Register online.

Children in grades 1-8 will play starring roles when SEEK, the Summer Educational Enrichment for Kids program, holds two Hollywood-themed sessions this summer.

Classes will be held from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. July 16-20 and August 6-10. This year’s theme is “SEEK Goes Hollywood!”

Since it was founded in 2000, the award-winning summer program has provided children with learning experiences that are entertaining, yet academically challenging. The curriculum is tailored to specific age groups and encourages all participants to reach their maximum learning potential.

The Learning Resources Network, an international association in lifelong learning, honored Cal U in 2007 for developing SEEK in response to needs expressed by area parents.

Cost is $135 per child for a full-week, full-day program, or $90 per child for a full-week, half-day (morning or afternoon) program.

Participants are escorted between classes and supervised at lunchtime. Each child should bring a bag lunch; refrigeration is not available. 


For more information, contact the Office of Academic Affairs at 724-938-4407 or e-mail seek@calu.edu Office hours are 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Contact Rob Farquhar at 724-873-2764 to register.

June 11 is the deadline to register for a Summer Fun Week for children ages 8-12 at California University’s Southpointe Center.

Sessions will be held from 1-4 p.m. daily, June 18-22. Each day features a different theme. 

On Monday, Kitchen Chemistry Day, children will conduct safe but crafty experiments with “rubber” eggs, “magic” candles and some things that go “boom.” 

Tuesday is Eco-Art Day, when children create artwork with gently used or recycled products. 

Wednesday’s Crafty Day will be a special session challenging youngsters’ creative abilities, with secret details to be unveiled that day.

On Thursday, Hobby Day, several collectors and hobbyists will visit Southpointe to showcase their collections and explain how collecting coins, comics and toys can become an enjoyable hobby.

Friday’s session will be a Happy Birthday Party. Each participant will create a personalized birthday card, and children will work in teams on specific party planning areas, such as decorating, making favors, creating games and making refreshments. The session will conclude with cupcakes and prizes.

Each Fun Week session begins and ends in the second floor lounge area of the Cal U Southpointe Center. Classes meet in various classrooms and lab spaces.

Cost for the program is $10 per daily session, or $40 for all five days. Space is limited, and registration is required by June 11.

Checks can be made payable to “The Foundation for California University” and mailed to: Cal U Southpointe Center, Attn: Ellie Nesser, 135 Technology Drive, Canonsburg, PA  15317.

All proceeds benefit the Southpointe Student Scholarship Fund.

Cal U again has earned a listing in The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges, a comprehensive directory produced annually in partnership with the U.S. Green Building Council.

The directory presents “green highlights on the nation’ most eco-friendly campuses,” spotlighting colleges and universities that “demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainability in their academic offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation.”

Cal U is one of 322 schools included in the directory. The University’s profile focuses on the sustainable geothermal energy used for heating and cooling Cal U residence halls, as well as the Cal U Weather Center’s participation in the G.L.O.B.E. data collection program.

In addition, the profile notes Cal U’s commitment to serving local and organic foods in its dining hall; transportation options such as free bus service and car sharing; internships and career counseling in conservation-related industries and “green” jobs; and degree programs in environmental studies. 

Cal U has been included on the directory since 2010.

UPDATE: May 9, 2012

The men's golf team finished in a tie for 10th place at the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Super Regional Championships in Hershey, Pa.

The Vulcans shot a 16-over-par 300 in the third round — third-best out of 20 — to finish with a score of 949 overall. They ended the round tied with the University of Massachusetts-Lowell.

Freshmen Charlie Durman and Jordan Eck were Cal U's highest individual finishers. Durman finished in a tie for sixth place, with a three-round total of 228. Eck tied for eighth place with 229.

Wilmington (Del.) won the team title with a score of 910.

Durman and individual champion Paul Tighe, of Wilmington, shared the best third round, with scores of 72.

UPDATE: May 8, 2012

Inclement weather forced the suspension of play in the second round of the NCAA D-II Atlantic/East Super Regional Championships.

The men's golf team is scheduled to complete the round starting at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow, May 9.

Round Three is slated for a shotgun start at 11 a.m.

