California University

VOLUME 12, NUMBER 17 JULY 26, 2010

Education
Summit
Focuses on
Leadership

H
Dr. Kevin Koury (third from left), dean of Cal U’s College of Education and Human Services, discusses the new Autism Center
with state Sen. Richard Kasunic at last month’s announcement at Highlands Hospital. Also shown are Travis Hancock (far left)
from the Cleveland Clinic Autism Development Solutions, and Michelle Cunningham, CEO of Highlands Hospital.

Autism Partnership Benefits
Grad Students, Area Children

C

al U has entered into a
partnership with Highlands
Hospital, a not-for-profit
community hospital in Connellsville,
Pa., that promises advanced training
for Cal U students in the
Department of Special Education
and a brighter future for children
with autism.
The hospital in Fayette County
— one of Pennsylvania’s most
medically underserved regions — is
working with the nationally
recognized Cleveland Clinic to
develop state-of-the-art services for
children with autism in southwestern
Pennsylvania.
The program’s building, staff

training and curriculum will mirror a
program that has been operating for
10 years at the Cleveland Clinic
Center for Autism in Ohio.
Graduate students from Cal U
will prepare for careers in special
education by participating in clinical
experiences at the new autism
center, scheduled to open next year
at Highlands Hospital.
Dr. Kevin Koury, dean of the
College of Education and Human
Services, represented Cal U when
the partnership was announced June
16 near Connellsville.
Cal U’s graduate program in
special education offers a certificate
in teaching children with autism, he

said, “and the certificate of study in
autism adds to the value of the
degree.”
Cal U’s graduate program has
taught Applied Behavioral Analysis,
the approach used by the Cleveland
Clinic’s autism program, for many
years, he added.
“Our graduate students are
energetic, well-prepared and wellsupervised. With the increasing
incidence of autism spectrum
disorders, we are proud to be a part
of this, and we thank (Highlands
Hospital) for including us in this
partnership.”
The national Centers for
— Continued on page 3

Lecture Explores Clemente’s Life

T

Roberto Clemente’s widow, Vera, will be part of a lecture
Wednesday at Steele Hall beginning at 7 p.m. The lecture is
being held in conjunction with the exhibit, Beyond
Baseball: The Life of Roberto Clemente.

he widow and son of Pittsburgh Pirates baseball
star Roberto Clemente will be special guests at a
free lecture held in conjunction with Beyond
Baseball: The Life of Roberto Clemente, a Smithsonian
Institution Traveling Exhibition now on display in the
Manderino Gallery.
The talk will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Steele
Hall Mainstage Theatre. Guest speaker is Maria TorresCarmona, of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling
Exhibition Service (SITES) in Washington, D.C. Guests
include Mrs. Roberto (Vera) Clemente and her son Luis.
Before and after the lecture, guests may visit Beyond
Baseball in the gallery on the third floor of Manderino
Library.
Beyond Baseball was developed by the Museo de Arte
de Puerto Rico with the Carimar Design and Research
studio.
At Cal U, it is complemented by more than 100
objects and photographs from The Clemente Museum
in Pittsburgh, Pa. To register for the talk, contact Linda
Volek at 724-938-5759 or volek@calu.edu.

undreds of educators from overseas and
across the country have registered to attend
The Leader In Me Global Education
Summit 2010 at California University.
Admission is free to the Aug. 4-5 event, which is
sponsored by Cal U, AVI Foodsystems Inc. and
Franklin Covey Co.
The summit will highlight the educator’s role in
equipping every student with leadership skills and a
sense of personal responsibility. Breakout sessions
will address issues relevant to elementary,
secondary and college/university education.
Keynote speaker is Dr. Stephen R. Covey,
author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and
The Leader in Me: How Parents and Schools Around the
World Are Inspiring Greatness, One Child at a Time. His
topic will be “A New Paradigm of Leadership.”
Other speakers and topics include:
• Cal U President Angelo Armenti, Jr. —
“From Dreams to Reality: Achieving the End in
Mind.”
• Sean Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly
Effective Teens — “Creating Greatness in
Education.”
• Salome Thomas-El, author and contributor to
the Dr. Oz Show — “The Immortality of Influence:
Believing Every Child Can Achieve Their Dreams.”
• Muriel Summers, principal of A.B. Combs
Leadership Magnet Elementary School (N.C.) —
“Developing Leaders: One Child at a Time.”
• David P. Langford, president of Langford
International Inc.— “Quality Learning Innovation
and Learning.”
• Jerry Salandro, entrepreneur, inventor and
president of IRIS Technologies — “Growing up
Poor: The Best Business School on Earth.”
Last year’s education summit at Cal U attracted
more than 600 students, teachers, principals, school
superintendents and other education professionals
from 18 U.S. states, as well as leaders and
educators from the health-care and business
communities.
“The Franklin Covey educational summits
enrich the professional experiences of those Cal U
— Continued on page 3

