) received $3,000 from the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh for Chemistry Laboratory Equipment. Kelly Hunt (Entrepreneurial Leadership Center) received $1,500 from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development for the PASSHE Student Business Plan Competition. Jason S. Kight, Mary Seman (Early, Middle, and Special Education), & Keith Hepner (Secondary Education & Administrative Leadership) received $20,000 from the Pennsylvania Department of Education for Dual 7-12 Content in Special Education Baccalaureate Program Planning to develop a dual special and secondary education teacher certification program. Katherine Mitchem and Kalie Kossar (Early, Middle & Special Education) received $97,811 from the US Department of Education for the HQ- TEEMS (Highly Qualified Teachers in Exceptional Education, Math and Science) Project. Thomas Mueller (Earth Sciences) received $23,800 from the US Geological Survey through Montana State University for AmericaView : State View Program Development and Operations for the State of Pennsylvania. Ellie Nesser (Southpointe Center) received $43,740 for WEDnet Training Grants from the Pennsylvania Workforce & Economic Development Network. Gary Seelye and Laura Giachetti (Academic Development Services/ Upward Bound) received $15,182 from the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the U.S. Department of Agriculture s Summer Food Program. Nancy Skobel and Diane Williams (Student Development) received $2,264 from the Corporation for National and Community Service through Philadelphia Higher Education Network for Neighborhood Development for Scholars in Service to Pennsylvania. MEIBL Workshop at Abilene Christian University Eleven Cal U faculty and staff participated in a Mobile Enhanced Inquiry- Based Learning (MEIBL) Workshop at Abilene Christian University in Texas as a part of a grant award from the Next Generation Learning Challenges. MEIBL focuses on increasing student engagement, supporting academic performance, and creating active learning using mobility for teaching and learning. In inquiry-based learning, students take a more active role and teachers do more facilitating. Workshop participants developed audio and video content deliverable in a mobile format. Podcast projects were selected based on the attendees disciplines and specific course needs, and were created in many different forms. Attendees hope to take the collaborative spirit that was ignited at ACU back to Cal U and to continue sharing ideas and techniques as they develop content for their classes. To learn more about MEIBL and to watch interviews of the participants, visit: Participants included: (photo, L-R) Caryl Sheffield (Early, Middle & Special Education), Lisa Kovalchick (Math, Computer Science & Information Systems), Ryan Sittler (Library Services), Tom West (Health Science), Becky Nichols (UTech Services), Connie Monroe (Secondary Education & Administrative Leadership), Steve Whitehead (Applied Engineering & Technology), Louise Nicholson (Biological & Environmental Science), Joe Schickel (Applied Engineering & Technology), Mohamed Benbourenane (Math, Computer Science & Information Systems) and Mario Majcen (Earth Science.) 2 Building Character.

3 Faculty Publications Aref Al-Khattar (Justice, Law & Society) co-published "Impact of Terrorism on the Freedom of Movement and Protection of Human Private Life in The Arab World" in the British Journal of Arts and Social Sciences. Holly Diehl, Connie Armitage, Diane Nettles, and Christine Peterson (Early Middle & Special Education) published The three-phase reading comprehension intervention (3-RCI): A support for intermediate-grade word callers in Reading Horizons, (Summer issue 51.2). Sarah Downey (English) published Cordial Dislike: Reinventing the Celestial Ladies of Pearl and Purgatorio in Tolkien's Galadrie" in Mythlore 29:3/4 (Spring/Summer 2011), Cheryl Hettman (Nursing), published "Longing to Learn: New Paths Rather Than Pastures" in the Pennsylvania Nurse. The article included perspectives of Cal U nursing students, Mary Ann Braun and Kathy Maietta, about returning to school to complete a degree later in life. Laura Hummell (Applied Engineering & Technology) had three publications in the International Technology & Engineering Educators Association s journal Children s Technology and Engineering. Rebecca Hess (Health Science), Ben Reuter and Marc Federico (Exercise Science & Sport Studies) published "Recovery of Time on Limits of Stability From Functional Fatigue in Division II Collegiate Athletes" in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, July 2011 with graduate student Mitch Ishizuka (Athletic Training). Academic Affairs News Ryan Sittler ( L i b r a r y S e r v i c e s ) p u b l i s h e d C h a s i n g Citations in Let the Games Begin! Engaging Students with Field- Tested Interactive Information Literacy Instruction; A Planet in Peril: Plagiarism: Using Digital Games to Teach Information Literacy Skills in Let the Games Begin! Engaging Students with Field-Tested