Today Winter 2013

Up to the test

In anticipation of lab worker shortages, Cal State L.A. teams up with local medical centers to restart training programs

It's 6:30 a.m. Tuesday and while many Southland workers are just starting their days, the laboratory crew of Methodist Hospital of Southern California in Arcadia has kicked it into high gear.

The clinical laboratory scientists (CLS), outfitted in white labs coats and blue medical gloves, prepare thousands of vials, plates and slides with red and yellow liquids, load machines and process body fluid samples from patients all to be ready for the doctors’ rounds at 8:30 a.m.

They perform the tests that will help doctors to diagnose cancers, infections and other illnesses and determine if a patient will be admitted.

And in a couple years, the life science industry will see a shortage of lab workers, which could lead to major delays in patient care.

But academic programs, like the Clinical Laboratory Science Training Program offered through the College of Extended Studies and International Programs, are stepping in to help meet industry demands.

The yearlong post-baccalaureate certificate training program, funded by a subcontract from San Jose State University with a $5 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, is designed to address the critical shortage of clinical laboratory scientists.

In the past couple decades, advancements in technology led to a rise of sophisticated automated testing machines while cost-cutting measures in health care reclassified the work of clinical laboratory scientists into low, moderate and high skill levels in the state of California. This allowed hospitals to hire non-licensed workers at a cheaper rate to perform low-level testing while more complex tests still required a licensed technologist. As a result, the perceived demand for clinical laboratory scientists was low and training programs at hospitals diminished as the costs became prohibitive.

Additionally, the explosion of biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies means that diagnostic firms have been luring CLS workers from the hospital to the research and development side.

“The problem now is that the average age of a CLS is late 50s, so everybody’s getting ready for retirement and there’s nobody to take their place,” said Nancy McQueen, director of the Clinical Lab Scientist Training Programs at Cal State L.A. “Once the economy picks up, the clinical laboratory scientists in their 60s and 70s will retire, there’s going to be a big void and we’re really going to be in trouble.”

Without people in the clinical lab, some hospitals are going to have a hard time satisfying the needs of the patient. The role of the CLS is absolutely critical because 50 to 70 percent of diagnoses are based on lab tests, McQueen said.

“Without the CLS, diagnosis will be based solely on patient’s looks, how they feel and what they can say about their symptoms,” she said. “So if you don’t have enough folks in the lab doing the diagnostic tests that’s going to slow down diagnosis, which is a huge problem because treatment is based upon diagnosis.”

The CLS program prepares students to take the American Society of Clinical Pathology licensing exam. Academic requirements are fulfilled through lectures one day each week on campus while partnerships with local hospitals provide hands-on training the other four days. As an incentive to restart training, the grant paid the hospitals $10,000 per student for the first year of the program.

The collaboration has been mutually beneficial for the University and the hospitals.

“When the opportunity came, I jumped on it,” said Sonia Maljian, director of Laboratory Services at Methodist Hospital of Southern California in Arcadia. “Now in the second year, we have a solid system in place and we’re really happy with it. They are treated like staff.”

Christian Uy, a student in the Clinical Laboratory Science Training Program, tests a sample for Mononucleosis in the lab at Methodist Hospital of Southern California.

At Methodist Hospital of Southern California, the students first observe laboratory scientists as they perform tests, then they are coached and work alongside trainers such as clinical laboratory scientist Jessie Apan and other laboratory staff.

“That’s what I particularly like about Methodist Hospital,” said student Christian Uy, who completed his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences at UC Irvine. “They split us up so we get even more one-on-one experience instead of having both of us learn from one person at the same time.”

The clinical training covers five disciplines: hematology, clinical chemistry, blood-banking, microbiology and immunology. Though much of the work has become automated in the past couple decades, the training goes beyond learning how to operate the machines. Students must also have a thorough knowledge of the tests being performed and the standard parameters for results so they can identify abnormalities and improve either the instrument or specimen as necessary to ensure accurate readings.

Andrea Wu, who received a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology from Cal Poly Pomona, said the training goes beyond basics.

“I really like the hands-on experience,” said Wu, who worked as an assistant in a medical laboratory during college. “We have more of a chance to deal with critical values and troubleshooting, those are really helpful for the future when we become clinical laboratory scientists.”

That thoroughness and attention to detail is what makes for a better clinical laboratory scientist, according to Dr. Roger Der, medical director of the laboratory at Methodist Hospital of Southern California.

“To learn some of the clinical aspects behind everything that we do here … it adds a slightly different dimension to the training,” Der said. “In my experience, there are medical technicians that just do their stuff, but if they go that extra mile they can have a more profound effect on patient care without even meeting the patients.”

The laboratory work is immense with many fine details to scrutinize. The labs at Methodist Hospital of Southern California, for example, process 1,600 to 1,900 tests per day, Maljian said.

The results for the 2011-12 academic year, the Cal State L.A. program’s first, proved effective with all 14 participants passing the licensing exam and several of the hospitals hiring their interns. As of December, the statewide effort funded by the San Jose State University grant has led to the employment of 161 new clinical laboratory scientists.

This year, 18 students are enrolled in the program and interning at White Memorial Medical Center, Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center, UCLA-Harbor Medical Center, Martin Luther King Jr. Multi-service Ambulatory Care Center, Olive View-UCLA Medical Center, Methodist Hospital of Southern California and Citrus Valley Health Partners. Already, the program has received 75 applications for the 2013-14 session.

Also in 2012, the College began its Clinical Genetic Molecular Biologist Scientist program for specialized molecular diagnostic tests. The six students enrolled in the program this year are being instructed in molecular testing for cancers, genetic disease markers, histocompatibility types, and some infectious diseases to prepare for the CGMBS licensing exam. The clinical affiliates for that program are City of Hope, Kaiser Regional Labs, U.S. Labs and Clarient Labs.