UPDATE: May 7, 2012

The men's golf team finished the first round of the NCAA D-II Atlantic/East Super Regional Championships in sixth place after shooting a 30-over 314 at the Hershey Country Club.

Freshman Jordan Eck  led the individual scoring for the Vulcans with 72. He is tied for first place overall.

Wilmington University leads the 20-team event at 17 over par (301).

ORIGINAL STORY:

Cal U’s men’s golf team will compete at the NCAA Division II Atlantic/East Region Championships May 7-9 at the Hershey Country Club in Hershey, Pa.

The top five teams from each regional contest will advance to the 2012 NCAA National Championships May 15-19 at The Cardinal Club in Simpsonville, Ky.

Under the direction of head coach Peter Coughlin, Cal U has finished 10th at each of the past two NCAA Atlantic/East Region Championships. 

For coverage of all Cal U’s varsity sports teams, visit www.calvulcans.com.

GIVE YOUR CLASS OF 2012 SENIOR GIFT ONLINE

This year Cal U seniors, their families and friends have three convenient ways to participate in the Class of 2012 Senior Gift Drive. 

• GIVE VIA TEXT MESSAGING: To give via text messaging, simply text CALU2012 to 94253 (WHALE). You will be asked to register — a one-time process — and use either VISA or MasterCard to complete your gift. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to stop or HELP for assistance.
• GIVE ONLINE: To give online, visit the Cal U homepage, www.calu.edu. Click “Cal U for Life” at the top of the homepage, then choose “Senior Gift Drive. Or click here.
• GIVE IN PERSON: To give in person, please bring your gift to The Foundation for Cal U, located in the Kara Alumni House.

UPDATE: May 8, 2012

With a third-place finish at the NCAA D-II Super Region One Championship tournament, the women's golf team advances to the NCAA National Championships for the third consecutive season.

The team shot 310 — 22 strokes over par — today in the third round of the regional contest in Findlay, Ohio.

Cal U finished the regionals with a 68-over 932, behind only Indianapolis (911) and Grand Valley State (927) universities.

Senior Dianne Luke shot a 77 for the second consecutive round, finishing the tournament tied for fourth overall. Junior Maria Lopez, who led all Cal U golfers in the third round with a score of 76, finished ninth.

The Vulcans play next May 16-19 at Persimmon Ridge Golf Course in Louisville, Ky.

UPDATE II: May 7, 2012

The women's golf team finished the second round of the NCAA D-II Super Region One Championships in fourth place after shooting a 30-over 318 at Findlay Country Club in Ohio.

Senior Dianne Luke led the second-round individual scoring for the Vulcans with a score of 77. She is tied for third place overall.

The Vulcans (+46) trail Indianapolis (+31), Grand Valley State (+42) and Drury (+43) universities heading into the third and final round of competition, on May 8.

UPDATE: May 7, 2012

Cal U’s women’s golf team finished the first round of the NCAA Division II Super Region One Championships in third place after shooting a 16-over 304 at the Findlay Country Club in Ohio.

Senior Dianne Luke led the individual scoring on May 6 with a one-under-par 71.

The Vulcans trail co-leaders Indianapolis and Ashland universities by just four strokes heading into the final two rounds of competition.

ORIGINAL STORY

Cal U’s women’s golf team will compete at the NCAA Division II East Region Championships May 6-8 at the Findlay Country Club in Findlay, Ohio.

The Vulcans will be one of nine teams competing in the tournament. The top three teams, along with the three individuals not with a team, from each regional will advance to the NCAA Division II National Championships. The NCAA Championships will be held from May 16-19 at the Persimmon Ridge Golf Course in Louisville, Ky. 

Under the direction of head coach MerriLyn Gibbs, Cal U has advanced to the national tourney each of the past two seasons and finished a program-best seventh nationally a year ago.

 For coverage of all Cal U’s varsity sports teams, visit www.calvulcans.com.

UPDATE: May 5, 2012

The Cal U softabll team ended its season May 5 wiith two losses in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Championships.

Playing at home at Lilley Field, the Vulcans fell to West Virginia Wesleyan, 7-0, then were defeated by Lock Haven, 6-3, in the semifinal round.

