2012oct29journaldraft1.qxp_03-24-08 CAL U JOURNAL.qxd 10/24/12 6:59 AM Page 1 California University VOLUME 14, NUMBER 28 OCT. 29, 2012 READ THE JOURNAL ONLINE: www.calu.edu/news/the-journal Wildlife Society chapter, adviser win national honors Cal U’s student chapter of The Wildlife Society has been named 2012 Chapter of the Year, and the group’s adviser, Dr. Carol Bocetti, is the 2012 Student Chapter Advisor of the Year. Bocetti, an associate professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, and eight students accepted the awards Oct. 15 at The Wildlife Society’s 19th annual meeting in Portland, Ore. The Wildlife Society — a professional community of scientists, managers, educators, technicians, planners and others who work to study, manage and conserve wildlife and habitats worldwide — is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. Chapters are recognized for their activities and initiatives, accomplishments, impacts on members and the profession, and resource management. Advisers are chosen for their roles in facilitating student involvement in Society activities. “The fact that the students in this chapter chose to nominate me was very touching,” Bocetti said. Of her decision to nominate the Cal U chapter, she said, “I find myself inspired every year by these students. I know what other chapters do — we do that and so much more.” Senior Frank Christopher, president of the student chapter; senior Samantha Zelenka, vice president; and junior Kate Kelly, treasurer, were among the students in Portland. As president of the student chapter of the year, Christopher was invited to speak at a leaders’ lunch at the conference. “The Wildlife Society gave me focus for what to do with my free time,” he Dr. Carol Bocetti (right) works with student Cynthia Anchor at SAI Farm. The Wildlife Society, a national organization, has named Bocetti the 2012 Advisor of the Year, and the Cal U Wildlife Society has been named 2012 Student Chapter of the Year. said. “I have learned so many skills, and it has definitely helped my professional development.” “It has helped my resume, and the internships were really helpful,” Kelly said of the student chapter activities, as well as the professional connections she — Continued on page 3 Educators Discuss Role of Technology he Internet is reshaping our centuries-old model of classroom education, says Dr. Sugata Mitra, but integrating technology into teaching and learning can yield reliably positive results. Mitra, a professor of educational technology at Newcastle (U.K.) University and a visiting professor at the MIT Media Lab, made his second visit to Cal U for a series of conversations and presentations on Oct. 17. “The last time I was here, I talked with you about my research,” he told a group of Cal U faculty and staff at the Kara Alumni House. “Now I’ve come back to find that you’ve actually been putting some of these ideas into practice. “Today we talked a bit about what worked, what didn’t work so well, and what comes next. I find it all very energizing.” — Continued on page 2 T Homecoming Cal U students (from left) Lydia Sabol, Shannan Hines and Andrea Fischer cheer the Vulcans on to victory at Adamson Stadium during Homecoming on Oct. 13. For story and more photos, see page 4. Bluegrass ‘Queen’ Coming to Cal U luegrass comes to the Mon Valley with an appearance by awardwinning artist Rhonda Vincent at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 15 in the Convocation Center. Pittsburgh’s own Mon River Ramblers will be the opening act. A traditional American music newly influenced by rock, pop and jazz, contemporary bluegrass is one of the nation’s fastest-growing musical genres — and Vincent and her band take it to new heights. Rhonda Vincent and the Rage is the most decorated band in bluegrass, with more than 70 IBMA awards, and the International Bluegrass Music Association has named Vincent its B Female Vocalist of the Year for an unprecedented seven years in a row. The Wall Street Journal calls her “… the NEW Queen of Bluegrass,” and a Billboard critic describes her as “too good to be mortal.” In addition to Vincent’s vocals, mandolin and fiddle, her band the Rage provides a tight musical backdrop of guitar, dobro, bass and banjo, as well as mandolin and fiddle, to fill out the sound. Vincent comes to Cal U after making stops at the Starlight Theater in Branson, Mo., and the Greater Downstate Music Festival in Springfield, Ill. After an earlier stop on her tour, a critic for the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “She’s already established among the bluegrass elite, and her artistry speaks for itself, but key to Vincent’s appeal is the unbridled energy and joy that she brings to every performance and a deep connection to the music and the bluegrass tradition.” Tickets for Vincent’s performance are on sale now for $19 or $29; a $5 discount is offered to Cal U students, faculty and staff. Tickets are available at all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.calucenter.com , or at the Convocation Center box office, open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Look for more information, video and a link to Ticketmaster online at www.calu.edu . Award­winning artist Rhonda Vincent will perform in the Convocation Center at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 15. 