VOLUME 4
NUMBER 2
NOVEMBER 2011
Contents:
2
campus news
5
GSC update
6 L
a Flaneuse: the
Claremont Wanderer
10 research & awards
12 events calendar and
more
The book tour of the
millennium comes to
CGU (“Manifold Greatness,”
page 3)
While changes to grad
student loans may require
students to tighten their
belts, it’s not all bad news
(“Losing Interest,”page 4)
Ever feel like the walls are
cloing in at CGU? Consider
taking your T-course abroad
(page 8)
the pedant
A quarterly newsletter for CGU students, by CGU students. Now bigger, stronger, faster.
Claremont Graduate University
EDITOR’S NOTE
“Where every leaf is a flower”
(autumn in Claremont)
Autumn is generally the time of year when we settle into our
routines. The novelty of the beginning of the semester has worn
off and the anticipation of the holidays (and winter break) imbue
the quotidian with an air of contented excitement. But this fall
at CGU, change is in the air. In November, we welcomed our new
Dean of Students, Fred Siegel; college realignment talks abound
with renewed fervor; and new opportunities for students, like study
abroad and student journals, seem to crop up on a daily basis.
This issue of the Pedant focuses on opportunity and achievement.
For the first time in Pedant history, we are now dedicating two
pages to highlighting student achievements—and it’s about time.
Check out what your colleagues have been up to on page 10, and be
sure to let us know about your own accomplishments for the next
issue, e-mail pedant@cgu.edu.
But along with the fun and games that invariably sneak into grad
life (see “La Flaneuse,” page six) the real facts of graduate school
cannot be ignored. These past few months, our ears have been to
the ground so we can give you the most up-to-date and concise
information regarding changes to graduate financing. If you have
ever taken out a loan or ever plan to, this article is a must-read
(“Losing Interest,” page four).
But while money may be tight, opportunities abound. The
Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) seminar series is a free way to get
the career training you need (page 12); and if you managed to get
your abstract turned in to the MMP conference on time, you can
now consider yourself published, thanks to their new conference
journal (page three).
As you settle in to the semester and look forward to the home
stretch, take a moment to disengage from your book and look up.
This is the “city of trees and PhDs,” after all, and nothing is more
enchanting than autumn in Claremont.
Rachel Tie
Pedant@cgu.edu
the Pedant
Volume 4, Number 2 November 2011
Many thanks to Gina Carlson and the GSC, Chris Bass, Susie Guilbault,
Gabriella Tempestoso-Bednar, Nola Wanta, Jenny Darroch, Geoffrey Webb,
Rod Leveque, Tammi Schneider, Nicholaus Pumphrey, Appy Frykenberg,
John Erickson, Sheila Lefor, and Lori Anne Ferrell.
The Pedant is . . .
Rachel Tie
Brendan Babish
Emily Schuck
Sharone Williams
Editor
Editor Emeritus/Writer
Writer
Contributor
2 Otium cum dignitate
New home for Student Housing
The leaves are not the only thing changing in Claremont this
fall: a new hire for CGU housing means a management shift for
residential life. Previously, the Claremont University Consortium
(CUC) handled on-campus housing. Now CGU has its own housing
office that deals with every aspect of graduate student on-campus
housing.
Chris Bass is the new manager for Housing Services at CGU.
He plans to enhance the living and learning experiences for the
students in a number of ways. Some of the immediate changes to
look forward to are a 24-hour computer lab at the apartments and
town hall meetings to discuss residents’ concerns.
These meetings will help to identify the kinds of changes
students want to see in residential life. “Once we get a sense of
what issues and concerns there are, we will go from there, and let
the needs of the students drive the programming,” said Bass.
Long term, Bass hopes to modernize the housing application
process and get it online and available to mobile devices.
“This is an opportunity to align housing with the university’s
mission of student centeredness. That is really going to be the
path that we continue to march on,” he said.
The CUC will still manage referring students to off-campus
housing. For more information, visit CGU’s housing website at
www.cgu.edu/housing, or contact the housing office at (909) 6078506 or via e-mail at housinginfo@cgu.edu.