Interactive Information Literacy Instruction (with C. Sherman, D. Keppel, C. Schaeffer, D. Hackley, and L. Grosik); and Identity Crisis; Librarian of Instructional Technologist? in Indiana Libraries, 29(2). Faculty & Staff Achievements Mike Amrhein (NCRETE) and John Kallis & Mark Bronakowski, (Applied Engineering & Technology) contributed to a one-week Robotics Camp for high school students. The camp, funded in part by PASSHE s Pathways for Career Success Program grant, featured robotics, computer-aided design, rapid prototyping, microcontrollers, and testing. Aref Al-Khattar (Justice, Law & Society) was awarded a Fulbright Senior Specialist Scholarship with the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. The Fulbright activity will take place between the fall and spring semesters this a c a d e m i c year. Building Careers. Mark Aune (English) completed FPDCfunded research this summer at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. Aune will use the research to finish work on a book manuscript. Jane Bonari (Early, Middle, & Special Education) conducted Camp Invention for the fourth consecutive summer in the Belle Vernon Area School District. The weeklong hands-on, inquiry-based learning program engaged 79 students in grades three through five and Cal U graduate and undergraduate students. Malcolm Callery (Theatre & Dance) directed lighting, sound, equipment, and technical elements for dance programs in Steele Hall s Main Stage and Blaney Theatre in June for three dance studios. Also, with Cal U Conference Services, Mr. Callery hosted the Southwestern Pennsylvania Synod Assembly, Sweet Adeline s International, and the Leader in Me Global Education Summit. 3 Andrea Cencich (Modern Languages & Cultures) supervised six Cal U students who are majoring in Spanish, Spanish teaching certification, and International Studies as they traveled to Chile to begin an educational relationship between Cal U and two schools in Chile. The students (photo, L-R) included Bethany Romano, Margaret Fike, Sarah Martik, Valerie Wortley, Justine Fartini, and Charisse Varga. Continued on page 4

4 California University of Pennsylvania Faculty & Staff Achievements Clarissa Confer s (History & Political Science) application was approved for Cal U to serve as a host site for the Civil War Sesquicentennial National Traveling Exhibition Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War. The exhibition was approved and funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association. John Kallis and Mark Bronakowski (Applied Engineering & Technology) conducted a one-week workshop for robotics engineering teachers at Community College of Baltimore County in Maryland as part of the National Science Foundation s Advanced Technological Education-funded Technology and Innovation in Manufacturing & Engineering (TIME) Center. Shelly Fetchen DiCesaro (Health Science) served as a session moderator at the National Athletic Trainers Association s Annual Convention held in June in New Orleans, LA. Also, she was appointed as a test question writer by the Board of Certification and as a member of the convention planning committee for the Pennsylvania Athletic Training Society. Mary Hart (Health Science), Joseph Zisk (Secondary Education & Administrative Leadership) & Mary Popovich (Health Science) organized the Philadelphia Experience, which brought 22 inner-city high school students to Cal U for a week of unique experiences and educational objectives in various topics. Laura Hummell (Applied Engineering & Technology) was named President -Elect on the P e n n s y l v a n i a T e c h n o l o g y Student Association Board of Directors. Elizabeth Larsen (Justice Law & Society) was selected by SAGE Publications to review Social Problems: A Service Learning Approach by Corey Dolgon and Chris Baker. Tom Mueller (Earth Sciences) earned a Graduate Certificate in Remote Sensing from Northeastern University, completed a Risk Terrain Modeling workshop, and was selected and completed the National Library of Medicine s TOX Map review. Krystia Nora (English) participated in the Western Pennsylvania Writing Project's Summer Institute for Teachers at the University of Pittsburgh. Karen Posa (Director, Univ e r s i t y - W i d e M e n t o r i n g ) completed her doctoral degree at West Virginia University. Her d i s s e r t a t i o n topic was A Study of Satisfaction and Perceived Learning and Development of Peer Mentors in High Education. Paul Crawford (History & Political Science) chaired a session entitled The Crusades III: Memory and Traditions at the 46 th International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo, MI. Also, Crawford was interviewed by Josh Morris (Fox News) and Libby Lewis (CNN Radio) about the role of the Knights Templar in the July 23 Norwegian massacre and by Roland Lettner (KFUO-AM, St. Louis) about Saladin, Richard I, and the Third Crusade. Mariana Pensa (Modern Languages & Cultures) reviewed Reinaldo Arenas: entre e l p l a c e r y e l i n f i e r n o b y José Ismael Gutiérrez in Crítica