2012oct29journaldraft1.qxp_03-24-08 CAL U JOURNAL.qxd 10/24/12 7:00 AM Page 2 Sweets Send Message to Voters anderino Library wants students to vote, and it’s offering a sweet prize to help generate interest in the 2012 presidential election. A jar of red and blue M&M candies has been placed among the library’s firstfloor displays highlighting the importance of voting. The library staff is not asking students to guess how many pieces of candy are in the jar. Instead, they want students to guess how many electoral votes each presidential candidate will receive at the conclusion of the Nov. 6 election. The student who comes closest to guessing both candidates’ totals will win a post-Halloween treat. Along with the M&Ms, the library is displaying books about voting, the current and past campaigns, and election trends. An easel holds an interactive message board that invites students to add a stickynote explaining why they are or are not planning to cast their ballot. Monica Ruane, reference librarian, said the sticky-note board will address various topics as Election Day draws closer. All the displays were created in conjunction with a collection of political memorabilia from alumnus Stephen V. Russell ’70, who loaned the library an exhibit of campaign buttons and other political memorabilia from this year’s contest and past presidential campaigns. “We would like students to get out and vote, to think about the issues and which ones are important to them,” Ruane said. Graduate assistant Rob Anderson and student assistant Matthew Lazar have worked on the displays with Ruane. To help educate or remind students about the presidential voting format and the 270 Electoral College votes required to win the presidency, Anderson placed a U.S. map on a poster board behind the candy jar and labeled each state with the number of Electoral M ‘Memorable’ Halloween Planned ntertainer Jim Karol promises Cal U an unforgettable Halloween night. The memory expert and mentalist intends to mesmerize the Cal U community with his interactive show from 7-9 p.m. Wednesday in the Performance Center inside the Natali Student Center. A native of Allentown, Pa., Karol does far more than memorize a list of objects shouted out by audience members. He astounds audiences with his extraordinary abilities, such as memorizing everyone’s ZIP code, birthdate, occupation and other facts. Karol claims to know every word in the Scrabble dictionary and thousands of sports-related statistics. He can memorize a shuffled deck of playing cards in less than a minute and knows the day of the week for any date. Karol has appeared on television in The Rosie O’Donnell Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Ellen Degeneres Show and the Today show. He also was featured as one of the world’s top 10 mentalists on NBC’s Phenomenon, starring Criss Angel. While taping the show in Los Angeles, he was voted the World’s Greatest Mentalist at the World Magic Awards. The program is sponsored by SABUG, the Student Activities Board/Underground. Admission is free, and the public may attend. For more information, e-mail Melissa Dunn at dunn@calu.edu . E Reference librarian Monica Ruane (right) and graduate assistant Samantha Regney prepare to place a jar of red and blue M&M candies among the library’s first­floor displays highlighting the importance of voting. The student who comes closest to guessing the presidential candidates’ electoral vote totals, will win the candies. College votes it will cast. “We wanted to make it fun and interesting,” Anderson explained. “I feel that with a lot of library displays, people are afraid to touch or get near it. That’s the opposite of what we want.” Ruane, an assistant professor, encourages resident students who are unable to vote at home to obtain an absentee ballot. She emphasized that students need to be concerned with local candidates and issues, as well. She hopes to see conversations about the election and voting issues on Manderino Library’s Twitter and Facebook pages, as