Claremont Graduate University
campus news
CGU Student Conference goes
Digital
Last March, nearly 60 CGU students presented at The
Balancing Act – Theory and Practice, the 12th annual student
research conference put on by the Office of Student Life
and Diversity and the Minority Mentor Program. Though
the conference has been held for more than a decade, this
is the first time conference organizers are releasing an
accompanying journal. The Voices of Claremont Graduate
University: Student Research Journal includes 45 appliedresearch articles written by conference presenters.
The Voices of Claremont Graduate University is available
exclusively online, and can be viewed and downloaded at the
MMP website: www.cgu.edu/studentconference2011.
The theme of The Balancing Act was bridging academic
research with real-world issues. The topic was broad enough
to allow most CGU students the opportunity to present
their work, which is one of the primary functions of the
conference. Presenting at academic conferences is an
important part of the graduate-school experience for many
students: it strengthens CVs, develops academic and practicebased networks, and builds confidence and speaking skills.
“No one at CGU is just a student,” said John Erickson, codirector of The Balancing Act and a doctoral student in the
School of Religion. “This conference showcases what sets you
apart, which helps when applying for jobs and fellowships.”
New Dean in Town
Beginning December 1, Fred Siegel will
begin his tenure as the new dean of
students and vice provost of student and
enrollment services.
Siegel has over three decades of
experience in university administration,
most recently at George Washington University, where he
served as associate vice president since 2003.
Siegel’s duties include oversight of student recruitment,
admissions, registration, retention, student activities,
student government, student financing, counseling, minority
mentoring, creative services, residential living, and—as if
all that weren’t enough—student discipline. He will report to
Provost Jacob Adams
“Student success is my mission. I want to break down any
barriers that get in the way of our students’ academic goals,”
said Siegel. “ I see a tremendous opportunity to build a sense
of community here at Claremont Graduate University, and I
look forward to meeting and working with every one of our
students.
CGU students (L-R) Mollie Le Veque, Jacob Rennaker, and Nicholaus
Pumphrey look at the 1611 version of the King James Bible, on exhibition at
the Honnold Library
Manifold Greatness:
The book tour of the millennium (if
only the author were signing copies)
CGU and the Honnold/Mudd Library will celebrate the 400th
anniversary of the first printing of the King James Bible by
hosting a traveling exhibition examining the immeasurable
impact the book has had on American culture. Manifold
Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the King James Bible,
will be on display at the library from November 10 to January 6.
Highlighting the exhibit will be a first edition of the King James
Bible from 1611. There will also be high-quality reproductions of
rare and historic books, manuscripts, and works of art from the
Folger and Bodleian collections, as well as rare artifacts from the
Denison Library and Honnold/Mudd Library’s Special Collections.
“Claremont Graduate University is delighted to have been
selected to host this exhibition,” said Lori Anne Ferrell, professor
of early modern literature and history in CGU’s School of Arts
and Humanities. “The King James Bible—both in Britain, its
country of origin, and in America, where it has exerted greatest
influence is a—work of historic importance, enduring inspiration,
and ongoing fascination. This exhibition will document its
remarkable religious, educational, literary, political, and cultural
impact over four centuries.”
CGU and the Honnold/Mudd Library are sponsoring free
programs and other events for the public in connection with the
exhibition. For event information, visit www.cgu.edu/manifold.
Leisure with dignity 3
Claremont Graduate University
campus news
Losing interest in Stafford loans
This past summer, endless “debt ceiling” discussion dominated
everything from the airwaves to coffee talk with friends. The
eventual agreement—to cut spending while also raising the debt
limit—seemed a relief to most, if only because we would stop
hearing about it. But the impact of cutting aid while trying to save
education culminates, for graduate students, in an aid-benefit
reform that will drastically alter how we
finance our educations.
subsidize the interest on loans. Additionally, the “origination fee
rebate” will also be cut on all loans, including Stafford and Grad
PLUS loans. As it currently stands, there is a 1 percent fee on
each Stafford loan and a 4 percent fee on each Grad PLUS loan,
but a portion of the fee is rebated at the time of disbursement.
Beginning on July 1, 2012, the full fee will be charged.