Professor Certified
Dr. Raymond Hsieh, a professor in Cal U’s Department of
Justice, Law and Society, is now an AccessData Certified
Examiner in Computer Forensics. He plans to use the
certification to help give students a competitive edge. See
story on page 3.

Radio Show
Features
Science
Initiative

A

Robotics Camp
members
William Sungala,
17, (left) and
partner Leah
Seader, 14, learn
about
pneumatic
systems through
hands-on
activities at the
first Cal U
Robotics Camp.

Robotics Camp Part of Summer
Vacation for High School Students

O

ne week of summer fun with
technology may influence the
career paths of nearly 30 high
school students who participated in the
first Cal U Robotics Camp.
Students entering grades 9-12
received hands-on experience in agile
robotics, mechatronics, rapid prototyping
and animatronics while experiencing the
college campus setting in June.
Cal U’s Office of Lifelong Learning
and the National Center for Robotics
Engineering Technology Education
(NCRETE) sponsored the team-oriented
program.
“I had a class in school about
programming and thought this camp
would be fun,” said Evan Kerskanich, a
student at Thomas Jefferson High
School. “I am more interested in
programming, but this has been fun.”
Having a good time and getting
comfortable with technology were goals
of the program, said Dr. Mark
Bronakowski. A professor of Applied
Engineering and Technology, he taught
the camp’s mechatronics component.
Students in his classes worked with
the basic elements of Programming
Logistic Controllers to control electrical,
pneumatic and mechanical systems,
Bronakowski explained.

“They are looking at these three
areas primarily and how they interact
and overlap with each other,” he said.
“We want them to use programs so that
whatever they are doing performs the
correct function.”
High school students have different
skill levels than the college students he
normally teaches, Bronakowski said, and
the camp sessions placed less emphasis
on theoretical knowledge than a typical
college class.
“You want (students) to interact with
the equipment, press the buttons, see
things go on and off. That’s exciting.”
The robotics camp filled a niche for
both of the camp’s sponsors, said Mike
Amrhein, outreach coordinator for
NCRETE. For the past three summers a
robotics class has been part of the Office
of Lifelong Learning’s popular Summer
Educational Enrichment for Kids
(SEEK) program for students in grades
1-8.
“There’s been an overwhelming
amount of interest in the robotics class,
and this was the next logical
progression,” he said. “In addition to
professional development, one of
NCRETE’s major deliverables is
outreach initiatives in grades K-16. This
was a natural partnership to give our

SEEK graduates a spin-off, and teaming
with Lifelong Learning gave us a
suitable model.”
Terrie Greene, director of Lifelong
Learning, hopes the robotics camp is just
the start of more successful SEEK spinoffs.
“High school-age students are
involved with many extracurricular
activities, so this turnout exceeded our
anticipation,” she said. “We not only
will build on this, but we hope to get
other campus areas involved in summer
activities, so we can offer more of our
University resources to the community.”
Greene and her staff added campus
tours and other University experiences to
the robotics campers’ schedules. They
dined at the student center, for example,
and visited the Beyond Baseball exhibition
at Manderino Gallery.
“A friend of mine told me about this
program, and we both decided to come
to camp,” said Cameron Bartkus, a
student at Ringgold High School. “I am
not really interested in robotics, but I
thought the camp would be fun — and I
had a really good time.”
Other instructors were Cal U faculty
members Laura Hummell and Mike
Valoski, and Tanner Huffman from
Richland High School in Johnstown, Pa.

