California University

Volume 21, Number 7 APRIL 22, 2019
KEEP UP WITH CAL U NEWS ONLINE: calu.edu/news

Cal U to Launch Two New Programs

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ew academic programs at
California University of
Pennsylvania will empower
graduates to succeed in two high-demand
career fields.

the associate degree and, if they wish,
advance seamlessly to earn a bachelor’s
degree in veterinary technology or one of
Cal U’s biology majors.

Veterinary technology

Pennsylvania’s State System of
Higher Education has approved Cal U’s
request to develop a Doctor of Physical
Therapy (DPT) program. The University
is seeking a founding director for the
three-year, full-time professional
graduate program.
The growing demand for physical
therapists is driven by an aging
population, including baby boomers who
are committed to staying active later
in life. Widespread chronic conditions
such as diabetes and obesity also create
mobility issues for patients, boosting the
demand for physical therapy.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
projects job growth of 28% for physical
therapists — much faster than the
average for all occupations — between
2016 and 2026.
Students who earn a B.S. in Health
Science at Cal U will be among those

On-campus classes are scheduled
to begin this fall for students seeking
careers in veterinary technology, one of
the fastest-growing areas of employment
nationwide.
Increases in pet ownership, a
growing demand for service and working
animals, and expansion of veterinary
specialties are fueling the need for skilled
technicians to work in veterinary clinics
and hospitals, large-animal practices,
wildlife rehabilitation centers, boarding
kennels, government and industry labs,
humane societies and more. Forty-one
states, including Pennsylvania, reported a
shortage of veterinary services last year.
Cal U will offer two “vet tech” degree
programs: a two-year Associate of
Science in Veterinary Technology and a
four-year Bachelor of Science. Students
in the “2+2” program may complete

Physical therapy

At Cal U, new associate, bachelor’s and doctoral degrees will propel graduates into
fast-growing fields.

ideally positioned to apply for admission
to the DPT program. California
University also offers a rigorous, twoyear Associate of Applied Science

program for physical therapist assistants.
To learn more or to enroll at
Cal U, call the Admissions Office
at 724-938-4404.

Panel Features Mother
of Trayvon Martin,
Hip-hop Icon Chuck D

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Cal U President Geraldine Jones will receive the 2019 Human Rights Award.

NAACP Branch Honors
President Jones

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niversity President
Geraldine M. Jones will accept
the 2019 Human Rights Award
from the NAACP Washington (Pa.)
Branch at the organization’s 59th annual
Human Rights Award Banquet.
The award ceremony will be held
May 3 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in
Meadowlands, Pa.
Jones is the first woman and the first
person of color to serve as president of
California University of Pennsylvania,
where she earned both her master’s and
bachelor’s degrees.
“It is an honor to be recognized by
the NAACP Washington Branch, which
has worked tirelessly for decades to
promote equal rights and opportunities
for residents of southwestern
Pennsylvania and beyond,” she said.

“I have devoted my life to education
because I believe in its power to help
individuals from all backgrounds reach
their full potential. When we prepare
students for success in their careers and
in their lives, we also help their families
and our communities to thrive.”
Jones was installed as California’s
seventh president in October 2016, after
leading the University for nearly four
years as acting and interim president.
Previous honors recognize her
longtime commitment to the University
and to the success of individuals
and communities in southwestern
Pennsylvania. The Cal U Alumni
Association has honored her with the
John R. Gregg Award for Loyalty and
Service, and the Black Alumni
— Continued on page 2

