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California University

VOLUME 11, NUMBER 13 APRIL 13, 2009

Mascara Reminisces, Receives Award

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s he received Cal U’s 2009
Lifetime Achievement Award,
former U.S. Rep. Frank R.
Mascara chose to reflect on his ties to
Cal U rather than discussing federal
policies, which he said “would take an
entire semester” to cover.
“Little did I realize when I graduated
nearly 40 years ago from what was then
California State College that the journey
of life would lend itself to so may facets
of university growth and academic
development,” said Mascara, the lone
Cal U alumnus to serve in Congress.
Mascara began his political career as
Washington County controller, a
position he held from 1974 through
1980. He served as chairman of the
Washington County Board of
Commissioners from 1980 through 1994,
when he was elected to the U.S. House
of Representatives.
A Democrat, Mascara represented
Pennsylvania’s 20th District through
2002. A former member of the
University’s Council of Trustees, he
received an honorary Doctor of Public
Service from Cal U in May 1999.
In a warm and reflective talk before
an audience at the Performance Center,
Mascara discussed his student years and
his role as a member of Cal U’s Board of
Trustees.
As a trustee, Mascara championed

Lifetime Achievement Honor Goes to Cal U
Alumnus, Former Congressman and Trustee

Dr. Frank Mascara ’72 proudly displays the Lifetime Achievement Award he received from
President Angelo Armenti, Jr. at a dinner preceding his lecture during Cal Pride Weekend.

fee remission despite opposition from
then-Gov. Milton Shapp, who opposed
the plan for Cal U employees and their

children to attend classes at no charge.
“I was very proud to be associated
with this program, because it enabled

family members of employees to attend
college who may not have been able to
afford the cost involved in obtaining a
college education,” he said.
Mascara resigned from the Trustees
in 1999 to avoid a conflict of interest
while seeking federal dollars for a lowspeed magnetic levitation train at Cal U.
“This very innovative people mover
at the University would not only solve
problems of safety and eliminate traffic
congestion but also provide
manufacturing jobs for the Mon Valley
region and construction jobs during the
building of the project,” Mascara said.
He suggested that President Barack
Obama’s stimulus funding package
should include money for the maglev.
During his terms in Congress,
Mascara also overcame political
opposition to the development of
Southpointe. Not everyone agreed that
Cal U should establish an off-campus
location at the 610-acre multi-use park in
Cecil Township known in some circles as
“Frank’s Folly.”
“Now, Southpointe is a jewel that
generates $300 million in private
investments and creates over 6,000 jobs,”
Mascara said. “I guess we got it right.”
The former Congressman said his
greatest gift to the University was the
selection of President Angelo Armenti,
— Continued on page 3

The fourth annual Hip-hop Conference features critically acclaimed artists and a
nationally known educator.

Common, Chuck D
to discuss Hip-hop
Dr. Thomas Kinsey is the recipient of the Pearson eCollege Excellence in Online Teaching (eOT)
award. He is a professor in Cal U’s Department of Health Science and Sport Studies.

Kinsey for Online Teaching

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r. Thomas Kinsey, professor of
Exercise Science in the Department
of Health Science and Sport
Studies, been chosen as a recipient of the
Pearson eCollege Excellence in Online
Teaching (eOT) award.
The award is presented to educators
who demonstrate a significant commitment
to quality in online education.
Kinsey will will receive the award
Thursday in Denver at a conference
organized by the Consortium for ITS

Training and Education.
CITE is an organization of universities
and industry associations focused on
providing comprehensive advanced
transportation training and education that is
flexible and convenient for its students.
After seven years as Cal U’s dean of the
School of Graduate Studies and Research,
Kinsey returned to the classroom in fall
2007. During his tenure as dean, Kinsey
took a leadership role in expanding
— Continued on page 4