“The need for a trained clinical laboratory workforce is great. There’s a huge gap between what’s needed and the number of people being trained for the positions,” McQueen said. “If we can find more clinical affiliates we can increase the number of students admitted to the program.”

New wave of treatment

The U.S. population has become incredibly diverse, but the workforce providing health care treatment and prevention does not reflect those demographic changes enough. A summer internship program aims to increase the number of racial and ethnic minorities in public health and policy.

The United States has an incredible arsenal of technology and knowledge available to help prevent, treat and cure diseases.

Vaccines and prophylactics that limit the spread of disease, regular physicals, health screenings and prenatal care, guidelines for proper diet and exercise, and laws regulating clean water and air all contribute to reduced infant mortality rates, extended life expectancy and improved overall health of the general public.

Yet, even in this society, segments of the population still experience a disproportionate rate of preventable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and HIV/AIDS due to racial, ethnic, geographic and socioeconomic factors.

Building awareness within these communities is often not enough, which is why federal agencies are pushing for more minorities to be recruited into health care to help treat these underserved populations.

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention became acutely aware of the fact that disparities are a serious public health problem,” said Beatrice Yorker, dean of the College of Health and Human Services. “One of the ways to address health disparities is to have professionals who are culturally and linguistically similar and sensitive to the populations they are serving.”

Approximately 36.3 percent of the population currently belongs to a racial or ethnic minority group: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian American, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, according to the 2010 U.S. Census.

But the health care workforce does not come close to reflecting the increased diversity of the U.S. population.

In response, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) established the Undergraduate Public Health Scholars Program to encourage more racial and ethnic minority students to pursue careers that will work in underserved communities and eventually take on leadership positions in public health care and policy. Its goal is to attract 1,000 new underrepresented minority students in five years.

As a Hispanic‒serving institution, Cal State L.A. has been tapped to recruit 20 students each summer for the program headed by Kennedy Krieger Institute, an affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, who reached out to the USC University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, a partner on this grant.

Students in the program tour the CDC headquarters in Atlanta and the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, take prep courses for graduate and medical school entrance exams and attend weekly webinars. In Los Angeles, they complete a 10‒week internship with agencies that treat underserved populations, such as El Nido Family Centers and AltaMed. They also agree to have their post‒baccalaureate careers tracked for years so the CDC may evaluate the effectiveness of the program.

Participants enlisted through Cal State L.A. for the 2012 session included rising juniors and seniors of black, Vietnamese, Samoan and Hispanic descent, such as Gabrielle Alvarado, a junior in the Honors College.

Fact: During 2004-07, the rate of preventable hospitalizations was higher among Hispanics, compared with non‒Hispanic whites.

Though Alvarado spent a lot of her youth volunteering at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center where her mother worked as a radiology secretary, she said the summer internship at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles brought new perspective.

“This experience increased my understanding of inequalities in public health because it opened my eyes to how many people are not receiving or seeking the health care that is needed or deserved,” said the exercise science major.

Alvarado assisted Dr. Carolina Pena‒Ricardo with research on children with disabilities and the treatment they receive in Los Angeles and the surrounding area. While shadowing doctors in the high risk and child abuse clinics, the importance of patient care and clear communication set in as she watched doctors examine and evaluate the children.

“In Los Angeles, there are a lot of Latinos and Asian Americans and there is a big language barrier, so I learned it helps to be bilingual depending on where you are and you need to have patience and be courteous,” she said.

Language barriers, cultural stigmas and lack of health insurance are just some of the factors that contribute to poor health outcomes and disparities. As a result, Alvarado is planning a study abroad session in Spain this summer to strengthen her language skills so that she can be effective in her target career as a physician’s assistant in free clinics.

“Volunteering is nice, but you don’t get a real hands‒on experience. This internship provided me different factors to consider when I’m in the health field,” she said. “I got to work with children and it confirmed that I want to help with underserved populations.”

Fact: African Americans accounted for 44 percent of all new HIV infections in 2010.

That’s one of the statistics Cuitlahuac Pena learned during his summer internship at Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse (L.A. CADA), a treatment and prevention program with outpatient services at five Los Angeles County locations.

Stationed at the North Hollywood facility, Pena primarily worked with African Americans and people living with HIV/AIDS.

“The North Hollywood facility tries to educate and empower predominately African Americans and gay or HIV positive people,” said Pena, an Honors College junior majoring in exercise science. “Many of these people are ostracized for being gay and African American. They’re all worried about living day‒to‒day instead of doing things like getting tested. So we want to make life easier for them.”

Pena attended Narcotics Anonymous meetings, hearing testimonies and personal statements about everyday struggles with addiction. He also created and distributed a local resource map and guide for those who came into the facility for basic needs, like toiletries.

But this wasn’t Pena’s first experience with health disparities. While growing up in the largely‒Latino Lincoln Heights, he said there were a dozen fast food eateries in the neighborhood, but only one supermarket that stocked subpar produce, so people often disregarded healthy diet guidelines in favor of greasy food.

Pena wants to become a physician’s assistant to help communities like Lincoln Heights. He said people in underserved communities look up to medical professionals, so they have the ability to exert great influence on changing behaviors and identifying and reducing the factors that cause unnecessary gaps in health care.

“In the health field, there are physicians, medical doctors, dentists, optometrists and specialized areas. Public health ties them together. So if I have that educational background, I can have a greater impact, educate myself, friends and family and we might make this world a better place,” he said.

From Bronte to blogging

Professor writes on her favorite subject — love — on Psychology Today website

It was a passion for British literature that led Pamela Regan to dedicate her career to the study of love.