Hispánica, 2011, Vol. XXXIII, 1 & 2. Pp Summer Susan Ryan (Earth Sciences) concluded visitation reporting for the Gettysburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency, and the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum with research support of Sean Hayes and Student Study Team members of the Cal U Tourism Research Center. Ryan is Director of the Center. Emily Sweitzer (Justice, Law, & Society) served as a conference paper reviewer for the 2012 National Association of School Psychologists Annual Conference and served as a reviewer for grant proposals submitted to the West Virginia Department of Education. Michele Pagen and Janie Walmsley (Theatre & Dance) organized the Estill Voice Training: Level One and Two Workshop in Steele s Blaney Theatre in June with 37 participants from seven states including Dr. Kim Steinhauer of Estill Voice International. Pagen also conducted the annual Summer Experience 2011 program at Cal U for 34 students ages The students learned dance, acting & voice, culminating in a performance of Disney s 101 Dalmatians (cast photo below). 4

5 Academic Affairs News Faculty & Staff Presentations Melanie Blumberg (History & Political Science) presented Civic Engagement across the Curriculum with Provost Geraldine Jones, Carol Bocetti, Pamela Twiss, John Confer and David Argent at the 2011 Meeting of the American Democracy Project, Orlando, FL. At the meeting Blumberg also chaired a panel: Signature Practices: Building a Sustainable Future through Civic Education and Engagement. Dori Eichelberger and Karen Posa (University-Wide Mentoring) presented Peer Mentoring: Helping Students with the Transition to College at the regional International Mentoring Association Conference in Columbus, Ohio. Craig Fox (Philosophy) presented "Some Thoughts on Wittgenstein and Film," at the 34 th International Wittgenstein Symposium in Kirchberg am Wechsel, Austria in August. The paper will be published in the conference prep r o c e e d i n g s, edited by Christoph Jaeger and Winfried Loeffler. Sharon Juli (Social Work) presented Promoting Independence in Elders in June at the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency s Housing Services Conference Healthy Housing, Healthy Communities in State College, PA and presented a webinar titled The Assessment of an Older Person for the PHFA/Cal U Certificate of Elder Service Coordination in August. Jason Kight (Early, Middle, & Special Education) presented Increasing Peer Interactions for Students with Significant Disabilities at the Western Beaver School District in Midland, PA and What is Asperger s Syndrome? at the South Eastern Greene School District in Mapletown, PA. Tom Mueller (Earth Sciences) p r e s e n t e d Crime Mapping and Education at the P i t t s b u r g h N e i g h b o r h o o d Conference Information Systems Conference. Ellie Nesser (Southpointe Center) was invited to serve with other PASSHE workforce professionals on a panel entitled Meeting Employers Needs through Partnerships at the Pennsylvania Workforce Investment Board Symposium at Penn State University in August. Aleksandra Prokic (Applied Engineering & Technology) presented Using Scratch for Improving Students Problem Solving and Design Strategies at the Annual Conference on the State of Higher Education at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C., in June. C h r i s t i n e Romani-Ruby (Health Science) presented a learning lab entitled, "The Gluteals and Their Link to Lower Quarter Dysfunction" at The National Athletic Trainers 62 nd Annual Conference and Clinical Symposia in June. In July, she presented "Pilates for Pregnancy and Beyond", "Shoulder Moves", and "Muscle Balance on the Foam Roller" at the Pilates On Tour Conference in Miami,. Bradley Schaffer (Social Work) presented a workshop titled Jailed Veterans, Reentry and Associated Problems at the Forensic Trends Conference in Washington, DC in June. Emily Sweitzer (Justice, Law, & Society) presented Cops and Kids to local law enforcement and social service personnel at the Youngstown, OH. Norma D. Thomas (Social Work) presented Psychosocial Issues: Assessment and Treatment Interventions with Hoarding Behavior at Waynesburg College for the Southwest Area Agency on Aging and Greene County Human Services. Guttman Student Research Grant Faculty are encouraged to help identify students whose research might benefit from the Jesse B. Guttman Student Research Grant Program. Undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in any academic programs offered at Cal U may apply for funds to pursue their research or scholarly projects in collaboration with a full-time faculty mentor. The program was established to honor the late Jesse B. Guttman who along with his brothers, Leo and Howard, founded the Guttman Oil Company, Guttman Reality, and Mon River Towing. The program, which is endowed in the University Foundation, enables young student-scholars who are actively pursuing new avenues of academic achievement to conduct research within their specific disciplines of study. For more information, please visit: or contact the Office of Grants & Contracts, 425 Dixon Hall, phone: x6034. The deadline for submission of applications for this program is September 30, Encourage your students today! 5