recent broadcast of “The
Allegheny Front” environmental
radio program featured an
initiative led by Dr. J. William Hug and a
group of future teachers to teach young
children about science through outdoor
activities.
A link to the
podcast is available
at www.calu.edu.
Follow
“Academics” to
“Colleges and
Centers” to
“College of
Education and
Human Services”
to “Department
Dr. J. William Hug
of Elementary/
Early Childhood Education.”
The event held earlier this year at
Ohiopyle State Park was funded by a
grant from PNC Grow Up Great With
Science.
More than 500 preschool children
enrolled in Fayette County Head Start
and their families were invited to the
event. Hands-on lessons about rocks and
soil were taught by Cal U students
enrolled in the Instructional Strategies
course. The event was designed to
introduce students to basic principles of
science and reinforce academic skills
necessary for success in school.
Cal U was one of just 15 colleges and
universities to receive a PNC Grow Up
Great With Science grant last year. The
project targets preschoolers in Fayette
County, where research shows that
critical social conditions place many
young learners at risk for low
educational achievement.
Founded in 1991, “The Allegheny
Front” focuses on issues related to the
conservation of land, air and water. It
airs regularly on FM stations WYEP
91.3 in Pittsburgh; WIUP 90.1 in
Indiana, Pa.; eight WPSU-FM stations
in northern and central Pennsylvania;
WRFA-FM in Jamestown, N.Y.; and on
West Virginia Public Radio.
For more information about the
Allegheny Front, visit
www.alleghenyfront.org

Cal Finishes No. 2 in Directors’ Cup Race

T

he good times continue to roll for
Cal U’s athletic programs.
After a successful spring sports
season highlighted by an NCAA Regional
championship in women’s tennis, the
Vulcans finished second in the final
standings of the 2009-2010 Learfield
Sports Directors’ Cup.
This is the highest finish ever by a
school in the Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference (PSAC).
Announced through the National
Association of Collegiate Directors of
Athletics, the Directors’ Cup annually
honors institutions maintaining a broadbased program in both men’s and women’s
sports. The scoring system is based on the
national finishes of seven men’s and seven
women’s sports teams.
In all, Cal U won NCAA Regional
championships this past athletic year in
football, women’s volleyball, women’s
soccer and women’s tennis. Other teams

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competing in NCAA post-season
tournaments were women’s basketball,
baseball, softball, women’s swimming and
both the men’s and women’s golf and track
and field teams.
Grand Valley State (Mich.) earned top
honors for the seventh consecutive year
with 1021.50 total points, while Cal
finished with 703.00. Rounding out the top
five were Central Missouri (672.50),
Minnesota State-Mankato (660.50), and St.
Cloud (Minn.) State (643.50).
In 2008-2009, the Vulcans placed ninth
in the final Learfield standings for NCAA
Division II.
“This is a tremendous accomplishment
that really reflects on the quality of our
student-athletes and coaches that we have
here,” said Cal U athletic director Dr. Tom
Pucci. “This is a direct reflection on the
leadership of President Angelo Armenti,
Jr. and his support of our athletic
program.”

Led by the football team reaching the NCAA Division II National Semifinals for the third
consecutive season, Cal U’s athletic program finished an impressive second in the final
standings of the 2009-2010 Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup.

Social Work
Program
Reaccredited

T

he Bachelor of Social Work
Program at Cal U has been
reaccredited by the Council on
Social Work Education.
At its June 2010 meeting, the
council’s Commission on
Accreditation voted to reaffirm the
program’s accreditation for eight years,
ending in 2018.
“We couldn’t be happier as a
department,”
said Dr. Pamela
Twiss, who
chairs the
Department of
Social Work in
the College of
Education and
Human
Services. “This
success would
not have been
possible
without the
Dr. Pamela Twiss
work of the
department’s faculty, staff and students
and the support of University
administration.”
Twiss said the renewal is extremely
important to students because it allows
those who achieve a high enough
grade-point average as undergraduates
to waive foundational courses at the
master’s degree level. Also, in states
such as Pennsylvania, graduates
cannot be called “social workers”
unless they have graduated from an
accredited program.
“The expectation is that faculty are
working with outside agencies, sitting
on various boards and doing work that
benefits the region,” Twiss said. “And
students are expected to be doing work
in the field with professionals.
“Maintaining our accreditation
requires that our programs are
dynamic and that we are staying on
top of developments in the field.
Going through the self-study was a
wonderful opportunity to see what we
were doing and why, and to make
positive changes where necessary.”

