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Vo l u me 13, Nu mbe r 26 o CT. 17, 2011
Re a d t h e Jo urn a l o n l in e : www.calu.edu/news/the-journal
Cal U to Bolster
Police Force
Three Patrol Officers, Two Cruisers
Will Be Added on Campus
C
To strengthen security, Cal U will add three officers to its University Police Department and
purchase two more patrol cars for the campus police force.
alifornia University of Pennsylvania will add three officers to its University
Police Department and purchase two more patrol cars for the campus police
force.
University President Angelo Armenti, Jr. authorized the moves to strengthen
security on Cal U’s main campus in California, Pa., and on its nearby south campus,
which includes Adamson football stadium, the Roadman Park and SAI Farm
recreation areas, and the Vulcan Village student housing complex.
The additional officers and patrol cars also may be used to assist the California
Borough Police Department as needed.
President Armenti announced the measure last week, after Cal U issued the fall
semester’s third “timely warning” about off-campus crimes. An additional alert was
issued Oct. 10.
The President also posted a special message on the Cal U website.
Although none of these incidents occurred on campus, President Armenti is
taking proactive measures to ensure the safety and security of the campus
community, including Cal U students.
“Years ago, many families chose a college for their son or daughter based largely
on its physical appearance,” President Armenti said yesterday. “Now safety is their
No. 1 concern. This is our top priority, as well.”
Cal U’s campus police force currently has three patrol cars and 16 fully trained
officers, including police Chief Bob Downey. The department also includes three
dispatchers/security officers and an administrative assistant.
Two parking officers patrol campus parking lots, as well.
“Hiring three new officers means we will be able to add another patrol officer to
each shift,” Downey said.
“That will give us more flexibility and the ability to patrol outlying areas, such as
the south campus, more aggressively.”
Two additional cruisers will “enhance the department’s visibility and
effectiveness,” he added.
Downey said he would begin to advertise the positions as soon as possible,
following guidelines established by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher
Education.
Mission Day Homecoming Goes ‘Around World’
Speaker
“A
Explores
Education
E
ven without formal instruction,
children can — and will — teach
themselves if they are motivated by
curiosity and interest among their peers.
That’s what Dr. Sugata Mitra discovered
more than a decade ago, when he and his
research partners placed an Internetconnected computer behind a hole in a wall
in an urban slum in Delhi, India.
A hidden camera showed the
neighborhood’s children, who never had
been taught to use a computer, playing with
the device. Soon they were using the
computer to go online — and teaching each
other what they had learned.
Mitra will be the keynote speaker Oct.
26 at Mission Day XIII, a day devoted to
exploring a single topic of interest to the
campus community. Classes will be
cancelled so all members of the campus
community can discuss the notion that
— Continued on page 2
round the World” is the
theme for events today
through Saturday as Cal U
celebrates Homecoming 2011.
A highlight of the week is
Saturday’s Homecoming Day
celebration. Pre-parade activities begin
at 9 a.m. around campus including
tethered hot air balloon rides (weather
permitting), a petting zoo, inflatables,
face painting, games and more. At 10
a.m. in the Grand Hall of Old Main,
President Angelo Armenti, Jr. and
First Lady Barbara Armenti will host
the Circle Brunch.
The Homecoming Parade will
begin at noon, led by grand marshal
Tim Gorske ’62. It will form on
Hickory Street, behind the Natali
Student Center, and travel down Third
Street. Marchers will turn right on
Union Street, return to campus on
Second Street and end the march at
the Kara Alumni House.
A tailgating party with activities for
all ages will begin at Roadman Park at
1:30 p.m.
At 3:30 p.m., the Cal U football
team will host division rival
Mercyhurst University in Adamson
One of many highlights Saturday will be the Homecoming Parade, which begins at noon.
Stadium at Hepner-Bailey Field. At
halftime, winners of the Homecoming
Parade float competition will be
revealed, and the Homecoming king
and queen will be announced.
Other events during Homecoming
week include:
• A performance by the Pittsburgh
Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m.
Tuesday in Steele Hall Mainstage
Theatre.
A pre-concert reception begins at
6:45 p.m. in the Michael and Julia
— Continued on page 3
B
Mike Amrhein, director of T.E.A.M.S. at Cal U, assists Antonio Casadei of Boy Scout Troop 23
with his robotics merit badge in the Cal U Conference Rooms at CONSOL Energy Center.
Mission Day
Speaker to Focus
on Education
— Continued from page 1
“education is a self-organizing system.”
Mitra is a professor of educational technology in the
School of Education, Communication and Language
Sciences at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.
He is the leading proponent of
“minimally invasive education,”
which suggests that by stimulating a
learner’s curiosity and providing the
appropriate tools, children will drive
their own education.
Mitra holds a doctorate in
physics and is credited with more
than 25 inventions in the area of
cognitive science and educational
Dr. Sugata Mitra
technology.
A Cal U tradition since 1998, Mission Day allows all
members of the University community to engage in
dialogue, share ideas and voice recommendations as
equals in order to advance the institution’s mission and
goals.
Daytime classes will be cancelled so that students,
faculty, staff and alumni can participate in the program
and discuss the topic. Evening classes may be cancelled
at the instructor’s discretion.
Registration for Mission Day XIII on Oct. 26 is
ongoing. Check the Cal U website, www.calu.edu , for a
link to the registration page, or visit
www.calu.edu/events/mission-day/index.htm .
To engage in the conversation, please follow
@CalUofPA on Twitter and use the #calumday hashtag
to share your thoughts on this provocative topic.
The Cal U website has links to videos about Dr.
Sugata Mitra’s work.
2
Scouts Work Toward
Robotics Merit Badge
oy Scouts from the Pittsburgh area
filled the Cal U Conference Rooms
at CONSOL Energy Center Oct. 1
to build and program robots — two key
steps toward earning a merit badge
introduced just six months ago.
The Boy Scouts of America Robotics
Merit Badge Workshop was presented by
Cal U’s Office of Integration and
Outreach for T.E.A.M.S. (Teaching,
Engineering, Arts, Math and Science) and
the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation.
It gave Pittsburgh-area Scouts a
chance to work toward their robotics
merit badge using the expertise and
resources of the University.
The new merit badge is part of the
Boy Scouts of America’s current
emphasis on science, technology,
engineering and math — the subjects
known collectively as STEM. It was
developed during a 14-month process that
included input from 150 youth members,
educational leaders and industry
professionals from across the nation.
Michael Amrhein, director of the
Office of Integration and Outreach for
T.E.A.M.S. at Cal U, helped to develop
the badge.
“The whole concept of the merit
badge is advancement and career
awareness,” he said. “The Scouts can
advance their ranking within the Boy
Scouts program by earning this badge,
and they also gain an awareness of
robotics as a career.
