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California University
VOLUME 14, NUMBER 19 AUG. 27, 2012
READ THE JOURNAL ONLINE: www.calu.edu/news/the-journal
Pinardi
Named
Interim VP;
Angelone
Retires
cting University President Geraldine
M. Jones has named Dr. Nancy
Pinardi as interim vice president of
Student Affairs.
“I have the utmost confidence that Dr.
Pinardi will lead the Student Affairs area in
a responsible, strategic and efficient
manner,” Jones said.
“More importantly, I know that she
possesses the same care and concern for our
students as her predecessor, Dr. Lenora
Angelone, and she realizes there is no more
important responsibility than the safety and
security of our students. I look forward to
working with her in the coming months.”
Pinardi has been a Cal U employee since
1988, when she was
hired as a part-time
administrative assistant
for a grant-funded antidrug and alcohol
program.
She held a variety of
positions —
coordinating special
events such as
Homecoming
and
Dr. Nancy Pinardi:
Interim VP for
Family Day, and
Student Affairs
organizing the Women’s
Center, for example — before being named
dean of students in 1998. Most recently, she
served as associate vice president for Student
Affairs and the University’s liaison to the
Student Association Inc.
“Dr. Angelone was actually an
inspiration to me, seeing that she could work
and go to school and be successful,” said
Pinardi, who earned an associate degree in
business management, a bachelor’s in
administration and management, and a
master’s in business administration, all at
Cal U.
In 2006 she completed work on her
doctorate in administration and leadership
— Continued on page 2
A
Upward Bound student Rich Roebuck, from Laurel Highlands High School, swims underwater the Hamer Hall pool next to one of the
SeaPerch robots during an innovative summer robotics program held at Cal U earlier this summer.
Upward Bound Students
Take Robots Underwater
igh school students enrolled
in California University’s
Upward Bound program took
their custom-built robots underwater
for their final robotics class, putting
them to the test July 12 in the Hamer
Hall pool.
Students spent weeks of class time
building SeaPerch robots while
learning robotics theories and
studying the increasingly important
role of robotics in the oil and gas
industry.
In the final class, students raced
their machines and tested their ability
to grab small toys off the pool floor.
“I am not a guy who is into tools
and building things, but this was fun,”
said Jeremy Baker, a senior at
Jefferson Morgan High School in
Jefferson, Pa.
“Being here kind of showed me
that learning can be both educational
and fun at the same time.”
SeaPerch is an innovative robotics
H
program that uses underwater
remotely operated vehicles to teach
students about science, technology,
engineering and mathematics — the
subjects collectively known as STEM
— in a fun and challenging hands-on
environment.
Funding for the program was
made possible by a grant from the
Association of Unmanned Vehicle
Systems International, the Office of
Naval Research and Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
“I personally didn’t know if I
would like the SeaPerch program or
building robots, but it turned out to be
a really great class,” said camp
counselor Sarah Newmeyer, a recent
Cal U graduate.
“A lot of the girls in the class have
never even used a screwdriver before,
but they were able to have fun
building robots while learning about
science and technology.”
Although this is the first year that
Cal U has used the SeaPerch program,
the University plans to run this
program for Upward Bound students
next year and to upgrade University
equipment with an eye toward hosting
national underwater challenge events,
said Mike Amhrein, director for
Outreach and Integration of TEAMS
(Technology, Education, Art,
Mathematics and Science) at Cal U.
“We are going to keep all of the
robots the kids used today for future
Upward Bound classes,” Amhrein
said.
“Instead of having some of the
younger students go through an
identical class next year, they can add
headlights and other accessories to
improve their robots.”
The Upward Bound program
assists eligible students to complete
high school prepared to enter college
and succeed in post-secondary
education. Students are provided with
— Continued on page 4
Grant Supports Habitat Restoration, Enhancement
he Foundation for California
University has been awarded a
$600,000 grant from the Richard
King Mellon Foundation to restore and
enhance fish and wildlife habitat on
agricultural lands in Pennsylvania.
The grant will support a two-year
project that is expected to fence 25 miles
of stream, restore 500 acres of upland
and 200 acres of successional habitat,
and 500 acres of wetlands. The
conservation work will be executed by
T
the Partners for Fish and Wildlife
program at Cal U, which is recognized as
a state and national leader in developing
techniques to restore habitat for wildlife.
Partners for Fish and Wildlife is a
cooperative effort among many agencies
throughout the state. The program aims
to restore habitat for wildlife on
agricultural and other lands by
constructing streambank fencing, stream
crossings, wetlands, grasslands and
border-edge cuts.
This grant will provide additional
equipment to enhance the program’s
abilities to restore young forest habitats.
Wildlife species that use young forest
have been declining as our overall forest
habitat matures. A portion of this grant
will permit the program to shift some
priorities to address this situation. Work
already is being planned at Forbes State
Forest, in Westmoreland County, Pa.
During the next two years, Partners
for Fish and Wildlife also will work with
landowners to improve water quality and
wildlife habitat, to restore degraded
wetlands and stream vegetation, and to
restore native grassland and wildflower
habitat. These practices will benefit the
landowners, in turn, by improving
livestock health, water quality and forage.
To see photos and learn about
previous projects by Partners for Fish and
Wildlife and the Foundation for Cal U,
visit http://www.calu.edu/businesscommunity/wildlife/ .
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Justice, Law
and Society
Speaker
Series Debuts
xperts in the fields of law enforcement,
intelligence, terrorism, forensic science and
more are participating in a new speaker
series sponsored by the Department of Justice, Law
and Society.
The series debuts Sept. 4. Presentations will be
given at 11 a.m. on most Tuesdays in Eberly Hall,
Room 110.
“This series will provide students with excellent
opportunities to gain insight into the diverse but
interrelated employment fields and disciplines of
justice studies, anthropology and sociology,” said
Dr. Emily Sweitzer, chair of the Department of
Justice, Law and Society.
The first speaker in the series will be Mark
Camillo ’76, a law enforcement and security
professional with expertise in
the area of emergency
preparedness operations.
