VOLUME 4
NUMBER 3
MARCH 2012
Contents:
2
campus news
5 student life
6 L
a Flâneuse: the
Claremont Wanderer
10 research & awards
12 events calendar and
more
Long gone are the days of filling
out a one-page application and
getting hired. Find out about
applying and interviewing
at two- and four-year colleges from the experts (page 8)
How nine schools become four
(ish). CGU Realignment update
(page 3)
the pedant
\’pe-dant\: A scholar; one prone to ostentatious displays of learning; a learned academic; a nit-picker.
Claremont Graduate University
campus news
EDITOR’S NOTE
A Balancing Act
Being called a “student” while pursuing an MA or PhD can
be deceptive. True, we go to classes, turn in papers, and pay a
non-negligible amount in tuition; but what we do in our roles
of “student” encompasses only one part of graduate life. The
years we spend here are also a time to develop certain skills
in preparation for the next step. In other words, along with
learning your discipline, the years we spend at CGU are also a
time to develop a sense of professionalization.
The Pedant aims to be a resource for every aspect of student
life: academic, professional, and recreational. In this issue, you
can find a conversation with local professors on how exactly
to go about getting a job (hint: good grades and a completed
degree aren’t enough), as well as campus resources to assist
you in every aspect of your graduate career, whether it’s free
campus meditation, the Graduate Student Council, or the newly
implemented Office of Institutional Effectiveness.
As graduation approaches, the balancing act of graduate
school begins to weigh more towards a post-graduate career
and less towards our lives as students. For some, this invokes
panic. But for the majority, it’s an opportunity to show what
we can do outside of the classroom. Our student status is ever
changing— from master’s student to doctoral; in coursework to
independently working on a dissertation— and so too are our
professional selves. Take your time at CGU to cultivate both,
so when graduation comes you will have the perfect balance to
begin your career.
Rachel Tie
Editor, the Pedant
pedant@cgu.edu
the Pedant
Volume 4, Number 3 March 2012
Many thanks to Shanna Livermore and the GSC, Rod Leveque,
Sheila Lefor, JP Dulay, Steve Smith, Alana Olschwang, Janet
Brody for “Thursdays at the HRC,” Kelsey Kimmel, and Jacob
Adams.
The Pedant is . . .
Rachel Tie
Emily Schuck
Editor
Writer
Brendan Babish
Sharone Williams
Editor Emeritus/Writer
Contributor
2 Otium cum dignitate
Donors Michael J. And Mary C. Johnston
Major gift provides student support
On January 8, CGU announced the creation of the Michael J. and
Mary C. Johnston Scholars Fund, created from a generous gift of
$1 million from CGU Trustee and former Chairman of the Board
Michael J. Johnston and his wife, Mary C. Johnston.
The Scholars Fund will generate a yearly fellowship to a
qualified and promising Claremont Graduate University doctoral
applicant, providing full tuition for the Johnston Fellow’s first
year, as well as a stipend for each of their first two semesters.
Although those of us already in a doctoral program at CGU
are categorically exempt from applying from the fellowship
(curses!), current MA students thinking of continuing on at CGU
can apply.
“From the first day I arrived at CGU I have been saying that the
most pressing need here is increased student support. I cannot
let this university lose future leaders and innovators due to
financial circumstances,” said President Deborah Freund. “This
gift helps us bring those students here, and I am committed to
continue this trend.”
In making their gift, the Johnstons stated, “We are pleased to
support the work of the extraordinary students at CGU. For more
than two decades, we have watched the growth and benefits
of their research and study as they confront challenges in the
most critical areas our society. We believe our investment in
the future of CGU will not only empower future students to
pursue their academic goals, but will also bring great benefits to
everyone through a better educated world.”
Claremont Graduate University
campus news
CGU poetry award
The winners of the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award and the Kate Tufts
Discovery Award are Timothy Donnelly, for his book The Cloud
Corporation, and Katherine Larson for her debut collection, Radical
Symmetry, respectively.
CGU realignment moves steadily along
If you haven’t heard of CGU’s impending realignment, then you
haven’t been reading your Pedant. For shame! If you have, we have the
scoop on the progress the university has made since last spring, when
President Deborah Freund charged a Steering Committee with finding
out how to better support student-centeredness, experiential learning
opportunities, and transdisciplinarity.