“Embedded within the merit badge is
education about the robotics industry,
safety and competition.”
At the workshop, 30 Scouts assembled
NXT Lego robotics kits and used laptops
provided by the University to program
their robots’ movements.
“Soldering is required, so long pants
and long sleeves are essential,” the
workshop announcement advised.
In addition to Amrhein, students Ryan
Bucklad, Joseph Merlino and Jason
DiNardo were on hand to assist the
Scouts with the engineering process. All
three seniors are majoring in technology
and engineering education at Cal U.
Construction and programming are
just two of the seven requirements for the
robotics merit badge. Scouts also must
discuss hazard prevention and safety,
explain three of the five major fields of
robotics, discuss how robots are used
today, demonstrate the robot, and discuss
career opportunities in robotics.
“Building and programming robots is
the most expensive task of the merit
badge,” Amrhein said. “We decided to
hold this workshop because Scouts can
benefit as a group from us providing robot
kits and other resources that troops might
not be able to afford.”
More than 60 Scouts applied for the
30 available spots, he added. In light of
the workshop’s popularity, Amrhein is
planning a summer robotics camp that
will be open to all students but will allow
Boy Scouts to earn a robotics merit badge.
He also hopes to develop workshops
and camps for other scouting groups,
including Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and
Adventure Scouts.
“I want to find a way to engage all the
Scouts in robotics,” he said.
“If we can introduce robotics to the
different groups of Scouts, the bigger the
win it will be for the University, the
robotics program and the STEM
education of children.”
Alumna Accepts Carter Award
C
alling her alma mater’s first
African-American graduate
“a true progressive leader,”
Cynthia James ’02 accepted the
third annual Jennie Carter
Leadership Award during a luncheon Oct. 6 in the Kara Alumni
House.
“The tenets of leadership have
not changed” since Elizabeth
“Jennie” Adams Carter graduated
in 1881, James said. She noted that
Jennie Carter was able to sustain a
vibrant teaching career while raising a family, a rarity in her day.
Cal U honors Jennie Carter
each year near her birthday, Oct. 9,
by recognizing an individual who
embodies her indomitable spirit.
William Carter, Jennie Carter’s
great-grandson, said James does
just that.
She is executive director for
Public Allies Pittsburgh, a national
leadership and service organization
that she launched in partnership
with the Coro Center for
Leadership in 2006.
A member and vice president of
the board of directors for Umoja
African Arts Company, also in
Pittsburgh, James gives in excess of
200 hours of volunteer service to
her community each year.
As a young leader, James has
been listed among the Pittsburgh
Courier’s “Fab 40” and Pittsburgh
Magazine’s “40 Under 40.” She
also received the Urban League’s
Young Professional Community
Enjoying a moment outside of the Kara Alumni House are (from left) Kay Carter;
Cynthia James ’02, recipient of the third annual Jennie Carter Leadership Award;
and William Carter, Jennie Carter’s great-grandson.
Leader Award for promoting civic
engagement.
“Cynthia James is an advocate
of social change through responsible leadership,” Carter said as he
presented the award. “Her primary
goal is to train young people who
want to make a career out of making a difference.”
In her acceptance speech, James
reminisced about campus life,
recalling both the happy times and
the challenges she faced as an
undergraduate.
As an undergraduate, she held
office in the Student Government
Association, the Student Activities
Board, the Black Student Union
and the University Ethics
Committee. She was inducted into
the Order of Omega for her service
to her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta, and
received the Student Leadership
Award.
“The core values of Cal U have
stuck with me through my personal
life and in my career,” she said. “I
ask myself, ‘Am I living my life the
way I want others to see me?’
“It is your privilege to be here,”
she told students who attended the
luncheon. “Don’t be afraid to take
risks. Take on the world. Take this
experience and run with it.”
Professor Competes for U.S.A.
in World Masters Marathon
D
Dr. Mary Kreiss fulfilled a dream this summer
when she represented the United States at the
World Masters Track and Field Championships.
r. Mary Kreis achieved a personal goal and helped
a stranger when she competed at the World Masters
Track and Field Championships this summer in
Sacramento, Calif.
An associate professor in the Department of Exercise
Science and Sport Studies, Kreis represented her country in
the marathon and ran her second fastest time, completing
the course in three hours, 18 minutes and 51 seconds.
She finished fourth overall in her age group.
A cancer survivor, Kreis was diagnosed with metastatic
melanoma in 2004, during her first week at Cal U. She had
two surgeries to remove the cancer, both while she was
pregnant with her daughter, Viva, who was born healthy in
January 2005. The child’s name means “live long.”
“My goal was to be able to tell Viva that her mommy
competed for the U.S.A. and wore the uniform of our
country as an athlete,” Kreiss explained proudly. “I will
never wear a crown, but I got to wear the uniform!”
Because of her connection with cancer, Kreis was one of
25 cyclists selected to ride in the 2005 Tour of Hope, a crosscountry bike ride with Lance Armstrong that was designed
to highlight the need for clinical trials in cancer research.
Kreis was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the
U.S. Army’s Medical Service Corps while she completed her
bachelor’s degree. In 2006 she accepted a medical discharge
with the rank of major in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Although she missed a medal at the 2011 world
championships by just one place, the said journey was well
worth it.
“The experience was incredible, because I was able to
meet and compete with athletes from around the world,”
she said. “I was thankful to have such an amazing
opportunity, as both an athlete and a sport management
professor. I learned so much about managing a world-level
and world-class event!”
Kreis recalled pacing and talking with a woman from
Costa Rica. “She didn’t speak English but understood what
my intentions were, as was evidenced by the hugs and kisses
I received afterward. It was special.”
Last November, two days before competing in a
triathlon, Kreis delivered a Veterans Day speech on the
deck of a World War II battleship permanently docked in
Wilmington, N.C. She will be repeating both of those
activities next month.
Campus BRIEFS
Procurement Opportunities
Fair Planned
Cal U’s Government Agency Coordination Office
(GACO) will sponsor the 24th annual Procurement
Opportunities Fair from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday at
the Four Points Sheraton North in Mars, Pa.
Any business interested in selling products or
services to federal, state or local government agencies
and prime contractors should attend. Admission is $30.
Focused on providing companies with contracting
and subcontracting information, the fair will feature
90 booths occupied by representatives of government
agencies, corporations, regional service organizations
and area businesses.
Some of the participants for this year’s fair
include: 911th Airlift Wing, Bechtel Plant Machinery,
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL),
Mine Safety Appliances Co., Naval Supply Systems
Command (NAVSUP), NAVSUP Weapon Systems
Support, Simplex Grinnell, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare
and Westinghouse Electric Co.
