fyi - News for the Campus Community fyi is the official faculty-staff newsletter for the Santa Clara University community. It is designed to keep faculty and staff informed about campus news and information. It is compiled, written and published by the Office of Marketing and Communications.
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Whether Kirk Hanson fields questions about the top ethical issues for college students live on KQED-FM or Mike Sexton breaks down the complexities behind college rankings for MSNBC.com, one thing is clear. Santa Clara University is expanding its reach in print, online, and across airwaves.
Here’s a snapshot of the media coverage SCU has in the last three academic years:
2009-10 – 12,736 media placements
2008-09 – 7,055 media placements
2007-08 – 4,339 media placements
Many of the mentions, features, and interviews landed in prominent publications such as the The New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today. Professors such as Thomas Plante and Jerry Burger have given live interviews on CNN International. Bloggers such as Sue Shellenberger from the Wall Street Journal are writing about Laura Ellingson’s latest book, Aunting. Opinion-editorials are also highlighting the expertise of faculty members such as Farid Senzai, Ruth Davis, and Buford Barr, just to name a few. Professors with unique expertise -- such as Eric Goldman on high-tech law; Allen Hammond on broadband and FCC policy, or Meir Statman and Hersh Shefrin on behavioral finance -- were highly sought out by local and national reporters during the year, as well.
“The success of our media relations team hinges on the willingness and collaboration of our faculty and staff,” says SCU President Michael Engh, S.J. “Without their flexibility and enthusiasm and the team’s hard work, we would not be able achieve such great success.”
“We recognize how hectic everyone’s schedules can be, teaching, juggling office hours, and conducting research. My team and I are grateful for the time faculty and staff set aside to respond to media requests,” says Deepa Arora, communications director. “We would not be able to do what we do without their help.”
If you have any story ideas for the press, contact the media relations team:
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It’s time to update faculty and staff contact information for the 2010–11 online and printed directories.
The information published in the online directory is the same information that is published in the printed directory. Although changes to the online version can be made at any time, changes for the printed directory must be made by Friday, Sept. 24.
Please review your information in the online directory. If changes need to be made to your entry, you must contact your department’s phonebook representative. Each department’s phonebook representative is responsible for updating the department information by Friday, Sept. 24.
If you would like to opt out of receiving a printed directory, log into the phone directory with your SCU Groupwise login, and select “Update your profile content and display preferences” on the right-hand side of the page. You will see an option to opt out by Friday, Sept. 24.
If you need assistance, contact:
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Where’s that story I suggested? What a great story about the students. Why don’t I see anything on my department? Bravo on the photos and videos!
Here’s your chance to tell us how we’re doing with fyi. Go online and take a short, anonymous survey (6 questions).
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Anyone who attends a game or even a practice of the 8th-ranked SCU women’s soccer team will witness a group of 30 women and four coaches hard at work and determined to drive toward their expressly stated goal. Freshman defender and midfielder Nikki Ambrose, the team’s first recruit from Canada, says it very simply: “When you come to Santa Clara to play soccer, a national championship is always the goal in mind.”
Coach Jerry Smith has officially begun his 24th season at the helm, and he is just as excited for this team’s prospects as any other year. He constantly emphasizes the core values that have driven both him and his players throughout his tenure as coach, including respect, responsibility, and Bronco pride.
This year, Smith also has a new volunteer assistant, SCU women’s soccer legend Aly Wagner. Wagner has a long list of career highlights; her time at SCU included scoring the national championship-winning goal over North Carolina in 2001 and winning the Hermann Trophy as the country’s best player in 2002.
Wagner, 30, recently retired from professional soccer and returned to SCU to finish her degree. “One thing led to another,” said Wagner, and before long she was back as a volunteer coach with the team she loves and hopes to inspire. Junior defender Jenny LaPonte, who is recovering from a hamstring injury and has been personally training with Wagner, said that she was “super stoked to see Aly here…she’s just so good.”
As important as coaching can be, a team must have good players to succeed, and this team is in no short supply of quality student-athletes. For soccer, especially, a good goalkeeper can often be the difference between a win and a draw or loss. This year, SCU has one of the nation’s best in junior Bianca Henninger.
Henninger, whose jersey number is, appropriately enough, 1, recently returned from Germany as the starting goalkeeper for the US in the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup. Her efforts were part of a drive to the quarterfinals for the US team, and she was awarded the Adidas Golden Glove as the tournament’s best goalkeeper for her performance.
Back home and practicing again with SCU, Henninger is determined to eliminate any deficiencies in her already-solid game. “It was really cool to be able to play for your country…to hear the national anthem. I know it sounds corny, but it gives you a sense of pride,” says Henninger.