He was a member of the
U.S. Secret Service for 21 years
and currently is senior vice
president for strategic planning
at Contemporary Services
Corp., a national leader in
event security and crowd
management.
Mark Camillo
“We are especially proud
that many of the speakers are accomplished Cal U
alumni, enabling students to see just how much
they can succeed,” Sweitzer said.
Upcoming speakers are scheduled to discuss
cyber crime and child exploitation, canine police,
accident reconstruction, state and federal probation,
and more. Speakers represent the FBI, the
Pennsylvania State Police and other local, state and
federal agencies.
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 .
E
Cal U Joins
Pinterest
alifornia University has joined
Pinterest, one of the fastest growing
social media platforms.
Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that allows
users to express themselves visually, through
photos and text. Many users post images of
their favorite events, interests and hobbies.
Each photo “pinned” within the Pinterest
community can be commented on or shared
among any of the community members.
Pinterest has as audience of nearly 12
million people. The University aims to use the
social media platform to promote Cal U’s
beautiful campus, world-class academic
programs and highly talented students.
Boards also will be designed to inspire
creativity, provide helpful information for
students and engage with Cal U’s growing
alumni community.
To view the University’s Pinterest boards,
click on the Pinterest app on Cal U’s
Facebook page or visit the site directly at
http://pinterest.com/caluofpa/ .
C
2
Dr. Lenora Angelone’s distinguished 40year career at Cal U began as a Clerk Typist I and concluded with her serving as vice
president of Student Affairs and the senior administrator in the President’s Cabinet.
Pinardi Named Interim VP
for Student Affairs
— Continued from page 1
at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania.
“I believe my experience across
the board assists me in
understanding the needs of our
students,” she said. “As a three-time
graduate of Cal U, I am committed
to the success of our students and
the University.
“College is a time for students to
learn and grow, and it is exciting for
me to continue to assist and support
them as they achieve their academic
and personal goals.”
Blazing a path
Pinardi’s rise through the
University ranks follows a path
blazed by Angelone, who retired
earlier this summer after 40 years at
Cal U.
Angelone joined the University
staff as a Clerk Typist I, and served
as an administrative assistant before
being named the interim director of
housing in 1991, associate dean for
student services in 1995 and dean for
residence life in 1998, among other
roles.
She stepped away from Student
Affairs to serve as the special
assistant to the President for Equal
Employment and Educational
Opportunity (EEEO) and the
University ombudsperson in the
Office of Social Equity from 19992009.
During the final chapter of her
Cal U career, Angelone was vice
president of Student Affairs and the
senior administrator in the
President’s Cabinet.
Along the way she earned an
associate degree in administration
and science, a bachelor’s degree in
business administration, and a
master’s degree in community and
agency counseling, all at Cal U. She
earned her Ph.D. in counselor
education and supervision at
Duquesne University.
At the start of her career in
higher education, few women were
working in the area of student
affairs, Angelone recalled. But her
Cal U colleagues and supervisors
saw that she “had the heart of a
student affairs professional,” she
said, and urged her to follow that
path.
“They saw in me things I never
saw in myself,” she said, citing in
particular Elmo Natali, who also
served as vice president of Student
Affairs, and emerita professor Dr.
Nancy Tait, the former dean of
women.
“They were great supporters,
mentors and cheerleaders for me.”
Angelone has seen remarkable
changes at Cal U over the past four
decades.
“Some might say it’s in the
physical plant, but for me, the
biggest change has been in the
people. They take such pride in
working at this institution now. It’s
become this diamond down here in
the (Mon) Valley,” she said.
“There are many more women
in leadership now, too, and with that
you see changes. I’ve heard many of
our students say that the people at
Cal U make them feel special. I will
always be proud to call myself a
three-time alumna and emeritus staff
member of California University.”
Acting President Jones noted
that Angelone had been her
colleague at Cal U for 38 years.
“While I was personally very sad
to see her retire, I am also very
pleased and excited for her and her
husband, Philip,” she said. “There is
no doubt that Lenora deserves this
wonderful second phase of her life.”
Her legacy of caring, personal
service for students will continue,
Pinardi said.
“The goals of Student Affairs
remain unchanged. Our central
focus is the personalization of the
University experience, with concern
for the intellectual, personal, social,
emotional and physical development
of each of our students,” she
explained.
“Each department in Student
Affairs strives to assist students in
making responsible decisions by
providing a learning environment
that will not only help them better
understand their abilities and needs,
but also will help them learn about
the vast array of opportunities
available.
“I look forward to moving into
this new position.”
Students ‘Backstage’ at National Conventions
s the 2012 presidential
election season enters its
final months, nine students
at Cal U will be part of the action at
both the Republican and Democratic
national conventions.
Through a partnership with The
Washington Center, the students will
be placed in volunteer positions
either at the Republican National
Convention, Aug. 27-30 in Tampa,
Fla., or at the Democratic National
Convention, Sept. 3-6 in Charlotte,
N.C.
Students Lucie Fremeau, Mario
A
Coppola and Emily Martik are with
the GOP in Tampa this week. Next
week, students Breanna Blose,
Camilla Cionni, Courtney Cochran,
Bruce Grover, Bradley Minoski and
Fillip Nelson will join the Democrats
in Charlotte.
Along with 250 students from
schools across the nation, all nine
will spend the week before the
convention studying the history of
political campaigns, convention
planning and procedures, and the
role of the media.
“The internship will be an
invaluable experience for the
students, as many are planning
careers in fields such as politics and
journalism,” said Dr. Melanie
Blumberg, professor of history and
political science at Cal U.
“The Office of the President and
several Cal U supporters have made
it possible for the nine students to
have the chance of a lifetime.”
Four Cal U students will be
reporting back on their experiences,
providing a “backstage” look at the
national political scene. Look for
their reports at www.calu.edu .
2012aug27journaldraft2.qxp_03-24-08 CAL U JOURNAL.qxd 8/22/12 10:08 AM Page 3
Campus
BRIEFS
Faculty-Staff
Convocation
on Tuesday
Cal U head soccer coach Dennis Laskey (fourth from left) enjoys a moment at last year’s event with former Redbirds players (from left) Dom
DiBernardi, Cliff ‘Kip’ Harosky, Jeff Harosky, Lew DiBernardi, Jim Laskey, Pete Labrasca and Mark Harosky.