ip-hop icon Chuck D, founder
of the groundbreaking rap group
Public Enemy, and Sybrina
Fulton, mother of the late Trayvon Martin,
explore “Social Justice, Mental Health
and the Hip-hop Generation” when Cal U
hosts its 14th annual Hip-hop Conference.
Psychologist Dr. Traice Webb-Bradley
joins the panel discussion at 5:30 p.m.
April 25 in the Morgan Hall auditorium at
California University of Pennsylvania.
Admission is free, and the public
may attend.
The conference also includes:
• A campus roundtable, “The Life and
Legacy of Nipsey Hussle,” at 11 a.m. April
23 in Carter Hall’s multipurpose room.
Cal U alumni, student-athletes and
members of BSU will be featured.
• A student debate, “Top 10 Rappers,”
Chuck D
by members of Cal U Men
United at 11 a.m. April 25
Martin, was killed in a violent
in Duda Hall, Room 103.
confrontation in 2012.
Rapper Chuck D redefined
Dr. Traice Webb-Bradley is
hip-hop as one of America’s
a licensed clinical psychologist
most popular – and often
and a national psychologist
controversial – art forms
peer reviewer and subject
when he founded Public
matter expert for Optum Health
Enemy in the late 1980s.
Behavioral Solutions. In clinical
Albums including “It Takes
practice, she has a special
a Nation of Millions to Hold
interest in working with people
Sybrina Fulton
Us Back” and “Fear of a Black
of color and women regarding
Planet” established him as a spokesman for trauma, identity and sexuality issues.
social justice and the black community.
Cal U’s annual Hip-hop Conference
Sybrina Fulton has dedicated her life to is organized by Dr. Kelton Edmonds, a
transforming grief into advocacy for social
professor in the Department of History,
change. Her 17-year-old son, Trayvon
Politics, Society and Law.

nals

Page 2

APRIL 22, 2019

California
Spring
Cleanup
May 6-18

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Performances by Gabby Barrett and Chris Jamison will be part of the first President’s Backyard Celebration on May 2.

Local Musicians Highlight
President’s Backyard Celebration

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wo stars from “The Voice” and
“American Idol” will present a
concert May 2 at Cal U as part of
the President’s Backyard Celebration.
Chris Jamison, a Pittsburgh native,
will perform at 6 p.m., and Gabrielle
“Gabby” Barrett, from Munhall, Pa., will
take the stage at 7 p.m.
Admission to the concert, which will
be held on the quad, is free and the public
is invited. Free parking will be available
in Lot 4.
Jamison, a pop and soul singersongwriter, competed on the seventh
season of NBC’s “The Voice,” finishing
in third place. He released his debut

original song, “Velvet,” in 2014,
performing the single on “The Voice” in
the live finale. That same year Allegheny
County Executive Rich Fitzgerald
honored Jamison with keys to Pittsburgh,
and deemed Dec. 3 Chris Jamison Day.
A portion of all proceeds from his
2018 single “Faith Hope Love” goes to
the Tree of Life Synagogue due to the
tragic events of Oct. 27.
Barrett, who placed third in season 16
of ABC’s “American Idol,” has opened
for noted country stars Toby Keith, Keith
Urban and Cole Swindell. She is known
for her singles “You Name on It” and
“Something Good,” and her music video

“Youthful Blood” has been seen more
than 100,000 times on YouTube.
During the event, which is sponsored
by the Office of the President and
Student Activities Board, there will be
inflatables, yard games and a mobile
roller rink, along with free snacks and
dinner items for purchase.
“We have been looking for a spring
signature event, something that can
bring the campus and the community
together to celebrate the end of the
spring semester,” said Melissa Dunn,
event coordinator and director of student
activities, programming and leadership.
"It should be a very enjoyable evening.”

alifornia Borough is helping
Cal U students clean house
before they leave their
off-campus rentals for summer
break.
Daily garbage pickup will be
available from Monday, May 6,
through Saturday, May 18, and a bin
will be placed outside the California
Area Public Library so students can
recycle unwanted electronic items.
The schedule gives students
time to discard unwanted items
as they clean out their off-campus
rentals during the week prior to
Commencement. Borough landlords
also can utilize the service as their
student renters depart.
Cal U faculty and staff are
reminded that the service is intended
for Cal U students and borough
residents only.
“We know that student renters
often have bulky items or electronic
devices they don’t want to take home
for the summer, so we thank our
borough officials for making this
cleanup possible,” said University
spokesperson Christine Kindl.
“We ask our students who live
downtown to utilize this service and
time their housekeeping so trash
doesn’t sit at the curb. We can work
together to keep our community
looking good.”