Although school organization is only one-seventh of the total
realignment plan (the other parts being fundraising, student services,
marketing, transdisciplinary research, performance accountability—
see pg. 4 for CGU’s answer to that—and budget), it tends to be the area
that catches most students’ attention—and gets the most passionate
responses. So that you may respond accordingly, here are the facts, as
of mid-March:
At a meeting in February, CGU faculty voted overwhelmingly to
continue planning for collapsing six of CGU’s schools into three: Arts
and Humanities will be combined with Religion (bringing back the
structure that existed 10 years ago anyway) and Botany; Drucker,
Information Systems and Technology, and Mathematical Sciences
will be combined; and Educational Studies will remain its own
school. The CGU faculty also voted to allow the faculties of Politics
and Economics, Community and Global Health, and Behavioral and
Organizational Sciences the additional time they need to flesh out
their plans. The CGU faculty will take final action on all the school
organization plans in April before the Board of Trustees vote in May.
Here’s what you need to know: Realignment addresses many of the
concerns the Steering Committee heard from students last spring. It
will address financial and structural impediments to taking classes
outside of your department, the diseconomies of scale that currently
exist among schools, and will stabilize the small schools financially.
And rest assured, neither your degree programs nor your degree
information will change.
“The over-arching goal of realignment is to improve the capacity of
the university to support students, faculty, and research as we grow,”
said Provost Jacob Adams at a February GSC meeting, one of many
forums where students were invited to ask questions and provide
feedback.
Realignment may take two to three years to implement.
Realignment’s next focus will be to develop a Transdisciplinary
Research and Public Engagement Center, which is being created to
facilitate collaborative, cross-disciplinary projects at the university.
The Kingsley Tufts award is given to a mid-career, emerging poet
with an already established body of work. With a purse of $100,000,
the award is one of the most lucrative in the United States—outdoing even the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. The Kate Tufts award is
given to a poet who demonstrates genuine promise with their first
book of poetry, with a prize of $10,000.
These awards differ from many others in that they provide
recipients the means to continue working on their craft for awhile,
as Kate Tufts put it, without worrying about bills.
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the Kingsley Tufts Poetry
Award, and on April 19 at 5 p.m. (during National Poetry Month,
as either coincidence or astute planning would have it) Donnelly
and Larson will receive their awards at the annual presentation
ceremony on the CGU campus at Garrison Theatre, which is free
and open to the public.
This fall, Donnelly will return for a week as poet-in-residence,
during which time he will do poetry readings and participate in
classes.
Fall GSC Travel Award Winners
Steven Childs
Qin Li
Diana Jolles
Heather Wizikowski
Zaynah Rahman
Sandra Namoff
Jesus Canelon
Jiin Jung
Kristen Hasenstab
Suzanne Gibbs
Matthew Witenstein
Christepher Oakley
Courtenay Stallings
Vanessa Kettering
Jeanette Hughes
Robert Hellebrand
Twice per year, the Graduate Student Council hosts a travel
award competition for students who need funds for going to
conferences, training, or other acadmic events out of town.
Awards are retroactive and typically given in $100-$300
sums. For more information, visit www.gsc.cgu.edu
Leisure with dignity 3
Claremont Graduate University
Got an idea, question, or concern about CGU?
There’s an office for that.
Office of Institutional Effectiveness
What to expect when we’re expecting
This December the Office of Institutional Effectiveness was created to
both shepherd the university through the second of three stages of our
WASC accreditation and, as its name suggests, help make the university
more effective, especially by supporting teaching and student learning.
One of the primary tasks of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness
is to assist CGU in its Western Association of Schools and Colleges
(WASC) accreditation, the agency which affirms CGU classes and degrees
as viable, ensures coursework can be transferred to other accredited
institutions, as well as makes us eligible to receive government financial
aid. This spring, WASC officers will be visiting campus asking students
for feedback that will factor into their assessment of how well CGU
achieves its stated mission, supports and assesses student learning.
A broad mandate, but one that office’s Director, Alana Olschwang,
embraces. “My role is to support administrators and faculty in their use
of data for strategic and instructional decision-making, and answering
analytic questions about programs. For students, I will work closely
with the dean of students facilitating processes from recruitment right
through graduation.”
The office’s reliance on data is especially important. As a CGU alum,
Olschwang (MA, Organizational Behavior, 2002) is more familiar with the
institution than most new staff members. This familiarity will help her
gather information to help guide the decision-making process.
Accordingly, she has spent her first months meeting with senior staff and
faculty to learn from them how her office can support strategic planning
and realignment, and to facilitate the scholarly work of teaching and
research.
Though she has already met with several students and the Graduate
Student Council, Olschwang hopes to learn much more—through both
face-to-face conversations and surveys—about the student experience and
how it can be better.