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rammy Award-winning hip-hop artist Common and Chuck D,
founder of the rap group Public Enemy, will be among the
speakers at Cal U’s 2009 Hip-hop Conference.
The fourth annual conference will be held Thursday and Friday on
campus, with workshops in break-dancing, graffiti art, and MC and DJ
skills slated for 6 p.m. Thursday at nearby Jozart Studios.
The keynote panel will discuss youth activism and “The Hip-hop
Generation’s Embrace of Political Empowerment, Oral Tradition and
Community” at 6 p.m. Friday in the Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre.
Panel members are:
Common, aka Ronnie Rashid Lynn, a jazz-rap artist and actor who has
appeared in films including American Gangster, Street Kings and Terminator
Salvation. Winner of Grammy Awards for his work with Erykah Badu
(“Love of My Life/Ode to Hip-hop,” 2003) and Kanye West (“Southside,”
2007), his latest album, Universal Mind Control, was released in 2008.
Chuck D, founder and former front man for the seminal rap group
Public Enemy. Born Carlton Douglas Ridenhour, he also is an author,
music producer and outspoken political activist.
— Continued on page 3

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’Burgh Big
Band Back
for Jazz
Experience

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Walking a Mile
Cal U men’s hockey players (from left) Philip Gigliotti, RJ Jurik and Ryan Dolan sport high heels while participating in the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes
event at California University of Pa. on April 2. Walks are being held nationwide to raise awareness about the issues of sexual assult, stalking and
relationship violence. The walk at Cal U was sponsored by the P.E.A.C.E. Project.

On the Menu: Wild Game
Wildlife Society, Game Commission Plan Annual Dinner Saturday

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al U’s student chapter of the Wildlife Society, in
cooperation with the Pennsylvania Game Commission
and the National Wild Turkey Federation, will serve its
12th annual Wild Game Dinner Saturday at the Denbo Vesta
No. 6 Volunteer Fire Hall in Brownsville.
Doors open at 5 p.m., and dinner begins at 6. High-quality
hunting and camping gear will be raffled, along with a wildlife
print from the Game Commission. Door prizes will be awarded
throughout the evening. Diners will be offered wild game
including deer, elk, pheasant, rabbit, wild turkey, duck, goose,
alligator and steelhead trout.
“This is this our biggest fund-raising event of the year,” said
Dr. Carol Bocetti, assistant professor in Cal U’s Department of
Biological and Environmental Sciences, the chapter’s adviser.
“More importantly, it provides our students an opportunity to
work shoulder to shoulder with folks from the Game
Commission, the National Wild Turkey Federation and other
wildlife-related groups where they build lasting relationships to
advance their professional careers.”

Elk will be one of many delicacies served Saturday at the Wildlife
Society’s 12th annual Wild Game Dinner.

Tickets are $10 and may be purchased by contacting Dr.
Bocetti at 724-938-5967 or bocetti@cup.edu. Tickets also will
be available at the door.

performance by the ’Burgh
Big Band will wrap up the
27th annual California Jazz
Experience, two days of master
classes and jazz performances on the
campus of California University of
Pennsylvania.
Dubbed CJE XXVII, the event
will bring high school and middle
school jazz ensembles to campus
April 21-22 for performances and
master classes with Ken Karsh, Cal
U’s private guitar instructor, and
Ralph Guzzi, a freelance composer,
arranger, teacher and performer. The
clinicians will work with students on
sight-reading skills as well as prepared
pieces.
The young musicians are from the
Belle Vernon Area, Upper St. Clair,
Kiski Area, Keystone Oaks, West
Mifflin and Chartiers-Houston school
districts.
The University’s jazz ensemble
will give lunchtime concerts at noon
on both days in the Performance
Center of the Natali Student Center,
along with an 8 p.m. concert on April
21 in the same location.
The Jazz Experience will close
with a performance by the ’Burgh Big
Band at 8 p.m. April 22 in the
Performance Center. For the sixth
consecutive year, Citizen’s Bank will
sponsor the band’s appearance.
All concerts are free and open to
the public, as well as the Cal U
community.
The University’s Music
department and its chair, Professor
Max Gonano, host the popular
event.
For more information, contact the
Cal U Music Department at 724-9384242.