As an undergrad at Williams College, Regan majored in English and specialized in 18th‒ and 19th‒century British novels — romances such as “Wuthering Heights,” “Jane Eyre,” “Pride and Prejudice.”

“What I enjoyed about those stories was that they were about love, of what love does to us, desire, passion, for good, for bad. I was 18, 19 years old, so that’s what I was thinking about myself,” Regan said.

For her graduate studies at the University of Minnesota, Regan turned to psychology as a way to study love, and was mentored by Professor Ellen Berscheid, a leading researcher of interpersonal relationships.

“That was just dumb luck,” Regan admitted. “I realized that romantic love could be studied empirically, scientifically, so I could study the very things that I loved reading about, but could do it from a psychological perspective.”

Since 1996, the professor has taught courses in statistics and social psychology at Cal State L.A., where she also founded the Social Relations Lab. In that time, Regan has published dozens of research papers and authored or co‒authored several books on social psychology.

Her expertise is so well‒regarded within the field that Psychology Toda y recently approached her to write a blog on love and sex.

“Psychology Today wanted someone who could survey the field and not just one small area,” Regan said. “One of the things writing textbooks does is give a broad knowledge of what other people are doing. So I said I’ll try it for a year.”

Love Science launched in June and the monthly blog posts—which cover topics such as infidelity, first kisses and human pheromones—are inspired by everyday life and Regan’s own students.

Love scholarship is challenging because it is subjective, Regan explained. There’s a number of different ways to approach the subject, ranging from physiological and emotional responses to mapping brain activity.

“Love is so complex, it’s a monstrous system. Its causes are multiply determined so none of us are going to find the answer to love,” she explained. “But the nice thing about having many researchers approaching this system from many different angles is that we can hopefully create a body of knowledge that gives us useful information about this very interesting human experience.”

Regan’s research focuses on aspects of sexual desire, passionate love and mate preference. She relies on self‒reporting by participants, using love scales to measure the behavioral and physiological components of passion, as she and research assistants did recently for a study comparing the satisfaction of love‒based and arranged marriages in the United States.

Cal State L.A. Today Magazine couldn’t resist the chance to ask this love expert a couple of questions on tips and trends for dating in 2013:

On finding the right mate:

It’s the question we all have. You will never find someone if you never meet people. Relationships take time, meeting people takes time, dating takes time and if you are very happy and busy with work or hobbies, family or friends, you have to take time from those fulfilling things to go out and meet someone romantically. Be open to it. It’s not just about us looking for partners; other people have to be looking for you, too. And if you go into the market and keep your head down and put ear buds in or are on a phone, you’re telling people you’re not open to interacting. That’s how friendships start. We know people love eye contact and smiling.

On where to meet people:

It can all depend on what you’re looking for. For some people, the best way is out of existing friendships, because they love in a friendship‒based way. Some fall in love with a relative stranger, so the best way to meet someone is by going out in public, to events or clubs. Most people meet through work, school, friends and social network. At some point, every relationship has to be offline, it has to be face‒to‒face or it can’t grow and develop.

On what makes a good relationship:

What we do know is that once you are in a relationship, the things that predict whether it is successful are good communication, good conflict‒ and problem‒solving skills and friendship for each other. Basic liking can get you through a lot of things.

On the rise of cyber dating:

An interaction affords us an opportunity. Now, interaction can happen in virtual space or online, so it has essentially widened our field of possible mates. Online can be beneficial for people who have features that make it difficult to meet other people—stuttering, physical differences or shyness—because it relaxes the impact that physical appearance has and can allow people a chance to get to know you, whereas in the past they may have judged you instantly. The downside is that people can lie, manipulate, and some people can feel safe and anonymous in online forums, revealing very personal things about themselves. We do know that intense use of online forums, like Facebook, is actually correlated with loneliness, narcissism—some things that aren’t healthy.

On TV dating shows:

They are absolutely not a good representation of real life. Most people meet their partners out of the field available around them. Those shows are so scripted and forced; it’s painful for me to watch. I can’t watch “The Bachelor.” I find Patti Stanger smart on “Millionaire Matchmaker.” Her job isn’t to necessarily find a life partner. It’s to say “look, here’s a chance to have an interaction. You make it work or not.” She’s absolutely right. That’s how relationships start. So I think that’s a little less painful to watch.

Providing care for others

Alumna establishes scholarship to aid nurses in completion of degrees

With three academic degrees and three professional certificates from Cal State L.A., Pamela Angerer Payne certainly knows how to get the most out a quality education. As a financial supporter of the University for more than a decade, she is helping to provide the same chances for other Golden Eagles.

“I feel strongly in providing opportunities for young people to go to school and get a better education,” Pamela said. “I particularly like Cal State L.A. because so many of the students there are the first people in their families to go to college.”

Being the first in the family to attend college is a situation to which Pamela can relate. Born and raised in Alhambra, Pamela’s family didn’t have the money to pay for school—her father was a mail carrier and her mother a bookkeeping assistant. So she worked to pay for tuition.

“I’m proud to say I’ve never had student loans,” Pamela said. “My first bachelor’s degree took me eight years. Of course, that’s back when tuition at Cal State L.A. was $53 a quarter.”

After receiving a bachelor’s degree in history in 1981, Pamela was hired at a law firm, earning several professional certificates to work as a paralegal. She met her husband, John Payne, an attorney at the law firm, and the two were married in 1984.

Pamela then returned to the University to pursue education in the health care field. She completed her bachelor’s degree in nursing in 1991 and worked in the Los Angeles County+USC Medical Center Gynecologic Oncology Services unit treating women with ovarian, uterine and cervical cancer.