To learn more about the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, visit
www.cgu.edu/effectiveness. You can also e-mail Olschwang at alana.
olschwang@cgu.edu.
Office of Institutional
Effectiveness
Director Alana
Olschwang (right) with
Institutional Research
officer, Jeanette Baez.
It may be somewhat disarming to be approached by a complete stranger
and asked your opinion on CGU. To help prepare, Olschwang has compiled
a list of the types of questions WASC officers may ask. These questions
may include:
What is going well for you at CGU?; How do faculty members and/or CGU
support services help support your learning? Describe your graduate
community; and, describe areas where you think CGU could better
support your learning.
It should go without saying that this is not an opportunity to rail against
that professor who gave you a “B” last semester, or, say, the food at
Hagelbarger’s (try the tamales, by the way). Rather, you should share how
much you have learned in class and how you use what you’ve been taught.
Just be honest. The information you provide will help the team determine
the length of time CGU should be reaccredited before WASC conducts
another review. The visiting team will look for how well the campus
depicts the best of CGU and provides plans and resources to address
areas for improvement. If you have a complaint about a specific issue that
is of a personal nature, please seek out CGU personnel such as the Dean
of Students Fred Siegel or the ombudsman. If you want to give the WASC
team feedback, you may attend open sessions, answer an OIE distributed
survey on the website listed below, or also do so via a secure e-mail set up
by WASC and accessible only by them: cguvisitS12@yahoo.com
The WASC visiting team will be at CGU March 21-23, with an open
student session on March 21 from 1:30-2:15 p.m.; a meeting with the GSC
on March 21 from 2:15-3:00 p.m.; and a meeting with leaders of student
organizations on March 22 from 10:30-11:15 a.m. For more information
about WASC you may e-mail Alana Olschwang at the address above or
visit www.cgu.edu/wasc.
“I want students to know they can approach
me . . . Even if I am not the correct person
they should be talking to, I will find out
where to direct them.”
4 Otium cum dignitate
Claremont Graduate University
campus news
Student Life (that thing in between classes)
Meditation Wednesdays
You’ve all gotten the e-mail: “Free Meditation
Wednesdays.” And we’ve all pretended we didn’t
see it so we can blissfully ignore the dearth
of attention we lavish on our psychic well
being. But Steve Smith, the leader of the free
meditation session offered each Wednesday
from 8:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. in the McAlister
Center, says that far from impeding on your
hectic life as a blossoming academic, taking
time out for reflection can actually bolster
those ambitions. “It immediately felt right,” said Smith about his first
encounter with Zen meditation. “[It provided] a healthy antidote to my
anxious, hurried, and overly heady life . . . the benefits far outweigh the
costs.”
The meditation, which includes a brief instruction, seated meditations,
a walking meditation, a reading, and conversation, is purposefully
structured in a generic, non-religious way — no incense, no bows, no
angry deities to contend with. And if you’re worried that your caffeineladen, iPod infused, overly scheduled mind can’t handle an hour of
quiet time, think again:
“Anyone who can sit still for 15 minutes can do it; there is no
expectation that participants will be able to ‘quiet their minds,’” said
Smith. “I tell participants to set aside whatever expectations they may
have brought with them, and simply be present to themselves and
observe their experiences.”
Congratulations to the CGU Flames,
regional softball contenders!
Graduate Student Council update
Beginning in February,
the Graduate Student
Council (GSC) appointed
a new executive board.
Past President, Shanna
Livermore, will serve as
interim president for the
remainder of the school year,
alongside new Vice President
Benjamin Cowan, Treasurer
Elyce Martinez, and Secretary
Shelby Hamm.
For the remainder of the
year, the GSC is emphasizing
(read: really really wants)
more student involvement by
encouraging students to come
to meetings, at which student
life, CGU’s realignment,
events, and other initiatives
will be discussed.
“This is an easy way to find out what is going on at CGU, get involved
in a small or big way depending on your availability, and possibly
volunteer for an event of interest to you,” said Shanna Livermore. “The
meetings are also a great way to find out what is happening at CGU
throughout the various schools.”
Meetings are from 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. in the Board of Trustees room in
Harper Hall. Meeting times for the rest of the semester are: Thursday,
March 22; Monday, April 2; Thursday April 19; and Monday, April 30.
And if discussing CGU’s internal politics weren’t incentive enough
to attend, the GSC also serves a free dinner to students who attend.
Just make sure to RSVP to gsc.cgu.edu and indiciate if you prefer
vegetarian/vegan fare. How’s that for amenable?
GSC elections for the 2012-2013 school year will take place towards the
end of the semester, so keep your eyes peeled for more information.