The 6.8 percent interest on formerly
subsidized loans will now begin to accrue
the moment the loan is disbursed. This
means that over a 20-year repayment period a
student who takes out the maximum amount
of loans for a six-year doctoral program would
end up paying $11,000 more over the lifetime
of the loan, or around $75 more per month.
The new Budget Control Act of 2011, which
allowed the debt ceiling to be raised, also
provides $17 billion to the Federal Pell
Grant program, aid that gives a maximum
grant of $5,500 to some 8 million lowincome students for college. Good news
for college students, but the money used
to continue to support the Pell grant has
to come from somewhere. In an effort to
raise these funds, while also decreasing
the national debt, the government
concocted a 10-year, $21.6 billion savings
program by cutting both subsidized
loans to graduate students and on-time
repayment incentives.
For students graduating soon, there is little
impact; those just beginning their graduate
studies will face the increase in debt over a
longer period. But while some commentators
are likening the national student-debt issue
to the collapse of the housing bubble, Susie
Guilbault, director of financial aid at
CGU, says the situation isn’t as dire as it
may sound.
Currently, students are allowed to take out
a maximum of $20,500 in federal loans
per aid year, including $8,500 in subsidized loans. As of now, the
federal government pays the interest on subsidized loans while a
student is enrolled in school and for six months after graduation.
Beginning in July 2012, however, the government will no longer
the
up-side
Before you fall too deep into despair,
there is an upside: In the spring of
2010, part of the health-care reform
President Barack Obama signed into
law drastically altered repayment terms
for loans taken out after July 2013
(the new terms were set to begin for
loans taken out after July 2014, but in
early fall Obama accelerated the law
to take effect sooner). For those loans,
payments will be capped at 10 percent
of a student’s disposable income (i.e.
income above the poverty line) per year;
it’s currently capped at 15 percent. Any
debt remaining after 20 years will be
forgiven; the current threshold is 25.
4 Otium cum dignitate
“In the big picture it isn’t substantial enough
to discourage students from finishing their degree and going into
the workforce,” said Guilbault. “Students just need to plan ahead
and live within their means.”
For public servants—including teachers,
professors at state schools, nurses, or
members of the armed forces—that cap
will be 10 years.
Additionally, those students who got their
loans from the Federal Family Education
Loan Program will be able to consolidate
their loans at an interest rate of half a
percentage point less, potentially saving
those borrowers a few hundred dollars a
month in repayment. To paraphrase the
comment Vice President Joe Biden made
at the bill’s signing: “This is a big [effing]
deal,” at least for graduate students.
The bottom line is that if you have loans,
it is essential to keep up with how loan
terms are changing, and to practice smart
spending and financial management.
“We encourage students to work through
grad school, and to be wise about their
choices,” said Guilbault. Because while the
joy of getting a loan refund each semester
may cause some of us to, say, redecorate
the house or finally get a car, it isn’t free
money, and as any Drucker student will
tell you, there is no such thing as a free
lunch.
For information about your loans,
financing your education, or if just
need a friendly face to remind you that
everything is going to be okay, visit the
financial aid office in the student services
building at 160 East Tenth Street, or
e-mail finaid@cgu.edu.
Claremont Graduate University
GSC page
GSC Focuses on Student Advocacy,
Student Life (and what a life it is)
Greetings colleagues! The Graduate Student
Council (GSC) hopes that the fall semester is
abounding with intriguing research, engaging
coursework, and that you are finding a moment
to relax and rejuvenate from your hard work.
The GSC is made up of an executive board
as well as representatives from each of
CGU’s schools. It advocates for students and
communicates to the faculty and administration
on behalf of the students. This year, the GSC
has several initiatives and is always willing to
explore new opportunities to push for studentcentered issues. Funding and promoting student
research and inter-disciplinarity, services for
students with disabilities or accommodations,
and building stronger relationship among
campus organizations and the GSC are just a
few of the objectives for this year. Along with these goals, the council
also plans a plethora of social and cultural events.
The recent annual GSC Halloween Party was a success and hosted well
over 200 students. The Novemeber Town Hall was also a great success.
In December, we will host a charitable giving and a study break in
the GSC house. Please visit the GSC website to view event dates and
details.