Cal U Partners With School on Renovation Project

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al U students are partnering with the
Uniontown School District and the
community on a unique renovation
project at Menallen Elementary School.
Groundbreaking for the Menallen
Outdoor Learning Environment (MOLE)
will be April 17. The unused school
courtyard will be converted into a learning
space that will include a performance space,
a “performance” garden (where each plant
“performs” in some way), a fitness trail, a
weather station, a butterfly garden and
more.
The MOLE project was designed by Cal
U graduate students Brian Anderson and
Paul Beard under the direction of Dr. Peter
Wright, a professor in the Department of
Applied Engineering and Technology.
Parents, teachers, their families and
community members are volunteering the
labor necessary to complete the project.
Work will be done after school, on
weekends and during the summer.
Grants and fundraisers are expected to
offset the cost of materials and other
expenses related to this project.
For more information please contact
Principal Charles Yasechko at
yasechkoc@mail.uniontown.k12.pa.us or
Michelle Komacek, a third-grade teacher at
Menallen, at michelle63@atlanticbb.net.

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Later this month the work of Cal U technology education students will become a reality when the interior courtyard of Menallen
Elementary School becomes a multidisciplinary outdoor learning environment. Featured in photo are Michelle Komacek, Menallen teacher
and organizer; Dr. Peter Wright, Cal U professor; Brian Anderson, Technology Education graduate student; Christa Sabatula, Menallen
librarian; Paul Beard, technology education graduate student; Linda Vekkeli, Menallen teacher; Stephanie Dean, Menallen teacher; and
Chuck Yasechko, Menallen principal.

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Football Weekend to Feature Alumni Scrimmage

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he Cal U football family will reunite Friday and
Saturday for the 30th annual Alumni Football
Weekend, which wraps up the Vulcans’ monthlong spring practice schedule with a scrimmage that
includes former Cal U standouts.
Football Alumni Weekend begins at 10 a.m. Friday
with a golf outing at the Madison Golf Club. The
annual alumni “smoker” at the California Hill Gun Club
begins at 7 that evening.
Saturday’s activities begin with brunch at 10:30 a.m.
in the Gold Rush Room of the Natali Student Center,
followed by the varsity
scrimmage at 1 p.m. at
“The football
Hepner-Bailey Field at
Adamson Stadium. A postfestival is too
scrimmage picnic will be
important an
held at the Farm Pavilion at
occasion to let
Roadman Park, adjacent to
the stadium.
pass by.
Alumni players who wish
Therefore, as a
to participate in the reunion
football
festivities should register with
program, an
the Office of Alumni
Relations at 724-938-4418 or
athletic
e-mail fleenor_1@cup.edu.
department and
Because of a new NCAA
a University, we bylaw interpretation, the
will continue to alumni will not be able to
compete against the varsity,
emphasize this
as they did in previous years.
great tradition.” However, alumni will be able
to square off against one
— John
another as part of the
Luckhardt, Cal U
scrimmage.
head football
“The football festival is
coach
too important an occasion to
let pass by,” said Cal U head football coach John
Luckhardt. “Therefore, as a football program, an athletic
department and a University, we will continue to
emphasize this great tradition.”
The Vulcans are the four-time defending PSAC-West
champions. They are coming off a 12-2 season that
culminated last fall with a second consecutive

Eighth-year head coach John Luckhardt and the Cal U football team will welcome back alumni football players this weekend as
the team wraps up its spring drills.

undefeated showing in the PSAC-West, the first PSAC
championship contested in 21 years, an NCAA Division
II Northeast Region championship, and an appearance
in the national semifinals.
Over the past four years Cal U football has compiled
a 41-8 cumulative record and a 23-2 mark against the
PSAC-West. The Vulcans finished with a national
ranking of sixth in the final American Football Coaches
Association Top 25 Coaches’ Poll.
For the second consecutive year, Cal received the
Lambert Trophy for finishing first in the Eastern College
Athletic Conference Lambert Meadowlands Division II

football poll. Established in 1936, the Lambert Trophy
recognizes supremacy in all NCAA divisions of Eastern
college football.
Luckhardt begins his eighth season on the Vulcan
sideline with a 57-24 record at Cal U and a 194-61-2
overall mark in 24 seasons at Cal and Washington &
Jefferson College.
The Vulcans will open the 2009 season Aug. 27,
playing Saginaw Valley (Mich.) University at Adamson
Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. For the fifth straight year,
the Vulcans will open their season at home in a game
broadcast on Fox SportsNet Pittsburgh.