well as the library’s interactive newsletter, Library Matters. “Any way we can get kids thinking of voting is so important,” Ruane said. “There’s plenty of information about these candidates online, and it’s very easy to find good, non-partisan information rather quickly online. That’s what we want the students to do. Become educated, think about the issues, candidates and voting.” “Many college-age students fail to realize they are stakeholders much the same as their parents,” said Dr. Melanie Blumberg, professor in the Department of History and Political Science and campus director of the American Democracy Project. “The decisions made by elected officials affect a broad spectrum of issues, ranging from student loan guarantees to health care coverage. One way to have a say in these and other policy decisions is to vote. Officeholders pay attention when people pay attention.” Anderson said he votes regularly but he doesn’t push others to go to the polls. “I think it’s a choice they have to make by themselves,” he said. “I like to show people the door, but I don’t think you can push people through it. I think that’s how a lot of people get turned off by politics.” The displays are open to the Cal U community and public during operating hours at Manderino Library: 7:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 7:30 a.m.5 p.m. Fridays, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturdays and noon-8 p.m. Sundays. Educators Discuss Impact of Technology — Continued from page 1 Mitra, who spoke to the Cal U community last year on Mission Day, spent his latest visit in dialogue with Cal U faculty and students, as well as educators from nearby school districts. He closed with a talk on “The Future of Learning” and a panel discussion in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre. In his public presentation, Mitra described the “self-organizing learning environment” that can be created by giving Internet access to groups of young children, then challenging them to answer a tough question. Mitra’s “hole in the wall” research project demonstrated that children around the world respond to these conditions by teaching themselves and their peers to use the technology, and then achieving learning outcomes that rival those in traditional classrooms. “I believe Dr. Mitra’s visit got (educators) thinking about the future of learning and their role as teachers,” said event coordinator Dr. Joseph Zisk, director of Cal U’s Teaching and Learning Center. “It’s good to start thinking that way, (considering) the role of technology and the Internet in education.” Mitra’s visit began in Keystone Hall, where he participated in a videoconference with students and staff at Elizabeth-Forward High School. The 2 Drs. Joseph Zisk (left) and Dr. Sugata Mitra make a point during a public presentation, ‘The Future of Learning,’ on Oct. 17 in Steele Hall’s Mainstage Theatre. Elizabeth-Forward School District is involved in a number of technologybased initiatives, including an Entertainment Technology Academy that uses games as a common theme for classes in the arts, language, math and computer science. Mitra also took part in a think tank session at CUTV moderated by C.J. DeJuliis, instructional technology manager for the Teaching and Learning Center. “This idea of self-organized education is so intriguing to me that I can’t stop thinking about it,” said senior Walter Harris, one of the think-tank panelists. “I am constantly looking around campus for ways to learn on my own through technology. I even try to encourage other students to not only learn in the classroom, but also to teach themselves. “This topic is so relevant to our University. I hope that we can continue to grow our use of technology as Dr. Mitra helps us become a leader in this type of learning.” Throughout the day Mitra also met with deans and faculty from Cal U’s three undergraduate Colleges, who discussed topics relevant to their particular areas. After his public lecture, Mitra moderated a panel of educators, technology specialists and students from Cal U, Elizabeth-Forward and the Mt. Lebanon School District. Each panelist described an innovative use of technology for teaching and learning, and then addressed questions posed by audience members. “We are learning from mobile devices all the time,” Mitra said. “We solve problems in life with them, so why not use them in class? We don’t need to talk about ‘lifelong learning’ in capital letters, because it’s already happening all around us. We just need to send it back into the classroom.” The lecture was streamed live online and is available for viewing in the Cal U Fusion area of the University website. The Teaching and Learning Center will continue to help faculty develop strategies for using online information and digital devices for effective teaching and learning. “That’s our role,” Zisk said, “to try to keep pushing that envelope and using more of these technologies.” 