The positions (president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary) all
come with a helpful partial tuition waiver, but as any past GSC exec
will testify, anyone who wants an elected position should be prepared to
conduct meetings, meet with administration, interface with students,
and shuffle papers around constantly for nine months, so, as with many
things in academia, it’s a bad choice to enter into it for the money.
For more information on the Graduate Student Council, elections,
events, renting the GSC house, travel awards, and more, visit
www.gsc.cgu.edu.
For more about the CGU Flames softball team, including how to
join, find “CGU Flames Softball Dynasty” on Facebook.
Leisure with dignity 5
Claremont Graduate University
trees, hiding the side entrance to a lounge where regulars
were congregating. Straight through the arches, glass doors
were propped open, and we could hear music, laughter, and the
peculiar, high-pitched thunder that meant only one thing: people
were knocking things over for fun.
We weren’t afraid. We wanted to knock things over. We went in.
La Flâneuse
by Sharone Williams — writer, editor, loafer,
PhD candidate in English
Flâneuse, French: 1) a city wanderer; 2) one
who strolls about aimlessly; 3) a shopper with
no intent to buy; an intellectual parasite.
As part of the Pedant’s mission to enhance student life, La
Flâneuse will feature goings-on about town outside of the moated
ivory tower that is CGU. This month: The Montclair Bowlium.
A few weeks ago we found ourselves down Montclair way on a
Friday night, staring up at a huge set of double-arches. A rock
wall curved to the right of the arches behind a row of palm
We could tell from the parking lot that the Bowlium has been
around since 1958. When we stepped inside we got the sense that
not much had changed in 54 years, except maybe some paint here
and some carpet there. It was like walking onto the set of The
Flintstones Visit Rock Springs. If you too want to feel that sweet
1960s prehistoric-futuristic vibe, here’s what you’ll need to know
to have a solid night.
To eat: Bowling-alley food—nachos, pizzas, French fries—but with
a twist: it’s not so-bad-it’s-good so much as it’s just plain good.
Most menu items are under $5, and you order in what used to be
a standard-issue 1960s coffee shop: booths, pendant lighting, an
L-shaped counter where you nurse coffee and confide in a worldweary waitress in the wee hours . . . or, you know, just somewhere
to put your cheeseburger while you fish for your wallet.
To drink: Blue Moon is on tap in the lounge, as well as Miller Light
and all the regulars. Pitchers are $15-ish. There’s also a full bar if
you’re so inclined. We were.
To do: Bowl. Bowl your heart out. There’s some kind of special
going every day and night of the week, including Quartermania
after 9 p.m. on Sundays and Tuesdays, when a $6 cover gets you
25-cent games, $1 shoe rental, and deep discounts on French fries,
hot dogs, and sodas. Monday features the in-aptly named Dollar
The Bowlium is located
at 4666 Holt Blvd. in
Montclair. For more
information, visit
www.bowlium.com.
6 Otium cum dignitate
“We could hear music, laughter, and the peculiar, high-pitched
thunder that means only one thing: people are knocking things
over for fun. “
Night, when games are $1.25 after 8 p.m. On
Friday and Saturday nights, prepare to go cosmic
with swirling neon lights and strategically placed
fog machines. If you find the whole calendar
a little confusing, just ask the staff. They’ll
recommend the best deal to you and won’t even
ask for anything in return! Well, besides your
money.
When you’re done bowling, head into the Splits
Lounge for music and dancing. If you’re feeling
brave, sign up for karaoke in the coolest setup
around: a low, framed stage in front of a natural
rock wall. You’ll feel like Frank Sinatrock (even if
you sound like William Hung). And if you’re just
watching, be generous with your applause. That
person belting out “My Way” might have a rough
exterior, but maybe he’s just afraid of rejection.
To talk to: The aforementioned (imaginary)
waitress. The bartender, naturally. And then
there’s Ace. Hang out in the lounge long enough
and you’re bound to see him. If you happen to be
two nice girls waiting for a tardy flaneuse (ahem),
he may buy you a pitcher of beer and sit down
for a chat. Pretty soon you’ll realize that Ace is
everywhere. He talks confidentially with the shoe
rental guy. He shimmers through the cosmic
bowling fog. He sings tender duets with the
karaoke host. He walks the floor like he owns the
place. Maybe he does.
To end the night: Take a bow, hug your friends,
plan your next trip back. Oh, you’ll be back. We’ll
see you there.