In addition to the networking opportunities in the
booth area, Susan Burrows, director of NAVSUP’s
Office of Small Business Programs, will present a talk
on “Maximizing Opportunities with NAVSUP. This
session provides an overview of the Naval Supply
Systems Command mission and how to do business
with this unique enterprise.
For more information, contact Tracy Julian at
724-938-5881 or julian@calu.edu .
Cal U Kicks Off BotsIQ
More than 110 high school students and educators
from across southwestern Pennsylvania attended the
annual BotsIQ kick-off meeting on Oct. 5 in the
Performance Center.
BotsIQ is a robotics and STEM education
program that asks students to build combat-style
robots for competition. By building “battle bots,”
students put the STEM subjects — science,
technology, engineering and math — into practice.
The regional BotsIQ competition, in its seventh
year, involves more than 40 schools from nine counties.
The kick-off event gives participants a chance to
learn about the competition, the robot submission
guidelines and the categories in which robots will be
judged. In addition to the ’bot-to-’bot contest, each
team must present schematic details, an explanation for
design choices, and analysis for engineering systems.
Students have five months to build their robots.
Preliminary matches are set for March 23-24 at Cal U.
The finals will be held Aug. 13-14 at Westmoreland
County Community College in Youngwood, Pa.
Homecoming Set for Saturday
— Continued from page 1
Kara Alumni House. Cost is $75 for the reception, symphony performance and
optional shuttle service between Kara Alumni House and Steele Hall.
Admission to the performance only is $10 for members of the Cal U
community or the general public. To purchase tickets, call the Steele Box Office at
724-938-5943. The performance is free for students with a valid CalCard. Proceeds
benefit the Alumni Scholarship Fund.
• A bonfire at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the River Lot parking area. The 2011
Homecoming Court will be announced. The event begins at 6 p.m. with the torch
lighting at the Vulcan statue on the Quad.
• The 17th annual Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame banquet at 5:30 p.m. Friday in
the Performance Center. Inductees honored this year are Antoine Bagwell
(football), Rich Kotarsky ’67 (basketball), Bill Lee ’67 (football), Candice Pickens
(basketball), the late Paul E. Ross ’37 (wrestling coach/athletic director), Megan
Storck ’06 (women’s basketball) and Jack Zduriencik ’74 (baseball).
Cal U’s 1968 PSAC champion football team also will be honored.
• The Young Alumni Advisory Council meeting at 6 p.m. in the first-floor
conference room at the Kara Alumni House.
• The eighth annual Industrial Arts/Technology Education (IA/TE) Alumni
Society reception, 7 p.m. Friday in the Booker Great Room of the Kara Alumni
House.
• President Armenti’s annual visit to the various fraternities, sororities and
other organizations preparing floats for the Homecoming parade on Friday.
For more information about Homecoming 2011 events and activities, visit
http://sai.calu.edu/homecoming/2011/orient.html .
SECA Serves Spaghetti Oct. 31
As part of the 2011 SECA fundraising campaign,
“I give because ...,” a spaghetti-and-meatballs lunch
will be offered from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at the
Performance Center. Cost is $7 and includes salad,
dessert and beverage. Proceeds go to SECA, the State
Employees Combined Appeal.
Dine-in and take-out tickets are available; take-out
tickets must be purchased in advance. Ticket-holders
will be eligible for a chance to win a door prize.
SECA serves as an umbrella for nine major
organizations that support local, regional or
international charities. A parent organization of the
SECA/Cal U drive is the United Way of Mon Valley.
This organization’s president for a fifth term is Cal
U’s First Lady, Barbara Armenti.
To purchase tickets,contact either Dana Turcic
( turcic@calu.edu ) or Norm Hasbrouck
( hasbrouck@calu.edu ).
Thank You
Ken Grzelak, assistant director for Campus
Support Services, would like to thank the Cal U
community for all its support, acts of kindness and
prayers during the recent loss of his mother. The
thoughtfulness is sincerely appreciated.
Parking Changes Planned
V
isitors who wish to park on campus while they attend Homecoming
events may use the Vulcan Garage. Rates are posted. Drivers who pay by
the hour will find pay stations located on the garage’s first, third and
fourth levels. Anyone who forgets to stop at the pay station will be able to pay
with a credit card when exiting the garage.
On Saturday, these road closures will be in effect:
• Sixth Street will be closed from the Vulcan Garage to Hickory Street.
• Hickory will be closed on campus beginning at 10 a.m.
• Third Street will be closed at the entrance to campus beginning at 10 a.m.
• Lots 12 and 14 will be used for parade lineup.
• The River Lot (Lot 4) will be open to vehicles with a hangtag for that lot.
• Lots 15 and 17 will be open for those who have reserved spaces, but no cars
will be able to move from their spots from 9 a.m. until the end of the parade.
• Lot 11 will be available to all visiting groups that are marching in the
parade.
• Lot 2 will be open to permit holders and those attending the Alumni
Luncheon.
The Vulcan Flyer shuttle service will operate until 10:30 a.m. Saturday. It will
resume immediately after the parade at the Booker Towers stop to take people to
the football game at Adamson Stadium.
Also on Saturday, there will be no parking from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Second
Street (200 to 500 blocks), Third Street (200 to 400 blocks) and Union Street (200
block). Vehicles parked along the parade route will receive a parking ticket
beginning at 9 a.m. Towing of those vehicles will start at approximately 10 a.m.
3
Athletic Director Brought Back Wrestling
Editor’s Note: Cal U will hold its 17th
annual Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet
Friday at the Performance Center in the
Natali Student Center. For reservations,
contact Montean Dean at 724-938-4418.
Throughout the fall, The Journal will profile
each of the 2011 Hall of Fame inductees.
A
respected and well-liked
disciplinarian, the late Paul Ross
resurrected the wrestling
program at Cal during a distinguished
20-year career.
Ross was a faculty member in Cal
U’s former Health and Physical
Education Department from 1957 to
1968, when he was appointed athletic
director. He served in that capacity until
his retirement in 1976.
During his undergraduate days at
Cal, Ross was a four-year starting tackle
on the football team from 1933-1936.
Aided by his dominant play up front, the
Vulcans and head coach Bill Steers
achieved three winning seasons.
Ross was also a standout 200-pound
wrestler under head coach Louis
Sismondo. Wrestling was eliminated as
a varsity sport after the 1934-1935
season, but it remained an athletic
option for students.
In addition to starring in two sports
and playing intramural basketball, Ross
was president of the Photography Club
and the Traveling Men’s Council, as well
as a member of Student Congress,
Men’s Glee Club, Science-Math Club,
Varsity Club and the Monocal yearbook
staff. He was also a student wrestling
coach.