The GSC house is located at 127 E. 12th street, behind the CGU Writing
Center. We have been working to make the house comfortable for
visitors and students. The house is available for all student groups and
individuals to utilize throughout the year. If groups have a visiting
speaker, need a space to conduct a workshop, hold a small event, or
study, the house can be reserved with a small refundable deposit.
Reservations can be made by e-mailing gsc@cgu.edu.
Please make your voice heard by attending a general council meeting.
The meeting location and time can be found at the GSC website. We
hope to see you at the next GSC event or council meeting.
Gina Carlson
President, GSC
CGU student enjoy fall weather and riveting conversation.
Town Hall Addresses Student Concerns
Over 40 CGU students crowded into Albrecht Auditorium on Wednesday,
November 9, for this semester’s semi-annual town hall. The Graduate
Student Council organizes town halls every semester so students can not
only learn about the latest developments from key CGU administrators,
but also have their questions and concerns addressed.
A wide range of topics was covered, including budget analysis, on-campus
housing security, international students’ integration into CGU, and
scholarship/fellowship availability.
“Finding fellowship and scholarship money for all of you has to be our
number one priority,” said President Deborah Freund. “We know it, we
hear you all, and you can keep pushing as much as you want.”
Mike Avila, assistant vice president of Advancement, outlined a plan to
address this major concern. Between now and the end of February, his
office plans to make 14 million dollars in asks. Three million of that would
go towards fellowships. “It’s about fellowships, fellowships, fellowships,”
Avila said. He added, “Frankly, there is not a day that goes by that
Debbie doesn’t remind me of that.”
Also present at the panel was Jacob Adams, executive vice president and
provost; Fred Siegel, CGU’s new dean of students; Steven Garcia, senior
vice president of finance and administration; Travis Wynberry, chief
information officer; and Chris Bass, manager for housing services.
Siegel hopes to have a full house for next semester’s town hall, so keep
your eyes peeled and your questions ready for the discussion next spring.
Leisure with dignity 5
Claremont Graduate University
Community Center. Two nights before that I sat across
the table from the shadow Minister of Northern Ireland
at a private dinner in the House of Lords in London. And
a few weeks before that, I wended my way to the Mt. Baldy
Lodge, one of those lights that twinkle in the hills above
Claremont, for an evening of dinner, drinks, and music.
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: Mt. Baldy,
in all its square-dancing, snow-boarding, mountain-lodge
glory.
Your girl about town often finds herself in unusual
situations. In October, I sat with CGU’s own Fulbrighter
Jan Andres in a karaoke bar in Krakow, Poland, shouting
Bon Jovi songs with members of the local Jewish
6 Otium cum dignitate
Mt. Baldy (officially Mt. San Antonio, for those of you
playing mountain bingo) is sneaky close to Claremont—
less than 20 minutes away—and offers all the typical
mountain-type activities. In the summer there are hiking
trails, campgrounds, and graded rock-climbing areas.
In the winter, snow enthusiasts can ski, inner tube and,
if feeling especially brave, climb the Baldy Bowl. If you
want a romantic outing, you can ride a ski lift to Top of
the Notch, a restaurant on the top of the mountain, which
is the highest point in Los Angeles County. Or, if physical
exertion is antithetical to your staunch commitment to
the life of the mind, you can head to the Mt. Baldy Lodge.
Forget the clichés. The Mt. Baldy Lodge is the truth upon
which all those clichés are based. Picture a mountain
lodge, any mountain lodge. Is it built entirely of logs and
warm wood paneling? Is there a stone fireplace large
enough to roast a deer? Could the décor be described as
predominantly taxidermic? Would Rock Hudson in his
red plaid shirt look perfectly at home leaning on the bar?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re
imagining the Mt. Baldy Lodge without even trying.
It’s not a time warp so much as a space warp, a culture
warp, the closest thing to teleportation. In a few minutes
you can drive from bland suburbs to mountain woods, and
it’s a change so complete you might forget the suburbs
exist at all. You’ll travel a two-lane road that winds right
past the lodge’s red and white sign. You’ll park your car,
smell the trees and hear the wind and wish you could see
your breath because that just seems appropriate. You’ll
Claremont Graduate University
“Forget the clichés. The Mt. Baldy
Lodge is the truth upon which all
those clichés are based.”