Leading the Way
Hong Jie Chen, a senior at Washington High School, rappels down a 50-foot tower during the recent Linda and Harry Serene Leadership Institute
held at Outdoor Odyssey in Boswell, Pa. The new program offered leadership training to select students from area high schools. Dr. Harry
Serene is the president of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and Linda is president of the Foundation for California University of
Pennsylvania Board of Directors.

Hsieh Uses Certification to Educate
Students, Local Authorities

D

r. Raymond Hsieh, a professor
in Cal U’s Department of
Justice, Law and Society,
recently became an AccessData Certified
Examiner in Computer Forensics.
AccessData is a pioneer in
developing digital investigation software
and training programs. They also
evaluate academic knowledge and
practical skill through a certification
process that is widely accepted by
national and international law
enforcement agencies.
This specific certification validates
Hsieh’s expertise in recovering deleted
computer files, encrypting messages and
deterring Steganography — the science
of hiding computer files within pictures
and other file types.
Criminals are using digital
technology to target victims and conceal
information, so forensics experts must

August Education Summit Set

continue to expand their knowledge on
current crime trends. Hsieh studied new
digital investigative techniques to
become certified and hopes to share this
information with his students.
“I tried to establish my knowledge.
That is the reason I have been certified
as a Computer Forensics Examiner,”
Hsieh said. “As an educator, I need to
pass this knowledge on to my students.”
Hsieh also plans to prepare students
for careers in digital forensics. Future
courses will be modeled to parallel the
material on certification tests.
“My goal is to have students
graduate from Cal U with a degree in
one hand and a certification in the
other,” Hsieh said. “Students will be
more competitive when looking for a
position because they are young,
knowledgeable and already certified.”
Few other area institutions in

Autism Center Planned

— Continued from page 1

— Continued from page 1

students who aspire to be teachers,
as well as our faculty in the College
of Education and Human Services,”
President Armenti said.
“The summits also enrich the
professional experiences of teachers,
principals and superintendents at our
regional schools. Those experiences,
in turn, benefit the students in all of
those schools, some of whom will
eventually come to Cal U for their
college education.”
A total of 11 Act 48 credits are
available to Pennsylvania educators
who attend the summit, and 1.1
Continuing Education Unit credits
also are available for attendees.
Although admission to the
summit is complimentary, seating is
limited and registration is required.
For more information, visit
www.calu.edu, call University
Conference Services at 866-941-7437
or e-mail conferences at
conferences@calu.edu.

Disease Control and Prevention
reports 1 in every 94 children in the
United States has some form of
autism. In rural Fayette County, an
estimated 444 individuals ages 5-24 are
affected by this complex
developmental disability that appears
in early childhood and affects
communication and social interaction.
Cleveland Clinic Autism
Development Solutions (CCADS) will
assist Highlands Hospital in designing
and staffing the new autism center,
which will offer developmental
screening and a day program that
children with autism will attend five
days a week, year-round.
Empirical studies conducted by
Cleveland Clinic show that the
program’s approach, Applied
Behavioral Analysis, is effective in
teaching basic and complex skills to
children with autism. Cal U students
will learn to apply their ABA skills by
working with Highlands professionals

President Angelo Armenti, Jr. and Dr. Stephen R.
Covey enjoy a moment together during last
year’s Education Summit at Cal U.

southwest Pennsylvania offer advanced
digital forensics courses, so Cal U will
continue to be an attractive destination
for prospective forensic science students,
he said.
Through the Cal U Institute of
Criminological and Forensic Science, the
University is a resource for local law
enforcement authorities. The institute
offers a team of criminologists and
scientists to assist in both fieldwork and
professional development.
With the desire to expand its
services regionally, nationally and
internationally, Hsieh and the institute
will host three members of the Taiwan
Police Delegation for a weeklong
training program in August. The
delegates will attend courses on campus,
meet with local FBI agents and study at
the Allegheny County Forensics
Laboratory.