Leisure with dignity 7
Claremont Graduate University
Some things can’t be taught
(for everything else, there’s you)
The distance between being a grad student and becoming a professional is vast. Not only are you supposed to be an expert in
your field, but are expected to impart that wisdom to the next generation of students. Whether teaching is your primary goal
or a necessary side job that allows you to conduct your own research, the fact is that it is something you will have to do, and
have to do well. But in a market where the job- opening to recent-graduate ration is 400:1 (or at least feels like that), getting
a foot in the door can be as hard as actually doing the job. That’s why we called in the experts.
Last December the weekly “Thursday Nights at the Humanities
Resource Center” seminar and workshop series hosted four
seasoned professionals to discuss the ins and outs of teaching at
two- and four-year colleges. From the application to the interview,
to negotiating your pay to your students, what follows is a rough
transcript of what you need to know to get in the door as an adjunct
or part timer at the community college and Cal State level.
The Application
Most Cal State and University of California (UC) job openings
require applicants to submit their applications and accompanying
materials online. As people who have been in college for upwards
of eight years, we are all pros at following directions. While it is
essential to submit an application in the requested way, it’s also
important to remember that your application is now one of 400
gathering virtual dust in someone’s inbox.
Bill Jones (History, Mt. San Antonio Community College [Mt.
SACC]): Human Resources is the black hole of CVs and application
letters.
Jill Gold-Wright (English, Mt. SACC): For an adjunct position, I
would recommend sending your CV and cover letter to HR, but also
to the department chair.
“At the community college, they want to make sure
that you get what the community college is all about.
It is about teaching (as opposed to research) first and
foremost.”
8 Otium cum dignitate
Judy Miles (Philosophy, California State Polytechnic University,
Pomona [CalPoly Pomona]): Yes! As department chair at Cal
Poly, I was always impressed by people who took the time to find
the university, figure out where to park, get themselves to the
building, find my office, walk in, and introduce themselves. It
shows infinitely more effort than pushing a button and sending
everything by e-mail.
Jones: Keep in mind, too, that one of the most important contacts
you are going to have in any department is with the department
secretary. One look from them to the right person can make you or
break you. So for goodness’ sake: be polite!
percent of whom have tested into remediation in at least
one of three subject areas. We especially are interested in
hearing about how you would teach critical-thinking skills.
Miles: At a school like UCLA, they will expect to see your
first book manuscript as well as a description of your
forthcoming second book. At the community-college level,
they couldn’t care less. In fact, an extensive publication
history may lead to your detriment, as the hiring
committee will see you as someone with no intentions to
stay at the community college.
Jones: Another biggie is coming off like you know what
you’re about, and if you don’t have the teaching experience
to answer that question, start getting some: tutor, sit in
on undergraduate classes, anything to give you more of an
indication about the types of students and classes you will
be dealing with. One thing we don’t want to see is people
who are going to teach a textbook course; we prefer to see
primary sources on your syllabus (and yes, you will have to
submit sample syllabi).
It’s normal to feel like a newbie when applying for your first teaching gig.
Of course, even getting to the point where you decide to apply for
a job can be daunting. “For graduate students who haven’t taught
yet, it can be frightening,” said Miles. “They think, ‘I don’t know
enough, I don’t know my topic well enough, I haven’t memorized
my dissertation yet.’ My advice to you: Just go for it!”
According to Allison M. Vaillancourt, vice president of human
resources at the University of Arizona in her January 27 article
in the Chronicle of Higher Education, “Ready for the Job, or Not?”,
certain people wait to be perfectly qualified for a job before
pursuing it.
“While I would never encourage anyone to be reckless in applying
for positions for which they are not qualified . . . [and while the]
distinctions between ‘required’ and ‘minimum’ qualifications
should not be ignored,” she recommends “always apply!”
The Interview
For most of us, our professorial careers will start out where most
jobs do: at the bottom. These part-time and adjunct positions are
easier to snag and often lead to tenure-track positions. “At Mt.
SACC, most of our hires for full-time positions come from our
adjunct pool, so make sure to take the job seriously and establish
networks in your department,” said Jones. So if you made it as far
as the interview, what can you expect?
Gold-Wright: At the community college, they want to make sure
that you get what the community college is all about. It is about
teaching (as opposed to research) first and foremost. We think
it’s great that you published six papers in the past year, but our
real concern is that you can handle the students at our school, 98
Gold-Wright: Be true to what you are. I got asked “What
kind of technology are you planning on using in the
classroom?” and I answered “none.” I still got the job
and haven’t done a PowerPoint yet. Meanwhile, make
sure you have every bullet point on the “desired/required
qualifications” section, because applicants for these jobs are often
scored in large part on a point system.