The team closes the season with an overall record of 33-10.

UPDATE: May 4, 2012

The softball team overcame a three-run deficit to defeat Lock Haven 5-4 in the second game of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Championships, now under way at Lilley Field, at Roadman Park on Cal U's south campus.

The Vulcans move on to play West Virginia Weslyan at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow, May 5.

A victory in that game will advance Cal U to the championship finals, beginning at 1 p.m. May 6. A loss means that Cal U would play again May 5, facing either Bloomsburg or Lock Haven at 3:30 p.m.

Cal U’s 22nd-ranked women’s softball team will host the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Championships May 4-6 at Lilley Field, on the south campus.

The tournament begins Friday with Bloomsburg (35-14) facing West Virginia Wesleyan (37-12) at 1 p.m. 

The Vulcans  (32-8) face Lock Haven (28-18) at 3:30 p.m.

Game times on Saturday are 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. On Sunday, the action begins at 1 p.m., with a 3:30 p.m. game if necessary.

The winner of this weekend’s double-elimination tournament will advance to the NCAA Super Regional and play a best-of-three series from May 11-12 at the site of the highest remaining seed.

Cal U is making its 21^st NCAA Tournament appearance in the past 23 years. The Vulcans won consecutive national championships in 1997 and 1998 under head coach Rick Bertagnolli, now in his 19^th year.

 For coverage of all Cal U’s varsity sports teams, visit www.calvulcans.com.

Two distinguished alumni — the founder of a computer-based training program and an expert on emergency preparedness and international security issues — will address graduating students when Cal U holds Commencement ceremonies May 11 and 12 in the Convocation Center. Read more.

UPDATE: April 29, 2012

Playing at home at Roadman Park, Cal U's eighth-ranked women's tennis team defeated North Carolina rivals Winston-Salem State and Shaw universities by 5-0 scores during the first two rounds of the NCAA Division II tournament.

With the wins on April 28-29, the Vulcans improve to 23-5 overall and advance to the Round of 16, set for May 16-19 in Louisville, Ky.

This will be Cal U's sixth consecutive trip to the Round of 16. The team has reached the national quarterfinals four times over the past five seasons.

ORIGINAL STORY

Cal U’s eighth-ranked women’s tennis team will host preliminary-round matches of the NCAA Division II Championships April 28-29 at Roadman Park.

The top seed in the Atlantic Region, Cal U (21-5) faces eighth-seeded Winston-Salem State (15-7) of the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) at 1 p.m. Saturday. In the other first-round match at Roadman Park, fifth-seeded West Virginia State (14-9) will face CIAA-Champion and fourth-seeded Shaw  (25-1) at 10 a.m. Saturday.

The winners of those rounds will meet in a second-round match at 10 a.m. Sunday at Roadman Park. The winner will advance to the Round of 16 at the NCAA Championships May 16-19 in Louisville, Ky.

Under the guidance of veteran head coach Pablo Montana, the Vulcans are making their eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance — their ninth in 10 years. Last weekend Cal U won its sixth consecutive PSAC championship.

For coverage of all Cal U’s varsity sports team please visit www.calvulcans.com.

Composition, creative writing, journalism and literature students will present their scholarly and creative work to the Cal U community when the English Department’s Celebration of Student Writing takes place from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. May 1 in the Performance Center and rooms 206/207 of the Natali Student Center.

The celebration is a way to recognize the hard work students put into writing personal essays, research papers, analyses, journalism articles and creative pieces, said event coordinator Dr. Krystia Nora.

Composition 101 and 102 students from a variety of classes will exhibit posters and digital work. Feature writing by journalism students will be showcased in a newsletter produced by student editors.

Creative writing and drama students will give readings from plays they are writing, and literature students will present their research and analyses.

Retired English professor Peggy Roche launched the first Celebration of Student Writing in 2008, and Dr. Nora has assumed the coordinator’s role. For more information, contact her at nora@calu.edu. 

Works by student Tyler Rahl will be on display from 5-9 p.m. April 20 in the Vulcan Gallery, located on the first floor of Vulcan Hall. The exhibition will remain on view from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays through April 24.