Since completing her Master of Arts in Nursing in 1995, Pamela has worked as a women’s health nurse practitioner at HealthCare Partners Medical Group in Pasadena.

“It was always my goal to work in the field of women’s health,” said Pamela, who is a menopause specialist certified by the North American Menopause Society. “With the baby boomers aging, more and more women need health care advice about managing menopause. It clicked with me as an interest.”

Pamela has committed her passion and knowledge in service to the University as both a classroom lecturer intermittently from 1997 to 2010 and a dedicated donor, giving at least $1,000 in unrestricted gifts annually for more than 10 years as a President’s Associate.

More recently, Pamela sold stock options and was inspired to establish the Pamela Angerer Payne Nursing Scholarship.

“I wanted to do something more in particular for the nursing department because it’s been so instrumental in my success,” she said.

Pamela recognizes that going back to school can be a financial hardship for many who have established careers and families. The scholarship will help support registered nurses who want to obtain bachelor’s degrees and provide better patient care.

“I believe CSULA School of Nursing provides a thorough and excellent contribution to the education of professional nurses. And I hope that as we continue to expand the educational base the profession will be recognized for what it is: an integral part of the health care field. ... We are the backbone of the hospitals and the medical profession.”

First meeting of presidential search committee convenes

Diversity. Teamwork. Commitment to excellence. Everyone’s got an opinion regarding what attributes the next University president should possess, and many shared their thoughts at the first meeting of the presidential search committee on Feb. 7. The first—and only—open meeting of the advisory committee, which was assembled to find a suitable successor to President James M. Rosser, explained the search process and allowed for input from the campus community.

Members of the Advisory Committee for the Selection of the President include: CSU Bakersfield President Horace Mitchell; Kevin Baaske, chair of Academic Senate; Herbert L. Carter (community); Hector Escobar, president of Cal State L.A.’s Associated Students, Inc. (student); Carlos Gutierrez, professor of chemistry and biochemistry (faculty); John Paul Isaacson, vice president of CSULA Foundation; Nancy McQueen, professor of biological sciences (faculty); Peter Quan, CSULA vice president/chief technology officer; Noelia Rodriguez ’86 (alumna), and Susan Tsuji, CSULA facilities-use coordinator (staff).

The Trustees Committee for the Selection of the President—consisting of trustees Lou Monville, Margaret Fortune, Lupe Garcia, Henry Mendoza and Bob Linscheid as well as CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White—will make the final decision. However, the advisory committee of campus representatives provides suggestions for qualities appropriate for the position, reviews all candidate applications, participates in interviews and the deliberations that lead to the selection of the final candidate.

Resume screening began on March 20.

CCOE Dean Falvey retires after 32 years at Cal State L.A.

Looking back on 32 years of service to the University, Mary Falvey says working at Cal State L.A. has been a great gift.

“So many of our students stay in the area, so I get to see them blossom and flourish in the field of education and make an extraordinary difference, especially in the lives of families who have kids with disabilities,” Falvey said.

Falvey, who has served as the Charter College of Education’s dean for the past seven years, retired at the end of February.

A national authority on inclusive education for students with and without disabilities, Falvey joined the faculty in 1980. She coordinated the program in severe disabilities and inclusive education and was recognized as an Outstanding Professor in 1987-88. After a couple years as director of student services for the Charter College of Education, Falvey was installed as dean in 2006.

Public education, particularly for those with disabilities, has changed tremendously in the past 30 years. Laws and regulations were enacted to ensure equal opportunities and access to previously underserved students. But more importantly, the mindset of how to approach teaching students with disabilities has been altered.

“The core essence is dignity and value,” Falvey said. “More people believe in recognizing the worth and the abilities of children with disabilities. Thirty years ago, they weren’t even in the public schools. The law helped push the system to serve those students, but you can’t legislate caring or a commitment and belief in children. More teachers have embraced educating students with disabilities.”

The key to her long tenure is the student population, whom Falvey says “never take a minute of the education for granted because they are paying for it out of their own pockets.” And the best memories were made at commencements—she’s never missed one.

“Seeing the pride in the graduates’ faces and in their families’ faces … so many of them never thought that their children, spouses, or mothers would ever be able to get a college education. And then it’s an education with a career. It opens up teaching or counseling as an option to them. I cry every year.”

Diane L. Fazzi will serve as acting dean of the Charter College of Education until May 31, 2013, when Eunsook Hyun will begin her tenure as dean. Hyun comes from University of Massachusetts, Boston, where she served as professor of curriculum studies and associate provost.

Los Angeles mayoral debate held on campus

On Feb. 18, Cal State L.A. became a political arena as it played host to five candidates battling to be the next mayor of Los Angeles.

City Councilman Eric Garcetti, city Controller Wendy Greuel, entertainment lawyer Kevin James, Councilwoman Jan Perry and tech executive Emanuel Pleitez discussed platforms and policy, defended political records and hurtled attacks at each other during the 90‒minute mayoral debate organized by the Edmund G. “Pat” Brown Institute of Public Affairs, and which aired live on KABC‒TV Channel 7.

The debate was moderated by ABC7 Eyewitness News anchor Marc Brown, with questions generated by Raphael J. Sonenshein, executive director of the Pat Brown Institute, David A. Holtzman, president of the Los Angeles League of Women Voters, and John North of ABC7 Eyewitness News.

The feisty exchanges between top contenders Garcetti and Greuel set up the clash for the March 5 primary election, in which they received 32.9 and 29.2 percent of the votes, respectively. The two City Hall mainstays will face off in the runoff election scheduled for May 21.