Finally, a team’s captain always plays a pivotal role in its success, and Smith has found two in co-captains Lindsey Johnson and Kendra Perry. Perry, a senior midfielder, said that as captain, it will be her and Johnson’s job to help keep the team motivated. “We need to be that voice for the team,” she said. She also mentioned that, outside of soccer, she (along with many other members of the team), leads through service, working with the Bay Area Women’s Soccer Initiative. Johnson said that she wants to serve as a role model for young girls, and every player agreed. It was clear, even with a national championship in mind and much hard work left to do, this team considers service to be a primary goal for this, or any, soccer season.
Go to the next game.
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Friday, Sept. 24, noon
Sunday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m.
Campus-wide
Dept. of Theater and Dance
Migrations
Saturday, Sept. 25, 9 a.m. – noon
Various Santa Cruz and Monterey beaches
International Coastal Cleanup Day
Wednesday, Sept. 29, 11 a.m. – 12 noon
Learning Commons and Library, Viewing and Taping Room C
Campus Ministry
Catholics Confront Global Poverty Webinars
Thursday, Sept. 30, 5:45-7 p.m.
Lucas Hall, Forbes Family Conference Center
Food and Agribusiness Institute
The Business of…Speaker Series: The Business of Tequila
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A new book on “aunting” co-authored by Laura Ellingson (Communication) about the benefits of having aunts in children’s lives, was the subject of a positive review by a Wall Street Journal work-life columnist.
Kirk Hanson (Markkula) was the featured guest on KQED’s Forum radio show, discussing the top 10 ethical dilemmas that college freshmen face.
Student Chris Paschal was quoted in a USA Today story about the pros and cons of e-textbooks.
Dan Ostrov (Mathemathics) was quoted in the San Jose Mercury News about a new site for collaboration among math scholars.
Don Polden (Law dean) was quoted by USA Today about ways in which law schools can make their job-placement statistics look better.
Farid Senzai (Political Science) was quoted in a story by Religion News Service about the first Muslim college opening in California.
The Global Social Benefit Incubator (CSTS) was the subject of a feature column in the San Jose Mercury News, which ran in several papers and was reposted by a number of bloggers.
Allen Hammond (Law) spoke to the New York Times and the San Jose Mercury News about the controversy around Google and Verizon’s joint net neutrality statement, which some feel is part of a move away from federal regulation for Internet access.
Eric Goldman (Law) was quoted in a widely reprinted L.A. Times story about how bloggers face significant liability for critical posts. That story, and Goldman’s quotes, were picked up by bloggers for the ABA Journal and Wall Street Journal, as well as sites like FoxNews.com. He also spoke to various media, including Chicago Tribune and The New York Times, about other tech-law topics.
David DeCosse (Markkula) wrote an oped for the San Francisco Chronicle arguing that founding father James Madison would have favored building the Muslim community center and mosque in the Ground Zero region of New York City.
The off-again, on-again, off-again status of California’s Prop. 8 continued to spur reporters to seek legal analysis from SCU Law professors. Deep Gulasekaram was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle about the puzzling nature of the 9th Circuit stay. Margaret Russell was quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle about the legal issues for appeal, and she appeared on KTVU (Fox) and KPIX (CBS) and CBS 5's Eyewitness News Sunday show, to discuss the legal ramifications of the federal and appeals' courts rulings. Ed Steinman was interviewed on the future of the case by KCBS radio.
Jerry Burger (Psychology) was quoted by a columnist for the (Fort Myers, FL) News Press about why some people are control freaks.
Hersh Shefrin (Finance) was quoted by the Washington Post’s Root blog questioning whether greater racial or gender diversity in the financial services industry would have helped avert the mortgage crisis.
Mike Sexton (Admissions) was quoted on MSNBC.com about the complexities behind college rankings such as U.S. News and World Report.
An article by Ed McQuarrie (Marketing), on the murkiness of the notion that small stocks regularly outperform the market, was published in the Journal of Investing.
Kirthi Kalyanam (Marketing) spoke to the Mercury News for a widely reprinted story about young people’s new trend of making “haul videos” — describing their shopping purchases in detail.
Judy Nadler (Markkula) was quoted extensively on government corruption stories, including allegations that a candidate for California attorney general took inappropriate gifts (San Francisco Chronicle and Fox Business News’ Money Rocks show) a Redwood City council members conflict of interest in a major land development vote (San Jose Mercury News) and a school district trustee who received taxpayer reimbursement for job training in his new job field (Contra Costa Times and several other papers).