BotsIQ Returns to Cal U

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ighty teams of students from
more than 50 local high schools
will take their 15-pound custombuilt robots into battle during the 14th
annual Southwestern Pennsylvania
BotsIQ Finals April 26-27 inside the
Convocation Center.
BotsIQ is a national program
supported locally by the Pittsburgh
chapter of the National Tooling and
Machining Association.
The event uses gladiator-style battles
and a spirit of competition to build
students’ skills in science, technology,
engineering and math.
The opening ceremony is 9:05 a.m.
April 26. Bouts begin at 9:45 a.m. inside
a pair of shatter-resistant cubes. On
April 27, battles begin at 9:15 a.m.
following the 8:45 a.m. opening
ceremony. The championship bout is
tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. with the

awards ceremony at 6:15 p.m.
Admission is free, and the public is
invited to watch.
A free STEAM Showcase from
10 a.m.-3 p.m. both days will spotlight
science, technology, engineering, arts
and math. It includes a visit from
Intermediate Unit 1’s mobile fabrication
laboratory, or fab lab.
BotsIQ is intended to build career
pathways for students interested in
STEM. Manufacturers and other
sponsors work with mentors, teachers
and parents to develop STEM skills
and connect students with employers,
workforce training opportunities and
higher education options.
SWPA BotsIQ is managed by New
Century Careers and affiliated with the
National Robotics League, which holds
its national competition May 17-18, also
at the Convocation Center.

NAACP to Honor President

— Continued from page 1

Association has given her its Outstanding Service Award.
The New Pittsburgh Courier recognized her among its 2010 Women of Excellence,
and she has received the Pittsburgh Diversity Leadership Summit’s Urban Hero of
Western Pennsylvania and Most Powerful and Influential Women awards. In 2016
she received the ATHENA Award from the Washington County Chamber
of Commerce.
For more information about the Human Rights Award, the May 3 banquet or
other NAACP Washington Branch activities, contact the branch’s first vice president,
Phyllis L. Waller, at pwaller1956@gmail.com or 724-222-7824; or call the NAACP
office at 724-222-7820.

The annual spring pottery sale May 2 is part of the ‘Vulcan Art and Languages Party.’

Vulcan Art, Languages
Party Set May 2

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he Department of Art and
Languages will conduct an endof semester celebration and
honor a retiring staff member with a
“Vulcan Art and Languages Party”
on May 2.
Darla Holley-Holmes, who
provides administrative support in the
department and has worked at Cal for
more than 30 years, will retire May 10.
She worked to launch Cal U Women
United and was one of the Spring 2013
Women of the Year selections by the
President’s Commission for the Status
of Women
The event will be held from
11 a.m.-9 p.m. on all three floors of
Vulcan Hall.
Artwork of students in printmaking
and jewelry classes will be on display

during an opening reception in the
Vulcan Gallery from 4-8 p.m.
Students from drawing and painting
will display artwork on the upper floors
in an exhibition titled Lights and Shades,
featuring hand-crafted lamps and handpainted lampshades.
Live music will be performed by
student musicians throughout the day,
and refreshments will be served.
Pottery created by members of
the Student Pottery Club will be on
sale 10 a.m.-8 p.m. May 1 and
10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 2 in the Ceramics
Studio, near Vulcan Hall.
Students who would like to play
music or perform during the May 2
event should contact Maggy Aston at
aston@calu.edu or Andrea Cencich at
cencich_a@calu.edu.