Ross restarted the wrestling program
in 1957 and guided the Vulcans for 10
Paul Ross’ distinguished career at Cal U as
a student-athlete, teacher, coach and
administrator has deservedly earned him
induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
years, achieving a 66-45-5 career dualmeet coaching record. One of the many
student-athletes Ross coached was Cal U
Hall of Fame inductee William “Bull”
McPherson, who in 1961 became the
school’s first PSAC wrestling champion.
One of the initial wrestlers for Ross
was heavyweight Pete Petroff ’60, who
was better known for his prowess on the
football field.
A two-way lineman on Cal’s
undefeated 1958 team, Petroff wrestled
for Ross in 1957, when the team’s results
did not count, and was a state finalist in
1958.
“Paul Ross was a gentleman, a good
man,” Petroff said. “But he told you
how it was and was very sincere and
honest.”
Petroff went out for wrestling to stay
in shape for football, but he praised Ross
for bringing back wrestling as a varsity
sport.
“I thought he could have pushed us
harder, but that was because he was
building the team,” said Petroff, now a
retired high school guidance counselor
and successful scholastic football coach.
“He was trying to build something,
although we did not have much money
or resources. But he was the catalyst in
getting it all started.”
Ross also coached the men’s tennis
team for five years before moving into
athletic administration. He turned over
the wrestling and tennis coaching duties
to eventual Cal U Hall of Fame
inductees Dr. Allen Welsh (2000) and
Frank Vulcano Sr. (wrestling, 2005).
As athletic director, Ross was
chairman of the PSAC Wrestling
Tournament when the event was held at
Cal’s Hamer Hall in 1969. Under Ross’
leadership, Cal athletics won PSAC
team championships in football (1968)
and men’s basketball (1970) and
captured three men’s tennis state crowns
(1968, 1971, 1972). He is a member of
the PSAC Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Vulcano coached the Vulcans for 18
years after taking over for Ross. He won
181 dual meets while producing 10 AllAmericans, four state champs and one
national champion.
“Paul Ross gave me a great
opportunity, was a caring mentor and
brought the sport back to campus,”
Vulcano said.
Longtime mathematics and
computer science professor George
Novak, a past president of the Athletic
Council, echoed those statements.
“Everyone liked and respected Paul
Ross,” said Novak. “He led the Athletic
Department during some very tough
economic times and was just a great
guy.”
Originally from Speers, Pa., Ross
attended both Belle Vernon and
Charleroi high schools After earning his
bachelor’s degree in secondary
education from Cal in 1937, he did postgraduate work at the University of
Pittsburgh.
Ross began coaching in 1937 as an
assistant football coach at South Union
High School, where he later served as
head football coach for two seasons.
He transferred to Fallowfield
Township and was assistant director of
the NYA before enlisting in the Navy in
1943. He was discharged with the rank
of lieutenant commander in December
1945 but remained active in the military
for many years as a commander in the
Naval Reserve.
Before returning to his collegiate
alma mater, Ross worked for 11 years at
Donora High School as a physical
education instructor and the Dragons’
wrestling coach.
He also served as the business
adviser and photographer for Donora’s
school publications.
Ross and his wife, the late Catherine
Bodish Ross, were the parents of two
sons, Vernon and Scott. Vernon will
speak on his father’s behalf at Friday’s
banquet. Paul Ross Sr. passed away on
Sept. 28, 1980.
Career Coach Program Links Students, Alumni
A
lumni and students are building
connections as the Cal U Career
Coach program gets under way.
The mentoring program held a
kickoff event Sept. 29 and plans a
second event next month.
Career Coach grew from an idea first
proposed by University President Angelo
Armenti, Jr. as a way to engage alumni
with their alma mater.
The program involves the entire
campus community: Faculty and staff
have nominated highly motivated
students as protégés, and members of the
University Development, Alumni
Relations and Career Services areas
nominated career coaches.
In all, more than 40 protégés and
coaches are involved in the pilot
program.
Nearly 30 attended the initial event
last month in the Welcome Center.
Several out-of-state coaches participated
via Skype, GoogleChat or Face Time.
Before the event, Career Services held
information sessions for all protégés and
coaches to
review the
handbook and
other resources,
to discuss
expectations
and to address
questions.
“We have a
fantastic,
Bill Brown
motivated and
engaged group of Career Coaches and
protégés,” said Rhonda Gifford, director
of Career Services.
The keynote speaker at the kickoff
event was Cal U’s head basketball coach,
Bill Brown. In 2000 Brown initiated
Basketball Alumni Day, which fosters
engagement between past Vulcan greats
and the current team.
In his talk, Brown touched on the
impact coaches have made on his life.
Coaching “applies to life in general,
regardless of whether you’re an athlete,
factory worker or businessman,” he said.
“The disciplines and goal-setting are
important for success.”
Brown noted that Alumni Day and
the Career Coach program both
emphasize paying it forward. When
students meet alumni, they can see how
a Cal U education has paid off.
Another enthusiastic coach is
Michael Napolitano ’68, who became a
successful businessman after teaching for
seven years. A past president of the
Alumni Association, he is a member of
the University’s Council of Trustees.
“I want to help our current students
any way I can,” Napolitano said. “After
getting their degree they must set a goal,
have a plan, make the commitment and
have a target date.”
The program aims to connect
graduates with students in a related field.
For example, former special agent Mark
Camillo ’76 — now senior vice president
of strategic planning for Contemporary
Services Corp., a security firm —
provided interview advice to protégé
Marie Turnbull, a senior in the Justice
Studies program.
The two had exchanged e-mails, and
Turnbull called her career coach the
night before she interviewed with the
U.S. Secret Service office in Pittsburgh.
Turnbull was offered an internship,
and she’s looking forward to meeting
Camillo when he speaks at Cal U’s fifth
annual Conference on Homeland and
International Security on Oct. 25.
Several other protégés expressed
interest in becoming career coaches
someday.
“This is a great example of Cal U for
Life, giving of time and talent,” Gifford
said.
On Nov. 17, a Cal U Career Coach
Career Panel and Networking Event will
take place from 6-8 p.m.
“We look forward to supporting the
coaches and protégés throughout the
year,” said Meaghan Clister, of Career
Services.
For more information, or to nominate
student protégés for the 2012-2013 program,
faculty and staff may contact Meaghan
Clister at clister@calu.edu .
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. Charles Mance
Vice President for University Technology Services
Craig Butzine
Vice President for Marketing and University Relations
Geraldine M. Jones
Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
Ron Huiatt
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
Christine Kindl
Editor
Dr. Lenora Angelone
Vice President for Student Affairs
Robert Thorn
Interim Vice President for Administration and Finance
Bruce Wald, Wendy Mackall, Jeff Bender
Writers
Office of Communications and Public Relations
4
250 University Avenue
California, PA 15419
724-938-4195
wald@calu.edu
Re a d t h e Jo urn a l o n l in e : www.calu.edu/news/the-journal
Cal U to Bolster
Police Force
Three Patrol Officers, Two Cruisers
Will Be Added on Campus
C
To strengthen security, Cal U will add three officers to its University Police Department and
purchase two more patrol cars for the campus police force.
alifornia University of Pennsylvania will add three officers to its University
Police Department and purchase two more patrol cars for the campus police
force.
