California University

Volume 22, Number 3 FEB. 17, 2020
KEEP UP WITH CAL U NEWS ONLINE: calu.edu/news

Honoree
Student Interns at
Embodies Lieutenant Governor’s Office
Core
J
Values

A

t the second annual Bow Ties
& Pearls Ball, alumna
Kerri Rowan ’77 will receive
one of the University’s most prestigious
honors, the Lillian M. Bassi Core
Values Award.
The Lillian M. Bassi Core Values
Award recognizes her commitment
to integrity, civility and responsibility
— the foundation of her exceptional
career and purposeful life.
Rowan grew up in Uniontown, Pa.,
and entered California State College
as an education major with a focus
on Spanish. Top grades made her a
regular on the Cal State dean’s list and
a member of the Alpha Mu Gamma
and Kappa Delta Pi honorary societies.
A resident assistant Patrice Hall,
she chronicled student life as sports
editor of the Monocal yearbook before
graduating magna cum laude and setting
her sights on postgraduate study.
She earned a master’s degree in
communication arts from William
Paterson College, in New Jersey, in
1981. While working on her master’s
thesis, she relocated to the Washington,
D.C., area.
Nearby Arlington, Va., is still
her home.
“(Washington) is such a beautiful,
cosmopolitan city,” Rowan said. “I
first visited as a teenager, during cherry
blossom season, and I promised myself
that someday I would live here. I
consider myself so lucky to do so.”
After graduate school, Rowan
secured a Capitol Hill internship with
the syndicated Washington News
Service. A communications role with
— Continued on page 3

with one of Lt. Gov. John Fetterman’s
unior psychology major
focuses, criminal justice reform.
Chelsea Fullum is working in
“This internship is giving me an
the lieutenant governor’s office
amazing experience, which I need in
in Harrisburg as part of a 15-week
career development, and also
internship sponsored by
insight on how Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania’s State System of
politics really work behind the
Higher Education.
scenes,” Fullum said.
The Harrisburg Internships
Fullum is a member of
Semester gives students from
the Student Government
each of the 14 State System
Association and the Alpha
universities the opportunity
Lambda Delta Honor Society,
to work in state government
and serves as executive board
while earning a full semester’s
secretary of Phi Sigma. She
worth of credits. Students
Chelsea Fullum
also works as an alumni
receive a $3,500 stipend to
ambassador and at the Calling Center.
assist with living expenses while they
“Chelsea has been assigned
live in the Harrisburg region.
Fullum and her fellow THIS interns
tasks of increasing responsibility
attend academic seminars and complete
and has completed them proficiently
an individualized research project as
with expertise and skill,” said
part of the program’s requirements.
Anthony Mauro, vice president for
Fullum’s duties include handling
University Development and Alumni
constituent services, attending Senate
Relations. “She is outgoing, extremely
sessions, and giving tours of the office
detail oriented, always willing to take on
to visitors. Her research project will deal additional projects and is a proven leader

among our other student workers.”
Dr. Melanie Blumberg, campus
coordinator for THIS and a professor
in the Department of History, Politics,
Society and Law, also praised Fullum.
“In my many years serving in the
capacity of The Harrisburg Internship
Semester campus coordinator, there
has never been anyone as excited or
appreciative of the opportunity as
Chelsea,” Blumberg said. “She is an
impressive young woman.”
Fullum plans on using her internship
experience when she returns to campus.
“I will be able to take what I
have learned and seen and apply it to
academics and my career,” she said. “I
already have plenty of experiences and
things I’ve learned to discuss and present
about at conferences or to other students.
“Cal U has prepared me and given
me so many incredible opportunities that
have allowed me to grow personally and
professionally. This internship is one of
the best memories I have from Cal U.”

‘Feed Your Soul’ Drive A Success
Students Machala Spencer, of the Black Student Union; Ehryn McCann, of the Center for Volunteer Programs and Service Learning; Cynthia Obiekezie
and Savannah Dorsey, Black Student Union; and Cassie Raley and McKenna Ferris, CVPSL, gather Jan. 31 with donations collected for the ‘Feed Your
Soul’ food drive to fill a Kia Soul, part of service events honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and leading into the February celebration of
Black History Month. The donations were given to the Cal U Cupboard and the Greater Washington County Food Bank. See stories on page 2.