APRIL 22, 2019

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Page 3

Strike a Spark Building Momentum

or the fifth year, the Strike a
Spark Conference will highlight
the research, scholarship and
creativity of undergraduate students.
This year’s event will run from
9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. April 24 in the
Convocation Center. The campus
community and the public are welcome
to attend the conference, which is
organized by Cal U’s Center for
Undergraduate Research.
Dr. Daniel Greenstein, chancellor
of Pennsylvania’s State System of
Higher Education, will deliver the
keynote address, “Public Higher
Education Re-imagined: Innovation and
Entrepreneurship in a Sharing System,”
at 11:20 a.m. in the south wing.
At 1 p.m., Greenstein will hold a
public forum in the Performance Center,
inside the Natali Student Center. After
a short presentation about the State
System’s redesign, the chancellor will
take questions from the audience.
The Strike a Spark Conference’s
morning session will run from 9
a.m. to 10:40 a.m. with posters and
creative works in the lobby, oral
sessions in the north wing rooms, and
digital storytelling presentations in the
Hospitality Room, located near the south
wing. An afternoon session following the
same format will be from 1-2:40 p.m.
Preceding the chancellor’s address
in the south wing will be a theater
performance, “On the EDGES: An
Exploration of Anxiety, Co-Dependence,
and the Importance of Connection.”
Cal U students performing include
E.J. Christopher, Jeromy Mackey,
Daniel Nuttall, Marissa Sorenson,
Erin Stump, and Alexandra Wilson.
Following the keynote at 11:40 p.m.,

The fifth annual Strike a Spark Conference, highlighting scholarship, research and creativity, takes place on April 24 in the Convocation Center.

Cal U student poets Monica Flickinger,
Kaitlyn Furlong and Ciera Jones will
perform “We Did Not Ask for This: A
Poetic Exploration of Mental Illness.”
Before a buffet lunch on the
concourse, the winners of the Serene
Leadership Essay Contest will be
announced, and the Cal U Dance
Ensemble will present about connecting
dance, research and advocacy for
suicide prevention.
Six ensemble members —
Holly Grainger, Jessica Kroll,
Juliann Marraccini, Rachel Wells,

Alexandra Wilson and
Amanda Woodburn — will perform
“You Matter,” an 8-minute dance
movement exploring what a potential
suicide victim might be experiencing.
Nearly 40 students from Jeannette
High School are expected to attend the
morning and featured sessions before
meeting with admissions counselors.
Dr. Gregg Gould, director of the
Center for Undergraduate Research, said
this year’s conference is shaping up to be
the best yet.
“Obviously, we are thrilled to have

Relationships Key During Crises

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e called the mass shooting at
Emanuel African Methodist
Episcopal Church in June 2015
his defining moment, but it was the
previous nine years of preparation that
Gregory Mullen emphasized.
The chief of police in Charleston,
S.C., from 2006-2017, Mullen gave the
keynote address, “Partnerships, Trust
and Legitimacy: How They Integrate to
Create Resiliency During Crisis,” at Cal
U’s 11th annual Conference on Homeland
and International Security on April 12.
This year’s theme was “Protecting
Places of Worship.”
Mullen, now associate vice president
for public safety and chief of police at
Clemson University, said his department’s
efforts to build relationships with
agencies, activists and community groups
played a key role immediately after the
tragedy, which left nine people dead
inside the church.
Through the relationships and steady
dialog, a family assistance center, with
mental health clinicians, clergy, police
officers and victim advocates, was set up
just an hour and a half after the shooting.
Other local groups helped with daily
crowds of 10,000 — including protesters
— at the church.
“This was not a law enforcement
event … it was a community event,”
Mullen said. “By having those
relationships, connections and people
coming together, it was amazing how
things calmed themselves throughout
the community when things began
to percolate.”

Gregory Mullen delivers the keynote
address at the Conference on Homeland
and International Security April 12.

He also believes the years of building
a culture of respect and cooperation
between police and residents were
validated.
“I believe that was a very important
component because it demonstrated to
the community all the things we said to
them previously about being there for
them not just as police officers but people
who would care about them and bring a
sense of normalcy to their lives after
a crisis.
“Afterward, a pastor told me the
killer wanted to start a race war but
what he did was start a revival. Creating
relationships at the time prepared us for
a night the unthinkable happened.”