Nanotechnology Now ran a story about SCU students gaining valuable experience in nanotechnology by attending an internship at Advanced Studies Laboratories. The story cited professors Amy Shachter (Chemistry) and Unyoung (Ashley) Kim (BioEngineering) and student Sarah Ghanbari.
Here’s a sampling of the hundreds of mentions of SCU in the media in the past two weeks. The first part of the link is a list; the full text is below the list.
***NOTE: Use EXTREME CAUTION before printing the linked information, as it will be dozens of pages!! ***
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Angelo Ancheta (Law) has received a one-year renewal award of $31,519 from the County of Santa Clara. He also received a one-year renewal award of $21,334 from the State Bar of California Legal Services Trust Fund Program. Both awarded funds will be used to provide legal assistance to immigrant victims of domestic violence.The following Hackworth Grants for Research in Applied Ethics were awarded by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics:
- Yekaterina Bezrukova (Psychology) – $4,000 for a project called “When No One is Watching: Ethical Behavior in Groups.”
- John Ifcher (Economics) – $3,000 for a project called “Happiness Inequality and Income Growth.”
- Chad Raphael (Communication) – $4,000 for a project called “A More Deliberative Union: Equality and Publicity in Deliberative Democracy.”
Ron Hansen (English) was the recipient of the University of Dayton’s annual Marianist Award, which honors a Roman Catholic whose work has made a major contribution to the intellectual life.
The Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education is honored to announce the Bannan Grant recipients for Fall 2010:
- Christopher Boscia and Gerald Uelmen (Law) – Catholic Lawyers Against Death (CLAD)
- Paul Crowley, S.J. (Religious Studies) – Teilhard for a New Generation
- Leslie Gray (Environmental Studies Institute) – Curricular and Programming Development of the Environmental Studies Institute – Dialog and Design Grant
- Thomas Plante (Psychology) – Ten years of Crisis: What the Catholic Church has Learned and Done to Prevent Clergy Sex Abuse since Dallas
Chris Kitts (Mechanical Engineering) received a NASA Group Achievement Award with the PharmaSat Mission Team. This award recognizes engineering excellence in the design and operation of the PharmaSat spacecraft, which was launched in May 2009.
Dan Lewis (Computer Engineering) has a received a grant from National Science Foundation that provides $380,928 to support “Special Project: Expanding the Impact of Computer Science in Silicon Valley High Schools and Facilitating Adoption of the ECS Curriculum Elsewhere.”
Thomas Plante (Ignatian Center for Jesuit Education/Psychology) has recently edited and released a new book, Contemplative Practices in Action: Spirituality, Meditation, and Health that also includes chapters from other SCU faculty in the Ignatian Center’s Spirituality & Health Institute (Diane Dreher, Shauna Shapiro, Dave Feldman, Andre Delbeq).
Cookie Ridolfi and Linda Starr (Law) were honored by the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the ACLU at the annual Don Edwards Civil Liberties Award Event for their work on the Northern California Innocence Project.
Ed Steinman (Law) received the Flame of Justice Award from Chinese for Affirmative Action at its 2010 Celebration of Justice Dinner in San Francisco. At the same event, he also received a Certificate of Special Recognition from the U.S. House of Representatives; a Certificate of Recognition from the State of California Senate; a Certificate of Recognition from the State of California Assembly; a Resolution from the State of California Board of Equalization; and a Certificate of Honor from the City and County of San Francisco.
More grants, awards, and publications will appear in the next edition of fyi.
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Watch a video from Saturday's commencement ceremony.
Watch a slideshow from Friday’s and Saturday’s commencement ceremonies.
Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony
Santa Clara University’s undergraduate class of 2010 received their degrees on Saturday after Ken Hackett delivered his commencement address and encouraged the 1,392 students to feel solidarity with the poor – not just in their city, but in their own world as they take up their next adventure in business or in education.
Hackett is the president of Catholic Relief Services (CRS), which was one of the first responders to the devastating earthquake in Haiti. CRS provides humanitarian relief and development assistance to the poor and marginalized in more than 100 countries. It has responded to other humanitarian crises and disasters such this month’s flooding from Tropical Storm Agatha, human trafficking in India, and the 2004 tsunami in Indonesia.
Thousands of family members, faculty, and staff listened intently as Hackett reminded the students of why they first chose to attend Santa Clara University.
“Whether you are Catholic or not, you came to a Catholic institution because it was here that the important ethical questions are debated, asked, answered, and discussed, putting your intellectual pursuits in their proper framework,” Hackett said. Read more.
Graduate Commencement Ceremony
Take time out of the success that awaits you and “reach out for others,” a pioneering educator of Afghan women urged the graduates of Santa Clara University’s three advanced-degree programs.