2012oct29journaldraft1.qxp_03-24-08 CAL U JOURNAL.qxd 10/24/12 7:00 AM Page 3 Speaker Series Presents P.I., Writer he new speaker series sponsored by the Department of Justice, Law and Society continues with its fifth presentation on Tuesday. Private investigator and crime novelist Patrick Picciarelli will speak at 11 a.m. in Eberly Hall, Room 110. A former U.S. Army machine gunner in Vietnam, Picciarelli spent 20 years as a member of the New York City Police Department before retiring as a lieutenant. He now is president of Condor Security and Investigations Inc., and a partner in Balance Point Funding, a company that equalizes litigation funding in divorce actions. Picciarelli received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in criminal justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. He holds a master’s degree in writing popular fiction from Seton Hill University, where he is now an adjunct professor in the graduate school. Picciarelli also serves as an instructor in Cal U’s Department of Justice, Law and Society and an investigative consultant with the Institute of Criminological and Forensic Sciences. He is the author of several works of nonfiction: Jimmy the Wags: Street Stories of a Private Eye (William Morrow); its sequel, My Life in the NYPD: Jimmy the Wags (NAL); and Mala Femina: A Woman’s Life as the Daughter of a Don (Barricade Books). Movie rights to the Jimmy the Wags screenplay, which he also wrote, have been sold. In addition to his nonfiction works, Picciarelli also has published a novel, Blood Shot Eyes. His short story “The Prince of Arthur Avenue,” which appeared in Bronx Noir (Akashic Books, 2007), was made into a movie by KnightVision Productions and released in 2011. Another story, “The Friendly Island,” will appear in the Crime Writers of America’s annual anthology in 2013. The life rights to his main character in another book, Undercover Cop, has been optioned by Stephen Spielberg (Dreamworks), and will be made into a major motion picture, starring Jason Segel, scheduled for release in 2013. The purpose of the series is to promote student awareness of the interrelated and specialized careers within the areas of justice studies, sociology, anthropology, women’s studies and leadership. Dr. Emily Sweitzer, chair of the Department of Justice, Law and Society, believes the series is serving its purpose. “This lecture series provides our students with a unique opportunity to understand, firsthand, how inter-connected the disciplines of Justice, Law and Society are,” she said. “The speakers have challenged the students to explore various fields of study and skills that are essential for many aspects of their careers. The series also provides a venue to recognize many alumni who have achieved tremendous success and who can serve as role models.” Admission to the series is free. The talks are open to the public, and all members of the Cal U community are encouraged to attend. For more information about upcoming speakers in this series, visit www.calu.edu . T Under the guidance of Maggy Aston (far left) students in the Advanced Drawing course prepare work for this week’s art exhibit, which runs from Thursday through Nov. 9 in the Vulcan Gallery. Art Exhibit to Showcase Entire Cal U Community he Department of Art and Design is putting out an open call for artwork on the theme of “Dreams” for an exhibition from Thursday through Nov. 9 in the Vulcan Gallery. Works in all media will be considered; each should explore the imagery of dreams and/or the workings of the subconscious mind. Two entries per person are allowed, and all students, faculty, staff, and alumni are invited to submit their creations. Artwork should be brought to the Vulcan Gallery, framed or matted and ready to hang, by 11 a.m. today. Students from advanced drawing and painting classes will be curating the show. Prizes will be offered, and all artwork will be available for purchase. A panel of faculty judges will choose the T award-winners during an opening reception hosted by the Associated Artists of California from 6-9 p.m. Thursday. “We want the campus community to be involved, and especially our alumni,” said Maggy Aston, associate professor of Art and Design. “Often times students graduate from here and leave their artwork behind. We want them to stay in touch and keep their love of art going.” “Dreams” will be on display from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays through Nov. 9 in the Vulcan Gallery, inside Vulcan Hall. An opening reception at 6 p.m. Thursday is free and open to the University community and the general public. The reception will include food and music. For more information about submitting artworks for the exhibition, contact Maggy Aston at aston@calu.edu or Todd Pinkham at pinkham@calu.edu . Diversity Month Concludes al U concludes its celebration of Diversity Awareness Month with “All the Real Heroes,” a talk by Regis Bobonis Sr., founder of the Tuskegee Airmen Memorial of Greater Pittsburgh Inc. Bobonis speaks at 11 a.m. Thursday in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American military aviators in the U.S. armed forces. The event is free and open to the public. The entire Cal U community is invited to attend. The Black Student Union, Student Government, the Office of Veterans Affairs, the Hispanic Student Association, the Rainbow Alliance and the Office of Multicultural Student Programs sponsor Cal U’s Diversity Awareness Month programming. For more information, visit www.calu.edu . C Ghost Hunt Tonight al U gets into the Halloween spirit with a lecture and “ghost hunt” led by paranormal investigator Chris Fleming from 7-9 p.m. tonight at the SAI Farmhouse. The program is sponsored by SABUG, the Student Activities Board/Underground. Admission is free, and the public may attend. For more information, e-mail Melissa Dunn at dunn@calu.edu . C One of many events Cal U’s student chapter of The Wildlife Society conducts is the annual Game Dinner. Cooking venison wrapped in bacon at last year’s dinner are (from left) Jason Capello, Cody Schwanger and Gabe Martin. Wildlife Society chapter, adviser win honors — Continued from page 1 has made. “My first year, I was on the education side with the (Pennsylvania) Game Commission and the (U.S.) Forest Service this past year. It really helps you figure out what you enjoy.” This is the second national honor for Bocetti in 2012. In March, she won the 2011 Recovery Champion award from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for her work on the recovery team for an endangered songbird species, the Kirtland’s warbler. Cal U’s chapter participates in events such as Family Field Day and the Outdoor Bash and Game Dinner, both of which invite community participation and provide educational components. Earlier this year, Cal U students were the hosts for the Northeast Students Wildlife Conclave, inviting experts from federal and state agencies to provide hands-on presentations on topics such as stream assessment and animal capture techniques. Approximately 135 students from 13 colleges and universities attended the conference. 3 2012oct29journaldraft1.qxp_03-24-08 CAL U JOURNAL.qxd 10/24/12 7:00 AM Page 4 Homecoming for the ‘Holidays’ new grand marshal led the parade, a king got down on bended knee, and alumni came home for the “Holidays” when Cal U celebrated its 2012 Homecoming Day on Oct. 13. Acting President Geraldine M. Jones waved and smiled as she led the holiday-themed parade, riding in the grand marshal’s convertible with her husband, Jeffrey, in the passenger seat and granddaughter Journey at her side. The Cal U Marching Band provided musical accompaniment for a lineup of floats celebrating various holidays. Cal U’s spirited dance team, Billiards Club and the Technology Education Association of California (TEAC) took first place with their float “Memorial Day —Honoring the Fallen.” Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority and Fiji — the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity — took second place with “’Tis The Season,” and third-place honors went to Acacia fraternity and Delta Zeta sorority for “Santa’s Sleigh.” Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity and Sigma Kappa sorority received the Spirit Award for “Happy New Year!” and the Black Student Union won the banner competition with “All Holidays Combined.” In addition to the parade, a variety of family-friendly activities brought alumni and community members to campus. Among the most popular were a petting zoo, a trackless train ride for tots and a live broadcast by Radio Disney that had even Blaze, the Vulcan mascot, dancing in the street. A The fun concluded with an afternoon of Vulcan football at Adamson Stadium, where Cal U capped off the celebration by rolling to a 30-0 victory over conference rival Lock Haven. For the first time, online voting determined the makeup of the Royal Vulcan Court. On Oct. 7, students voted via smartphones or by using computers set up inside the Performance Center. Students Alec Barrelet and Jasmine Telly were crowned Homecoming King