6 California University of Pennsylvania Department & Program Achievements Alpha Lambda Delta, the freshman honor society at Cal U, was awarded by their national headquarters the Order of the Torch Award, which is for the most outstanding chapters. Michael Amrhein (Applied Engineering & Technology) and Karen Posa (University-Wide Mentoring) are co-advisors of the chapter. The Articulation & Transfer Evaluation Office executed articulation agreements with the following schools: Community College of Allegheny County (Nursing), Bryan College LA Campus (Wellness and Fitness), Sanford Brown Institute (Wellness & Fitness and Legal Studies), and Delaware County Community College (Technology Management and Nanofabrication Manufacturing Technology). The Institute of Criminological and Forensic Sciences trained 25 federal, state, and local police officers in Concepts of Criminal Profiling. The Rural Communities Institute (Norma Thomas, Social Work), cosponsored with Entertainment Industries-Pittsburgh, a Media and Mental Health Training at Cal U in July, through a grant from the Staunton Farm Foundation. The Department of Justice, Law & Society in conjunction with the Linda and Harry Serene Leadership Institute conducted a one-day Leadership Challenge for the Boy Scout Camporee and a High School Leadership Summer Camp, which engaged 35 students from 17 area high schools in a weeklong summer adventure where they participated in leadership education and activities to help them reach their full potential. While building friendships, students will gain leadership skills, self-confidence and a foundation for success. Activities include classroom work, practical exercises in leadership/professional/self development, film reviews and active discussions. The Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Program (Michael Brna, Director), conducted its 5 th Annual Summer Institute. Twenty-five teachers from 10 surrounding school districts attended the Institute, which was presented in collaboration with Intermediate Unit 1, where the event was held in July. Participating teachers earned two CPE Act 48 credits and created Action Plans for Learning Centering in Inquiry-based instruction and Library of Congress online primary sources. Summer College 2011 recorded a 5.2 % increase in enrollments from The TRIO Upward Bound Program conducted its annual service learning project during the five-week summer residential component. Students and staff raised $1,098 for the American Red Cross to assist the victims of the Joplin, Missouri tornado. The Parent & Family Portal, managed by Cynthia Young, is growing in popularity as a service focused on student success. In July, the portal was the fourteenth most viewed page on the Cal U web site. Also, the Parents & Families Facebook page received nearly 14,000 page views and has nearly 200 fans. If you use Facebook, visit the page at: caluparentsandfamilies The new Global Online Program Coordinators for this year include: Aref Al- Khattar (Applied Criminology), Connie Armitage (Reading Specialist), Angela Bloomquist (School Psychology), Andrea Cencich (Spanish for Law Enforcement, Spanish for Business), Odesse Khalil (Arabic Language & Culture), Kalie Kossar (Mentally & Physically Handicapped), and Christine Patti (Educational Leadership.) 6 Accreditation News As a result of the submission of its rejoinder report, the Cal U Bachelor of Science Degree in Athletic Training has been awarded an extended accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) for five additional years. Previously, the program was awarded a five-year accreditation. The additional award extends the program s accreditation through The 10-year accreditation from CAATE is the longest possible approval from the agency. The selfstudy was assembled by Robert Kane with Athletic Training faculty Shelly DiCesaro, Jamie Weary, Mike Meyer and Adam Annacone (Health Science). Currently, 86.4% of Cal U s programs that are eligible for PASSHE-recognized accreditations are accredited. SEEK 2011 The SEEK 2011 programs, directed by Terrie Greene and Jodie Rooney, involved over 150 local students. Instruction was provided by local teachers and Cal U faculty. SEEK (Summer Educational Enrichment for Kids) is Cal U's annual summer day-camp for children entering grades one through eight. SEEK is designed as a way for youngsters to have fun while learning! Students in the SEEK programs participate in active learning experiences designed to encourage them to reach their maximum-learning potential. Children participate in engaging learning activities while making memories and friends. Look for information on plans for SEEK 2012 in the coming months. Louise Nicholson (Biology & Environmental Science) teaches a 2011 SEEK student how to sample DNA using strawberries. Building Character.