AROUND L.A.: Down for the count

Trying to identify homeless people in Los Angeles County is an enormous undertaking requiring 5,000 volunteers. This year, Cal State L.A. students were among those participating in the 2013 Greater L.A. Homeless Count.

The count, conducted every two years and organized by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, helps the agency demonstrate the region’s need for housing, shelter and service programs to the federal government.

“In order to make a difference in the lives of homeless men, women and children in Los Angeles County, we need to know who they are and where they are,” said Maricor Garaniel, LAHSA volunteer coordinator. “The 2013 Greater L.A. Homeless Count is an opportunity for everyone throughout Los Angeles County to play a tremendous role in ending homelessness.”

Los Angeles has one of the largest homeless populations in the nation. More than 51,000 individuals were identified as homeless in the county in the 2011 count.

Two groups of students from Cal State L.A. took part in the census count on the night of Jan. 29, canvassing in East Los Angeles and Monterey Park.

To learn more about the students’ experience and the count, read the full story at /univ/ppa/spotlight/archive/2013/homelesscount-csula2013.php .

Calendar of Events

Antonio Adriano Puleo
April 6-June 2
Luckman Gallery (Gallery hours: Mon.-Thu. and Sat., noon-6 p.m.) http://www.luckmanarts.org/gallery/antonio-adriano-puleo.html

This exhibition features paintings by Los Angeles-based artist Antonio Puleo that examine patterns, both man-made and natural, and how paintings can play off of the architecture of an exhibition space. Call the Luckman Gallery at (323) 343-6604 for more information.

Luckman Jazz Orchestra: Featuring Dianne Reeves

8 p.m. April 13
Luckman Theatre

Dianne Reeves, today’s preeminent jazz vocalist, will join the critically acclaimed Luckman Jazz Orchestra for a stellar one-night-only performance. Undeniably one of the most important jazz vocalists in history, Dianne Reeves’ impact on the art form is deeply rooted. The four time Grammy Award-winner’s incredible artistic range is celebrated throughout the world. The New York Times says Dianne Reeves is “the vocal heir of Sarah Vaughan.” Call the Luckman Box Office at (323) 343-6600 for more information.

Northwest Dance Project
8 p.m. April 20
Luckman Theatre
http://www.luckmanarts.org

Founded in 2004, the Northwest Dance Project is dedicated to the creation and performance of innovative, contemporary new dance works from established and emerging dance makers. Led by acclaimed Artistic Director Sarah Slipper, the NW Dance Project lies in the art of dance as a whole, providing artists at the threshold of their careers the chance to hone their craft, as well as fostering an environment for their artists to take risks, experiment, develop, and explore. The Northwest Dance Project has established itself as a bold and innovative contemporary dance company performing an all-original repertoire from a select roster of accomplished choreographers as well as the most promising new talents in the field of contemporary dance. Call the Luckman Box Office at (323) 343-6600 for more information.

Honors Convocation
7 p.m. April 26
Eagles Nest Gym

Dean’s List honorees, recipients of scholarships and grants, and Honors College will be honored at the program. In addition, new freshmen will be recognized for having entered the University with a 3.5 GPA or higher on their high school records. Call the Academic Affairs office at (323) 343-3808 for more information.

David L. Kubal Memorial Lecture
6:15 p.m. May 14
U-SU Los Angeles Room

Speaker: Dr. José E. Muñoz, Chair of Performance Studies at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Professor Muñoz’s research has focused on comparative ethnic studies, queer theory, and performance art. He received his doctorate in comparative literature from Duke University. Call the CSULA English Dept. at (323) 343-4140 for more information.

Pat Brown Institute’s 32nd Annual Awards Dinner
6 p.m. May 23
Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles
http://www.patbrowninstitute.org/

Pat Brown Legacy Award: James M. Rosser, President, California State University, Los Angeles
Community Service Award: Erika Glazer, Erika J. Glazer Family Scholarship Fund
Public Service Award: Veronica Marquez, 2012 California Teach of the Year—Harmony Elementary School, LAUSD

Call the Pat Brown Institute at CSULA at (323) 343-3770 for more information.

2013 Undergraduate and Graduate Commencement
June 14-15
University Stadium

The 2013 Cal State L.A. Commencement ceremonies will be spread over two days:

Friday 5 p.m. Ceremony - Charter College of Education, College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology, and College of Health and Human Services.

Saturday 8 a.m. Ceremony - College of Arts and Letters, College of Business and Economics, and College of Natural and Social Sciences. Call the Academic Affairs office at (323) 343-3808 for more information.

Alumni Association selects 16 students for scholarships

Sixteen students received a boost toward their educational goals in February when the Alumni Association awarded them with scholarships.

The $1,500 scholarships, funded by donations from Alumni Association members, were bestowed upon undergraduates and graduates at a private event attended by the recipients, Alumni Scholarship Committee members, the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and Alumni Association staff.

The 2012-13 recipients are: Luis Antezana, Sabrina Antoine, Ethan Chen, Jeremy Coltman, Ramon Garcia, Mario Giron-Abrego, Kelly Grandjean, Ana Hizon, Monique Holguin, Tarek Karam, Cindy Lee, Roxanna Muratalla, Shwe Phyo, Julie Shaffer, Jackson Tea and Cristina Verdugo.

The Alumni Association began awarding undergraduate scholarships with two $600 awards in 1995. Since then, the process has expanded to include graduate students and generously awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to more than a dozen deserving Cal State L.A. students each year.

These scholarships not only aid students in their mission toward a degree at the University, but provide an opportunity for alumni to give back to the campus by working as volunteers on the selection committee.

Sylvia Martinez '82, '87, '98, serving in her second year as committee chair, led a group of 17 volunteers to review 135 student applications and conduct interviews with applicants for 2012-13.