Rahl is a graduating senior and a 2007 Carmichaels High School graduate, who is majoring in fine arts and graphic design. His solo show, “No Greater Love,” comprises abstract works created over the last two years.

Rahl describes his artwork as “visual encounters with human emotion” that can be engaged through the senses of sight, touch and smell.

His work has been influenced by real-world situations and experiences, such as 911 emergency phone calls, articles in newspapers and video documentaries.

“As I am creating my artwork, I am constantly feeling its surfaces to help articulate my message, he said. “Sensual and emotional intuition is a critical element of human experience. People want to touch and feel the things that surround them. These intuitions drive me to create visceral worlds of color and texture.

“The sculptural quality of my paintings is due to my use of found objects, which help create textural surfaces that convey ideas of empathy and tragedy.”

The April 20 solo exhibition is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Cal U’s Department of Art and Design at 724-938-4182 or e-mail Rahl at tylerrahldesign@gmail.com or rah6840@calu.edu.

Young anglers can try their luck at the 17^th annual Pike Run Youth Fishing Festival, set for 8 a.m. -3 p.m. Saturday at Rotary Park, off Route 88 (Third Street) in California.

The free event is open to boys and girls ages 15 and younger. Children ages 12 and younger must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or other responsible adult. 

Participants may bring their own fishing gear, or they can borrow equipment from a Cal U student volunteer as part of the state Fish and Boat Commission’s Borrow-A-Rod-and-Reel program.

The Pike Run Fishing Festival Committee will stock the stream with nearly 800 rainbow, brook and golden trout, some as long as 24 inches. As it has done in the past, the committee will provide entertainment and food for the event.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. Besides excellent fishing, participants can look forward to family-friendly games, raffles, fishing contests and many other activities. The festival closes with a weigh-in, prizes and the awarding of trophies.

Youngsters are encouraged to help stock the stream at 2 p.m. Friday.

The fishing festival is co-sponsored by Cal U’s Student Government, the Department of Earth Sciences’ parks and recreation program and the Cal U Eco Learning Community, in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, the California Rotary Club, the Borough of California and the California Borough Recreation Authority.

The festival also celebrates Earth Day.             

A John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award winner honored for her commitment to voter rights will speak at Cal U on April 24 — primary election day in Pennsylvania.

Jennifer Brunner was awarded a Profile in Courage Award, the nation’s most prestigious honor for public servants, in 2008. She was the secretary of state in Ohio from 2007-2011.

Brunner will present “Profile in Courage: Guarding the Vote” at 7 p.m. April 24 in Eberly Hall, Room 110.

She was recognized with a Profile in Courage Award — created in 1989 by members of President Kennedy’s family to honor him and celebrate the political courage he admired most — for her efforts to address voting irregularities in Ohio.

During the 2008 primary Brunner ordered that paper ballots be provided to voters who requested them.

After problems were found with the state’s new electronic voting systems, she called for them to be replaced with paper ballots and optical scan technology before the November 2008 election.

Prior to serving as secretary of state, Brunner was a Common Pleas Court judge. Today, she is a lawyer in private practice and continues to advocate for election reform.

"No longer in public office, Attorney Brunner continues to fight for good government,” said Dr. Melanie Blumberg, a professor in the Department of History and Political Science and campus director of the American Democracy Project at Cal U.  

“Her ongoing efforts to press for election and campaign reforms are no surprise, as she is one of the most successful election law attorneys in Ohio."

Also on April 24, two panels of experts will discuss politics and voting rights in Pennsylvania. Both events will be in Duda Hall, Room 303. 

•  In “New Barriers to the Ballot,” a roundtable discussion at 11 a.m., Drs. Michael Slaven, Craig Smith and Kwame Botwe-Asamoah, from the Department of History and Political Science, will be joined by student Courtney Cochran, who recently completed a research project on the new voter identification law.
• At 3 p.m., “Leadership & Politcs” will be moderated by Dr. Anthony Rodi, with panelists Dr. Michael Hummel, director of the Linda and Harry Serene Leadership Institute at Cal U; Lawrence Maggi, a Washington County Commissioner; and Judge Janet Moschetta Bell, from Washington County.