The University's 159th graduation for about 800 students from the School of Engineering, the Leavey School of Business and Administration, and the School of Education, Counseling Psychology, and Pastoral Ministries took place Friday evening at the University’s Leavey Center.
Speaking to a jubilant, multi-ethnic crowd of more than 4,000 family and friends of the graduates, speaker Sakena Yacoobi challenged the graduating students to reach out for others, to “give a gift to yourself” in the process. Read more.
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What did you learn from the staff and faculty coffee sessions?
The coffee sessions with faculty and staff have been great opportunities to get better acquainted with the university at the grassroots level. There are so many things going on that by the time they get up to Walsh Hall, there’s a lot of filtering that goes on, condensing, and summarizing. What comes through most is the dedication to this place, passion about Santa Clara, passion about what they’re doing, concern about how we can improve, a lot of constructive suggestions, questions for clarifications, and even a few complaints. I had many questions about the core curriculum and many discussions about finance and university economics.
What was the biggest surprise this past year?
This was probably more unexpected than a surprise, but I’d say the number of times that people have recognized me off campus and in places where I wouldn’t expect like Target and restaurants. I’m not used to it. On campus? Yes, but off campus? No. Most recently, I was getting a hair cut and the barber said, ‘Aren’t you Father Engh?’ [Laughs] I didn’t get a discount, but it surprised me.
What are your favorite five spots on campus?
I love the Learning Commons – I think it’s a fabulous place, and I love showing it off to people. I also like the St. Clare Gardens, the Mission Gardens, and Mission Church. I’ve also been really intrigued by the Paul L. Locatelli, S.J., Student Activity Center. I’ve gone over there more times to check it out to see how the construction is going.
What is your favorite food at the Jesuit Residence?
The food is okay [laughing]. The cookies are great – I hate peanut butter, but they do make great chocolate chip cookies. At Benson, I do like the burritos, and actually, I like the fajitas at the Jesuit Residence. We rarely get Mexican food there, so that’s why I go over to Benson a lot. It’s closer than Henry’s and cheaper, too.
Now that people have had a chance to get to know you better, what would still surprise us about you?
Oh, I’d probably say my taste in music – I like everything from classical to country/western.
Do you own an iPod?
No, I gave it away. [Laughs] I’m not very technological, but I do use a Blackberry all the time. I love my Blackberry – it’s got a great camera, it’s got a calendar, and it sends e-mail.
When do you pick up the Blackberry? In the morning? Right after you wake up?
No, I have a rule with myself. I don’t read my Blackberry until after breakfast. I exercise, I pray, I have breakfast, and then I pick up the Blackberry, because if I open it before then, I’m toast.
Which student events did you manage to attend this past year?
I went to the Sacramento State Invitational to watch Santa Clara men’s and women’s teams compete a few weeks ago. I enjoyed that very much. I went to women’s basketball; I was the invited coach and sat on the bench – I enjoyed that. I’ve been to men’s water polo, men’s baseball, and the Associated Students’ transition ceremony…from the old student government to the new student government. I loved the Luau – it was terrific – the dinner show was wonderful. I went to the 49ers forum but couldn’t stay for the whole thing. I went to a composition recital last week for two of our graduating seniors. I’ve been to the choral concerts at Mission Church, the Jazz ensemble back in March, and a number of music events – they’re great…they really do a great job.
Have you been to Henry’s or the Hut?
Henry’s? Yes! I like Henry’s very much, and I like it because they take my ACCESS card. I’ve had lunch there with students a number of times. I’ve not been to the Hut, and I have no plans to go to the Hut. I won’t be there on graduation morning either. It’s the one tradition I wish would die out.
How do you relax on campus?
One thing I like, especially since it’s spring and now with summer coming along, I like taking a walk on campus after dinner in the early evening. It’s quieter and I can check out what’s going on. It’s a beautiful campus to walk on during the week and on the weekends too.
What do you do for fun off campus?
I’ve gone hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains a number of times now with one of the faculty. He’s been introducing me to various trails and parks in the area. We’ve been three times. The most recent trip I took was to the San Francisco Bay wetlands – I enjoyed that a lot.
What was your favorite movie this year?
I haven’t been to a movie. I went to one last year [laughs], but I couldn’t tell you what I saw. I don’t watch TV either; I’m not into that. The only time I watch movies is on Turner Classics in the mornings when I exercise. I’ll watch whatever old flick that’s on.
What professional games have you been to?
I’ve been to a Giants game, and I went to a 49ers game. I haven’t been to the A’s, Warriors or the Sharks games. I’ve been invited to a Sharks game but didn’t get over there.