Criminal Justice Department faculty
members Dr. John Cencich and Dr.
Michael Hummel presented about
predictive behavioral analysis and security
challenges of protecting institutions of
worship. The conference coordinator
was Dr. Julie Warnick, chair of the
Department of Criminal Justice.
A former senior U.N. war crimes
investigator and director of the
Pennsylvania Center for Investigative
and Forensic Services, Cencich said a
multilayered approach is important.
“There’s no singular red flag that is
indicative of a person posing a threat,”
he said. “The focus must be on their body
language, oral and written responses, and,
for me, asking questions,” he said.
Hummel, a retired military police
officer and an active municipal police
officer in Charleroi and Monessen, Pa.,
said security professionals must change
the mindset of ministry leaders to
integrate effective security programs.
“Get started now, fight off
complacency, layer your security and be
vigilant,” he said.
Mullen hopes the students in
attendance came away with a better
understanding of what law officers hope
to accomplish.
“If you’re a student or somebody
who is thinking about going into law
enforcement, I hope this encourages
you that this is a very honorable and
noble profession.
“If you come into this profession,
know that you can do tremendous things
within your community.”

the chancellor attending and speaking,”
Gould said. “Our planning committee
has worked diligently to expand the
activities, and I believe everyone will be
impressed with the depth and breadth of
the research, scholarship and creativity
on display.
“There’s always a great deal of
energy throughout the Convocation
Center during the entire conference,
and I expect we will build on that
momentum.”
For more about the conference,
visit calu.edu/strikeaspark.

Final
Open
House
April 27

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al U will hold this
spring’s final Open
House program for
prospective undergraduate
students on April 27.
The events introduce
prospective students to Cal U
or give students who have been
accepted a chance to explore
the campus.
At an open house, students
and their families can learn
more about Cal U’s programs
of study, housing and student
life.
They can talk with Cal U
students, meet faculty members
from their academic area of
interest, tour the main campus
and visit Vulcan Village on
the upper campus. They also
take part in various campus
activities.
To register for the April 27
undergraduate Open House, go
to calu.edu/visit.
For information on the
admissions process at Cal U,
visit calu.edu/admissions or
call 724-938-4404.

Page 4

APRIL 22, 2019

Fishing Festival Also an Educational Tool

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Children can try their luck at landing
a trophy fish and participate in many
other family-friendly activities April 27
at the Pike Run Youth Fishing Festival.

One Acts
Conclude
Theater
Season

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he Department of Music and
Theatre concludes its spring
season by presenting “An
Evening of One Acts” at 7 p.m.
May 2-3, and at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.
May 4.
The student-directed event
is open to the public and will
be performed in the Gerald and
Carolyn Blaney Theatre in
Steele Hall.
“This annual production is
filled with a mix of genres and
performance styles that provide a
form of expression for our students,”
said Dr. Michele Pagen, professor
and co-chair of the Department of
Music and Theatre.
“The door is open for
exploration, and we hope people
come out to see what’s on the hearts
and minds of our students.”
Subject matter may not be
suitable for younger patrons.  
Ticket price is $12 for adults; $6
for those 55 and older and 12 and
younger. Cal U students with valid
CalCards pay 50 cents, plus a $5
deposit that is refunded at the show.   
For ticket information, or
to charge tickets by phone, call
the Steele Hall Box Office at
724-938-5943.

tudents from Dr. Candice Riley’s
recreation program planning and
evaluation course have been helping
to make a successful collaboration
between the University and community
even better.
The 24th annual Pike Run Youth
Fishing Festival is set for 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
April 27 at Rotary Park, off Route 88
(Third Street) in California.
The free event is open to boys and
girls ages 15 and younger. A parent,
guardian or other adult must accompany
children younger than 13.
Registration begins at 7 a.m., and last
year more than 175 young anglers cast
their reels despite chilly weather.
Riley, who is the faculty adviser for
the event, said students plan, deliver, and
evaluate the event as a class project. They
handle taskes such as marketing, planning
games and activities and preparing the
site for the festival.
“One of the learning outcomes of this
course is to create a successful recreation
program, and event planning has become
a key responsibility in not just the parks
and recreation field, but other fields such