Ski lifts going to the top of Mt. Baldy. Photo courtesy of Geoffrey Webb.
cross the road and climb the wooden steps, and when
you open the door you’ll hear friendly conversation and
laughter and feel right at home.
You’ll seat yourself, maybe in the center of the dining room
with a prime view of the dance floor, maybe on the patio if
the weather’s right. The staff is friendly and will be right
over to serve you drinks—and if not, they’ll offer you a free
round to make up for it. You might order something to eat:
an enormous chicken sandwich, a bowl of chili, onion rings
the size of hula hoops. Or maybe you’d like some Yummy
Pie or Fancy Cakes, two of the menu’s dessert offerings. You
probably won’t get cell reception, so don’t bother pulling
your phone out every three minutes. You’ll just have to give
your attention to the people you came with — so choose
your companions carefully.
At some point in the evening, the entertainment will begin.
It’s usually a combination of man, acoustic guitar, and
Top 40 hits from the last 50 years. On a wilder night, there
may be a DJ, or karaoke. The dancing might not be elegant,
and if the karaoke’s anything like it was in Krakow, it
won’t be pretty. But you might not even notice, because the
Mt. Baldy Lodge is not a place to see or be seen. It’s more
a place to simply be, and there’s something profoundly
relaxing about it.
Try it. You’ll see.
For more on Mt. Baldy, visit www.mtbaldylodge.com
Leisure with dignity 7
Claremont Graduate University
Broaden your horizons and
get out of town
After a few years of graduate study, Claremont can start to feel (how do we say this?) cloistering. Getting to Los Angeles is
kind of a schlep, and finding the time and money to travel for fun is a luxury few can afford. But if the walls are starting to
feel like they’re closing in (and you need to take that T-course anyway) CGU’s study abroad opportunities offer the perfect
pairing of getting your coursework checked off the to-do list, and getting out and living a little.
Oxford
When most people think of Oxford they picture cobblestone
streets, imposing spires, and yes, the dining hall from Harry
Potter. Each summer the Drucker School hosts a T-course at
St. Peter’s College (one of the many smaller institutions that
make up the larger Oxford University) in the heart of the city,
which any past student will testify, exceeds all expectations
for the grandeur of Oxford.
The course being offered in August 2012, “Doing Business in
Europe,” covers European financial markets, management,
marketing, and a social perspective on how businesses
interface with society. If the topics covered sound
intimidating to students outside of Drucker, they shouldn’t:
While each class is taught by seasoned professors and
local experts, the assignments are tailored to accommodate
students without any previous exposure to the topics,
so fear not.
Of course, the six hours of class time per day is peppered with
an adequate amount of free time, including a free weekend in
London, and in years past, a private tour of Wembly Stadium,
a Shakespeare show, and intimate tours of the roughly
700-year-old colleges led by Oxford dons.
English PhD student April Frykenberg surveys the tel at the dig site in Akko.
Photo courtesy of Nicholaus Pumphrey.
8 Otium cum dignitate
But the resounding sentiment among students of years
past is that the highlight of the trip is the weekly high-table
dinners, a tradition nearly as old as the university. Beginning
with cocktails and entertainment in the garden, students file
into the ancient dining hall, where you may just get selected
to sit at the high table, an honor traditionally reserved for
fellows and visiting dignitaries. Dinner includes at least three
courses (and include such British favorites as pork belly,
roasted tomatoes, and Cornish game hens) and invariably
great conversation and revelry ensue—for the wine is free and
it never runs dry.
View of the Radcliffe Camera, home to the Bodleian Library, at All Souls College in Oxford.
“Invariably great conversation and revelry ensue—for the wine is free and it never runs dry.”
Most evenings end with excursions to Oxford’s famed pubs, the
Purple Toad, the Tavern, or the Eagle and the Child, where C.S.
Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien decided to see who could write the best
allegory for Christian history (and thus, the Chronicles of Narnia
and the Lord of the Rings). Suffice it to say, one feels that they are
at the seat of Western history when in Oxford, and as the dons will
tell you, they are probably correct.