What are your summer plans?
Well, every Jesuit makes an annual retreat, a silent retreat for eight days. Most of us do it in the summer. I’m doing mine in July. There’s a monastery way up in the redwoods near Eureka where I go, no cell phone service, no available telephone. It’s really quiet. And then vacation, I’m going up to the Sierra Nevada with some friends.
Any plans to go to Los Angeles to see your family?
I go to L.A. about every five to six weeks, because of meetings, to see people, and to see my family. I didn’t get home for Mother’s Day this year, though. I don’t think I’ve missed Mother’s Day in 22 years.
Beer or wine?
Both. Who wants to make a choice? How can you have a Mexican dinner and not have a bottle of beer? And how can you have an Italian dinner and not have a glass of red wine? My favorite beer is Negro Modelo, and wine – I like pinot noir and zinfandel, no particular vineyard.
Salsa or guacamole?
Why choose? I mean really. What’s Mexican food without salsa and guacamole?
Button-down or polo shirt?
Both.
Do you own a pair of flip flops?
Yes. Who doesn’t? I haven’t worn them to work yet, but I wear them if I’m going to go to the beach or around the house at night to go down and get a snack. They’re comfort shoes.
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Three Santa Clara University seniors have been awarded Fulbright scholarships to study or teach abroad in the 2010–2011 academic year.
The SCU student winners include Megan Williams, who will go to Warsaw, Poland, to study Polish and research student political attitudes; John “Jack” Mahoney, who will go to Indonesia to teach English at one of that republic’s Islamic boarding schools, known as pesantren; and Jennifer Mock, who will go to Bavaria, Germany, to teach English.
“I extend my warmest congratulations to SCU’s outstanding Fulbright winners,” said University President Michael Engh, S.J. “Their accomplishments and intellectual curiosity exemplify the best of Santa Clara University and its mission to educate students in service to the world.” Read more.
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Sakena Yacoobi, an award-winning pioneer who has improved the lives of millions of Afghan women through her Afghan Institute for Learning, will address Santa Clara University’s graduate students at their 2010 commencement ceremony on Friday, June 11 at 7:30 p.m. in the University’s Leavey Events Center.
In attendance will be nearly 600 students receiving advanced degrees from the School of Engineering, the Leavey School of Business and Administration, the School of Education and Counseling Psychology, and the Graduate Program in Pastoral Ministries. Read more.
Learn more about the graduate commencement ceremony.
Ken Hackett, president of Catholic Relief Services, will deliver the commencement speech for Santa Clara University’s undergraduate class of 2010 on Saturday, June 12 at 8:30 a.m. at Buck Shaw Stadium.
“I’m looking forward to taking part in this very important day for graduating seniors,” Hackett says. “It’s a time when they can reflect on the last four years of their college career and some of the most important lessons they learned from their professors, fellow classmates, and their families.” Read more.
Learn more about the undergraduate commencement ceremony.
Just as an incoming student's experience of Santa Clara University begins with an orientation liturgy, so too does that experience end within a liturgical setting, the Commencement Liturgy. Students of all faiths, their families, and friends are cordially invited to participate in this celebration. It is a time for giving thanks and praise for the gifts given and received while at Santa Clara and for asking a blessing on the graduates and their futures. The Commencement Liturgy is at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 11, 2010 in the Leavey Center.
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Fifteen Santa Clara students are set to engage in a transformation unlike any other this summer, and the only people who can deeply understand that experience are the alumni who were in their shoes once before as Jean Donovan Fellows.
Jean Donovan was an American woman who lived, worked, and died in solidarity with the impoverished and oppressed people of El Salvador in the 1980s. SCU created a fellowship in her name 10 years ago to encourage and support students who desire to deepen their understanding of social justice issues through a summer community-based learning experience. The Ignatian Center has given students a $1,500 grant to help cover costs for travel, lodging, and program fees. Students have traveled to remote places in Burkina Faso and Nepal to more familiar cities such as Portland, Ore., and even Salinas, Calif. Their trips, though, are far from a typical student’s summer vacation.
In the summer of 2004, Neil Ferron ‘05 spent five months in Calcutta, India, where he worked with Mother Teresa’s Sisters.
“The Jean Donovan Fellowship radically altered my life. I witnessed things I have never witnessed since, taking part in work that emptied me, filled me, and emptied me again,” says Ferron, who is now studying playwriting at Trinity College Dublin on a Mitchell Scholarship. It’s awarded to students for both excellence in their field and dedication to community service. Ferron believes he would not have received a Mitchell Scholarship had he not received the Donovan Fellowship.