The committee looks for well-rounded students and encourages those who have displayed leadership skills in school and the community, said Martinez, an administrator in Behavior Support for the Division of Special Education, Los Angeles Unified School District.

Students are rated in the areas of academic achievement, professional growth and internships, extra-curricular activities, financial need, written essays, letters of recommendation and overall impression.

Martinez says the committee members enjoy interacting with students and are inspired by the experience.

“The volunteers want to give back to Cal State L.A., but more importantly we want to support the students, who we find to be very unique, hard-working and exceptional students. When we read their applications and meet them during the interview process, we are very impressed with them, especially how they value education and how they will not let anything get in the way of their goals,” she explained.

The scholarships are a big push for the students, too, according to Ben Jefferson ’99, one of three previous scholarship recipients to serve on the selection committee this year.

“The scholarship represented a little bit of recognition and validation of what I had done in my time at Cal State L.A.,” said Jefferson, who was involved with the Associated Students, Inc. and the Sigma Nu fraternity. “I was transitioning from college to law school, so I had a lot of financial obligations at that time.”

Jefferson, who works as an instructional coach to special education teachers at Palmdale High School, said serving on the committee is his way of giving back to a new group of students

EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS:

The CSULA Alumni Association is pleased to add to its list of sponsors, ScholarShare, California's 529 college savings plan. Saving enough to pay for college can seem overwhelming, but an early start, good planning and regular contributions can help you put a child's college education within reach.

Any earnings on investments can grow tax-deferred, and withdrawals, when used for tuition and other qualified expenses, are federal and state tax-free. The money saved in a ScholarShare account can be used at most accredited two-year and four-year colleges and universities, eligible foreign institutions and many vocational-technical schools. And the funds may be used for qualified higher education expenses including tuition, books and certain room and board costs at many colleges.

The minimum contribution to start an account for your child, grandchild, relative or friend is $25. To learn more, visit www.scholarshare.com or call 1-800-544-5248.

The ScholarShare College Savings Plan is administered by the ScholarShare Investment Board, an agency of the State of California. Neither the principal deposited nor the investment return is guaranteed by the State of California, ScholarShare Investment Board or any affiliate thereof, or the federal government or any agency thereof. Units of the portfolios are municipal securities and may be subject to market volatility and fluctuation.

1950s

• Genevieve Andrews Shepherd ('58), principal of Tom Bradley Environmental Science and Humanities Magnet School of Los Angeles, was recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Pinnacle Professional Among Educators.

1960s

• Michael D. Antonovich (’63, ’67 M.A.), Los Angeles County Supervisor for the Fifth District, now serves as chairman of the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA).
• Nannette Brodie (’67, ’68 M.A.) celebrated the 25-year anniversary of The Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre in January with a performance at the Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theater at Cal State Long Beach.
• Rikk Morris (’69), an artist and musician, served as a judge for the art exhibition at Crash Music in Aztec, N.M.
• Foraker Smith ('62, '69 M.A.) co-authored An Abundance of Miracles—The Autobiography of Charles A. Cofield with Cofield, the American Institute of Architects-California's first certified quadriplegic architect.
• Robert A. Underwood (’69, ’71 M.A.) was appointed by President Barack Obama to the Board of Directors of the National Board for Education Sciences. He is the president and professor emeritus at the University of Guam.
• Herman Ray Velarde (’62) has self-published a book, Handbook for America: A 21st Century Guide to the Pursuit of Happiness .

1970s

• Roberto Casas (’72, ’79 M.A.) co-authored a book, Reflective Practice of Multi-Unicultural School Leaders: Strategies and Considerations for Improving Achievement of Cross-Culturally Diverse Students , published by Xlibris Publishing. He retired after 38 years in public education, including serving as deputy superintendent for Lynwood Unified School District and as superintendent of Brawley Union High School District.
• Janice Cipriani-Willis (’75) opened an exhibit of her watercolor art in November at the Gallery at The Merc in Temecula.
• Jo Anne Disney ('76) joined the Mid Valley News as an assistant editor and feature writer.
• Phillip I. Elkins (’71) published Running From the Fire , the story of a kid growing up in East L.A., drafted into the army, sent to Vietnam as a medic, surviving that and coming back to Cal State L.A.
• James B. Griffin (’77) is account manager at JBGmg Marketing & More.
• John Kelleher (’71) received the 2012 Outstanding Leadership Award from the Southern California Association for Healthcare Development.
• Renee D. Martinez ('72) is the president of Los Angeles City College.
• Donna Seecof (’76 M.S.) and her husband, Robert, have published BOOKENDS: Objects of Art and Fashion , with Schiffer Publishing, Inc. She is retired from General Electric Healthcare Performance Solutions.
• James Shannon (’72, ’74 M.A.), professor of sociology and psychology at Citrus College in Glendora, is retiring after 39 years of teaching.

1980s

• Alice (Armendariz) Bag (’84), member of the 1970s L.A. punk band The Bags and currently a bilingual educator, was featured as an Iconic Hispanic Angeleno for Departures, an oral history project for KCET.org.
• Garrett "Gary" Rutherford ('83 M.A.) is superintendent of Desert Sands Unified School District.