Cal U to Host and Participate in Band Festival

C

alifornia University’s bands and
its director, Dr. Frank Stetar,
will host the 73rd Annual
Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band
Festival from Feb. 28-March 1.
Student musicians from 21 college
and university band programs from across
the state will come to Cal U to rehearse
and perform with guest conductor
Dennis Fisher, wind band director and
professor emeritus from University
of North Texas. He has conducted
extensively and lectured in 32 states
along with international appearances in
Thailand, Japan, China, Great Britain,
Europe, Scandinavia, Canada, Greece,
Brazil, Cuba, and Russia.
The event culminates in a concert on
Sunday, March 1, at 2 p.m. in the Steele
Hall Mainstage Theatre. The free concert

is open to the Cal U community
and public.
Founded in 1948, the Pennsylvania
Intercollegiate Band Festival is the
oldest continuous collegiate band
festival in the nation. This band is a
collection of students selected from
college and university bands throughout
Pennsylvania.
Cal U hosted the festival in 1987
and 2012.
The participating schools in the 2020
festival include 102 student performers
and 26 band directors.
Eight student members of the Cal U
Bands have been accepted to rehearse and
perform at the event. They were selected
from more than 400 applicants from 21
colleges and universities across the state.
The students and their instruments are:

Alex Lalley, clarinet; Emily Bond, flute;
Jacob Cox, percussion; Alyssa Day, flute;
Justin Gilbert, French horn;
Nathan Bosak, trombone;
Carl Anderson, bass trombone; and
Chris Montgomery, bass clarinet.
“It is an honor for students to be
selected to perform with this historic
band,” said Dr. Frank Stetar, University
Bands Director and co-chair of the
Department of Music and Theatre. “We
are proud to host the festival this year
and welcome so many talented student
musicians and directors to rehearse and
perform together on our campus.
“We are also extremely excited for the
brilliant Dr. Dennis Fisher to enlighten
these students.”
For more information email
stetar@calu.edu.

Dennis Fisher will be the guest conductor
when Cal U hosts the 73rd Annual
Pennsylvania Intercollegiate Band Festival
from Feb. 28-March 1.

Page 2

A

FEB. 17, 2020

One-Man Play Gives Students Pause

fter conducting a moving oneman presentation, Dr. Paul
Spradley asked the audience
“What’s the next step for Cal U?”
The founder of the Care Based
Leadership Collaborative, Spradley’s
appearance in the Natali Student Center’s
Vulcan Theatre on Feb. 3 was part of Cal
U’s Black History Month celebration.
It was also the first “What’s the T?
Thoughtful Discussions About National
Narratives” series, developed by the
Student Affairs Diversity Committee, of
the spring semester.
Spradley’s presentation, “The
Day the Civil Rights Got Old,” depicted
the fictitious Willie Percival Rose, who
recounted being with Amelia Boynton
Robinson, who was brutally beaten at a
Civil Rights march which became known
as Bloody Sunday on March 7, 1965.
“We didn’t have any weapons,
we did not want to move into their
neighborhood we just wanted to
vote,” said Spradley in character. “The
spectators there did not charge but they
cheered when we were beaten and had
the same look in their eyes as the police.
“Ever since then I have marched.”
Spradley then moved his act to
2018 and read a poem written by his
grandnephew Antwon Rose II, the
17-yearold African-American teen who
was fatally shot in East Pittsburgh
He finished the act by explaining how
in 1965 he (Percival Rose) was marching
for the equality of black people and how
in 2018-19 he marched for black people,
the LGBTQ community, Latinos and
immigrants and women’s rights.
Before fielding questions following his
performance Spradley asked the audience

Dr. Paul Spradley portrays a man a recalling a Civil Rights march in the 1960s.