Salary
If you’ve gotten so far as to get hired for a job, the next step would
be negotiating your salary, right?
[Unanimous laughter ensues]
Miles (after wiping away tears): There is no room for negotiation
in the CalState system. Sometimes there is a two-dollar difference
in hourly wage if you have a lot of teaching experience, but other
than that, the pay schedule is pretty cut and dry.
(Good thing none of us went into this for the money, right? . . . )
Resources
The CGU Career Center Not only can they point you to current
openings, but can help you refine your cover letter and CV.
www.cccregistry.org Database for all open positions across
the disciplines. Most community colleges use this Southern
California-specific database.
www.higheredjobs.com Huge database of all academic jobs, with
the ability to filter searches by full or part time, location, and type
of institution. Also has administrative job postings.
The 5Cs If you’re crafty enough to snag your own funding, or are
willing to work for a few hours per week without pay, consider
approaching professors from the 5Cs in your field and offering to
be a teaching assistant.
Leisure with dignity 9
research +
awards
Lloyd G. Balfour Fellowship
The Lloyd G. Balfour Fellowship is available to initiated
members of a North American Interfraternity Conference,
National Panhellenic Council, or Professional Fraternity
Association organization, and offered only to graduate or
professional students. Basically, if you were any kind of Greek
in college, you can apply.
Awards are based on scholastic achievement (a minimum 3.7
GPA), campus and community involvement, and leadership
within your fraternity/sorority. The awards vary from $1,000
to $2,000.
Applicants need to fill out the application online and write
an essay outlining their contributions to the enhancement of
fraternal ideals and discuss them in relation to their planned
future career. The application is online and the deadline is
March 31. For more information and to apply, visit www.nif-inc.
net/scholarships/lloyd_balfour.
Official transcripts and proof of enrollment/acceptance are not
necessary until you have been (fingers crossed!) selected as a
finalist.
HSF/MacNamara Family
Creative Arts Project Grant
This award is available for a student of Latino/Hispanic
heritage in a creative-arts related fields including, but not
limited to, media, film, communications, writing, or fine art.
The grant is for up to $15,000, and the deadline is March 31,
2012.
The award is intended to assist students in beginning and
completing an art project (take note, art students!), like your
MFA thesis exhibition, for example.
Eligibility requirements include US citizenship, a minimum
GPA of 3.0, and full-time enrollment at a US accredited
institution in fall 2012. Applicants must be majoring in the
arts, and apply for federal financial aid by filling out the
FAFSA.
For more information and to apply, visit www.hsf.net.
6 Otium cum dignitate
10 Otium cum dignitate
student achievements
Monica Almond
School of Educational Studies
The Journal of Negro Education accepted Almond’s article, “The Black
Charter School Effect: Black Students in American Charter Schools,”
for publication.
Tatiana Basáñez
School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences
PhD Applied Social Psychology
Basáñez was recently awarded a Transdisciplinary Studies
Program and Hillcrest Funds 2012 for her proposal, “Testing Black
Exceptionalism using Implicit Associations Test.” The research team
will also include School of Community and Global Health student
Yusuke Shono and Sandra Garcia, a PhD student in Economics.
Jacqueline Bell Johnson
School of Arts and Humanities
MFA
Bell was included in the art show at the Brea Gallery So-Cal: A Graduate
Introspective, as well as a three-person exhibit at La Artcore in June
2013. She also received a Transdicsiplinary Reading/Working group
award for her proposal, “Methods of Innovation: The Process of Gaining
Inspiration from the Other Side.”
Mark Dust
School of Community and Global Health
Drucker School alumnus and current PhD student in the
School of Community and Global Health, Dust appeared
on Fox Business network’s the Stossel Show on January
19 during a segment examining war veterans’ struggles
with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dust
also maintains a blog, Ramblings on Trauma, on both his personal
experience with PTSD and his research on combating and preventing it:
www.ramblingsontrauma.com.
Monica Fernandez
School of Arts and Humanities/Drucker School
MA Arts Management
Fernandez was selected by the Scholarship Review Committee of
the California Association of Museums (CAM) to receive a Getty
scholarship for the 2012 CAM Conference, Museums Making it Happen
in Berkeley, California. The Getty scholarship includes full conference
registration, a $450-$600 travel stipend, and several networking
opportunities.
Vanessa Hemovich
School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences
PhD Social Psychology
Hemovich was recently announced as a Dean’s Competitive
Dissertation Grant Award Winner at Claremont Graduate University.