who have been trained by CCADS
staff.
This is the first time that Cleveland
Clinic has partnered with a health-care
provider in southwestern
Pennsylvania.
No similar program is available in
the region, which has one of the
highest poverty rates in Pennsylvania.
Many Fayette County families lack
both economic resources and basic
transportation, making it difficult for
them to access services for their
children on the autism spectrum. The
hospital will offer both communitybased autism services and community
awareness education to encourage
early diagnoses.
Highlands Hospital will be the
nation’s third health-care provider to
open an autism center with assistance
from Cleveland Clinic Autism
Development Solutions. Successful
programs are under way at Highlands
Regional Medical Center in
Prestonburg, Ky., and at the Ozark
Center for Autism in Joplin, Mo.

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Five Win Faculty
Merit Awards

F

Taking part in the FPDC Merit Awards presentations were (front row from left) Dr. Marta McClintock-Comeaux,
Teaching Merit Award; Dr. Christina Fisanick, Technology Merit Award; Dr. Mark Aune, Research Merit Award; Dr.
Carol Bocetti, Service Merit Award; and Professor Lisa Driscoll, FPD Committee Co-Chair; (back row from left) Dr.
Ali Sezer, FPD Committee Co-Chair; President Angelo Armenti, Jr.; Provost Geraldine Jones; and Dr. J. William Hug,
Grants and Contracts Merit Award.

ive Cal U faculty members with different areas of expertise
were the recipients of the 2010 Faculty Merit Awards given
by the five subcommittees of the Faculty Professional
Development Committee (FPDC), the awards recognize Cal U
professors who are engaged in exceptional research, committed to
teaching, using grants and contracts, devoted to service or
exploring cutting-edge technology.
The awards were presented at a luncheon on May 7. Winners
are Dr. Mark Aune (English) for Research; Dr. Carol Bocetti
(Biological and Environmental Science) for Service and ServiceLearning; Dr. Christina Fisanick (English) for Technology; Dr. J.
William Hug (Elementary/Early Childhood Education) for Grants
and Contracts; and Dr. Marta McClintock-Comeaux (Women’s
Studies) for Teaching and Learning.
Along with a plaques, each recipient received a $1,000 award
and was recognized at Commencement. The money can be used
for professional activity such as travel, supplies, equipment, books
or periodicals, publications, or professional memberships.
“There are many good things going on within the University,”
said President Angelo Armenti, Jr., “and I believe the FPDC is the
jewel in the crown of California University’s excellence.”
He commended the award winners for their efforts and said
they should be proud to be honored by their peers, something that
takes hard work and dedication.
Co-chairs of the FPDC for 2009-2010 were Ali Sezer and Lisa
Solomon-Driscoll.