to observe a Dr. Martin Luther King,
Jr. quote “Almost always, the creative
dedicated minority has made the world
a better place.”
“It’s very comfortable and easy to be
silent, to just sit there, and eventually say
no that’s not a good idea but I’m good,”
Spradley said. “What Willie Rose was
saying was that because folks were just
passively sitting and letting things happen
around them he’s been fighting for a
long time but is tired and wants it to stop
though he fears we will still be marching

for a long time.”
Jordan Scarbrough, a senior sociology
major, found the presentation enjoyable
and interesting.
“Watching him perform I found it
very profound that we are still dealing
with the same kind of issues only in a
slightly different way,” he said. “Now
we are able to go out and protest mostly
without fear of violence but the fact that
we still actually have to do it is crazy
after this long period of time.
“His performance showed that unless

Students Embrace Day of Service

W

ith the busy spring
semester in its second week,
Cal U graduating senior
Cynthia Obiekezie found time to help
others.
Obiekezie, president of the Black
Student Union, was one of nearly 80
Cal U students who participated in the
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service
on Jan. 28 in the Performance Center.
“We have to do our part to honor
his legacy, because without Dr. King’s
legacy, I would not have the opportunity
to even be here,” said Obiekezie, who
was born in Nigeria.  
A hospital patient care attendant,
Obiekezie was designing sock grips,
which will be given to residents of The
Residence at Hilltop, an assisted living
facility in Monongahela, Pa.
“I sit with a lot of elderly patients
who are all fall risks,” Obiekezie said.
“They need support, and these grips
are important because slip-and-fall
injuries can be fatal. I certainly have a
connection to this activity.”
Nicholas Morrison, a senior
communication disorders major and
member of Alpha Kappa Lambda, made
good use of his time in between classes.
“During the common hour most
people are just at lunch, and I think a
good job was done in letting the students
know about this,” he said. “I definitely
wanted to help today, and it’s important
for people to come out for these kind
of things.”
Sophomore Savannah Dorsey, a
criminal justice major, attended her first
Day of Service before heading to class.  
“Just giving back not only does

Cynthia Obiekezie designs socks for people at The Residence at Hilltop during Cal U’s Martin
Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

good for others but also yourself and
makes you appreciate things more,” said
Dorsey, BSU treasurer. “We try to help
out as much as we can.”
The Day of Service was coordinated
by the Center for Volunteer Programs
and Service Learning and graduate
assistant Amanda Andrews. Twenty
activities took place for 15 nonprofit
organizations, including City Mission in
Washington, Pa., the Washington Area
Humane Society, Beverly’s Birthdays, the
Painted Turtle Camp, Special Olympics,
and Ronald McDonald House Charities.
Gamma Sigma Sigma, AVI
Foodsystems, Cal ROCKS (Reaching
Out for Catholic Kinship), Delta Zeta,
Alpha Sigma Tau were among the

organizations that donated supplies.
“It was a team effort, and the
generosity and participation were sincere
and appreciated,” Andrews said.
“Cal U students continue to show a
passion for volunteering and wanting
to help others.”
Sheleta Camarda-Webb, director
of Multicultural Affairs and Diversity
Education, said the day was an ideal
way to lead into Cal U’s Black History
Month celebration and to emphasize the
importance of volunteering.
“Service learning is an integral part
of education,” she said. “This is a way
for Dr. King and the Black History
Month legacy to live year-round through
our students and our entire campus.”

everyone is on board, social change will
not move forward and be stagnant.”
Sheleta Camarda-Webb, director
of Multicultural Affairs and Diversity
Education, hopes Spradley’s performance
will help Cal U continue moving forward.
“I think when you have the opportunity
to talk and hear and tell each other’s stories
that hate shifts,” she said. “It’s not always
about some grand shift, sometimes it’s
about small minor shifts that gets us to
the next step and that’s what I believe we
are trying to do here at Cal U.”