and Queen during halftime festivities at the stadium. Just after the halftime ceremony, Barrelet hurried to the end zone, where he proposed to his girlfriend, Homecoming Court member Mirriam Mason. Other members of the Homecoming Court were Breanna Blose, Vince Comini, Rodney Edwards Jr., Seamus Hutchens, Andrea Marcolini, Kelliane Russell and Marc Wahl. In the week leading up to Homecoming Day, magician Nate Staniforth and the Chicago Comedy All-Stars performed inside the Convocation Center. All three Vulcan hockey teams posted victories at the first Cal U Homecoming Hockey event, held at Rostraver Ice Garden, and athletic standouts were honored at the annual Hall of Fame Banquet. Former Vulcan volleyball star Katie Barker-Collins ’06 watched the current volleyball team sweep Slippery Rock on Homecoming Day in the Convocation Center. “The campus is beautiful, and I am so proud the team has such a wonderful place to play in,” said Barker-Collins who traveled from Eldersburg, Md., for her induction into the Cal U Athletic Clockwise from top left: Homecoming King Alec Barrelet proposes to his girlfriend, Homecoming Court member Mirriam Mason, moments after the halftime ceremony. With the crowd cheering, she accepted; junior R.J. Thomas scores the Vulcans’ second touchdown on a 10­yard reception during Cal U’s 30­0 Homecoming victory over Lock Haven; Acting President Geraldine M. Jones waves and smiles while leading the holiday­themed parade. She is riding in the grand marshal’s convertible with her husband, Jeffrey, in the passenger seat and granddaughter Journey at her side. Hall of Fame. “Coming back has been very special for me.” Jim Bassano ’05, a teacher and guidance counselor in the Carlynton School District, regularly returns to his alma mater for the Homecoming parade and to visit with friends from the Pittsburgh area who played Vulcan football in the 1990s. Bassano was a Pittsburgh police officer before he attended Cal U and changed his career. “This is always a great time,” he said. “The football team is really good now. It’s nice to walk around and check out the changes and talk to people you have not seen for awhile.” Campus BRIEFS Saturday is ‘Discovery Day’ To introduce prospective students to the University, Cal U will hold its final fall Discovery Days event from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Check-in begins at 8 a.m. in Steele Hall, followed by an overview of the daily schedule at 9 a.m. On Discovery Days, high school students who are beginning their college search are invited to visit the campus and learn about Cal U’s academic offerings, housing, student activities, athletic programs and more. Students also may sit in on a college class and take a guided tour of the campus. For more information or to register online, visit www.calu.edu , keyword “Discovery Days.” Faculty or staff members who are interested in leading tours should contact the Welcome Center at Ext. 1626 or e-mail Carrie Pavtis at pavtis@calu.edu . Don’t Forget to Vote Individuals who intend to vote by absentee ballot are reminded that Tuesday is the last day to apply for a civilian absentee ballot for the Nov. 6 general election. Ballots are due at the County Board of Elections by Friday. Pennsylvania voters who appear in person may be asked, but not required, to show identification at the polls. However, all voters who appear at a polling place for the first time must show proper identification. CalCards issued in fall 2012 include both a photo and an expiration date, so this ID will be valid at the polls. CalCards issued before Fall 2012 do not have an expiration date; students who need proper identification in order to vote may request a new, updated CalCard. On Election Day, the information desk in the Natali Student Center will be open until the local polls close at 8 p.m., to accommodate voters’ lastminute requests for ID cards. Nonpartisan information about voting in Pennsylvania is available at www.votespa.com . The California Journal is published weekly by California University of Pennsylvania, a member of The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Geraldine M. Jones Acting University President Robert Thorn Vice President for Administration and Finance Dr. Nancy Pinardi Interim Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Bruce Barnhart Acting Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs Craig Butzine Vice President for Marketing and University Relations Christine Kindl Editor Dr. Charles Mance Vice President for University Technology Services Sharon Navoney Interim Vice President for University Development and Cal U for Life 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