Soccer Team Hosts Redbird Days
he men’s soccer team will conduct
its annual Dunlevy Redbirds Day on
Sunday, hosting West Virginia rival
Shepherd University at the Phillipsburg
soccer complex.
The Labor Day weekend festivities
begin with a cookout at 4 p.m., with the
game at 6 p.m.
Redbirds Day recognizes former
coaches and players from the Mon Valley
Youth Soccer Association, which began in
1978 in the small town of Dunlevy.
Many of those players and coaches also
contributed to the Cal U soccer program.
“California University has become an
extension of the Mon Valley Youth Soccer
Association,” said Dunlevy native Dennis
Laskey, the Vulcans’ 27th-year head men’s
soccer coach.
“We are inviting anyone who has ever
played or coached in Dunlevy to join us on
T
Sunday. There are so many former
Dunlevy players and coaches who come
from various communities in the region,
and we encourage all of them to take part
in an afternoon of food, fun, fellowship
and reminiscing.”
Nearly 100 Redbirds took part in the
2011 event, which was held as part of the
official dedication of the new soccer
complex. Just three blocks from Cal U’s
main campus, the complex on Orchard
Street is the site of the former Booster Field
and Phillipsburg School.
Many players from Dunlevy youth
teams, as well as other programs for Mon
Valley boys and girls, matriculated to Cal
U. In addition, a number of former Vulcan
players joined the Senior Redbirds after
their college careers, Laskey said.
“Our program at California has had
strong support from Dunlevy fans over the
years,” he said. “Redbirds Day is held to
show our appreciation to all former players
and coaches who have dedicated their time,
experience and expertise to the growth and
development of youth soccer in the Mon
Valley area.”
Coordinating the event with Laskey is
Cal Montgomery, a Dunlevy native and a
longtime standout player and coach.
“We’re hoping to have many former
players and coaches in attendance,”
Montgomery said. “The response has been
great, and we’re still looking forward to
hearing from others who have been
involved for so many years.”
All fans and members of the Cal U
community are invited to attend the game
and other festivities.
For more information, contact coach Dennis
Laskey at 724-938-5793 or Cal Montgomery at
724-565-7030.
PLCB Grant Enlists Parents,
Community in Prevention Effort
al U will use an Alcohol Education
Grant from the Pennsylvania
Liquor Control Board to take a
more comprehensive approach to reducing
incidents resulting from underage and
dangerous drinking.
“Our coalition has worked hard to find
gaps in our prevention efforts,” said Donna
George, Cal U’s alcohol and other drug
prevention specialist.
“Looking at the natural progression of
prevention, we believe the time is right to
highlight community and parent
involvement.”
Programs will fall under three broad
categories: increasing participation,
providing education and training, and
partnering for change, George said.
To enhance its efforts, the Cal AOD
Coalition will add four students who live
off campus, four non-student residents of
California borough, and four parents of
Cal U students. Environmental
management and parenting sub-committees
will conduct meetings outside of the
regular monthly coalition meetings.
An invitation to attend an open meeting
of the Cal AOD Coalition will be delivered
to every establishment that sells liquor in
California and surrounding communities.
Some establishments may even choose to
host meetings.
“We are not trying to take away
anyone’s business, but we want the message
about responsible drinking to be conveyed,”
George said.
A considerable amount of the $17,500
PCLB grant will be used for implementing
MyStudentBody, an online education
program that will replace the first-year
C
Donna George and several peer educators discuss strategies to reduce incidents resulting from
underage and dangerous drinking.
student survey used in the past.
In addition, a consultant will develop
an “Our Cal” brochure that will provide
helpful information about living in the
borough and getting along as neighbors.
Coalition members and peer educators
from the Options@CalU program will help
to distribute the brochures and other
messages on and off campus.
Results of the MyStudentBody campus
climate survey will be used to formulate a
two-year plan focusing on how all groups
can work together to support continued
change in the environment both on and off
campus.
Ongoing projects will continue,
including Project Sticker Shock, which is
aimed at discouraging adults from
providing beer to minors. Students from
Cal U and local high schools will
participate.
The University’s AOD Coalition also
will work with the California Borough
Police Department and local alcohol/drug
commissions to offer training for police.
George, who is beginning her third year at
Cal U, said she looks forward to
establishing the new programs in what she
calls “an important academic year.”
“There’s been good progress, but there’s
a lot more to be done,” she said. “With
prevention there are so many areas to focus
on, and right now it’s all about community
and parent involvement. Everybody has to
be involved with prevention.”
Those interested in joining the Coalition and
helping with any of the projects should e-mail
george@calu.edu or call 724-938-5515.
Acting President Geraldine
M. Jones will host the 2012
Fall Faculty and Staff
Convocation on Tuesday in
the Convocation Center.
The combined convocation
will be held during the
University’s common hour,
beginning at 11 a.m.
OSD Registration
Meetings Set
The Office for Students
with Disabilities (OSD) is
available to assist Cal U
students.
The office is located in
Room 105, Azorsky Hall.
Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4
p.m. weekdays.
To contact OSD, call 724938-5871 or e-mail
osdmail@calu.edu .
Interested students are
invited to attend OSD
semester registration meeting;
contact the OSD office for
meeting dates and times.
More information can be
found on the Cal U website,
www.calu.edu ; search for the
keyword “disability.”
GACO Receives
$100,000 Grant
The Sarah Scaife
Foundation has awarded a
$100,000 grant to support Cal
U’s Government Agency
Coordination Office (GACO)
through Aug. 31, 2013. With
this funding GACO will assist
area businesses in all aspects
of federal, state, local and
corporate contracting and
subcontracting.
GACO is a Procurement
Technical Assistance Center
(PTAC) that provides advice,
assistance and support to
businesses interested in selling
their products/services to the
government.