Black History
Month
Concludes

T

he University’s Black History
Month celebration concludes
with four events open to the
Cal U community and public.
• Feb. 17: At 11 a.m. in the Natali
Student Center’s Vulcan Theatre, the
What’s the T? Thoughtful Discussions
About National Narratives” series
continues. The full “I Have a Dream”
speech that was delivered by
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Aug. 28,
1963, will be viewed. Afterward,
Jeffrey Jones, Cal U’s first gentleman,
will moderate a panel discussion of
civil rights and social justice.
• Feb. 20: At 11 a.m. in the Natali
Student Center’s Vulcan Theatre,
the “What’s the T? Thoughtful
Discussions About National
Narratives” series continues.
Dr. Mathilda Spencer and members
of the National Organization of Black
Law Enforcement will discuss “(In)
Justice Through the Lens of African
American Law Enforcement.”
• Feb. 24: At 7 p.m. in the Natali
Student Center, student teams will
share their knowledge about African
history in the United States during
Black History Month Trivia Night.
• Feb. 27: From 10:30 a.m. to
2 p.m. in the Gold Rush Culinary
Center, diners will be treated to the
"A Taste of Africa" menu with the
Cal U community helping with
Nigerian recipes. Cost is $8.25.

FEB. 17, 2020

Page 3

Open
House
Programs
Slated

C
Cal U students Gabriella Evans (left) and Kirstin Palumbo work on a slide show for the Washington Symphony Orchestra concert at
Trinity High School on March 1.

Wildlife Students Bring Whales
to WSO Concert

S

enior Kirstin Palumbo and
sophomore Gabriella “Bella” Evans
will add a bit of science to the
arts when the Washington Symphony
Orchestra performs a concert at 3 p.m.
March 1 at Trinity High School.
The Cal U students, both majoring
in environmental studies with
concentrations in fisheries and wildlife
biology, are producing a slideshow
for the performance of composer
Alan Hovhaness’ “And God Created
Great Whales.” The song, which
incorporates recorded sounds of bowhead
and humpback whales, is part of the
WSO’s The Beauty of the Beasts concert.
Dr. Yugo Ikach, dean of
Cal U’s College of Graduate Studies
and Research, and professor in the
Department of Music and Theatre, is
the WSO’s music director and principal
conductor. He asked faculty for help in
bringing the song to life.
Dr. Carol Bocetti, from the
Department of Biological and
Environmental Sciences, forwarded

Ikach’s request for images to accompany
the sounds to Palumbo.
“Dr. Ikach said when people think
of whales, they think of these immense
creatures swimming freely through the
ocean, and he wanted the slideshow to
capture it,” said Palumbo, president of
Cal U’s chapter of The Wildlife Society.
“We used both those species but also
any other species that we could find that
captured that image and would go along
with that piece.”
The song lasts almost 12 minutes,
and more than 35 pictures will used.
“I think the visuals will really tie in
everything so you not only can picture
what they look like, but also capture the
feeling in your chest when the orchestra
plays the whale calls,” Palumbo said.
“Hopefully the audience will really get a
feeling for how these creatures are.”
Palumbo said the slideshow project
fits with the society’s main objective:
increasing awareness and appreciation
of wildlife. The society will have an
information table at Trinity High School.

“We are focused on community
outreach and environmental education,”
she said. “The materials we distribute
will give those who attend the concert
background information on different
species of whales, what distinguishes
them and why they’re so important in our
oceans,” she said.
Ikach has used Cal U student
musicians in WSO events, most notably
holiday performances, for years. He is
pleased to include another academic area.
“I am looking forward to this
collaboration, and Kirstin and Bella are
enthusiastic about this,” he said. “This is
another positive way for Cal U students
to show their skills in the community.”
Tickets for the Washington Symphony
Orchestra are available online at
www.washsym.org or by calling
888-718-4253. Tickets for The Beauty of the
Beasts are available at Citizens Library and
Peters Township Public Library; tickets also
are available at the door. Cal U students with
a valid CalCard are admitted free of charge to
WSO concerts.