7 Academic Affairs News Student & Alumni Achievements Eric Beamesderfer (student, Earth Sciences-Meteorology) completed a Research Experience for Undergraduates project at the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma in July. Eric was competitively selected from over 120 candidates. His project includes a Storm Chase with his mentor, Dr. Kiel Ortega, Research Meteorologist and identifying environmental parameters affecting storm motion. He will present his findings at the American Meteorological Society Annual meeting in January, The National Academy of Sports Medicine, a health and fitness education authority and sports performance solutions provider, awarded Summer 2011 Pursuit of Excellence scholarships valued at $15,000 to Cal U students Dan Cordell and Shermin Patel (Students in Exercise Science and Health Promotion). Cordell, a Cal U alumnus and Atlanta resident, has spent much of his adult life teaching others how to achieve their health and fitness potential. Patel, a Southwest Texas State grad and Austin, Career Coach The Cal U Career Services department will launch a new Cal U Career Coach program in This program connects students (protégés) with alumni and friends of the university (Career Coaches) to advance the students' professional development. Through one-onone matches with professionals who are alumni or friends of the University, students will gain insight and advice as they consider their career options, gain essential skills to transition from college to the workplace, and begin to establish a professional network as they enter the workforce. A pilot group of 23 highly motivated junior and senior student protégés were nominated by faculty and staff to participate in the program. Please contact Meaghan Clister at clister@calu.edu to nominate future students for the Career Coach program. TX resident, has worked as an athletic trainer at collegiate and professional levels, clinical settings and various contract work. Lane Nolan (student, Geography- Tourism Studies) received a 2011 scholarship from Skal, an international travel and tourism organization. Eric Peccon (alumnus, History & Political Science) is working on his MPA at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs and interning at Brentwood Borough, assisting with code enforcement and updating zoning ordinances Andrew Pirring (alumnus, History & Political Science) is completing an internship in the Office of Solid Waste and Energy Resources in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where he is helping to rewrite Superfund Delivery Information policy while pursuing a Master of Environmental Policy at Miami University of Ohio. Melanie Smith (student, Social Work) was selected to represent Cal U at the 2011 PASSHE Women s Consortium Undergraduate Leadership Conference. Dustin Snare (student, Earth Sciences- Meteorology) attended the National Center for Atmosphere Research (NCAR) Undergraduate Leadership Workshop in Boulder, CO in June. Dustin was one of 20 nationally recognized students selected to participate. The workshop included presentations from research scientists, including NCAR Director Roger Wakimoto and University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) President Rick Anthes; and tours of facilities of NCAR, UCAR, and NOAA. Dustin was nominated by his academic advisor, Dr. Chad Kauffman (Earth Sciences). Jeff Ward (alumnus, History & Political Science) is doing a post-graduate internship through The Washington Center. Honors Program Leadership & Plans M. G. Aune (English) and Craig Fox (Philosophy) have been appointed Director and Associate Director, respectively, of Cal U s Honors Program. Mark Aune, an associate professor, is beginning his fifth year at Cal U. Last year, Mark served as Associate Director of the University Honors Program. Originally from the Detroit area, he attended New York University, worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Poland, earned a PhD from Wayne State University, and spent five years at North Dakota State University in Fargo. His research and teaching interests include Shakespeare and performance and Shakespeare