According to GACO
director Deborah S. Wojcik,
the Scaife Foundation’s
generosity in supporting
GACO’s contracting
assistance efforts has helped
businesses in western
Pennsylvania obtain 36,685
contracts totaling over $2.8
billion since 1985.
“We are deeply
appreciative of the
tremendous partnership we
have with the Sarah Scaife
Foundation and their
continued support,” she said.
GACO’s main office is
located in South Hall, Room
107; satellite offices are in
Pittsburgh and at Slippery
Rock University. All three
offices offer full-service
government contracting
assistance support to area
businesses.
3
2012aug27journaldraft2.qxp_03-24-08 CAL U JOURNAL.qxd 8/22/12 10:08 AM Page 4
Scholar-Athletes Earn National Honors
he women’s volleyball, swimming,
tennis, and track and field teams
have received national acclaim for
their academic and athletic success, and
a member of men’s track and field has
earned individual recognition.
“These academic team and individual
honors are a testament to the dedication
and commitment of our student-athletes,
coaches, faculty and academic support
staff here at California University,” said
Dr. Karen Hjerpe, Cal U’s interim athletic director.
• The volleyball team earned the
American Volleyball Coaches
Association Team Academic Award for
the first time in recent program history.
The AVCA award honors collegiate
and high school teams that display excellence in the classroom during the school
year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.00
scale.
Under the direction of second-year
head coach Peter Letourneau, Cal U volleyball won the PSAC championship last
fall, finished second in the NCAA
Division II Atlantic Regional, and finished with a 33-5 overall record.
• For the 10th consecutive year, the
College Swimming Coaches Association
of America named Cal U’s swimming
team a Scholar All-America Team. The
Vulcan swimmers achieved a cumulative
3.36 grade-point average for the Spring
2012 semester.
Swimmers Clarissa Enslin, Jess
Machmer and Kelsey Nuhfer, all juniors,
were named Scholar All-Americans.
Each student-athlete earned a 3.50 GPA
or better last spring and qualified for the
NCAA Nationals.
T
AllAmerican Clarissa Enslin helped Cal U’s swimming team earn a cumulative 3.36 grade
point average for the Spring 2012 semester.
Seniors Bruna Carvalho and Megan
Schuh, along with junior Kate Mellon,
earned Scholar All-American Honorable
Mention accolades.
Last winter, the swim team closed its
most successful season in school history
by placing 12th at the NCAA Division II
Championships behind three individual
All-Americans, a pair of All-American
relays and two national titles.
• The women’s tennis team has been
named an Intercollegiate Tennis
Association All-Academic Team for the
ninth consecutive year. Six players
received ITA Scholar-Athlete honors:
seniors Mariana Oliveira, Anabel
Pieschi, Martina Rubesova, Franziska
Steinhardt and Anastassiya Zherdeva,
and freshman Ramona Czakon.
The total of six ITA Scholar-Athletes
matches the program record set in 2007
and 2010.
To earn the ITA All-Academic Team
award, a program must have a cumulative team GPA of 3.20 or above. To
receive ITA Scholar-Athlete honors,
players must have a GPA of at least 3.50
for the current academic year and have
been enrolled at their current school for
at least two semesters.
Under 12th-year head coach Pablo
Montana, the women’s tennis team won
its sixth consecutive PSAC championship last spring while advancing to the
quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II
Tournament for the fifth time in six
years.
• The women’s track team earned
U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country
Coaches Association All-Academic status for the fourth time in five years. A
team must have a cumulative GPA of
3.00 or higher to qualify.
Senior Jordyn Reagan earned
USFCCCA All-Academic individual
honors for the second consecutive year.
To earn USTFCCCA All-Academic
honors, a student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade-point average of
3.25 or higher and reached a provisional
or automatic qualifying standard for the
NCAA Championships in either the
indoor or outdoor seasons.
Reagan provisionally qualified for the
NCAA Division II Outdoor National
Championships as a member of Cal U’s
PSAC champion 4x100-meter relay.
On the men’s side, senior Alex Smith
received All-Academic individual honors
in track and field.
He provisionally qualified for the
NCAA Division II Outdoor National
Championships in the 800-meter run.
This marks the fifth-consecutive year in
which at least one Cal U male studentathlete has received the academic laurel
from the USTFCCCA.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist
Roger Kingdom coaches Cal’s men’s and
women’s track teams.
Cal U’s women’s volleyball, swimming and baseball teams were all inaugural winners of the Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference (PSAC) Team GPA
Awards in their respective sports.
The award honors the teams with the
top cumulative team GPA in each of the
league’s 23 sponsored sports.
Students
Take Robots
Underwater
Men of
Sigmas
Network
From left to right:
Adama Traore; Dr.
Todd Carlisle, adviser;
Corey Brown; Maurice
Burns; and Greg
Bryant, president of
Cal U’s Pi Gamma
Chapter of the Phi
Beta Sigma Fraternity,
attend the fraternity’s
98th annual Eastern
Regional Conference.
The men used the
event as a networking
opportunity and to
help plan for the
fraternity’s 100th
anniversary
celebration in 2014.
They also discussed
ways to serve their
communities by
supporting programs
such as the March of
Dimes and Sigmas
Against AIDS/HIV. The
Beta Sigma motto is
‘Culture for Service
and Service for
Humanity.’
— Continued from page 1
supplemental academic instruction,
tutoring, career planning and selfawareness classes to help develop
those skills. The program is funded
under Title IV of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 and the federal
TRIO program.
High school seniors enrolled in the
program may participate in a bridge
program where they are awarded
college course credits for some of their
classes.
“We have to go to class every day
on our own just like college students,”
Baker said. “This is my third year, and
I have 10 credits towards college
courses. And I’ve had a lot of fun in
the process.
“It has really helped me get a headstart for my freshman year in college.”