Theatre Season Opens with ‘Creativity’

T

he Department of Music and Theatre will open its spring
season with an Evening of Creative Works.
Showtimes are 7 p.m. Feb. 20-21 and 2 p.m. and
7 p.m. Feb. 22 in Steele Hall Blaney Theatre.
The evening will consist of four pieces:
• Controlling Interest is a play by Wayne Rawley that will
be directed by Cal U graduate student Christina Bordini. Cast
members include Elijah Gilbert, Shane Callahan, Matt Stroop,
Garrett Smyth, and Rachel Phillips.
• SoCo, is an original play written by Michael Mastandrea
and directed by Sara Sproul. Cast members are Holly Grainger
and Rolando Gonzalez.
• A Thousand Words is a musical painting experience with
student Mollie Ehrlichman playing the ukulele to her own music
while fellow student Braylee Pierce paints.
There will also be an improvisational group — a form of live
theatre in which the plot, characters and dialogue are made up in
the moment. Cast members are Shane Callahan, Noah Dohanich,
Mack Freed, Gilbert, Christina Kent, and Quest Sawyer.
Production manager E.J. Christopher, a junior musical
theatre major, said the evening allows students to express
themselves as directors, performers, designers and managers.
“Student-driven productions are always a treat because they
give students an immense amount of freedom to make their
own creative vision come to life,” he said. “My role is to make
sure the production runs smoothly and efficiently.
“Our students are working very hard, and I’m looking
forward to how our audiences react to the production’s variety.”
Gilbert, a sophomore early education pre-K major who is
minoring in musical theatre, portrays a character in Controlling
Interest who has the dialogue of an 8-year-old. He also will be
part of the improv group.
“Though we won’t be practicing what we perform, we need
to practice keeping a steady flow of scenes and bits going to

al U has scheduled three
Open House programs
during the spring semester.
Open House programs begin
with Academic Experience Day,
scheduled from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on
Monday, Feb. 17, beginning at the
Convocation Center.
The final two open houses will
take place from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Saturday, March 21 and Saturday,
April 18. Registration for both
events will be on the third floor of
the Natali Student Center.
At an Open House, prospective
students can meet faculty and
current students, take a campus
tour, learn about our clubs and
organizations and more.
On Feb. 17, visiting students
will get an even fuller picture of
the academic experience by sitting
in on classes taught by Cal U
faculty members.
Campus tours will include the
residence halls, classrooms and
academic departments, and facilities
such as the Herron Recreation and
Fitness Center and the Convocation
Center. Students and families can
talk with Cal U students, meet
faculty members, and learn about
financial aid. Students receive a free
Cal U T-shirt at the end of the day.
“Choosing a college or university
will be the first big decision a high
school student will have to make
and the best way to narrow down
the list of colleges is to visit the
campus,” said T. David Garcia,
Cal U’s vice president of Enrollment
Management. “Our hope is that
students and parents will see Cal U
as a place they could call home for
the next four years.”
To register for an Open House date
and see a schedule of events, visit
calu.edu/visit or call 724-938-4404. For
information about the admissions process
at Cal U, visit calu.edu/admissions;
and to explore academic majors, visit
calu.edu/academics.

Faculty-Staff
Convocation
Feb. 18

F
Clockwise in groups from left: Michael Mastandrea and
Sarah Sproul; Macey Freed, Elijah Gilbert, Shane Callahan,
Quest Sawyer and Noah Dohanich; Mollie Erlichman and
Braylee Pierce; and Christina Bordini.

keep the audience interacted with our art,” he said.
Tickets are $12 for adults; $6 for those 55 and older and 12 and
younger. Cal U students with valid CalCards pay 50 cents, plus a $5
deposit that is refunded at the show.   
For ticket information, or to charge tickets by phone, call the Steele
Hall Box Office at 724-938-5943. Tickets are also available online at
bit.ly/CALUEOC.

ollowing a new format, the
Spring 2020 Faculty-Staff
Convocation will focus on the
“Campus Master Plan: A Blueprint
for the Future.” After University
President Geraldine M. Jones
delivers the opening presentation,
Robert Thorn, vice president for
Administration and Finance, will
provide an update on the plan
for Cal U’s campus buildings.
A question-and-answer session
will follow.
All University employees are
welcome to attend the program, set
for Feb. 18 in the Cal U Convocation
Center’s South Conference Wing
during the common hour, beginning
at 11 a.m.