University President Angelo Armenti, Jr. authorized the moves to strengthen
security on Cal U’s main campus in California, Pa., and on its nearby south campus,
which includes Adamson football stadium, the Roadman Park and SAI Farm
recreation areas, and the Vulcan Village student housing complex.
The additional officers and patrol cars also may be used to assist the California
Borough Police Department as needed.
President Armenti announced the measure last week, after Cal U issued the fall
semester’s third “timely warning” about off-campus crimes. An additional alert was
issued Oct. 10.
The President also posted a special message on the Cal U website.
Although none of these incidents occurred on campus, President Armenti is
taking proactive measures to ensure the safety and security of the campus
community, including Cal U students.
“Years ago, many families chose a college for their son or daughter based largely
on its physical appearance,” President Armenti said yesterday. “Now safety is their
No. 1 concern. This is our top priority, as well.”
Cal U’s campus police force currently has three patrol cars and 16 fully trained
officers, including police Chief Bob Downey. The department also includes three
dispatchers/security officers and an administrative assistant.
Two parking officers patrol campus parking lots, as well.
“Hiring three new officers means we will be able to add another patrol officer to
each shift,” Downey said.
“That will give us more flexibility and the ability to patrol outlying areas, such as
the south campus, more aggressively.”
Two additional cruisers will “enhance the department’s visibility and
effectiveness,” he added.
Downey said he would begin to advertise the positions as soon as possible,
following guidelines established by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher
Education.
Mission Day Homecoming Goes ‘Around World’
Speaker
“A
Explores
Education
E
ven without formal instruction,
children can — and will — teach
themselves if they are motivated by
curiosity and interest among their peers.
That’s what Dr. Sugata Mitra discovered
more than a decade ago, when he and his
research partners placed an Internetconnected computer behind a hole in a wall
in an urban slum in Delhi, India.
A hidden camera showed the
neighborhood’s children, who never had
been taught to use a computer, playing with
the device. Soon they were using the
computer to go online — and teaching each
other what they had learned.
Mitra will be the keynote speaker Oct.
26 at Mission Day XIII, a day devoted to
exploring a single topic of interest to the
campus community. Classes will be
cancelled so all members of the campus
community can discuss the notion that
— Continued on page 2
round the World” is the
theme for events today
through Saturday as Cal U
celebrates Homecoming 2011.
A highlight of the week is
Saturday’s Homecoming Day
celebration. Pre-parade activities begin
at 9 a.m. around campus including
tethered hot air balloon rides (weather
permitting), a petting zoo, inflatables,
face painting, games and more. At 10
a.m. in the Grand Hall of Old Main,
President Angelo Armenti, Jr. and
First Lady Barbara Armenti will host
the Circle Brunch.
The Homecoming Parade will
begin at noon, led by grand marshal
Tim Gorske ’62. It will form on
Hickory Street, behind the Natali
Student Center, and travel down Third
Street. Marchers will turn right on
Union Street, return to campus on
Second Street and end the march at
the Kara Alumni House.
A tailgating party with activities for
all ages will begin at Roadman Park at
1:30 p.m.
At 3:30 p.m., the Cal U football
team will host division rival
Mercyhurst University in Adamson
One of many highlights Saturday will be the Homecoming Parade, which begins at noon.
Stadium at Hepner-Bailey Field. At
halftime, winners of the Homecoming
Parade float competition will be
revealed, and the Homecoming king
and queen will be announced.
Other events during Homecoming
week include:
• A performance by the Pittsburgh
Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m.
Tuesday in Steele Hall Mainstage
Theatre.
A pre-concert reception begins at
6:45 p.m. in the Michael and Julia
— Continued on page 3
B
Mike Amrhein, director of T.E.A.M.S. at Cal U, assists Antonio Casadei of Boy Scout Troop 23
with his robotics merit badge in the Cal U Conference Rooms at CONSOL Energy Center.
Mission Day
Speaker to Focus
on Education
— Continued from page 1
“education is a self-organizing system.”
Mitra is a professor of educational technology in the
School of Education, Communication and Language
Sciences at Newcastle University in the United Kingdom.
He is the leading proponent of
“minimally invasive education,”
which suggests that by stimulating a
learner’s curiosity and providing the
appropriate tools, children will drive
their own education.
Mitra holds a doctorate in
physics and is credited with more
than 25 inventions in the area of
cognitive science and educational
Dr. Sugata Mitra
technology.
A Cal U tradition since 1998, Mission Day allows all
members of the University community to engage in
dialogue, share ideas and voice recommendations as
equals in order to advance the institution’s mission and
goals.
Daytime classes will be cancelled so that students,
faculty, staff and alumni can participate in the program
and discuss the topic. Evening classes may be cancelled
at the instructor’s discretion.
Registration for Mission Day XIII on Oct. 26 is
ongoing. Check the Cal U website, www.calu.edu , for a
link to the registration page, or visit
www.calu.edu/events/mission-day/index.htm .
To engage in the conversation, please follow
@CalUofPA on Twitter and use the #calumday hashtag
to share your thoughts on this provocative topic.
The Cal U website has links to videos about Dr.
Sugata Mitra’s work.
2
Scouts Work Toward
Robotics Merit Badge
oy Scouts from the Pittsburgh area
filled the Cal U Conference Rooms
at CONSOL Energy Center Oct. 1
to build and program robots — two key
steps toward earning a merit badge
introduced just six months ago.
The Boy Scouts of America Robotics
Merit Badge Workshop was presented by
Cal U’s Office of Integration and
Outreach for T.E.A.M.S. (Teaching,
Engineering, Arts, Math and Science) and
the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation.
It gave Pittsburgh-area Scouts a
chance to work toward their robotics
merit badge using the expertise and
resources of the University.
The new merit badge is part of the
Boy Scouts of America’s current
emphasis on science, technology,
engineering and math — the subjects
known collectively as STEM. It was
developed during a 14-month process that
included input from 150 youth members,
educational leaders and industry
professionals from across the nation.
Michael Amrhein, director of the
Office of Integration and Outreach for
T.E.A.M.S. at Cal U, helped to develop
the badge.
“The whole concept of the merit
badge is advancement and career
awareness,” he said. “The Scouts can
advance their ranking within the Boy
Scouts program by earning this badge,
and they also gain an awareness of
robotics as a career.
“Embedded within the merit badge is
education about the robotics industry,
safety and competition.”