Mascara Receives
Lifetime Achievement Award
— Continued from page 1
Jr. in 1992. Mascara chaired the search
committee that selected Cal U’s sixth
president.
“We considered several qualified
candidates, but Dr. Armenti stood out like
a shining star,” said Mascara, who praised
the changes that have come about during
the President’s tenure.
“Beyond the bricks and mortar, the
University is recognized nationally for its
academic quality,” he said. “The campus
is absolutely beautiful and something we
can all be proud of. We owe a debt of
gratitude to Dr. Armenti and his wife,
Barbara.”
His advice to current students?
“There is no substitute for hard work,”
said Mascara, who worked nights as a
drummer in a nightclub during his student
years, often studying during breaks.
“That is what got me to where I am
today. You can substitute for almost
anything, but not hard work and
dedication.”

Reflecting on his distinguished association
with Cal U, Dr. Mascara shares a laugh with
the audience during his speech that covered
an array of topics.

Annual Hip-hop Conference Set
— Continued from page 1

Cal U Student Directors Shine
Closing its 2009 spring season, the Department of Theatre and Dance will present “An
Evening of One-Acts” at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, with a 2 p.m. matinee added on
Saturday, in the Gerald and Carolyn Blaney Theatre in Steele Hall. Cal U student directors will
present plays that are humorous, thought-provoking, often shocking but always entertaining.
Some subject matter may not be suitable for all audiences. Stage manager is SaraBeth
Grimplin. The show is open to the public. Cost is $10; admission is free for all Cal U students
with a valid CalCard. For ticket information or to order tickets (with a credit card) by phone,
call the Steele Box Office at 724-938-5943.

Dr. Tricia Rose, a professor, scholar and author of The Hip-hop Wars (Perseus
Publishing, 2008), which examines tensions within the hip-hop music industry and
analyzes the genre’s place within the black community.
Ursula Rucker, a hip-hop poet and spoken-word artist whose releases include Silver
and Lead, Ma’ at Mama and Ursula Soundsysdom. She appeared last year in the film The
Black Candle, narrated by poet Maya Angelou.
Admission and parking are free. For a complete schedule, visit www.cup.edu.

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Forecast is Sunny for ‘Weather Watch’ Intern

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friend’s recommendation and
Cal U’s reputation have led to a
rewarding internship with the
WTAE Weather Watch 4 Team for Cal
U senior Matthew Owens.
Owens, 22, of South Park, Pa., first
learned about the opportunity with
WTAE from fellow Meteorology major
Kevin Wagner, who interned at the
station last year.
Owens interviewed last fall and was
hired immediately for a spring semester
internship with WTAE meteorologist
Stephen Cropper.
“I have been very pleased with the
caliber of students coming out of Cal
U,” Cropper said. “As a graduate of an
online broadcast meteorology program,
I am a firm believer in campus training,
and I am excited about Cal U’s
commitment to the science of
meteorology and the great blend of
broadcast training.”
Cropper said he also encourages
high school students to look into Cal
U’s meteorology program because of its
proximity and program growth.
Owens has carried out a variety of
assignments at WTAE, including
loading, editing and organizing
graphics, working with radar and setting
up for broadcasts. One week, he was in
charge of preparing the weather
broadcast.
Students in the Department of Earth
Sciences are not required to complete
internships, but Cal U adjunct faculty
member Dr. Jinhee Jun, who serves as
Owens’ internship adviser, called this a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
“Matt gets to apply what he has
learned in the classroom in a real-world
setting with real responsibilities,” Jun
said. “Internships give students the
professional foundation upon which to
build their careers.”