“The Donovan Fellowship deepened my understanding of what it means to be human. There can be no greater gift,” says Ferron.
Sophomore student Liliana Palma, who is studying political science and Spanish, is about to embark on an incredible journey that could parallel Ferron’s. She is one of this year’s recipients. Palma decided to apply for the fellowship, because she learned that Jean Donovan was murdered by the Salvadoran military, who considered her to be problematic for helping people.
“I really felt connected to her story and felt it would be an honor to be a fellow,” says Palma.
Instead of returning home to Santa Monica this summer, she will be working with children at an orphanage called Ciudad de Los Niños in Oaxaca, Mexico. The orphanage is home to 147 abused children, mostly newborns. Palma will be assisting three to four times a week helping with physical education and other activities. She chose Oaxaca because her parents were born there, and she wanted to fully immerse herself in the city where her parents grew up.
“I’m hoping this experience allows me to see the reality of life for many marginalized people and understand some of the suffering my parents experienced as children,” says Palma.
She also hopes to share her experience with others so that they will be more conscious of the injustice people in Mexico regularly face.
The 14 other Jean Donovan Fellowship recipients and the places where they’ll be spending their summer are:
- Zena Andreani '12, Santa Clara
- Allison Baker '11, Ecuador
- Diana Bustos '11, El Salvador
- Tim Carlson '12, Guatemala
- Michael Garcia '12, Peru
- Drew Hodun '12, Peru
- Nhu-Nguyen Le '12, San Francisco
- Kadee Mardula '11, Washington, D.C.
- Jenny Nicholson '12, Costa Rica
- Tanya Schmidt '12, Peru
- Jackie Tasarz '11, Ghana
- Kristen Williamson '11, Costa Rica
- Clare Wylie '11, Chicago
- Sergio Zepeda '11, El Salvador & San Jose
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Faculty, staff, students, and their families gathered last month to honor the graduating seniors who are minoring in ethnic studies or whose individual studies majors focused on ethnic studies. They are:
- Jose Arreola
- Anushree Dasgupta
- Veronica Gomez
- Jessica Paul
- Arianna Spratley
- Ruben Dario Villa
Each year, the Ethnic Studies Program also recognizes students who have submitted a research paper/essay dealing with ethnicity/race issues for the Matt Meier Award. It was established in honor of Professor Matt Meier for his scholarly contributions in the area of Chicano history and for his dedication to and support of the educational goals of the ethnic studies program at SCU. This year, two students were named recipients of the Matt Meier Award:
- Gustavo Magaña Jr.
- Lindsay Mohundro
Another distinguished guest, Atom Yee, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, was recognized with the Cedric Busette Memorial Award, which honors the memory of Professor Cedric Busette for his outstanding commitment to the Ethnic Studies Program, his dedication to the goals of a Jesuit education, and his role as a mentor for ethnic studies minors.
Watch slideshow of the 2010 Annual Seniors’ Reception.
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The most talked about and commented on post on Santa Clara University’s Facebook page this past week was about the pool that graced Graham Hall in the years gone by. The Santa Clara University Alumni Association posted a video about the pool, and alumni enjoyed taking a walk down memory lane. Any fyi readers who remember the pool?
In addition, SCU’s Facebook page is also where graduating SCU seniors can win prizes leading up to graduation on June 12. Answer the question of the week, write a haiku, or share a memory and they can win SCU gear, parking passes, and tickets to the alumni picnic.
Social media websites like Facebook are helping to get the word out about SCU, its community, excellence in academics, the benefits of becoming a Bronco, and everyday news and events related to the University. See for yourself by logging into Facebook and “liking” Santa Clara University. Be a part of the phenomenon and the conversations that are happening every day online.
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A reviewer for the New York Review of Books lauded Janet Flammang’s (Political Science) book The Taste for Civilization: Food, Politics, and Civil Society, for its analysis of the decline of civilized eating traditions.
KCBS radio reported the news that candidates in the nasty race for San Jose’s District 5 city council seat were invited to a special ethics workshop and ethics pledge-signing led by Judy Nadler (Markkula), to re-affirm their commitment to ethical campaigning.
Jack Rasmus (Economics) appeared on Palo Alto’s community TV station Channel 27 discussing his new book, Epic Recession: Prelude to Global Depression, and taking calls from listeners about the global economic uncertainty and other issues.
A book by Blake de Maria (Art and Art History) Becoming Venetian: Immigrants and the Arts in Early Modern Venice was reviewed by the Financial Times, which called the book “intriguing” for tracing the history of immigrant families who became citizens, including their role in the arts.