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
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 Development and Alumni Relations
Bruce Wald, Wendy Mackall, Jeff Bender
Writers
Robert Thorn
Vice President for Administration and Finance
Dr. Nancy Pinardi
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs
Read the Journal online at
www.calu.edu
Office of Communications and Public Relations
250 University Avenue
California, PA 15419
724-938-4195
wald@calu.edu
California University
VOLUME 14, NUMBER 19 AUG. 27, 2012
READ THE JOURNAL ONLINE: www.calu.edu/news/the-journal
Pinardi
Named
Interim VP;
Angelone
Retires
cting University President Geraldine
M. Jones has named Dr. Nancy
Pinardi as interim vice president of
Student Affairs.
“I have the utmost confidence that Dr.
Pinardi will lead the Student Affairs area in
a responsible, strategic and efficient
manner,” Jones said.
“More importantly, I know that she
possesses the same care and concern for our
students as her predecessor, Dr. Lenora
Angelone, and she realizes there is no more
important responsibility than the safety and
security of our students. I look forward to
working with her in the coming months.”
Pinardi has been a Cal U employee since
1988, when she was
hired as a part-time
administrative assistant
for a grant-funded antidrug and alcohol
program.
She held a variety of
positions —
coordinating special
events such as
Homecoming
and
Dr. Nancy Pinardi:
Interim VP for
Family Day, and
Student Affairs
organizing the Women’s
Center, for example — before being named
dean of students in 1998. Most recently, she
served as associate vice president for Student
Affairs and the University’s liaison to the
Student Association Inc.
“Dr. Angelone was actually an
inspiration to me, seeing that she could work
and go to school and be successful,” said
Pinardi, who earned an associate degree in
business management, a bachelor’s in
administration and management, and a
master’s in business administration, all at
Cal U.
In 2006 she completed work on her
doctorate in administration and leadership
— Continued on page 2
A
Upward Bound student Rich Roebuck, from Laurel Highlands High School, swims underwater the Hamer Hall pool next to one of the
SeaPerch robots during an innovative summer robotics program held at Cal U earlier this summer.
Upward Bound Students
Take Robots Underwater
igh school students enrolled
in California University’s
Upward Bound program took
their custom-built robots underwater
for their final robotics class, putting
them to the test July 12 in the Hamer
Hall pool.
Students spent weeks of class time
building SeaPerch robots while
learning robotics theories and
studying the increasingly important
role of robotics in the oil and gas
industry.
In the final class, students raced
their machines and tested their ability
to grab small toys off the pool floor.
“I am not a guy who is into tools
and building things, but this was fun,”
said Jeremy Baker, a senior at
Jefferson Morgan High School in
Jefferson, Pa.
“Being here kind of showed me
that learning can be both educational
and fun at the same time.”
SeaPerch is an innovative robotics
H
program that uses underwater
remotely operated vehicles to teach
students about science, technology,
engineering and mathematics — the
subjects collectively known as STEM
— in a fun and challenging hands-on
environment.
Funding for the program was
made possible by a grant from the
Association of Unmanned Vehicle
Systems International, the Office of
Naval Research and Massachusetts
Institute of Technology.
“I personally didn’t know if I
would like the SeaPerch program or
building robots, but it turned out to be
a really great class,” said camp
counselor Sarah Newmeyer, a recent
Cal U graduate.
“A lot of the girls in the class have
never even used a screwdriver before,
but they were able to have fun
building robots while learning about
science and technology.”
Although this is the first year that
Cal U has used the SeaPerch program,
the University plans to run this
program for Upward Bound students
next year and to upgrade University
equipment with an eye toward hosting
national underwater challenge events,
said Mike Amhrein, director for
Outreach and Integration of TEAMS
(Technology, Education, Art,
Mathematics and Science) at Cal U.
“We are going to keep all of the
robots the kids used today for future
Upward Bound classes,” Amhrein
said.
“Instead of having some of the
younger students go through an
identical class next year, they can add
headlights and other accessories to
improve their robots.”
The Upward Bound program
assists eligible students to complete
high school prepared to enter college
and succeed in post-secondary
education. Students are provided with
— Continued on page 4
Grant Supports Habitat Restoration, Enhancement
he Foundation for California
University has been awarded a
$600,000 grant from the Richard
King Mellon Foundation to restore and
enhance fish and wildlife habitat on
agricultural lands in Pennsylvania.
The grant will support a two-year
project that is expected to fence 25 miles
of stream, restore 500 acres of upland
and 200 acres of successional habitat,
and 500 acres of wetlands. The
conservation work will be executed by
T
the Partners for Fish and Wildlife
program at Cal U, which is recognized as
a state and national leader in developing
techniques to restore habitat for wildlife.
Partners for Fish and Wildlife is a
cooperative effort among many agencies
throughout the state. The program aims
to restore habitat for wildlife on
agricultural and other lands by
constructing streambank fencing, stream
crossings, wetlands, grasslands and
border-edge cuts.
This grant will provide additional
equipment to enhance the program’s
abilities to restore young forest habitats.
Wildlife species that use young forest
have been declining as our overall forest
habitat matures. A portion of this grant
will permit the program to shift some
priorities to address this situation. Work
already is being planned at Forbes State
Forest, in Westmoreland County, Pa.
During the next two years, Partners
for Fish and Wildlife also will work with
landowners to improve water quality and
wildlife habitat, to restore degraded
wetlands and stream vegetation, and to
restore native grassland and wildflower
habitat. These practices will benefit the
landowners, in turn, by improving
livestock health, water quality and forage.
To see photos and learn about
previous projects by Partners for Fish and
Wildlife and the Foundation for Cal U,
visit http://www.calu.edu/businesscommunity/wildlife/ .
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Justice, Law
and Society
Speaker
Series Debuts
xperts in the fields of law enforcement,
intelligence, terrorism, forensic science and
more are participating in a new speaker
series sponsored by the Department of Justice, Law
and Society.
The series debuts Sept. 4. Presentations will be
given at 11 a.m. on most Tuesdays in Eberly Hall,
Room 110.
“This series will provide students with excellent
opportunities to gain insight into the diverse but
interrelated employment fields and disciplines of
justice studies, anthropology and sociology,” said
Dr. Emily Sweitzer, chair of the Department of
Justice, Law and Society.
The first speaker in the series will be Mark
Camillo ’76, a law enforcement and security
professional with expertise in
the area of emergency
preparedness operations.