All events are co-sponsored by Academic Affairs/Office of the Provost, College of Liberal Arts, Department of History and Political Science, Linda and Harry and Linda Serene Leadership Institute, Cal Campaign Consultants, and the American Democracy Project.

The Department of Theatre and Dance looks at the world of theater from a backstage perspective when it presents Noises Off!, the final production of the 2012 spring season .

The fast-paced farce by English playwright Michael Frayn whisks the audience backstage for the behind-the-scenes shenanigans of a battered troupe of actors as they flub lines and miss entrances in their effort to mount a theatrical masterpiece.

Curtain time is 8 p.m. April 19 and April 20, and 2 and 8 p.m. April 21 in Steele Hall’s Mainstage Theatre.

Because of its mature themes and strong language, this play may not be suitable for all ages.

The play is directed by Dr. Michele Pagen, professor in the Department of Theatre and Dance.

Ticket price is $12 for adults, seniors and children. Students with valid CalCards are admitted free; their $5 deposit will be returned when they attend the performance. 

Parking is available in the Vulcan Garage, off Third Street near the campus entrance.  

Safety is our top priority at Cal U.

Please review this information from the online Quick Reference Guide for Emergencies.

Remember: Report any suspicious activity to Cal U Police at 724-938-4299. 

From the Quick Reference Guide for Emergencies:

To report an incident or emergency

1. From a safe location, report all emergencies to the Office of Public Safety by dialing “HELP” from a campus phone, *1 from a campus public pay phone or 724-938-4299 from a cellular phone. 
2. In case of an emergency off campus, dial 911. 
3. When calling, stay calm and carefully explain the problem and location to the officer.

If a suspicious object or potential bomb is observed, do not handle the object. Call California University Police at Ext. 4299 or 724-938-4299. 

Clear the area immediately according to the building evacuation instructions listed below.

If you receive a written bomb threat, set it aside and call Public Safety at Ext. 4299 or 724-938-4299. Do not handle the note or the letter further.

Building evacuation procedure if there is suspicion of a bomb in the building

1. Employees, faculty, and students should not search on their own. Opening and closing doors, drawers, and cabinets or turning off lights may activate the bomb.
2. The building should be cleared as quickly as possible but do not activate the fire alarm system as this may activate the bomb.
3. Elevators should not be used as this may activate the bomb.
4. Once outside, persons should move at least 500 feet away from the affected building and stay clear of walkways and streets that may be used by emergency vehicles and crews. 
5. Do not return to an evacuated building unless permitted to do so by a Public Safety Officer.  

Read the entire Quick Reference Guide for Emergencies. 

Dr. Jeffrey Magers, an assistant professor in the Professional Studies Department at California University of Pennsylvania, has been named a 2012-2013 Academic Fellow by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD), a non-partisan policy institute headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Under the auspices of the FDD, Magers will travel to Israel May 27 for an intensive course in terrorism studies that focuses on how democracies can defeat the worldwide terrorist threat.

A former police officer and member of the U.S. Army Military Police, Magers teaches in the Master of Science in Legal Studies program, homeland security track, including courses in homeland security, terrorism, intelligence practice and weapons of mass destruction. He also teaches graduate courses in law and criminal conduct, law and police processes, and criminal justice organization and management.

The FDD Academic Fellows program provides a 10-day learning experience for U.S.-based teaching and research professionals to provide them with cutting-edge information about defeating terrorist groups. 

The 2012 program, which will be conducted at Tel Aviv University from May 27-June 6, includes lectures by academics, military and intelligence officials, and diplomats from Israel, Jordan, India and the United States. Participants also will visit police agencies, customs and immigration facilities, military bases, and border zones to learn the practical side of deterring and defeating terrorists.

“Terrorism is the greatest threat today to the world’s democracies, including the United States and our allies around the globe,” said Clifford May, president of FDD.  “To win the war against terrorism, we must win the war of ideas by promoting democracy and defeating the totalitarian ideologies that drive and justify terrorism.” 

California University will recognize more than 1,500 of its most accomplished scholars at an Honors Convocation 2 p.m. Saturday in Hamer Hall Auditorium. 


Dr. Dennis L. Eckels ’71 will deliver the honors address.