Meir Statman (Finance) was quoted by the L.A Times about the challenges of ethical investing and business practices for gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman. That story also ran in Editors Guild Magazine. An Associated Press article to which he contributed last month, about gender differences in retirement planning, continued to garner interest, running on CNBC.com.
The Santa Cruz Sentinel ran a contributor’s column about ethics in relationships, which was supported heavily by material from the Markkula Center.
Ed Steinman (Law) was interviewed by the Contra Costa Times about the unusual choice by a judge in the Sandra Cantu murder case to maintain a gag order after the defendant’s guilty plea. The story ran in the San Jose Mercury News, Tri-Valley Herald and other publications. He also was interviewed on KGO and KCBS radio stations on various topics: the Supreme Court’s ruling that juveniles in non-homicide cases can’t be sentenced to life imprisonment without parole; the Supreme Court allowing in some cases the civil commitment of sex offenders who have completed their criminal sentences; the likely nomination of Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Edward Davila to become the Bay Area's first Latino federal district judge in 14 years, and the constitutionality or Arizona’s tough new immigration law.
The San Francisco Chroniclereported that RefractHouse (Engineering) won a Special Achievement award during the 2010 Design Awards from the San Francisco chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
Linda Starr (NCIP) was interviewed on KCBS radio about the Supreme Court ruling forbidding lifetime sentences for juveniles.
Tom Plante (Psychology) talked to Catholic News Service about the extreme anger at the Catholic Church relative to other institutions where abuse has occurred. His interview was cited in Pittsburgh Catholic. He also talked to Religion News Service about the rise of deacons in the Catholic Church as the number of priests has declined, a story that ran on NewsOK.com.
Gerald Uelmen (Law) talked to the San Francisco Chronicle for a front-page story about how courts over the years have denied governments the ability to enact spending cuts in tough budgetary times. He also talked to the Chronicle about the resistance of police officers to oversight despite persistent problems.
Eric Goldman (Law) was quoted in the Wall Street Journal about a new problem for the Federal Trade Commission: bloggers who are witnesses in antitrust or other cases blogging details about the investigations before they are concluded. He also talked to Law.com about the suit against Google for collecting private wireless data with its Street View program.
Scott LaBarge (Philosophy) was quoted in a Patriot Ledger blog, Wicked Local, about the lack of heroes in today’s society. LaBarge explained that today’s heroes are tackling complex problems, and that people know too much about one another to consider anyone a hero. “There's an old saying that no man is a hero to his valet; well, today we all read the valet's blog,” he said.
Here’s a sampling of the hundreds of mentions of SCU in the media in the past two weeks. The first part of the link is a list; the full text is below the list.
***NOTE: Use EXTREME CAUTION before printing the linked information, as it will be dozens of pages!! ***
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Ruth Davis (Computer Engineering) attended the National Center for Women and Information Technology annual meeting in Portland and the Pacesetters meeting. She presented on the new Web Design and Engineering degree program and its success in attracting female students. She also met with Charlie McDowell of UCSC about the Bay Area Regional Aspirations in Computing Award for high school girls (the award event will be at the Computer Museum in Mountain View).
Amelia Fuller (Chemistry) has received a two-year grant from Research Corporation that provides $17,500 to support “Efficient Identification of Protein Mimics.”
Dennis Gordon (Political Science) gave a panel presentation titled "Institutional Perspectives on Short Term Study Abroad" at the annual meeting of the Forum on Education Abroad in Charlotte, N.C. in March. He also authored “The Promises and Perils of Ecotourism in Trinidad and Tobago,” which was published in Caribbean Tourism: More than Sun, Sand, and Sea.
Lester Goodchild (Education) presented “Tackling the Dissertation Design and Process,” at an invited dissertation faculty workshop for 150 participants in the Conference and Seminars for Postgraduate Supervisors section, and “Understanding the Parts of a Good Thesis,” an invited doctoral student workshop for 275 participants in the Seminars for Postgraduates section, both presentations given at the 2nd International Doctoral Education Research Network meeting at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in April. He gave a follow up report of this 2nd IDERN Malaysian conference to the Special Interest Group on Doctoral Education Across the Disciplines at the American Educational Research Association annual meeting in Denver, Colo. in May.
Chris Kitts (Mechanical Engineering) has received $80,000 in subcontract funding from University of Alaska Fairbanks to support “RETINA: Robotic Exploration Technologies in Astrobiology.” NASA provides the funding for this project. Kitts was also an invited speaker at the 9th International Symposium on Technology and Mines - Unmanned Systems, Technologies, Concepts and Applications, held at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. He presented Robotics Lab work on SWATH marine sensing platforms and on the use of multi-boat systems for environmental monitoring and homeland security applications.