Owens, who has dual majors in
Geographic Information Systems and
Emergency Management, has been
pleasantly surprised with all the
responsibility he has been given at
WTAE. He even had the chance to
develop his broadcasting skills in front
of a “green screen” while being
critiqued by Cropper and his colleagues
Erin Kienzle and Demetrius Ivory.
“They are very adamant about
helping interns get real experience to
help build our resumes,” Owens said.
“They are really nice people, and they
want to see others do well in this
industry.”
Cropper said Owens’ dependable
help has enhanced the effectiveness of
the WTAE meteorologists’ work.
“Matt’s mastering of our computer
graphics system has allowed our
meteorology department to spend more
time forecasting and gearing up for
severe weather season,” Cropper said.
“Since we operate 24/7, our schedules
are hectic, and any reliable help is a
welcome relief.”
Dr. Chad Kauffman, Cal U’s
Meteorology Club adviser and codirector of the broadcast meteorology
studio, said WTAE’s relationship with
Cal U interns dates to the days of
legendary meteorologist Joe Denardo.
“It is a classy organization, and I
wish all of our students could interact
with them on a consistent basis,” he
said.
Owens expects to graduate in
December and realizes he will have to
begin his career in a small market. He
has not decided whether he wants to be
in front of the camera or behind the
scenes, but Cropper believes he has the
ability to make a positive impact as a
broadcast meteorologist.
“He has become more comfortable

Matt Owens carries on a solid Cal U tradition of effective interns getting real opportunities
to work and learn with WTAE meteorologists.

at the chroma key (on-air weather map),
and his storytelling continues to evolve,”
Cropper said. “There is no doubt he has

the technical knowledge, and if he
continues to grow on air, he should be
successful.”

Kinsey Honored for Online Teaching
— Continued from page 1

Honors Address
Dante Morelli ’02 delivers a moving keynote address emphasizing the role his
grandfather played in helping him attain a college education at the 2009
Honors Convocation on March 21 in Hamer Hall. Morelli established the
Edward V. Morelli Scholarship Fund in his gradfather’s memory to benefit
sophomore communications studies majors at Cal U. Morelli is now working
toward a doctorate at Ohio University.

Web-based graduate programs through Cal U’s
Global Online.
A former secondary school teacher of
science and environmental studies, Kinsey now
teaches research and leadership courses online.
Kinsey’s eOT award recognizes the
innovations he has made in the online Research
in Fitness and Wellness course and Research in
Performance Enhancement and Injury
Prevention, which both use an embedded
librarian. The faculty-level librarian, an active
participant in the course, interacts with students
to help them find information.
Kinsey credited William Denny, Cal U’s
distance learning/government documents
librarian, for his essential contribution.
This semester Kinsey is teaching three
sections of Leadership and Professional
Development. He also has directed three
students in the Applied Engineering and
Technology Department’s thesis seminar.

Millie Rodriguez, director of Web-based
programs, nominated Kinsey for the eOT award.
“From day one back in the ‘classroom’, Dr.
Kinsey has been fascinated and dedicated to
improving the content and expanding the
learning opportunities for his students,” said
Rodriguez. “He spends a great deal of time
incorporating content within his courses that not
only meet the outcomes requirements of the
course but also hold the interest of this new kind
of learner.”
Added CITE spokeswoman Christy
Ferguson, “E-learning is revolutionizing
education, and committed educators such as
Tom Kinsey are changing the landscape of
online learning. The work he’s done, and his
dedication to quality, has paved the way for
many online educators to follow.”
Kinsey is the second Cal U faculty member
to receive the eOT award. Dr. Barry
McGlumphy, associate professor and program
director for exercise science and health
promotion, received the award in 2006.

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

Dr. Allan J. Golden
Vice President for Administration and Finance

Geraldine M. Jones
Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Lenora Angelone
Vice President for Student Development and Services

Dr. Joyce Hanley
Executive Vice President

Dr. Charles Mance
Vice President of Information Technology

Angela J. Burrows
Vice President for University Relations
Christine Kindl
Editor

Bruce Wald
Writer

OfficeofCommunicationsandPublicRelations,
250UniversityAvenue,California,PA15419
724-938-4195wald@cup.edu

The Journal is printed on paper made from trees harvested under the principles of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (www.SFIprogram.org).