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as tourism and sport management,”
Riley said.
“This class provides students handson experience in what it takes to plan,
deliver, and evaluate a recreation
event, which is important in career
development.”
The festival is organized and
programmed by the University’s parks
and recreation management program,
the Parks and Recreation Student
Society, and the Cal U Eco-Learning
Community, in cooperation with the
Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission,
California Rotary, the Borough of
California and the California Borough
Recreation Authority.
Alex Arnold, a junior majoring
in parks and recreation management
and history, was the student society’s
president last year. He has found Riley’s
class to be very beneficial.
“The needs assessment we’ve
done, which is finding out what your
constituents want, has been extremely
valuable and something I was not as
aware of previously,” Arnold said. “One
of our main goals this year is to provide

many different family-fun activities for
people to do along with the great fishing.
“The additional help and manpower
during the running of the event is also
monumental, and it’s something to see
how excited the kids get when they start
catching fish because they’re so pumped
about it.’”
Kids may bring their own fishing gear,
or they can borrow equipment from a
Cal U student volunteer as part of
the state Fish and Boat Commission’s
Borrow-A-Rod-and-Reel program.
Expert fishing guides will be on hand
to answer questions or help young anglers
learn how to catch trout.
The Pike Run Fishing Festival
Committee will stock the stream the day
before with rainbow, brook, brown and
golden trout.
Vendors will sell bait, tackle, food and
beverages at the festival, which closes
with a weigh-in, prizes and the awarding
of trophies.
For more information about the
fishing festival, contact Riley at
riley@calu.edu, call 724-938-5288, or
visit facebook.com/groups/PRYFF.

Cal U Celebrates Earth Day

al U will celebrate Earth Day
with many activities inside the
Natali Student Center followed
by volunteer work on three campus
gardens.
Earth Day is an annual event
celebrated on April 22. Worldwide,
various events are held to demonstrate
support for environmental protection.
Coordinated by the Horticulture and
Sustainability Club, activities at Cal U
will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Event coordinator and club president
Daja Douglas emphasized the importance
of bringing awareness to environmental
issues.
“We can’t keep taking the earth’s
resources for granted, and our actions
affect our future,” Douglas said. “We
need to become more conscious,
sustainable and eco-friendly now or
the resources we have now will not be
here for our children, and our children’s
children.”

Natali Events
At 11 a.m., Brian Cavanaugh,
Cal U’s director of Environmental
Health and Safety, will deliver the
keynote address in the Performance
Center.
More than a dozen clubs will have
tables set up near the Food Court to
offer their perspectives on Earth Day
— for example, the College Democrats
and College Republicans will focus on
environmental policies; the Mathematics
Association of America will provide
information on math and nature; and
the Black Student Union will focus on
environmental racism.

Caitlin Foltz, a communications disorders graduate student, helps children plant flowers at Cal
U's Learning and Language Center.

The Horticulture and Sustainability
Club will be selling seeds and plant
starters.
Students from Advanced Drawing
classes will show drawings on
environmental themes and animal
drawings from the biology collection in
Frich Hall. Students will also be working
on large-drawing murals inside the
Performance Center from 11 a.m. to
1:30 p.m.
Students from Advanced Painting
classes will have an exhibition of earthrelated paintings on easels in front of the
Performance Center.
From 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Cal U
Dining and Hospitality Services will hold
its annual Earth Day Picnic throughout
the Gold Rush, including the dining hall
and patio.

Campus Gardens
Various fraternities, sororities, clubs
and several athletic teams will be tending
to three campus gardens from 4-7 p.m.
April 22.
Students will be planting and sprucing
up the sensory garden located outside
the Learning and Language Center in
Morgan Hall.
Volunteers will install a pollination
garden in front of Frich Hall and plant
crops at SAI Farm. Transportation to
and from the farm will be available in
front of the Natali Student Center.
The crops are used to increase
food security for students via the
Cal U Cupboard.
For more information, contact
Douglas at dou2509@calu.edu or
Dr. Sarah Meiss at meiss@calu.edu.

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

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

Office of Communications and Public Relations

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

250 University Avenue

California, PA 15419

T. David Garcia
Vice President for Enrollment
Management

724-938-4195

Wendy Mackall
Editor
Bruce Wald
Writer

wald@calu.edu­­­­­­­­­