At the workshop, 30 Scouts assembled
NXT Lego robotics kits and used laptops
provided by the University to program
their robots’ movements.
“Soldering is required, so long pants
and long sleeves are essential,” the
workshop announcement advised.
In addition to Amrhein, students Ryan
Bucklad, Joseph Merlino and Jason
DiNardo were on hand to assist the
Scouts with the engineering process. All
three seniors are majoring in technology
and engineering education at Cal U.
Construction and programming are
just two of the seven requirements for the
robotics merit badge. Scouts also must
discuss hazard prevention and safety,
explain three of the five major fields of
robotics, discuss how robots are used
today, demonstrate the robot, and discuss
career opportunities in robotics.
“Building and programming robots is
the most expensive task of the merit
badge,” Amrhein said. “We decided to
hold this workshop because Scouts can
benefit as a group from us providing robot
kits and other resources that troops might
not be able to afford.”
More than 60 Scouts applied for the
30 available spots, he added. In light of
the workshop’s popularity, Amrhein is
planning a summer robotics camp that
will be open to all students but will allow
Boy Scouts to earn a robotics merit badge.
He also hopes to develop workshops
and camps for other scouting groups,
including Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and
Adventure Scouts.
“I want to find a way to engage all the
Scouts in robotics,” he said.
“If we can introduce robotics to the
different groups of Scouts, the bigger the
win it will be for the University, the
robotics program and the STEM
education of children.”
Alumna Accepts Carter Award
C
alling her alma mater’s first
African-American graduate
“a true progressive leader,”
Cynthia James ’02 accepted the
third annual Jennie Carter
Leadership Award during a luncheon Oct. 6 in the Kara Alumni
House.
“The tenets of leadership have
not changed” since Elizabeth
“Jennie” Adams Carter graduated
in 1881, James said. She noted that
Jennie Carter was able to sustain a
vibrant teaching career while raising a family, a rarity in her day.
Cal U honors Jennie Carter
each year near her birthday, Oct. 9,
by recognizing an individual who
embodies her indomitable spirit.
William Carter, Jennie Carter’s
great-grandson, said James does
just that.
She is executive director for
Public Allies Pittsburgh, a national
leadership and service organization
that she launched in partnership
with the Coro Center for
Leadership in 2006.
A member and vice president of
the board of directors for Umoja
African Arts Company, also in
Pittsburgh, James gives in excess of
200 hours of volunteer service to
her community each year.
As a young leader, James has
been listed among the Pittsburgh
Courier’s “Fab 40” and Pittsburgh
Magazine’s “40 Under 40.” She
also received the Urban League’s
Young Professional Community
Enjoying a moment outside of the Kara Alumni House are (from left) Kay Carter;
Cynthia James ’02, recipient of the third annual Jennie Carter Leadership Award;
and William Carter, Jennie Carter’s great-grandson.
Leader Award for promoting civic
engagement.
“Cynthia James is an advocate
of social change through responsible leadership,” Carter said as he
presented the award. “Her primary
goal is to train young people who
want to make a career out of making a difference.”
In her acceptance speech, James
reminisced about campus life,
recalling both the happy times and
the challenges she faced as an
undergraduate.
As an undergraduate, she held
office in the Student Government
Association, the Student Activities
Board, the Black Student Union
and the University Ethics
Committee. She was inducted into
the Order of Omega for her service
to her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta, and
received the Student Leadership
Award.
“The core values of Cal U have
stuck with me through my personal
life and in my career,” she said. “I
ask myself, ‘Am I living my life the
way I want others to see me?’
“It is your privilege to be here,”
she told students who attended the
luncheon. “Don’t be afraid to take
risks. Take on the world. Take this
experience and run with it.”
Professor Competes for U.S.A.
in World Masters Marathon
D
Dr. Mary Kreiss fulfilled a dream this summer
when she represented the United States at the
World Masters Track and Field Championships.
r. Mary Kreis achieved a personal goal and helped
a stranger when she competed at the World Masters
Track and Field Championships this summer in
Sacramento, Calif.
An associate professor in the Department of Exercise
Science and Sport Studies, Kreis represented her country in
the marathon and ran her second fastest time, completing
the course in three hours, 18 minutes and 51 seconds.
She finished fourth overall in her age group.
A cancer survivor, Kreis was diagnosed with metastatic
melanoma in 2004, during her first week at Cal U. She had
two surgeries to remove the cancer, both while she was
pregnant with her daughter, Viva, who was born healthy in
January 2005. The child’s name means “live long.”
“My goal was to be able to tell Viva that her mommy
competed for the U.S.A. and wore the uniform of our
country as an athlete,” Kreiss explained proudly. “I will
never wear a crown, but I got to wear the uniform!”
Because of her connection with cancer, Kreis was one of
25 cyclists selected to ride in the 2005 Tour of Hope, a crosscountry bike ride with Lance Armstrong that was designed
to highlight the need for clinical trials in cancer research.
Kreis was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the
U.S. Army’s Medical Service Corps while she completed her
bachelor’s degree. In 2006 she accepted a medical discharge
with the rank of major in the U.S. Army Reserve.
Although she missed a medal at the 2011 world
championships by just one place, the said journey was well
worth it.
“The experience was incredible, because I was able to
meet and compete with athletes from around the world,”
she said. “I was thankful to have such an amazing
opportunity, as both an athlete and a sport management
professor. I learned so much about managing a world-level
and world-class event!”
Kreis recalled pacing and talking with a woman from
Costa Rica. “She didn’t speak English but understood what
my intentions were, as was evidenced by the hugs and kisses
I received afterward. It was special.”
Last November, two days before competing in a
triathlon, Kreis delivered a Veterans Day speech on the
deck of a World War II battleship permanently docked in
Wilmington, N.C. She will be repeating both of those
activities next month.
Campus BRIEFS
Procurement Opportunities
Fair Planned
Cal U’s Government Agency Coordination Office
(GACO) will sponsor the 24th annual Procurement
Opportunities Fair from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Wednesday at
the Four Points Sheraton North in Mars, Pa.
Any business interested in selling products or
services to federal, state or local government agencies
and prime contractors should attend. Admission is $30.
Focused on providing companies with contracting
and subcontracting information, the fair will feature
90 booths occupied by representatives of government
agencies, corporations, regional service organizations
and area businesses.
Some of the participants for this year’s fair
include: 911th Airlift Wing, Bechtel Plant Machinery,
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL),
Mine Safety Appliances Co., Naval Supply Systems
Command (NAVSUP), NAVSUP Weapon Systems
Support, Simplex Grinnell, VA Pittsburgh Healthcare
and Westinghouse Electric Co.