He was a member of the
U.S. Secret Service for 21 years
and currently is senior vice
president for strategic planning
at Contemporary Services
Corp., a national leader in
event security and crowd
management.
Mark Camillo
“We are especially proud
that many of the speakers are accomplished Cal U
alumni, enabling students to see just how much
they can succeed,” Sweitzer said.
Upcoming speakers are scheduled to discuss
cyber crime and child exploitation, canine police,
accident reconstruction, state and federal probation,
and more. Speakers represent the FBI, the
Pennsylvania State Police and other local, state and
federal agencies.
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 .
E
Cal U Joins
alifornia University has joined
Pinterest, one of the fastest growing
social media platforms.
Pinterest is a virtual pinboard that allows
users to express themselves visually, through
photos and text. Many users post images of
their favorite events, interests and hobbies.
Each photo “pinned” within the Pinterest
community can be commented on or shared
among any of the community members.
Pinterest has as audience of nearly 12
million people. The University aims to use the
social media platform to promote Cal U’s
beautiful campus, world-class academic
programs and highly talented students.
Boards also will be designed to inspire
creativity, provide helpful information for
students and engage with Cal U’s growing
alumni community.
To view the University’s Pinterest boards,
click on the Pinterest app on Cal U’s
Facebook page or visit the site directly at
http://pinterest.com/caluofpa/ .
C
2
Dr. Lenora Angelone’s distinguished 40year career at Cal U began as a Clerk Typist I and concluded with her serving as vice
president of Student Affairs and the senior administrator in the President’s Cabinet.
Pinardi Named Interim VP
for Student Affairs
— Continued from page 1
at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania.
“I believe my experience across
the board assists me in
understanding the needs of our
students,” she said. “As a three-time
graduate of Cal U, I am committed
to the success of our students and
the University.
“College is a time for students to
learn and grow, and it is exciting for
me to continue to assist and support
them as they achieve their academic
and personal goals.”
Blazing a path
Pinardi’s rise through the
University ranks follows a path
blazed by Angelone, who retired
earlier this summer after 40 years at
Cal U.
Angelone joined the University
staff as a Clerk Typist I, and served
as an administrative assistant before
being named the interim director of
housing in 1991, associate dean for
student services in 1995 and dean for
residence life in 1998, among other
roles.
She stepped away from Student
Affairs to serve as the special
assistant to the President for Equal
Employment and Educational
Opportunity (EEEO) and the
University ombudsperson in the
Office of Social Equity from 19992009.
During the final chapter of her
Cal U career, Angelone was vice
president of Student Affairs and the
senior administrator in the
President’s Cabinet.
Along the way she earned an
associate degree in administration
and science, a bachelor’s degree in
business administration, and a
master’s degree in community and
agency counseling, all at Cal U. She
earned her Ph.D. in counselor
education and supervision at
Duquesne University.
At the start of her career in
higher education, few women were
working in the area of student
affairs, Angelone recalled. But her
Cal U colleagues and supervisors
saw that she “had the heart of a
student affairs professional,” she
said, and urged her to follow that
path.
“They saw in me things I never
saw in myself,” she said, citing in
particular Elmo Natali, who also
served as vice president of Student
Affairs, and emerita professor Dr.
Nancy Tait, the former dean of
women.
“They were great supporters,
mentors and cheerleaders for me.”
Angelone has seen remarkable
changes at Cal U over the past four
decades.
“Some might say it’s in the
physical plant, but for me, the
biggest change has been in the
people. They take such pride in
working at this institution now. It’s
become this diamond down here in
the (Mon) Valley,” she said.
“There are many more women
in leadership now, too, and with that
you see changes. I’ve heard many of
our students say that the people at
Cal U make them feel special. I will
always be proud to call myself a
three-time alumna and emeritus staff
member of California University.”
Acting President Jones noted
that Angelone had been her
colleague at Cal U for 38 years.
“While I was personally very sad
to see her retire, I am also very
pleased and excited for her and her
husband, Philip,” she said. “There is
no doubt that Lenora deserves this
wonderful second phase of her life.”
Her legacy of caring, personal
service for students will continue,
Pinardi said.
“The goals of Student Affairs
remain unchanged. Our central
focus is the personalization of the
University experience, with concern
for the intellectual, personal, social,
emotional and physical development
of each of our students,” she
explained.
“Each department in Student
Affairs strives to assist students in
making responsible decisions by
providing a learning environment
that will not only help them better
understand their abilities and needs,
but also will help them learn about
the vast array of opportunities
available.
“I look forward to moving into
this new position.”
Students ‘Backstage’ at National Conventions
s the 2012 presidential
election season enters its
final months, nine students
at Cal U will be part of the action at
both the Republican and Democratic
national conventions.
Through a partnership with The
Washington Center, the students will
be placed in volunteer positions
either at the Republican National
Convention, Aug. 27-30 in Tampa,
Fla., or at the Democratic National
Convention, Sept. 3-6 in Charlotte,
N.C.
Students Lucie Fremeau, Mario
A
Coppola and Emily Martik are with
the GOP in Tampa this week. Next
week, students Breanna Blose,
Camilla Cionni, Courtney Cochran,
Bruce Grover, Bradley Minoski and
Fillip Nelson will join the Democrats
in Charlotte.
Along with 250 students from
schools across the nation, all nine
will spend the week before the
convention studying the history of
political campaigns, convention
planning and procedures, and the
role of the media.
“The internship will be an
invaluable experience for the
students, as many are planning
careers in fields such as politics and
journalism,” said Dr. Melanie
Blumberg, professor of history and
political science at Cal U.
“The Office of the President and
several Cal U supporters have made
it possible for the nine students to
have the chance of a lifetime.”
Four Cal U students will be
reporting back on their experiences,
providing a “backstage” look at the
national political scene. Look for
their reports at www.calu.edu .
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Campus
BRIEFS
Faculty-Staff
Convocation
on Tuesday
Cal U head soccer coach Dennis Laskey (fourth from left) enjoys a moment at last year’s event with former Redbirds players (from left) Dom
DiBernardi, Cliff ‘Kip’ Harosky, Jeff Harosky, Lew DiBernardi, Jim Laskey, Pete Labrasca and Mark Harosky.