Eckels has been in private practice since 1976 at Valley Ambulatory Health Center in Seward, Pa. A member of the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians (ACOFP), he holds additional qualifications in geriatric and osteopathic manipulative medicine.

In 2010 he was one of 14 osteopathic family physicians nationwide to receive the ACOFP Fellowship Award, an honor conferred on those osteopathic family physicians who have contributed outstanding service through teaching, authorship, research or professional leadership.

Eckels serves on the clinical faculty at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and he is an adjunct clinical instructor at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pa.

He is program director of the ACOFP Family Practice Residency Program at Conemaugh Medical Center in Johnstown, Pa. In 2009 his office was selected to participate in the Chronic Care Collaborative in Diabetes, a statewide research project.

A member of the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, Dr. Eckels is certified as a master scuba diver and a scuba rescue diver. He also serves on medical response teams that assist with deep mine rescue and urban search-and-rescue assignments, and that respond to disasters by providing medical assistance and tactical medical support.

Eckels earned his bachelors degree in biology at California State University. A U.S. Army veteran, he graduated from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1975 and served a rotating internship in Tri-County Hospital in Springfield, Pa.

Cal U President Angelo Armenti, Jr. will preside over the Convocation, and Provost Geraldine Jones will introduce the platform party.

The University rewards academic excellence on the part of master’s, bachelor’s and associate degree-seeking students by honoring Presidential Scholars at this annual event.

In addition to meeting other requirements, Presidential Scholars carry a grade-point average of 3.25 or above. Both full- and part-time students are eligible for the award.

A Cal U senior has won second place in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Student Business Plan Competition.

Chaz Sztroin, a senior graphic communications major, was awarded $5,000 for his plan to promote mixed martial arts competitions. The money is to be used for business development.

Sztroin competed against a total of 236 submissions, which were whittled to 25 and then to six before a panel of judges chose the winners.

“I’m honored that they chose me second,” Sztroin said. “The whole reason I entered the competition was to validate what I had assumed was a good plan and a good business going forward. Winning second place has given validity to the concept.”

Another team from Cal U —  Michael Rhoads, a senior business administration major, and Matthew Lacey, a freshman business administration major — was among the top 25 finishers.

Rhoads and Lacey have created Keystone Agriculture Consulting, which specializes in resource management, feed and livestock brokerage and technology integration.

The three students traveled to Harrisburg on April 2 for the awards ceremony. They were accompanied by Provost Geraldine Jones; Dr. Len Collelli, dean of the Eberly College of Science and Technology; and Kelly Hunt, executive director of the Cal U Entrepreneurial Leadership Center and Student Incubator.

At Cal U, the competition was coordinated through the Entrepreneurial Leadership Center.

“We are very proud of our students for their hard work in preparing for this competition. All of them had wonderful ideas,” Hunt said.

“The education we give our students is great. We just need to come alongside of them to develop the opportunity.”

Sztroin said finishing second is a big boost. 

“This will hopefully open up some doors that wouldn’t be open had I not done as well,” he says, with an eye toward holding his first mixed martial arts events as soon as fall 2012.

Rhoads and Lacey met at the Entrepreneurial Leadership Center and already are serving clients with their business, Keystone Agriculture LLC.

“Matt is a powerhouse of knowledge when it comes to the ag aspect, and I bring the business knowledge,” Rhoads explained. “We have similar interests, and Kelly (Hunt) brought us together at the center.”

All three students work at the center, offering support and advice to one another and to others who may have a business idea.

“We help each other out,” Sztroin said. “A lot of peer mentoring goes on here. Anytime you can be with like-minded individuals who see themselves on an upward trajectory, that’s a positive thing.”

To showcase the talents of faculty and students, the Faculty Professional Development Committee will present the sixth annual Academic Excellence Days Tuesday and Wednesday.  

This year’s theme is “Connecting Faculty and Students Through Academic Achievement.”   

A variety of activities designed to stimulate academic excellence will take place each day from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on the second floor of the Natali Student Center.  

The FPDC Teaching and Learning Subcommittee will sponsor a workshop by Dr. Marie Norman, associate director of the Eberly Center of Teaching Excellence at Carnegie Mellon University.