In addition to the networking opportunities in the
booth area, Susan Burrows, director of NAVSUP’s
Office of Small Business Programs, will present a talk
on “Maximizing Opportunities with NAVSUP. This
session provides an overview of the Naval Supply
Systems Command mission and how to do business
with this unique enterprise.
For more information, contact Tracy Julian at
724-938-5881 or julian@calu.edu .
Cal U Kicks Off BotsIQ
More than 110 high school students and educators
from across southwestern Pennsylvania attended the
annual BotsIQ kick-off meeting on Oct. 5 in the
Performance Center.
BotsIQ is a robotics and STEM education
program that asks students to build combat-style
robots for competition. By building “battle bots,”
students put the STEM subjects — science,
technology, engineering and math — into practice.
The regional BotsIQ competition, in its seventh
year, involves more than 40 schools from nine counties.
The kick-off event gives participants a chance to
learn about the competition, the robot submission
guidelines and the categories in which robots will be
judged. In addition to the ’bot-to-’bot contest, each
team must present schematic details, an explanation for
design choices, and analysis for engineering systems.
Students have five months to build their robots.
Preliminary matches are set for March 23-24 at Cal U.
The finals will be held Aug. 13-14 at Westmoreland
County Community College in Youngwood, Pa.
Homecoming Set for Saturday
— Continued from page 1
Kara Alumni House. Cost is $75 for the reception, symphony performance and
optional shuttle service between Kara Alumni House and Steele Hall.
Admission to the performance only is $10 for members of the Cal U
community or the general public. To purchase tickets, call the Steele Box Office at
724-938-5943. The performance is free for students with a valid CalCard. Proceeds
benefit the Alumni Scholarship Fund.
• A bonfire at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the River Lot parking area. The 2011
Homecoming Court will be announced. The event begins at 6 p.m. with the torch
lighting at the Vulcan statue on the Quad.
• The 17th annual Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame banquet at 5:30 p.m. Friday in
the Performance Center. Inductees honored this year are Antoine Bagwell
(football), Rich Kotarsky ’67 (basketball), Bill Lee ’67 (football), Candice Pickens
(basketball), the late Paul E. Ross ’37 (wrestling coach/athletic director), Megan
Storck ’06 (women’s basketball) and Jack Zduriencik ’74 (baseball).
Cal U’s 1968 PSAC champion football team also will be honored.
• The Young Alumni Advisory Council meeting at 6 p.m. in the first-floor
conference room at the Kara Alumni House.
• The eighth annual Industrial Arts/Technology Education (IA/TE) Alumni
Society reception, 7 p.m. Friday in the Booker Great Room of the Kara Alumni
House.
• President Armenti’s annual visit to the various fraternities, sororities and
other organizations preparing floats for the Homecoming parade on Friday.
For more information about Homecoming 2011 events and activities, visit
http://sai.calu.edu/homecoming/2011/orient.html .
SECA Serves Spaghetti Oct. 31
As part of the 2011 SECA fundraising campaign,
“I give because ...,” a spaghetti-and-meatballs lunch
will be offered from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Oct. 3 at the
Performance Center. Cost is $7 and includes salad,
dessert and beverage. Proceeds go to SECA, the State
Employees Combined Appeal.
Dine-in and take-out tickets are available; take-out
tickets must be purchased in advance. Ticket-holders
will be eligible for a chance to win a door prize.
SECA serves as an umbrella for nine major
organizations that support local, regional or
international charities. A parent organization of the
SECA/Cal U drive is the United Way of Mon Valley.
This organization’s president for a fifth term is Cal
U’s First Lady, Barbara Armenti.
To purchase tickets,contact either Dana Turcic
( turcic@calu.edu ) or Norm Hasbrouck
( hasbrouck@calu.edu ).
Thank You
Ken Grzelak, assistant director for Campus
Support Services, would like to thank the Cal U
community for all its support, acts of kindness and
prayers during the recent loss of his mother. The
thoughtfulness is sincerely appreciated.
Parking Changes Planned
V
isitors who wish to park on campus while they attend Homecoming
events may use the Vulcan Garage. Rates are posted. Drivers who pay by
the hour will find pay stations located on the garage’s first, third and
fourth levels. Anyone who forgets to stop at the pay station will be able to pay
with a credit card when exiting the garage.
On Saturday, these road closures will be in effect:
• Sixth Street will be closed from the Vulcan Garage to Hickory Street.
• Hickory will be closed on campus beginning at 10 a.m.
• Third Street will be closed at the entrance to campus beginning at 10 a.m.
• Lots 12 and 14 will be used for parade lineup.
• The River Lot (Lot 4) will be open to vehicles with a hangtag for that lot.
• Lots 15 and 17 will be open for those who have reserved spaces, but no cars
will be able to move from their spots from 9 a.m. until the end of the parade.
• Lot 11 will be available to all visiting groups that are marching in the
parade.
• Lot 2 will be open to permit holders and those attending the Alumni
Luncheon.
The Vulcan Flyer shuttle service will operate until 10:30 a.m. Saturday. It will
resume immediately after the parade at the Booker Towers stop to take people to
the football game at Adamson Stadium.
Also on Saturday, there will be no parking from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Second
Street (200 to 500 blocks), Third Street (200 to 400 blocks) and Union Street (200
block). Vehicles parked along the parade route will receive a parking ticket
beginning at 9 a.m. Towing of those vehicles will start at approximately 10 a.m.
3
Athletic Director Brought Back Wrestling
Editor’s Note: Cal U will hold its 17th
annual Athletic Hall of Fame Banquet
Friday at the Performance Center in the
Natali Student Center. For reservations,
contact Montean Dean at 724-938-4418.
Throughout the fall, The Journal will profile
each of the 2011 Hall of Fame inductees.
A
respected and well-liked
disciplinarian, the late Paul Ross
resurrected the wrestling
program at Cal during a distinguished
20-year career.
Ross was a faculty member in Cal
U’s former Health and Physical
Education Department from 1957 to
1968, when he was appointed athletic
director. He served in that capacity until
his retirement in 1976.
During his undergraduate days at
Cal, Ross was a four-year starting tackle
on the football team from 1933-1936.
Aided by his dominant play up front, the
Vulcans and head coach Bill Steers
achieved three winning seasons.
Ross was also a standout 200-pound
wrestler under head coach Louis
Sismondo. Wrestling was eliminated as
a varsity sport after the 1934-1935
season, but it remained an athletic
option for students.
In addition to starring in two sports
and playing intramural basketball, Ross
was president of the Photography Club
and the Traveling Men’s Council, as well
as a member of Student Congress,
Men’s Glee Club, Science-Math Club,
Varsity Club and the Monocal yearbook
staff. He was also a student wrestling
coach.