The Oxford T-course is 12 days long and is usually held in midAugust. To find out more about the trip, including costs and travel
arrangements, e-mail Drucker School Professor Jenny Darroch at
jenny.darroch@cgu.edu
Akko
If the Medieval is just too new for your taste, consider taking the
T-course in Akko, Israel, a town whose history stretches from the
sixteenth century b.c.e., to the Maccabean revolt, to the Crusades
(during which time it was occupied by the Knights Hospitaller), to
the modern, ethnically, and religiously diverse city it is today.
There are usually two courses offered. In the first, “Archeological
Field Methods” (a religion course), students work daily at an
excavation site and learn all facets of archaeology, including
recording the finds, measuring levels, filling out tags for pottery
buckets, and taking soil samples (real deal kind of stuff). The
second, “Public Archaeology, Conservation, and Heritage,” is
a transdisciplinary course that focuses mostly on the dig site
but also introduces students to the city of Akko from numerous
perspectives, including history, archaeology, religion, culture,
tourism, and city government, through a series of lectures
presented by the faculty on site, work and tours of the Tel and the
country, and guest speakers.
English PhD student April Frykenberg, dubbed the “pickaxe
surgeon” of the excavation site, said that despite archaeology
being a far stretch from her own academic work, which focuses on
twentieth-century American literature, she found connections she
had not anticipated.
“Given the social climate of scientific interest at the turn of the
last century, it’s not surprising that so many authors of the period
were interested in or influenced by archaeology. Thomas Hardy
did excavations in his backyard. Agatha Christie actually went on
excavations.
“Beyond that, though, there was a tactile pleasure to the digging
that I haven’t experienced for a long time. Being at the site
allowed for a body-awareness that you don’t get reading all day
long,” Frykenberg added.
The course is four weeks and takes place in July. For information,
contact School of Religion Dean Tammi Schneider at tammi.
schneider@cgu.edu and visit www.akkoarchaeology.org/CGU/
AkkoCGU.htm for announcements and informational meeting
updates.
In addition to the Oxford and Akko courses, the Drucker School
has offered “Doing Business in Asia” in Hong Kong over winter
break, “Doing Business in a Culture of Sustainability” in Costa
Rica over spring break, and offers exchange programs in Japan,
the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Visit www.cgu.edu/pages/7694.
asp for more information.
Leisure with dignity 9
research + awards
CGU Maguire Award
Humane Studies Award
The McGuire fellowship is an annual award competition of
$3,000 to fund CGU students in research assistantships
(RA) and teaching assistantships (TA) throughout the 5Cs.
Applications are due in late February for the 2012-2013
academic year and awards will be announced in mid-April.
The Humane Studies Fellowship awards graduate students in
any field $2,000–$15,000 who demonstrate research interest
in the intellectual and institutional foundations of a free
society. Applications are due December 31 and require a
$25 application fee. We know, you should be wary of awards
requiring a fee; many are scams. This one seems legit.
Proposals for TA funding should include the student’s full
name, the professor’s full name and home school, the course
involved, and the expected contributions of the TA.
RA funding proposals should include both the student’s and
the professor’s full names, the professor’s home school, a short
description of the research project with which the student will
be involved, and a description of the type of work the student
will perform.
The application process includes three essays that focus on
the applicant’s personal intellectual history, the nature of
their academic discipline, and current research interests.
Applicants will also need at least two (but no more than
three) letters of recommendation, writing samples, reports of
standardized tests taken, and official transcripts.
Last year, the Institute for Humane Studies distributed over
While there are several awards given out each year, they are not $750,000 to 195 students. The award may be used at any
infinite; so time lavished on a compelling proposal is time well degree-granting institution, including those abroad.
spent.
For more information, or to fill out the application online,
For questions, please contact elysabeth.flores@cgu.edu or visit visit www.theihs.org/humane-studies-fellowships.
http://www.cgu.edu/pages/8184.asp for more information.
student achievements
Kaycea Campbell
Department of Economics
School of Politics and Economics
In August, Campbell presented her paper, “A Statistical Analysis of
Public Sector Corruption and Economic Growth,” at the Guanajato
Workshop for Young Economists at the Universidad de Guanajuato in
Mexico.