Norman will lead “Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching” from 12:30-1:45 p.m. Tuesday in Room 206 of the Natali Student Center. She will discuss three simple but powerful principles of learning, along with teaching strategies to put these principles into practice.

Dozens of other faculty and student presentations will take place during the two-day event. Attendees will learn how to create documents with LaTeX and how to make medieval-style arts and crafts.

Faculty members will discuss effective uses of classroom technology and incorporating Dr. Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Effective People into their courses. Students will present academic research, projects and activities.

Posters created by students will be on display from 9:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. each day in the Performance Center. The Student Scholarship, Research and Creativity Day Poster Session will be held Tuesday, and the Service and Service-Learning Poster Session will be held April Wednesday.  

Faculty also will present posters on topics including the Cal U Leader for Life program and issues in health and exercise science.

Artworks created by students in the Department of Art and Design will be displayed in the Airport Lounge, where three a cappella singing groups — Cal Singers, Vulcanize and Acappella Stella — will perform an eclectic mix of popular music from noon-1 p.m. Wednesday.

The Academic Excellence program, initiated by and supported through the FPDC, awards competitive grants to faculty and staff who want to plan a learning community to foster academic excellence, intellectual rigor and civil discourse. Proposed learning communities must be multidisciplinary and include students, staff and faculty. 

Recipients of the 2011 Academic Excellence awards will report on their work on last year’s projects.

The 2012 recipients will launch their learning communities during this year’s Academic Excellence Days and wrap them up at the 2013 event.

A continental breakfast and buffet lunch will be served both days at the Natali Performance Center from 7:30-9 a.m. and from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., respectively.

All members of the University community are invited to attend this event.

A complete schedule of events will be available at the Faculty Professional Development Center’s website.  For more information, contact the FPDC office at 724-938-4505 or e-mail fpdc@calu.edu.

Powerful musical energy will emanate from the painting studio in Vulcan Hall when the Cal U Art Club plays host to Dixon’s Violin at 7 p.m. April 13.

Dixon, who uses a single name, calls himself a concert violinist, a digital effects master and a musical shaman all rolled into one.

His performance is titled “A Transformational Journey via Digital Violin.”

“I want to inspire people, to weave and feel energy and give it to people,” he said. “It’s not about just playing a song but trying to move people to feel things in their soul they’ve never felt before.”

Classically trained from the age of 10, Dixon performed as a symphony violinist before developing his captivating, one-man show

He has performed across the United States and beyond, from free-wheeling gatherings like Burning Man to a TED talk and performance at the Max M. Fischer Music Center in Detroit.    

Dixon also participates in Pittsburgh Frostburn, a winter celebration of art and community held at Cooper’s Lake Campground.

“He’s great, and so different and energetic,” said Todd Pinkham, associate professor in the Department of Art and Design.

“His performance also has a captivating visual element, as he uses fractal imagery projected behind him. Dixon will mesmerize you.”

Seating is limited for the performance by Dixon at 7 p.m. April 13 in Vulcan Hall. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. For more information, e-mail pinkham@calu.edu.

See a demo reel by Dixon's Violin

A new edition of the Journal is available online. Headlines from the latest Journal include: ‘Election Outlook’ returns; Foreign language video takes prize; Swimmer adds two national championships. Read the Journal now. 

A popular team of political experts returns to California University of Pennsylvania to examine the outlook for this year’s presidential and congressional elections.

Political commentator Jon Delano, of KDKA-TV, will serve as moderator for the 2012 Election Outlook: The Race for the White House, presented by the American Democracy Project at Cal U

The free event begins at 7 p.m. March 27 in Room 110 of the Eberly Science and Technology Center.

Co-sponsors of this ADP event at California University are the Office of the President, the Office of Academic Affairs/Provost, the College of Liberal Arts, the Department of History and Political Science, and Cal Campaign Consultants.

About the moderator

Jon Delano is an award-winning political analyst who combines years of “inside experience” on Capitol Hill with the perspective of the private sector and life outside the Washington Beltway. A political analyst for KDKA-TV (CBS) since 1994, he became the station's first Money & Politics Editor in September 2001. 