Ross restarted the wrestling program
in 1957 and guided the Vulcans for 10
Paul Ross’ distinguished career at Cal U as
a student-athlete, teacher, coach and
administrator has deservedly earned him
induction into the Athletic Hall of Fame.
years, achieving a 66-45-5 career dualmeet coaching record. One of the many
student-athletes Ross coached was Cal U
Hall of Fame inductee William “Bull”
McPherson, who in 1961 became the
school’s first PSAC wrestling champion.
One of the initial wrestlers for Ross
was heavyweight Pete Petroff ’60, who
was better known for his prowess on the
football field.
A two-way lineman on Cal’s
undefeated 1958 team, Petroff wrestled
for Ross in 1957, when the team’s results
did not count, and was a state finalist in
1958.
“Paul Ross was a gentleman, a good
man,” Petroff said. “But he told you
how it was and was very sincere and
honest.”
Petroff went out for wrestling to stay
in shape for football, but he praised Ross
for bringing back wrestling as a varsity
sport.
“I thought he could have pushed us
harder, but that was because he was
building the team,” said Petroff, now a
retired high school guidance counselor
and successful scholastic football coach.
“He was trying to build something,
although we did not have much money
or resources. But he was the catalyst in
getting it all started.”
Ross also coached the men’s tennis
team for five years before moving into
athletic administration. He turned over
the wrestling and tennis coaching duties
to eventual Cal U Hall of Fame
inductees Dr. Allen Welsh (2000) and
Frank Vulcano Sr. (wrestling, 2005).
As athletic director, Ross was
chairman of the PSAC Wrestling
Tournament when the event was held at
Cal’s Hamer Hall in 1969. Under Ross’
leadership, Cal athletics won PSAC
team championships in football (1968)
and men’s basketball (1970) and
captured three men’s tennis state crowns
(1968, 1971, 1972). He is a member of
the PSAC Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Vulcano coached the Vulcans for 18
years after taking over for Ross. He won
181 dual meets while producing 10 AllAmericans, four state champs and one
national champion.
“Paul Ross gave me a great
opportunity, was a caring mentor and
brought the sport back to campus,”
Vulcano said.
Longtime mathematics and
computer science professor George
Novak, a past president of the Athletic
Council, echoed those statements.
“Everyone liked and respected Paul
Ross,” said Novak. “He led the Athletic
Department during some very tough
economic times and was just a great
guy.”
Originally from Speers, Pa., Ross
attended both Belle Vernon and
Charleroi high schools After earning his
bachelor’s degree in secondary
education from Cal in 1937, he did postgraduate work at the University of
Pittsburgh.
Ross began coaching in 1937 as an
assistant football coach at South Union
High School, where he later served as
head football coach for two seasons.
He transferred to Fallowfield
Township and was assistant director of
the NYA before enlisting in the Navy in
1943. He was discharged with the rank
of lieutenant commander in December
1945 but remained active in the military
for many years as a commander in the
Naval Reserve.
Before returning to his collegiate
alma mater, Ross worked for 11 years at
Donora High School as a physical
education instructor and the Dragons’
wrestling coach.
He also served as the business
adviser and photographer for Donora’s
school publications.
Ross and his wife, the late Catherine
Bodish Ross, were the parents of two
sons, Vernon and Scott. Vernon will
speak on his father’s behalf at Friday’s
banquet. Paul Ross Sr. passed away on
Sept. 28, 1980.
Career Coach Program Links Students, Alumni
A
lumni and students are building
connections as the Cal U Career
Coach program gets under way.
The mentoring program held a
kickoff event Sept. 29 and plans a
second event next month.
Career Coach grew from an idea first
proposed by University President Angelo
Armenti, Jr. as a way to engage alumni
with their alma mater.
The program involves the entire
campus community: Faculty and staff
have nominated highly motivated
students as protégés, and members of the
University Development, Alumni
Relations and Career Services areas
nominated career coaches.
In all, more than 40 protégés and
coaches are involved in the pilot
program.
Nearly 30 attended the initial event
last month in the Welcome Center.
Several out-of-state coaches participated
via Skype, GoogleChat or Face Time.
Before the event, Career Services held
information sessions for all protégés and
coaches to
review the
handbook and
other resources,
to discuss
expectations
and to address
questions.
“We have a
fantastic,
Bill Brown
motivated and
engaged group of Career Coaches and
protégés,” said Rhonda Gifford, director
of Career Services.
The keynote speaker at the kickoff
event was Cal U’s head basketball coach,
Bill Brown. In 2000 Brown initiated
Basketball Alumni Day, which fosters
engagement between past Vulcan greats
and the current team.
In his talk, Brown touched on the
impact coaches have made on his life.
Coaching “applies to life in general,
regardless of whether you’re an athlete,
factory worker or businessman,” he said.
“The disciplines and goal-setting are
important for success.”
Brown noted that Alumni Day and
the Career Coach program both
emphasize paying it forward. When
students meet alumni, they can see how
a Cal U education has paid off.
Another enthusiastic coach is
Michael Napolitano ’68, who became a
successful businessman after teaching for
seven years. A past president of the
Alumni Association, he is a member of
the University’s Council of Trustees.
“I want to help our current students
any way I can,” Napolitano said. “After
getting their degree they must set a goal,
have a plan, make the commitment and
have a target date.”
The program aims to connect
graduates with students in a related field.
For example, former special agent Mark
Camillo ’76 — now senior vice president
of strategic planning for Contemporary
Services Corp., a security firm —
provided interview advice to protégé
Marie Turnbull, a senior in the Justice
Studies program.
The two had exchanged e-mails, and
Turnbull called her career coach the
night before she interviewed with the
U.S. Secret Service office in Pittsburgh.
Turnbull was offered an internship,
and she’s looking forward to meeting
Camillo when he speaks at Cal U’s fifth
annual Conference on Homeland and
International Security on Oct. 25.
Several other protégés expressed
interest in becoming career coaches
someday.
“This is a great example of Cal U for
Life, giving of time and talent,” Gifford
said.
On Nov. 17, a Cal U Career Coach
Career Panel and Networking Event will
take place from 6-8 p.m.
“We look forward to supporting the
coaches and protégés throughout the
year,” said Meaghan Clister, of Career
Services.
For more information, or to nominate
student protégés for the 2012-2013 program,
faculty and staff may contact Meaghan
Clister at clister@calu.edu .
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. Charles Mance
Vice President for University Technology Services
Craig Butzine
Vice President for Marketing and University Relations
Geraldine M. Jones
Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs
Ron Huiatt
Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations
Christine Kindl
Editor
Dr. Lenora Angelone
Vice President for Student Affairs
Robert Thorn
Interim Vice President for Administration and Finance
Bruce Wald, Wendy Mackall, Jeff Bender
Writers
Office of Communications and Public Relations
4
250 University Avenue
California, PA 15419
724-938-4195
wald@calu.edu