Emily Chan
Department of Psychology
School of Behavioral and Organizational Science
Chan recently presented her paper, “How Organizational
Representations Influence Women’s Employment Interest
in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM),” at
the 11th Annual Stanford Undergraduate Psychology Conference in Palo
Alto, California.
David Dunaetz
Deborah Gin
Higher Education
School of Educational Studies
This past school year, Gin published a chapter in Mirrored Reflections:
Reframing Biblical Characters, entitled “Ruth: Identity and Leadership
from Multivocal Spaces.” She was also an invited speaker to the
competitive Association of Theological Schools Conference, Women in
Leadership.
Jennifer Ho
Musical Arts
School of Arts and Humanities
This winter break, Ho will be conducting the Millennium
Youth Orchestra in Hong Kong. Ho founded the orchestra
in 1998 and returns several times per year to conduct
performances and serve as the orchestra’s director.
Kimberly Johnson
Social Psychology
School of Community and Global Health
School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences
This summer, Johnson was awarded a full scholarship to
Dunaetz’s most recent paper, “Understanding the effects of
Johns Hopkins University, Center for American Indian Health
diversity in missions from a social science perspective,” was
Program. Additionally, her student internship at Riverside
recently published in Reflecting God’s Glory Together:
San Bernardino Indian Health Services, Diabetes Program,
Diversity in Evangelical Mission.
which began in January, 2011, led to full-time employment.
10 Otium cum dignitate
Brian McCabe
Department of English
School of Arts and Humanities
McCabe presented his paper, “Theodicy & Patriotism:
Emily Dickinson’s Civil War,” at the Rocky Mountain
Modern Language Association in Scottsdale, Arizona. He
was also awarded a grant to attend the Irish Seminar at the University
of Notre Dame in Dublin, Ireland in summer 2011.
Amos Nadler
School of Politics and Economics
Nadler spoke at the joint meeting of the American
Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiographic
Technicians and the American Academy of Oral and
Maxillofacial Radiology in Reno, Nevada, on October 6,
2011. He was also hired as visiting professor at Pitzer College teaching
behavioral economics for fall 2011, and was awarded a Jewish Vocational
Services (JVS) fellowship in September.
Shannon Nutt
Department of History
School of Arts and Humanities
Nutt recently had a paper, “My Case for Deconstructionist History”
accepted to the Hawaii University Arts and Humanities Conference for
presentation and publication in the conference proceedings in January
2012.
David Okonyan
Department of History
School of Arts and Humanities
This past October, Okonyan presented his paper, “The
Armenian Genocide Memorial: The Role of Religion in
the Reparation and Transformation of a Community,”
at the American Studies Association in Maryland on the “Genocide:
Questioning the Reparative and Transformative Roles of Religion”
panel. Also, thanks to a Maguire Grant, he will be a teaching assistant
for an “Immigration, Ethnicity, and Race in America” course at Harvey
Mudd College.
Julie Orr
Master of Fine Arts
School of Arts and Humanities
In October, Orr had her first solo exhibition in New York
City’s Frontrunner Gallery, Intangible Navigations.
Set in the world of music, nostalgia, and dream, the
autobiographical exhibition is comprised of oil paintings on wood
panels, and exploring otherwise intangible experiences through the use
of environmental self-portrait.
Paul Rodriguez
Philosophy of Religion and Theology
School of Religion
Beginning in spring 2012, Rodriguez will be teaching a graduate-level
course at the Claremont School of Theology, “Latino/a Religious History
and Expression.”
Gloria L. Sweida
Organizational Behavior
School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences
Sweida began a lectureship in September at Cal Poly
Pomona teaching MBA students Organizational Behavior.
In addition, she was an an invited panelist for California
State University at San Marcos’ conference, Women Entrepreneurs: The
gender advantage.
Esau Tovar
Higher Education
School of Educational Studies
Tovar was named this year’s recipient of the Association for Assessment
in Counseling and Education/MECD Patricia B. Elmore Award for
Outstanding Research in Measurement and Evaluation for his article,
“Factorial Structure and Invariance Analysis of the Sense of Belonging
Scales in Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development.”