Hohyun Lee (Mechanical Engineering) wrote “Effects of nanoscale porosity on thermoelectric properties of SiGe,” which was published in the Journal of Applied Physics.
Nam Ling (Computer Engineering) has received $125,500 in funding from Droplet Technology, Inc. to support “Adaptive Bit-Rate Control for Wavelet-Based Video Coding.” Ling and Ph.D. student Jun Zhang will present their paper, “Prediction-Based Macroblock Mode Mapping for Video Coding,” and Ling and PhD student Xiang Li will present their paper, “Prediction-Based Adaptive Transform Coefficients Scanning for Inter-Frame Video Coding,” at the 2010 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems in Paris, France this week.
Kevin Quinn (Ignatian Center) has received a $30,000 Award grant from the Y and H Soda Foundation. This is first year funding of an anticipated three-year award to provide funding for the Ignatian Center's “Companions in Ignatian Service and Spirituality.”
Yuling Yan (Bioengineering) has published an article she co-authored titled, “Optical Manipulation of Protein Activity and Protein Interactions Using Caged Proteins and Optical Switch Protein Conjugates,” in the book Photosensitive Control of Biological Function published by Elsevier.
Betty Young (Physics) has received $53,096 from the National Science to support “Detector Optimization for SuperCDMS and Other Experiments.”
Click here for more updates on faculty publications, honors, awards, grants, etc.
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Student tour guides at Santa Clara University often brag to prospective students about Silicon Valley’s 300-plus days of sunshine each year. School officials hoping to capitalize on that climatic characteristic recently gave the green light to installing new photovoltaic arrays on several University structures. The project is just another step in Santa Clara’s efforts to become climate neutral by the end of 2015.
The University is no stranger to solar. A 50-kilowatt photovoltaic system installed atop the main facilities building in 2007 is currently the largest renewable energy producer on campus. It is estimated that the 338-panel array reduces carbon dioxide emissions by up to 5,880 metric tons per year.
Santa Clara also gained notoriety in the field of solar power three years ago and again last year with consecutive third-place finishes in the national Solar Decathlon sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. Read more.
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A woman with a worried look hurried up to the nearest person in uniform, asking if everything was all right. Almost on cue, another woman leaned out of a second-story window in O’Connor Hall, screaming for help. But the EMT calmly told her that this was all a simulation, and that no one was really injured.
Every year, SCU’s Emergency Medical Services holds a mass casualty incident (MCI) with a certain scenario designed to test the EMTs response ability in the event of a disaster. Between the EMTs, “patients,” and other staff members on hand, nearly 100 people participated in this year’s MCI, which simulated a massive earthquake, on Saturday, May 1.
The purpose of this event was “to prove that we are well trained and well versed in how to handle a mass casualty with multiple patients and injuries,” said SCU EMS Assistant Director Kelly Fletcher. Additionally, Fletcher said that it also would “demonstrate how highly competent our EMTs are.”
Over the 13 years since SCU’s EMS was founded, by students, about 40 EMTs have developed a consistent system for responding to disaster. When a disaster is first reported, a phone tree is activated that directs all EMTs to Cowell Health Center. From there, they move to wherever they are needed. In the case of this simulation, O’Connor Hall was the main disaster site, and 63 patients (student volunteers) awaited medical attention. Officers of the Santa Clara Police and Fire Departments were in attendance as observers, along with a student from U.C. Berkeley studying our program in order to start one at his own campus.
Triage teams were the first to respond to the variety of patients and injuries, and proceeded to sort patients based on their level of injury, according to triage officer Cristina Sansone. Patients who were red-flagged needed immediate attention, while those in yellow could receive delayed help, and those in green had only suffered minor injuries. The empty black section was reserved for the morgue.
Fletcher detailed the remaining steps; an extrication team then carried patients out of the building, starting with the most severely injured and working from there. Section leaders would delegate medical attention once the patients were safely out, and treatment EMTs would then take care of them as necessary.
Two “victims,” senior Allison Terry and junior Josh Goldberg, along with the other 61 patients, were volunteers, and both affirmed the idea that “they [the EMTs] needed more patients, so I volunteered.” Sansone cheerfully reported that, due to this volunteer spirit, the number of patients had improved; saying that in years past it was tough to reach 50.
“It’s important to understand that we’re volunteers…at other schools, EMTs are paid,” said Sansone, who also praised the team, who “all have a passion for medicine, for taking care of people in the community.”
Captain Mike Sellers of the SCPD, after observing the event, said that it was “good that the campus is preparing for such a disaster” and praised their work: “Looks like they’re doing a real good job.”
Watch a slideshow of MCI simulation.
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