Kelly Hewitt
School of Educational Studies
MA Education Policy
Hewitt was selected as a fellow for the 2012 City
Scholars Foundation AfterSchool Leadership Academy,
a leadership development institute for out-of-school
program leaders serving low-income youth in the
greater Los Angeles area. Additionally, In partnership with SISAT
Professor Gondy Leroy, was awarded a grant from the National Center
for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) and Microsoft Research
Academic Alliance Seed Fund to develop the Claremont-Scripps
Computing Academy to recruit and retain women into the fields of
computing and technology.
Pei Yee Whetsel
School of Information Systems and Technology
Whetsel was a winner of SISAT’s Student GIS
Challenge competition. She won in the public health
and humanitarian category for her creation of “My
emergency shelter: A disaster management application
that may save your life.” As winner of the competition,
which was co-sponsored by digital-mapping leader Esri, Whetsel
received $1,000 and a scholarship of up to $35,000.
Kelsey Kimmel
School of Arts and Humanities
MFA
Kimmel was hired as an art department teaching
assistant at the University of LaVerne.
Kristin Hutchins
School of Arts and Humanities
PhD English
Hutshins willl be presenting at the Popular Culture Association/
American Culture Association conference in Boston this April. Her
Paper, “Human like a House,” explores representations of sickness in
contemporary fiction and how they reconfigure assumptions about
sickness and identity.
Krystal Miguel
School of Educational Studies
PhD Higher Education
In December, Miguel’s co-authored article, “Validation
of a Self-Report Instrument to Assess Social and
Emotional Development,” was published in Research
in Higher Education Journal. She was also accepted to
present her papers, “Unlocking the Emotional and Social Intellegences
of Leaders: Integrating Emotional and Social Skills into Leader
Development,” and “Responsible Leadership: A Model and Method of
Student Development” at the Society of Consulting Psychology midwinter Conference in Pasadena, and the Twenty-first Kravis de Roulet
Leadership Conference in Claremont, respectively.
Matthew Minsuk Shin
Drucker School
PhD Management
Shin was corresponding author for “Advertising
Strategy for Outbound Travel Services,” which
was published in the March 2010 issue of Service
Businesses: An International Journal.
Benedict Nwachukwu-Udaku
School of Arts and Humanities
MA Philosophy
Benedict’s book, From what we should do to who we
should be: Negotiating Theological Reflections and
Praxis in the Context of HIV/AIDS among the Igbos
of Nigeria, was recently published by AuthorHouse
Publishing. Additionally, he will be a guest speaker at a Theological
Symposium in the diocese of San Bernardino on the role of ethics in
pastoral ministry
Dan Taulapapa McMullin
Arts and Humanities
MFA
McMullin’s artwork is on the current cover of UCLA’s Amerasia Journal,
Vol 37 N.3 2011, “Transoceanic Flows: Pacific Islander Interventions
across the American Empire,” with an essay, “Fa’afafine Notes: On
Tagaloa, Jesus, and Nafanua,” and other artwork in the issue.
Rafael Vasquez
School of Educational Studies
PhD Higher Education
Vasquez recently received the Adolescent and Youth Development
Student Travel Award from the American Educational Research
Association (AERA) for his research on the educational experiences of
indigenous immigrant and non-immigrant Mexian youth in US schools.
Veronica Ventura Gonzalez
School of Educational Studies
PhD Urban Education
Gonzalez recently presented at The Razor’s Edge: Navigating Theory and
Activism conference at Claremont Graduate University. The topic of her
presentation was the impact families and schools have on low-income
Latino students’ college choices.
Paula McGee
School of Religion
McGee had her basketball jersey retired by the University of Southern
California on Feburary 19. McGee was a member of the USC women’s
basketball teams that won back-to-back national championships in 1983
and 1984. She will be graduating with her doctorate in Women’s Studies
in Religion this spring.
Zining Yang
School of Politics and Economics
PhD Politics and Policy
Yang presented a co-authored paper (with Mark Abdollahian),
“Convergence in the 20th Century: Decreasing Transaction Costs, Trade
and Globalization,” at the 83rd Southern Political Science Association
annual meeting in January, and received their Prestage-Cook travel
award.
To submit your academic achievement,
e-mail pedant@cgu.edu. Be sure to include
your department, school, and degree
dignity 11
program at CGU. PhotosLeisure
of thewith
high-res,
headshot variety are also nice.
Leisure with dignity 11
Claremont Graduate University
calendar
March 20 Thesis exhibition and reception for MFA students Annie Nieman and Katie
Szymanski at the East and Peggy Phelps Galleries, 251 E. 10th St. Reception begins
at 6:00 p.m., and exhibition is open until March 23.