Andrew Vu
Public Health Leadership & Management
School of Community and Global Health
As of this October, Vu will begin working at the American Heart
Association, Los Angeles Division in hospital business development and
community health development programs.
Sam Welbaum
Philosophy of Religion
School of Religion
This October, Welbaum presented, “An Apologetic of Love and Beauty”
at the 1st Annual Academic Discussion Panel on Apologetics: The Nature
of Apologetics in the 21st Century at California Baptist University (CBU).
He will be teaching courses on Evangelism and basic reasoning this
upcoming spring at CBU.
Brett Wheeler
Positive Development Psychology
School of Behavioral and Organizational Sciences
Last semester, Wheeler lead a team of student researchers in a
qualitative project examining the well-being of humor in people who
produce comedy. The “Team Humor” poster won a best-in-class award at
CGU, and was accepted for a poster session at the International Positive
Psychology Association conference in Philadelphia over the summer.
To submit your academic
achievement, e-mail pedant@cgu.edu.
Be sure to include your department,
school, and degree program at CGU.
Look up your own professors: you never know what you’ll find...
Leisure with dignity 11
Claremont Graduate University
calendar
November 10-January 6 Manifold Greatness: The Creation and Afterlife of the
King James Bible. Located at Honnold/Mudd library.
December 1-3 Fifth annual International Conference of the Whitehead
Research Project. The event will feature presentations by prominent
Whitehead scholars as well as other goings-on throughout the event.
The conference will be held in Albrecht auditorium and registration
is free (unless you want to eat). For details and to register, visit www.
whiteheadresearch.org/nextgen.
December 13 Claremont School of Theology (CST) Concert, Works by
Beethoven, Brahms, Debussy, and Ginastera: 4:15 p.m.-6:00 p.m. in the
Mudd Theater at CST.
December 16 Last day to register for classes without a late fee.
December 17 Last day of fall semester.
January 11 New international student orientation.
January 17 First day of classes.
January 27 Come support your colleagues at CGU’s 13th annual Student
Research Conference and Art Exhibition. The event takes place from 8:30
a.m.-6:00 p.m., and lunch is provided.
January 31 Last day to drop/add without fee.
February 2 PFF Seminar: “Academic Integrity in the Digital Age.”
February 16 PFF Seminar: “Creating Quality Examinations.”
March 1 PFF Seminar: “Active Learning in a Large Lecture Class.”
March 12-16 Spring break.
March 22 PFF Seminar: “Encouraging Discussion.”
March 31 No classes: Cesar Chavez Day.
April 5 PFF Seminar: “Why don’t they Understand?”
April 13-14 Fourth Annual CGU Graduate Student History Association
(GSHA) conference, The Politics of Unrest: A Transdisciplinary Conference.
For information or to submit an abstract (due by January 15th) e-mail
gsha@cgu.edu.
April 19 PFF Seminar: “Incivility in the Classroom.” Awarding of PFF
diplomas.
April 23 Application period for spring GSC travel awards open. Check the
GSC website at www.cgu.edu/gsc for application details.
12 Otium cum dignitate
EVENT IN FOCUS
Alternating Thursdays
Preparing Future Faculty (PFF)
The PFF program is part of a national
movement to transform the way graduate
students are prepared for their careers as
professors. Through workshops, learning
communities, and for-credit courses, Claremont
Graduate University students have the
opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge
necessary to teach at a variety of higher
education institutions.
Students who attend at least 10 of the 12
seminars offerend throughout the year will
earn a diploma. For questions and to register
for workshops, e-mail mmp@cgu.edu. Include:
name, program and degree, and the seminars
you will be attending.
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 . . .
32. EVALUATE A POSTDOC CAREFULLY, particularly if
you are in the sciences. You should think of a postdoc
in cold, hard, economic terms. It is an investment . . .
just like buying stocks or real estate. You will certainly
be paid less than if you took a teaching position, but
you may gain additional knoweldge or experience to
make more money in the l0ng run in your chosen field.
The anticipated benefits must exceed the long-run
costs to make the investment worthwhile. A postdoc
is only worthwhile if: you are in a field where jobs
at good places are scarce; you feel you need to gain
specific research tools; you want to work with a specific
individual; you want to build up your publications
without using up your seven-year clock.