Staff Recognized at Annual Dinner

C

alifornia University’s highest-ranking academic
officer, Provost Geraldine Jones, was recognized for
35 years of service at Cal U’s 29th annual Staff
Recognition Dinner.
In all, the University honored the hard work and
dedication of more than 100 people who have retired
recently or reached service milestones. The dinner was held
June 25 at the Performance Center, inside the Natali Student
Center.
“This dinner is our formal way of thanking each and
every one of you for what you do on a daily basis,” said
President Angelo Armenti, Jr. “Your efforts and
contributions have a profound impact on our University’s
success and are greatly appreciated.”
The dinner recognized these employees and retirees:
35 years: Geraldine Jones.
30 years: Cheryl Golembiewski and Janet Woods.
25 years: Bruce Barnhart, William Binns, Don Bittner,
Paul Burns, Debra Cochran, Michael Green, Adraine
Howell, George Kyle, Bonnie McGary, MaryLou Price,
Joyce Sheppick, Amy Woodward and David Wyvratt.
20 years: Lillian Ambrose, Richard Ambrose, Lanie
Bilitski, Janet Booker, Gena Caeti, Michelle Cheatham,
Elizabeth Crouse, Vivian Dawson, John Dejuliis, Terri
Downer, Patti Dziak, John Edgar, Toni Gwyn, Edward
Hagyari, Patti Kent, Linda Kiefer, Harry Langley, Bonnie
Manos, Christine Matty, Mark McMonagle, Susan Rapp,
Lawrence Sebek, Sandy Staley, Elizabeth Swartz, Janie
Walmsley, Janet Wheatley, Robert Winwood, Shannon
Wolfe and Celeste Wukovich.
15 years: Terri Anderson, Carol Berkovitz, Joseph
Bilitski, Ronald Dellarose, Cathy Gmiter, Scott Hackinson,
Joyce Hanley, Tracy Julian, Katherine Nogy, Karlene
Petrisek, and Melissa Sheridan.
10 years: Pamela Beck, Kevin Black, Leonard Colelli,
Brenda Fetsko, Kathy Gavazzi, Traci Gerber, Howard
Goldstein, Charles Harris, Kevin Koury, Nancy Loughman,
Brenda Newman, Suzanne Powers, Christine Russell, Janice
Santo, Rendie Settles, Denise Smith and Robert Williams.

Mylan Classic
Ticket Sales
Support Cal U
Athletics

G

Geraldine Jones, Cal U’s provost and vice president for
Academic Affairs, receives her 35-year award from President
Angelo Armenti, Jr.

5 years: James Ahearn, Lois Arison, Shelly Bastin, Peggy
Bice, Bobbie Jo Cetera, Gordon Core, Lisa Gillis, Patricia
Godla, Eric Hartman, Janet Houston, Boleslaw Jankowski,
Tim Jones, Mitchell Kozikowski, Judith Laughlin, James
Layhue, Harry Marks, Melissa McKean, DeAnne Pavelko,
Nadine Potega, Robert Richard, Anthony Roberts, Carolyn
Robinson, Millie Rodriguez, Jill Sabol, Cindy Speer, Jessica
Spence, Janice Stirling and Linda Takash.
Retirements: Marcia Boyd, Andrew Butorac, Allan
Golden, John Gray, James Hansen, Frank Koterba, Eileen
Kunca, Richard Lacey, Eric Larmi, Vickie Laubach, Wanda
McMahon and Edward Spitek.

olf fans who purchase tickets for
the inaugural Mylan Classic golf
tournament can support athletic
programs at California University of
Pennsylvania.
Cal U athletics is one of the nonprofit
organizations eligible to receive funds
generated by the PGA TOUR’s new
Nationwide Tour event, to be held Sept. 2-5
at Southpointe Golf Club in Canonsburg,
Pa.
The 72-hole, stroke-play tournament will
feature 156 players from 19 countries
competing for a purse of $600,000. The Golf
Channel will televise all four rounds of the
Mylan Classic in the United States, and the
PGA TOUR will distribute it to 72 countries
in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
As with all events sanctioned by the
PGA TOUR, 100 percent of the net
revenues generated by the Mylan Classic
will be donated to regional charities and
nonprofit groups.
Golf fans can order tickets — and direct
their donation to California University
athletics — by visiting
www.mylanclassic.com/buytix/
CALUOFPA. Fans who visit
www.mylanclassic.com/buytix may use the
pull-down menu to designate “California
University of Pennsylvania Athletics” as
their favorite charity.

The California Journal is published weekly by California University of Pennsylvania, a member of The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
Dr. Angelo Armenti, Jr.
University President

Dr. Lenora Angelone
Vice President for Student Development and Services

Ron Huiatt
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations

Geraldine M. Jones
Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Angela J. Burrows
Vice President for University Relations

Robert Thorn
Interim Vice President for Administration and Finance

Dr. Joyce Hanley
Executive Vice President

Dr. Charles Mance
Vice President for Information Technology

Christine Kindl
Editor

Bruce Wald, Wendy Mackall, Jeff Bender
Writers

Office of Communications and Public Relations • 250 University Avenue, California, PA 15419 • 724-938-4195 • wald@calu.edu
The Journal is printed on paper made from trees harvested under the principles of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (www.SFIprogram.org).

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