March 21 Writing Your Dissertation workshop hosted by the CGU Writing Center;
2:00-3:00 p.m. in McManus 33.
March 23-25 Claremont Arts Enterprise summit, The Creative Economy and YOU.
Designed by students for students interested in both the arts and business. Contact
Shanda Domango at shan_doman@yahoo.com for information.
March 27 Thesis exhibition and reception for MFA students Joe Lloyd and Travis
Novak at the East and Peggy Phelps Galleries, 251 E. 10th St. Reception begins at
6:00 p.m. and exhibition is open until March 29.
April 3 Thesis exhibition and reception for MFA students Jacques Louis David and
Atilio Pernisco at the East and Peggy Phelps Galleries, 251 E. 10th St. Reception
begins at 6:00 p.m. and exhibition is open until April 6.
March 30 Cesar Chavez Holiday Observed
April 10 Thesis exhibition and reception for MFA students Clifford Eberly and
Kathleen Melian and at the East and Peggy Phelps Galleries, 251 E. 10th St.
Reception begins at 6:00 p.m. and exhibition is open until April 12.
April 10 CGU Concert, “Works by Doppler, Feld, Berio, and Liebermann,” featuring
CGU students Yu-min Tsai (flute) and Hui-hsin Tseng (piano); 4:15 at the Mudd
Theatre, Claremont School of Theology.
April 13-14 The Politics of Unrest, a transcdisciplinary conference put on by students
in the Graduate Student History Association. Admission is free. For information,
e-mail ghsa@cgu.edu.
April 16 Due date for final degree requirements for students graduating in May.
April 17 Thesis exhibition and reception for MFA students Kelsea Heino and Grace
Park at the East and Peggy Phelps Galleries, 251 E. 10th St. Reception begins at 6:00
p.m. and exhibition is open until April 20.
April 17 CGU Concert, “Works by Caccini, Gluck, Handel, and Others,” featuring CGU
student Douglas Law (countertenor); 4:15 at Kresge Chapel, Claremont School of
Theology.
April 19 20th Annual Kingsley Tufts Poetry Awards ceremony at 5:00 p.m. at the
Garrison Theater
April 24 Thesis exhibition and reception for MFA students Adam Mason and Damaris
Rivera at the East and Peggy Phelps Galleries, 251 E. 10th St. Reception begins at
6:00 p.m. and exhibition is open until April 27.
April 25 Writing GSC Travel Awards Application workshop hosted by the CGU
Writing Center. Two workshop times: 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. at the Writing Center
House.
May 12 Commencement. Congrats grads, and good luck!
12 Otium cum dignitate
14
Summer
12May
Otium
cum
dignitate classes
begin
EVENT IN FOCUS
Arts Enterprise Summit
The 2012 Arts Enterprise National Summit will
give you the opportunity to tap into your creative
mind, form career strategies, and strengthen your
entrepreneurial skills. Designed by students for
students interested in both the arts and business,
The Creative Economy and YOU will be a
powerful way to build your cultural network with
some of the key players in the arts and business
sectors.
Hosted by the Arts Management program, The
Creative Economy and YOU will be held March
23-25, 2012 at CGU. For info and to register,
visit www.artsenterprise.com/resources/aesummit or e-mail shan_doman@yahoo.com.
graduate tips
CGU Professors Paul Gray and
David E. Drew, authors of What
they Didn’t Teach You in Graduate School: 199 Helpful Hints for
Success in Your Academic Career,
have been kind enough to allow
us to publish one helpful hint
from their book in each issue.
This is so that one day you don’t
raise your fist in the air and
curse CGU for not teaching you
to . . .
38. YOU MAY FIND AS YOU GO through your job search
that you don’t really want to work in academe or you
may be one of the unlucky ones who doesn’t find the
right assistant professorship or postdoc or assistant
dean’s job. In that case, you can start to think in terms
fo finding other employment. The classic case was that
of Albert Einstein. In its April 8 2007 issue on a story
on Einstein, the LA Times reported: His impudence and
lack of deference to authority . . . alienated all of his
professors at Zurich Polutechnic . . . . he was the only
graduate in his section . . . not offered a junor professorship.
It made his career. A job was found for him at the Swiss
Patent Office that gave him time away from the pressure of [academia] so he could think. Eventually he was
invited to be a professor. The point of the story is that
innovation and creativity can be gained outside an academic career and the tenure track is only one of many.
Life, after all, is what you make of it.