Page 4

FEB. 17, 2020

Snyder: From Walk-on to Hall of Fame
Editor’s Note: The 2020 members
of Cal U’s Athletic Hall of Fame will be
honored at the second annual Bow Ties
& Pearls Ball on Saturday, May 2, at the
Convocation Center. The event benefits
Cal U scholarships for Cal U students and
legacy projects on campus. To purchase
tickets and more information about the
event, visit calu.edu/bowtiesball.

D

uring his career as a four-year
starting defensive back on the
Vulcans football team,
Jim Snyder ’85 made 260 tackles. His
latest stop is induction into Cal U’s
Athletic Hall of Fame.
A walk-on, Snyder wound up playing
all four secondary positions between
1981 and 1984. He graduated as a twotime first-team all-conference safety and,
as a senior, earned Associated Press AllAmerican honors.
But he’s most proud of playing in 40
of 41 games, building a reputation as one
of the team’s most reliable players.
“Jim Snyder was a very good, smart,
physical football player who made
plays and tackles, got interceptions and
did so in crucial moments of games,”
said former defensive coordinator and
secondary coach Bob Haley ’81, ’85.
“He did everything we asked. I loved
him and those guys he played with.”
During his freshman season, Snyder
received Player of the Week honors
following a 15-tackle, one-interception
effort in a 31-14 victory at Lock Haven.

Registration
Begins Feb. 17
for Summer
College

R

egistration opens Feb. 17 for
Summer College at Cal U.
Students who attend any
college or university, including the 14
universities in Pennsylvania’s State
System of Higher Education, have
a choice of more than 200 credit
courses at either the undergraduate
or graduate level.
Both on-campus and online courses
are offered during the 2020 summer
term in convenient five-week, six-week,
and 10-week sessions. The Summer
College courses may be viewed at calu.
edu/summer-college.
The flexibility of Summer College
is designed for students to advance their
education and careers.
Current Cal U students do not have
to apply for Summer College; they
can register online through the Vulcan
Information Portal (VIP) or email
summer@calu.edu. Visiting students
can apply at calu.edu/summer-college.
To learn more about Summer College,
email summer@calu.edu or call
724-938-5962.

Standout defensive back Jim Snyder
will become the third player from the
1984 PSAC championship football team
to be inducted into the Cal U Athletic
Hall of Fame.

The Bald Eagles “made the
determination they were going to run at
me and lead with the fullback,” Snyder
recalled, “but (defensive lineman and
2000 Hall of Fame inductee Rob Dindak
’82) just blew that interference up and left
me one-on-one with the running back.
“I got the accolade, but that never
would have happened without Rob. It’s
all about playing as a team.”
Snyder finished his first season with
40 tackles, seven pass break-ups, two
interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
A natural free-safety, he filled an

injury void at cornerback for the first
half of the 1982 season. Back at the
safety spot, Snyder intercepted a pass in
each of the Vulcans’ final five games and
finished the season with a team-high six
interceptions. He also led the team in
fumble recoveries (2) and was second in
pass breakups (7), third in sacks (3) and
fourth in tackles (77).
In 1983 he helped the Vulcans finish
7-3 overall — the team’s first winning
season in 13 years. Cal U’s defense held
five opponents to nine points or less,
and Snyder finished with 66 tackles, five
interceptions, eight pass break-ups and
two fumble recoveries.
During his senior season, the
Vulcans won eight games — the most
single-season victories since 1958 —
and brought home their first PSAC
championship in 16 years.
Snyder, a co-captain, made 77 tackles,
three interceptions, three sacks and eight
pass break-ups. He also reprised his
junior-year role as the Vulcans’ punt and
kick returner.
“My job was to make tackles, help
stop the opposing offense, line up and
do it again,” Snyder said. “There was
no celebrating. … It was a different
mindset then.”
In all, Snyder posted 260 tackles
(130 solo), with 16 interceptions,
30 pass break-ups and six fumble
recoveries before his Cal U career came
to a close.
He credits much of his success to the