Soccer Team Hosts Redbird Days
he men’s soccer team will conduct
its annual Dunlevy Redbirds Day on
Sunday, hosting West Virginia rival
Shepherd University at the Phillipsburg
soccer complex.
The Labor Day weekend festivities
begin with a cookout at 4 p.m., with the
game at 6 p.m.
Redbirds Day recognizes former
coaches and players from the Mon Valley
Youth Soccer Association, which began in
1978 in the small town of Dunlevy.
Many of those players and coaches also
contributed to the Cal U soccer program.
“California University has become an
extension of the Mon Valley Youth Soccer
Association,” said Dunlevy native Dennis
Laskey, the Vulcans’ 27th-year head men’s
soccer coach.
“We are inviting anyone who has ever
played or coached in Dunlevy to join us on
T
Sunday. There are so many former
Dunlevy players and coaches who come
from various communities in the region,
and we encourage all of them to take part
in an afternoon of food, fun, fellowship
and reminiscing.”
Nearly 100 Redbirds took part in the
2011 event, which was held as part of the
official dedication of the new soccer
complex. Just three blocks from Cal U’s
main campus, the complex on Orchard
Street is the site of the former Booster Field
and Phillipsburg School.
Many players from Dunlevy youth
teams, as well as other programs for Mon
Valley boys and girls, matriculated to Cal
U. In addition, a number of former Vulcan
players joined the Senior Redbirds after
their college careers, Laskey said.
“Our program at California has had
strong support from Dunlevy fans over the
years,” he said. “Redbirds Day is held to
show our appreciation to all former players
and coaches who have dedicated their time,
experience and expertise to the growth and
development of youth soccer in the Mon
Valley area.”
Coordinating the event with Laskey is
Cal Montgomery, a Dunlevy native and a
longtime standout player and coach.
“We’re hoping to have many former
players and coaches in attendance,”
Montgomery said. “The response has been
great, and we’re still looking forward to
hearing from others who have been
involved for so many years.”
All fans and members of the Cal U
community are invited to attend the game
and other festivities.
For more information, contact coach Dennis
Laskey at 724-938-5793 or Cal Montgomery at
724-565-7030.
PLCB Grant Enlists Parents,
Community in Prevention Effort
al U will use an Alcohol Education
Grant from the Pennsylvania
Liquor Control Board to take a
more comprehensive approach to reducing
incidents resulting from underage and
dangerous drinking.
“Our coalition has worked hard to find
gaps in our prevention efforts,” said Donna
George, Cal U’s alcohol and other drug
prevention specialist.
“Looking at the natural progression of
prevention, we believe the time is right to
highlight community and parent
involvement.”
Programs will fall under three broad
categories: increasing participation,
providing education and training, and
partnering for change, George said.
To enhance its efforts, the Cal AOD
Coalition will add four students who live
off campus, four non-student residents of
California borough, and four parents of
Cal U students. Environmental
management and parenting sub-committees
will conduct meetings outside of the
regular monthly coalition meetings.
An invitation to attend an open meeting
of the Cal AOD Coalition will be delivered
to every establishment that sells liquor in
California and surrounding communities.
Some establishments may even choose to
host meetings.
“We are not trying to take away
anyone’s business, but we want the message
about responsible drinking to be conveyed,”
George said.
A considerable amount of the $17,500
PCLB grant will be used for implementing
MyStudentBody, an online education
program that will replace the first-year
C
Donna George and several peer educators discuss strategies to reduce incidents resulting from
underage and dangerous drinking.
student survey used in the past.
In addition, a consultant will develop
an “Our Cal” brochure that will provide
helpful information about living in the
borough and getting along as neighbors.
Coalition members and peer educators
from the Options@CalU program will help
to distribute the brochures and other
messages on and off campus.
Results of the MyStudentBody campus
climate survey will be used to formulate a
two-year plan focusing on how all groups
can work together to support continued
change in the environment both on and off
campus.
Ongoing projects will continue,
including Project Sticker Shock, which is
aimed at discouraging adults from
providing beer to minors. Students from
Cal U and local high schools will
participate.
The University’s AOD Coalition also
will work with the California Borough
Police Department and local alcohol/drug
commissions to offer training for police.
George, who is beginning her third year at
Cal U, said she looks forward to
establishing the new programs in what she
calls “an important academic year.”
“There’s been good progress, but there’s
a lot more to be done,” she said. “With
prevention there are so many areas to focus
on, and right now it’s all about community
and parent involvement. Everybody has to
be involved with prevention.”
Those interested in joining the Coalition and
helping with any of the projects should e-mail
george@calu.edu or call 724-938-5515.
Acting President Geraldine
M. Jones will host the 2012
Fall Faculty and Staff
Convocation on Tuesday in
the Convocation Center.
The combined convocation
will be held during the
University’s common hour,
beginning at 11 a.m.
OSD Registration
Meetings Set
The Office for Students
with Disabilities (OSD) is
available to assist Cal U
students.
The office is located in
Room 105, Azorsky Hall.
Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4
p.m. weekdays.
To contact OSD, call 724938-5871 or e-mail
osdmail@calu.edu .
Interested students are
invited to attend OSD
semester registration meeting;
contact the OSD office for
meeting dates and times.
More information can be
found on the Cal U website,
www.calu.edu ; search for the
keyword “disability.”
GACO Receives
$100,000 Grant
The Sarah Scaife
Foundation has awarded a
$100,000 grant to support Cal
U’s Government Agency
Coordination Office (GACO)
through Aug. 31, 2013. With
this funding GACO will assist
area businesses in all aspects
of federal, state, local and
corporate contracting and
subcontracting.
GACO is a Procurement
Technical Assistance Center
(PTAC) that provides advice,
assistance and support to
businesses interested in selling
their products/services to the
government.
According to GACO
director Deborah S. Wojcik,
the Scaife Foundation’s
generosity in supporting
GACO’s contracting
assistance efforts has helped
businesses in western
Pennsylvania obtain 36,685
contracts totaling over $2.8
billion since 1985.