and film. His articles and reviews have appeared in Shakespeare Bulletin, Shakespeare Newsletter, Early Modern Literary Studies and Theatre Journal. He is currently working on a project on Shakespeare and tourism. Craig Fox is in his sixth year of teaching at Cal U. He earned his BA in Philosophy from Boston University, an MA in Philosophy from Tufts University and his PhD from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He teaches courses in logic and philosophy of art and his research in recent years has been in how the philosophical work of Ludwig Wittgenstein could intersect with film. This semester, the honors program is welcoming 112 new students, raising the program s ranks to nearly 300 students campus-wide. The program is offering new courses this year in Artists and Nature, Education and the Environment, and Global Economics. Twelve honors students will participate in the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Phoenix, where they will share their research with thousands of honors students from around the country. Also, the honors program is organizing PASSHE's 2012 Summer Program, which will take students to study in Oxford, London, and Canterbury. Building Careers. 7

8 Rutledge Internship Awards The Internship Center reports that the following 14 students received a Rutledge Internship Award to offset costs of out-of-area internships in Summer The students majors and intern sites are noted after their names. Also this summer, President Armenti hosted a reception at the National Building Museum for Cal U interns in the Washington, DC area. Richard Bauer (Commercial Music Technology) Full Deck Entertainment, Atlanta, GA Jennifer Bracken (Justice Studies) United States Marshals Service, Washington, DC Courtney Cochran (Pre-Law) Karp Frosh Lapidus Wigodsky LLP, Washington, DC Sara DiBenedetto (Sport Management) Washington Wizards/Mystics, Washington, DC Nathan Earl (Gerontology) Twilight Aged Care-Horton House, Sydney, Australia Key Dates and Events Margaret Fike (Secondary Education Spanish) The English Institute, Santiago, Chile Maria Herrera (International Relations) Pan American Organization, Washington, DC Justin Litten (Political Science & Computer Science) Brickyard, Kaohslung, Taiwan Steven Mancini (Computer Science) NASA Chandra Operations Center, Cambridge, MS Elisha Tretyak (Environmental Studies Fisheries and Wildlife) The Wilds, Cumberland, OH Charisse Varga (Spanish) The English Institute, Santiago, Chile Lauren Vitt (International Studies Business and Economics) Yeskie Buie, Washington, DC Elissa Weimer (Justice Studies Corporate and Homeland Security) FBI, Philadelphia, PA Staff Convocation... Monday, September 19 Constitution Day... Tuesday, September 20 Student Convocation... Tuesday, September 20 Mission Day XIII... Wednesday, October 26 2 nd Annual Native American Day... Wednesday, November 2 Thanksgiving Break (No Classes)... November Academic Affairs Staff Geraldine M. Jones Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Bruce D. Barnhart Associate Provost Mary Kay Dayner Executive Staff Assistant to the Provost Andrew Galla Applications Developer Kathy Gavazzi Director of Summer College Marisa Gillis Secretary Adraine Howell Administrative Assistant Stanley A. Komacek Associate Provost Harry M. Langley Associate Provost for Student Retention Nikki Popielarcheck Management Technician Jodie Rooney Academic Events & Act 48 Coordinator Caleb Tom Applications Developer Heidi Williams Registrar Cynthia Young Parents/Family Portal Manager Classes End... Friday, December 9 Senior Grades Due... Monday, December 12 Reading Day (No Classes 8:00am 4:00pm)... Monday, December 12 Exam Week (Starting 6:00pm, December 12)... December President s Dinner for Grads... Thursday, December 15 Graduate Commencement... Friday, December 16 Undergraduate Commencement... Saturday, December 17 Cal U Academic Calendar: 8 California University of Pennsylvania Building Character. Building Careers. A proud member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Academic Affairs News Submissions for the next issue of Academic Affairs News are due by November 7, 2011