1990s

• Pankit J. Doshi (’99) joined the San Francisco Office of the international law firm, Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton, LLP, specializing in labor and employment defense.
• Nicole J. Dunn (’96) is owner and president of Dunn Pellier Media, a marketing firm specializing in health and fitness brands.
• Chris Greco (’95 M.Music), an associate professor of music at Benedictine College, had his new CD, "Trane Of Thought," reach No. 3 on the CMJ Top 40 National Jazz Charts in April 2013.
• Hyongsoon Kim (’98) is an attorney with Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and president of the Korean American Bar Association.
• Paul Lee (’95) is a poet and works as plans examining engineer at the Department of Planning and Permitting of City and County of Honolulu in Hawaii.
• Jeff McCarty (’92) taught a songwriting workshop in Diamond Bar.
• Felipe Payan (’90, ’95 M.A., ’02 M.A.) is distance education coordinator/instructional design specialist for Galveston Community College, where he assists faculty with designing online courses and guides faculty on effective online teaching.
• Tri Ta (’97), editor of Viet Salon magazine, has been elected the first Vietnamese American mayor of Westminster.

2000s

• Carrie Lynn Arcos (’07 M.A.) was a finalist for the 2012 National Book Award in the young people’s literature category for her debut novel, Out of Reach .
• Clifford Lyons ('00) is a broker associate at EXIT Realty Blaine Associates in Apple Valley and is the cantor for Spanish Mass at Our Lady of the Desert in Apple Valley.
• Kerry (Evans) Sparks ('07) is co-author of Hello, My Name Is Pabst: Baby Names for Nonconformist, Indie, Geeky, DIY, Hipster, and Alterna-Parents of Every Kind , and is a literary agent at Levine Greenberg Literary Agency.
• Sam C. Vong ('05 M.A.) joins the Gustavus Adolphus College faculty in fall 2013 as the college's first Bruce Gray Postdoctoral Fellow.
• Kent Weishaus (’09 M.S.W.) is school counselor of Idyllwild Arts Academy.
• Leana Wen (’01) has published a book, When Doctors Don’t Listen: How to Avoid Misdiagnoses and Unnecessary Tests , about how patient empowerment can transform healthcare.

2010s

• Christopher Eagar-Finney (’11) is in his second year of the Master of Social Work program at Columbia University School of Social Work.
• Rosa Johnson (’10) launched Pearls Academy Inc., a community organization that provides mentorship, skills development and self-esteem training for young, at-risk African-American and Latina women in South Los Angeles.
• Ken Mazur ('11 M.Music) composes the score for Joseph Rosendo's Travelscope on Public Television and wrote his first novel, The Zxap Jacket .

In Memoriam

• Sidney P. Albert , emeritus professor of philosophy and scholar of George Bernard Shaw, was instrumental in the development of the Emeriti Faculty Association at Cal State L.A.
• Jay A. Brown ('63) worked as a reporter and editor for The Sacramento Bee , and The Hartford Times ; public affairs management for Shell Oil; and president and publisher of Cineman Syndicate, serving newspapers worldwide with movie reviews.
• Michael Allan Cohen ('61) worked as a mechanical engineer and general contractor. He served as a reserve officer for the Los Angeles Police Department.
• Mary Dawn Cuff (’67 M.A.) served in World War II as a control tower operator for the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve. Later, she served the Latter Day Saints Church as ward and stake primary leader, organist and teacher.
• Otto William (Bill) Fick was a professor of English specializing in American and European fiction and poetry.
• Kris Gungon ('05) was an agent with United States Customs and Border Protection.
• C.R.D. Halisi , a renowned international scholar, activist and educator, was professor and former chair of the Pan-African Studies department.
• Natalie Hyatt (’62 M.A.) taught in Los Angeles elementary schools for 37 years.
• Terry R. Kandal , emeritus professor of sociology, was an expert in classical sociological theory, social change and revolution, gender and sex roles, and sociology of knowledge. He received the Outstanding Professor Award in 1996-97.
• Beverly Lynn Krilowicz , retired professor of biological sciences, had an active research program in neurophysiology of sleep and hibernation.
• Vernon F. Leidig , emeritus professor of music, initiated the Instrumental Music Education program and directed the Brass Choir. He received the campus Outstanding Professor Award in 1964.
• Leon Leyson (’58) was one of the youngest of 1,100 Jews saved from the Nazis by German industrialist Oskar Schindler. He taught high school in Huntington Park for 39 years.
• Dorothy McLaughlin ('76) co-founded Senior Helping Hands, Inc., an organization that assists senior citizens that remain in their homes, and was director of the Senior Community Service Employment Program in Montana.
• Irene M. Molloy ('72 M.S.), emeritus professor of nursing, taught lower-division medical-surgical nursing courses.
• Barbara Salinas-Norman ('69), a Chicana activist, teacher and author, ran a publishing company, Pinata Publications.
• Tim K. Siu had a private practice in anesthesia for over 30 years, working primarily out of San Gabriel Valley Hospital. Siu served on CSULA's President's, and, along with his wife Annie, sponsored multiple scholarships at CSULA and received the 2011 University Service Award.
• James Tolbert ('55), one of the first African-American entertainment attorneys in Hollywood, represented clients including Redd Foxx, Lou Rawls, Harry "Sweets" Edison and Tuskegee Airmen. He was co-founder and president of the Beverly Hills-Hollywood chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
• Essie Mae Washington-Williams (’69) was a teacher and administrator in the Los Angeles Unified School District for 30 years. In 2003, she revealed herself as the daughter of Sen. Strom Thurmond, the legendary South Carolina politician who had built a career as a champion of segregation.
• Takenori "Tak" Yamamoto (’69) was a pioneer Japanese American gay activist and a longtime leader of the Manzanar Committee.

Cal State L.A.'s Athletics Hall of Fame inducts three new members

They competed at national and world levels—even Major League Baseball diamonds—and earned spots in Cal State L.A.’s all‒time statistics lists. Now, those athletic records have procured these former Golden Eagles a piece of immortality.

Baseball pitcher Mike Burns, volleyball setter Tiare Tuitama and women’s track and field national champion Vicki Betts were inducted into the Athletics Hall of Fame on Feb. 28. The Class of 2013 was the 22nd to be inducted and brings the total Hall of Fame membership to 112.