“We are deeply
appreciative of the
tremendous partnership we
have with the Sarah Scaife
Foundation and their
continued support,” she said.
GACO’s main office is
located in South Hall, Room
107; satellite offices are in
Pittsburgh and at Slippery
Rock University. All three
offices offer full-service
government contracting
assistance support to area
businesses.
3
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Scholar-Athletes Earn National Honors
he women’s volleyball, swimming,
tennis, and track and field teams
have received national acclaim for
their academic and athletic success, and
a member of men’s track and field has
earned individual recognition.
“These academic team and individual
honors are a testament to the dedication
and commitment of our student-athletes,
coaches, faculty and academic support
staff here at California University,” said
Dr. Karen Hjerpe, Cal U’s interim athletic director.
• The volleyball team earned the
American Volleyball Coaches
Association Team Academic Award for
the first time in recent program history.
The AVCA award honors collegiate
and high school teams that display excellence in the classroom during the school
year by maintaining at least a 3.30 cumulative team grade-point average on a 4.00
scale.
Under the direction of second-year
head coach Peter Letourneau, Cal U volleyball won the PSAC championship last
fall, finished second in the NCAA
Division II Atlantic Regional, and finished with a 33-5 overall record.
• For the 10th consecutive year, the
College Swimming Coaches Association
of America named Cal U’s swimming
team a Scholar All-America Team. The
Vulcan swimmers achieved a cumulative
3.36 grade-point average for the Spring
2012 semester.
Swimmers Clarissa Enslin, Jess
Machmer and Kelsey Nuhfer, all juniors,
were named Scholar All-Americans.
Each student-athlete earned a 3.50 GPA
or better last spring and qualified for the
NCAA Nationals.
T
AllAmerican Clarissa Enslin helped Cal U’s swimming team earn a cumulative 3.36 grade
point average for the Spring 2012 semester.
Seniors Bruna Carvalho and Megan
Schuh, along with junior Kate Mellon,
earned Scholar All-American Honorable
Mention accolades.
Last winter, the swim team closed its
most successful season in school history
by placing 12th at the NCAA Division II
Championships behind three individual
All-Americans, a pair of All-American
relays and two national titles.
• The women’s tennis team has been
named an Intercollegiate Tennis
Association All-Academic Team for the
ninth consecutive year. Six players
received ITA Scholar-Athlete honors:
seniors Mariana Oliveira, Anabel
Pieschi, Martina Rubesova, Franziska
Steinhardt and Anastassiya Zherdeva,
and freshman Ramona Czakon.
The total of six ITA Scholar-Athletes
matches the program record set in 2007
and 2010.
To earn the ITA All-Academic Team
award, a program must have a cumulative team GPA of 3.20 or above. To
receive ITA Scholar-Athlete honors,
players must have a GPA of at least 3.50
for the current academic year and have
been enrolled at their current school for
at least two semesters.
Under 12th-year head coach Pablo
Montana, the women’s tennis team won
its sixth consecutive PSAC championship last spring while advancing to the
quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II
Tournament for the fifth time in six
years.
• The women’s track team earned
U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country
Coaches Association All-Academic status for the fourth time in five years. A
team must have a cumulative GPA of
3.00 or higher to qualify.
Senior Jordyn Reagan earned
USFCCCA All-Academic individual
honors for the second consecutive year.
To earn USTFCCCA All-Academic
honors, a student-athlete must have compiled a cumulative grade-point average of
3.25 or higher and reached a provisional
or automatic qualifying standard for the
NCAA Championships in either the
indoor or outdoor seasons.
Reagan provisionally qualified for the
NCAA Division II Outdoor National
Championships as a member of Cal U’s
PSAC champion 4x100-meter relay.
On the men’s side, senior Alex Smith
received All-Academic individual honors
in track and field.
He provisionally qualified for the
NCAA Division II Outdoor National
Championships in the 800-meter run.
This marks the fifth-consecutive year in
which at least one Cal U male studentathlete has received the academic laurel
from the USTFCCCA.
Two-time Olympic gold medalist
Roger Kingdom coaches Cal’s men’s and
women’s track teams.
Cal U’s women’s volleyball, swimming and baseball teams were all inaugural winners of the Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference (PSAC) Team GPA
Awards in their respective sports.
The award honors the teams with the
top cumulative team GPA in each of the
league’s 23 sponsored sports.
Students
Take Robots
Underwater
Men of
Sigmas
Network
From left to right:
Adama Traore; Dr.
Todd Carlisle, adviser;
Corey Brown; Maurice
Burns; and Greg
Bryant, president of
Cal U’s Pi Gamma
Chapter of the Phi
Beta Sigma Fraternity,
attend the fraternity’s
98th annual Eastern
Regional Conference.
The men used the
event as a networking
opportunity and to
help plan for the
fraternity’s 100th
anniversary
celebration in 2014.
They also discussed
ways to serve their
communities by
supporting programs
such as the March of
Dimes and Sigmas
Against AIDS/HIV. The
Beta Sigma motto is
‘Culture for Service
and Service for
Humanity.’
— Continued from page 1
supplemental academic instruction,
tutoring, career planning and selfawareness classes to help develop
those skills. The program is funded
under Title IV of the Higher
Education Act of 1965 and the federal
TRIO program.
High school seniors enrolled in the
program may participate in a bridge
program where they are awarded
college course credits for some of their
classes.
“We have to go to class every day
on our own just like college students,”
Baker said. “This is my third year, and
I have 10 credits towards college
courses. And I’ve had a lot of fun in
the process.
“It has really helped me get a headstart for my freshman year in college.”
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
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 Development and Alumni Relations
Bruce Wald, Wendy Mackall, Jeff Bender
Writers
Robert Thorn
Vice President for Administration and Finance
Dr. Nancy Pinardi
Interim Vice President for Student Affairs
Read the Journal online at
www.calu.edu
Office of Communications and Public Relations
250 University Avenue
California, PA 15419
724-938-4195
wald@calu.edu