coaching staff, which included Haley
and head coach and 1995 Hall of Fame
inductee Jeff Petrucci ’69.
Snyder still recalls the support he
received after his father passed away
unexpectedly after his freshman season.
But “there was a mentality of toughness
brought from the coaching staff,” he said.
“All of them coached toughness and
worked us hard.”
A Pittsburgh native, Snyder was a
three-year starter in both football and
baseball at Bishop Boyle High School.
He studied accounting at “Cal State”
and has been a commercial banker for
more than three decades, mostly with
Citigroup Inc.
“I appreciate the fact that I have
a degree from California University,
which gave me the tools for what I do.
But I also believe that success in the
professional arena gets back to
the discipline of being an athlete,”
Snyder said.
“Athletics makes you understand that
you have to get up every day, go to work
and outwork and outhustle people.”
Snyder and his wife,
Kim Krause Snyder ’84, live in
Agoura Hills, Calif. They have
two children, Megan, 23, and
Michael, 20.
The couple returns to Pennsylvania
regularly to see family and visit campus.
“I have fond memories of
California University,” Snyder said. “It’s
a big part of my life.”

IRS Employee to Receive
Lillian M. Bassi Core Values Award
costs, schedules and scope-of-work
targets to directly support the IRS’s chief
information officer.
Robert Dole’s presidential campaign
“My Cal education provided a
took her to Atlanta for the 1987-1988
solid foundation on which I could
election season. Afterward, she returned
incrementally build my career,” she
to Washington and began a career as a
management consultant.
said. “I learned basic life
For more than three
skills as a young adult while
decades, Rowan worked
at California.”
for prominent D.C.-area
Her exemplary work at
consulting firms, primarily
the IRS has been recognized
with 12 awards for outstanding
in support of federal
performance, a Commissioner
initiatives. Her clients
Outstanding Achievement
included the FBI, Defense
Award and, most recently,
Department, Office of
a Strategy and Planning
Personnel Management,
Kerri Rowan
Leadership Excellence Award.
Environmental Protection
Outside the office,
Agency, Department of Health
and Human Services and the Internal
Rowan is a frequent patron of the
Revenue Service.
theaters, concert venues, museums and
Most of her assignments were local,
embassy events in our nation’s capital.
but others required long-term travel,
Travel continues to delight, and her
sparking a lifelong passion for exploring
deep, abiding desire to see the world has
new locales.
taken her to all 50 U.S. states, all seven
Rowan joined the federal government continents and 108 countries — with
in 2007 as a senior program analyst for
new adventures ahead.
the IRS, where she remains employed
Philanthropy also gives her life
today. An expert in information
purpose. As an active member of her
technology governance, she oversees key condominium community, she has led
IT modernization programs, monitoring
efforts to collect back-to-school supplies
— Continued on page 3

for needy children, organize food drives
for local pantries and gather pet supplies
for animal shelters.
Rowan acknowledges the crucial
role that scholarships played in making
her own Cal U education a reality.
So last year she established a Cal U
scholarship that funds a full year’s
tuition for a deserving student. She was
thrilled to meet the first recipient of the
scholarship, which she plans to continue
funding for years to come.
“To be able to assist someone else
in a similar situation is very gratifying,”
Rowan said. “It’s simply my way of
paying back.”
To learn more about the 2020 Bow Ties
& Pearls Ball, or to reserve tickets for the
event, visit calu.edu/bowtiesball.

The California Journal is published by California University of Pennsylvania, a member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.
Geraldine M. Jones
University President
Dr. Bruce Barnhart
Provost and Senior Vice President
for Academic Affairs

Dr. Nancy Pinardi
Vice President for Student Affairs
Christine Kindl
Vice President for Communications
and Marketing

Office of Communications and Public Relations

Robert Thorn
Vice President for Administration and Finance
Anthony Mauro
Vice President for University
Development and Alumni Relations

250 University Avenue

California, PA 15419

T. David Garcia
Vice President for Enrollment
Management

724-938-4195

Wendy Mackall
Editor
Bruce Wald
Writer

wald@calu.edu­­­­­­­­­