The trio joins other notable Hall of Famers like tennis legend Billie Jean King, two‒time Olympic track and field gold medalist Mal Whitfield, former Major League Baseball outfielder Jay Gibbons and former Major League Baseball pitcher and pitching coach Bob Apodaca.

Burns (’00), who began his collegiate career as an infielder, was converted to a pitcher and became a two‒time All‒California Collegiate Athletic Association performer in his three years on the mound. His career highlight at Cal State L.A. came on March 21, 2000 when he tossed a nine‒inning no‒hitter against Cal State Dominguez Hills. The only base runner he allowed in that game reached on an error.

After earning All‒CCAA honors in 1999 and 2000, Burns was selected in the 30th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft by the Houston Astros. He made his Major League debut for the Astros in 2005 and also had relief appearances in 2006 for the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox. He returned to the Majors in 2009 and had his first start for the Milwaukee Brewers on June 25 against the Minnesota Twins.

Burns made 15 appearances for the Brewers in 2009, including eight starts. He posted three wins and threw a total of 52 innings.

The Houston Astros scout who signed Burns, Doug Deutsch, the son of former Cal State L.A. head coach and 1997 Hall of Fame inductee Jack Deutsch, presented Burns for induction. “The University put together a beautiful evening and made my family and friends feel so welcome,” Burns said. “Being inducted into the Hall of Fame is a great honor. I gave 110 percent to my team and the University for four great years and being recognized for the effort is a great feeling.”

Tuitama (’08) was a four‒year star for Cal State L.A.’s volleyball program and led the Golden Eagles to their highest national finish in 2005. She was named the CCAA Player of the Year after Cal State L.A. went 16 ‒ 2 in conference play. The Golden Eagles then hosted the Pacific Region Championships and won the regional title in the Eagles Nest Gym.

Cal State L.A. advanced to the national quarterfinals and beat Lock Haven in five sets before ending its season in the semi‒finals in a loss to Nebraska‒Kearney. The Golden Eagles had a 28 ‒ 3 overall record that season, which is the second‒best year in the program’s history.

Tuitama earned All‒CCAA honors as a sophomore, junior and senior and ended her Cal State L.A. career No. 3 in set assists (4,246) and No. 2 in digs (1,326).

She is now a top high school volleyball coach and guided her La Salle High School team in Pasadena to a California Interscholastic Federation Division I‒A championship. She has been named the California Interscholastic Federation Coach of the Year two consecutive years.

She was presented for induction by her coach, former CSULA head coach Bill Lawler and by friend and former teammate Airess Padda.

“Being inducted into the CSULA Athletic Hall of Fame is quite an honor and has made me more determined to help the young men and women that I coach to follow their dreams to play at a higher level,” Tuitama said. “The friendships, teamwork and determination my four years as a Golden Eagle gave me were the best gifts of all.”

Betts (’78) was Cal State L.A.’s first national champion in women’s outdoor track and field when she captured the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women long jump championship in 1973. She also teamed with Jarvis Scott, Margo Tiff and Gloria Whitfield to capture the AIAW sprint medley relay title.

Betts’ best mark in the long jump of 20 ‒ 11.75 is still No. 3 on Cal State L.A.’s all‒time list.

She represented Cal State L.A. at the World University Games held in the Soviet Union in 1973 and placed 12th overall. In 1976, she was an alternate on the U.S. Olympic Team in the long jump. She continued to compete after graduating from Cal State L.A. in 1978 and competed in the 1980 Olympic Trials in Eugene, OR, where she missed placing in the final by just 1/8 of an inch. She continued to train for the 1984 Olympics until a hamstring injury forced her to retire from competition.

She was presented for induction by her former coach, Jan Seaman, and her brother, Russell.

“Dr. Seaman’s dedication to the team and her enthusiasm coupled with her understanding and support enabled me to move past some hard personal times and achieve many of my goals. I owe Dr. Seaman a great deal of gratitude,” Betts said. “I am very honored to be inducted into the CSULA Hall of Fame.”

The Cal State L.A. Athletics Hall of Fame was instituted in 1985 to honor the outstanding achievements of individuals who have participated in intercollegiate athletics at the University as student‒athletes, coaches, administrators or staff and who have brought honor to themselves, Cal State L.A. and their communities.

Members of the Athletics Hall of Fame are selected by a panel of Cal State L.A. staff and alumni. To be eligible for the Hall of Fame, a student‒athlete must be an alumnus of Cal State L.A. with a record of outstanding achievement in at least one sport. The student‒athlete must have graduated or attended in good standing at least five years ago.

What do you do to stay healthy?

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Tyler James, Graduate Student
Commercial Music

“I stay healthy by getting enough sleep, drinking a lot of fluids and hiking on the weekends.”

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Devonnee Wesley
Music

“The way I keep healthy is getting lots of rest and drinking lots of fluids.”

Destinee Cordeiro
Television, Film and Media Studies—Broadcasting Option

“To stay healthy, I get enough sleep at night; I make a schedule for myself and try to exercise at least three or four times a week.”

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Bhavik Dalsania, Graduate student
Electrical Engineering

“I take flu shots and eat good, healthy food to be healthy in the rainy season and flu season.”

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Ileana Lucero
Biology

“To stay healthy as a college student, I work out every day and always eat healthy, always watch what I eat so I don’t gain weight and can concentrate on my studies by staying healthy.”

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Tyler Matson
Music

“I stay healthy with this right here: hand sanitizer. OK. Kill the germs on your hands and you won’t get sick. Get plenty of rest and drink some water and you should be good.”