In addition to daily reporting on government, politics, and economic issues, Mr. Delano hosts a Sunday morning public affairs program called “The Sunday Business Page” and is a frequent guest on Pennsylvania Cable Network’s “Journalists Roundtable.” Read more 

About the panelists

• William C. Binning, chair emeritus of the Department of Political Science at Youngstown State University, Ohio.
• Louis Jacobson, staff writer for the Pulitzer Prize-winning PolitiFact.com website, a contributing writer for PoliticsPA, and a contributing editor at National Journal magazine.
• Costas Panagopoulos, director of the Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy and the graduate program in Elections and Campaign Management at Fordham University, New York.
• Daniel Shea, director of the Center for Political Participation at Allegheny College, Meadville, Pa.

“This outstanding panel always gets people talking,” says Dr. Melanie Blumberg, a professor in the Department of History and Political Science and campus director of the American Democracy Project at Cal U.

“Jon Delano’s insightful questioning takes full advantage of their broad-based expertise — and their comments are always cutting-edge and provocative. Even people who say they ‘don’t care about politics’ come away feeling they’ve been both informed and entertained.”

About the American Democracy project

The American Democracy Project (ADP) is a multi-campus initiative focused on higher education’s role in preparing the next generation of informed, engaged citizens.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has honored Dr. Carol Bocetti with its 2011 Recovery Champion award.

The award honors agency employees and partners who have made outstanding efforts to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species of fish, wildlife and plants.

Bocetti, an associate professor in the Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Cal U, leads the recovery team for an endangered songbird species, the Kirtland’s warbler.

The 5- to 6-inch warbler is found only in Michigan, Wisconsin and Ohio.

Bocetti’s research and recovery initiatives have been a key factor in the growth of the warbler population from near record lows of about 200 pairs during the mid-1980s to the current estimate of more than 1,700 pairs, surpassing recovery goals.

Her research also documented the link between the size of jack pine stands — the warbler’s nesting habitat — and warbler productivity, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says. 

A member of the Kirtland’s warbler recovery team since 1998, Bocetti became the team leader in 2006. Working with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, the U.S. Forest Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and others, she spearheaded efforts to develop a conservation strategy and commitment to managing habitat, a significant step toward recovery and long-term conservation of the species.

“Thanks to Dr. Bocetti’s leadership and dedication, Kirtland’s warblers are making strides toward recovery,” said Tom Melius, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Midwest regional director. “That is a remarkable achievement for a species that was once on the brink of extinction.”

Bocetti says the nomination by her Fish and Wildlife Services colleagues came as a surprise, and she is honored by her selection for the award.

“It means so much to me to be recognized for my leadership on this amazing journey towards de-listing a conservation-reliant species,” she said.

“I share this award with all the dedicated, innovative partners who have contributed to this effort. I have not accomplished anything on my own! I simply took the reins from a visionary group of conservationists who started the recovery effort, and along with a phenomenal crew, steered the ship toward this new conservation horizon. 

“It has been a privilege for me to be a part of it all.”

Read the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s news release.

Read more about Dr. Carol Bocetti’s work.

Dr. Bulent Atalay is a scientist, an artist, a best-selling author and one of the world’s foremost authorities on Leonardo da Vinci.

In fact, Smithsonian Magazine, NPR and PBS all have described Atalay as a “modern Renaissance man.”

A regular speaker at the Smithsonian Institution, the National Geographic Society and the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., Atalay will give a special presentation at 11 a.m. March 29 in Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre.

Appearing in conjunction with the ongoing exhibition Leonardo da Vinci: Machines in Motion, he will discuss da Vinci’s artworks, inventions and ideas with school groups and members of the Cal U community. The public may attend.

Atalay teaches university courses in physics and quantum mechanics, and he travels the world as a lecturer, photographer and artist. The author of Math and the Mona Lisa and Leonardo’s Universe, among many other works, he also blogs for National Geographic.

As a lecturer, Atalay regularly speaks not only to scientists, scholars and arts professionals, but also to students at high schools near his home in Virginia. He especially enjoys exploring the connections between science and the arts.

Read more about Dr. Bulent Atalay.

View “Leonardo’s Model,” a lecture by Dr. Bulent Atalay.