June 2006Alumni Association News
1. ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NAMES NEW PRESIDENT
 On
Monday, June 5, 2006, the San José State University Alumni Association held its
last board of directors meeting for 2005-2006. At the end of the meeting,
President Jack Kelly ‘72 turned the gavel over to President-elect Patricia Smith
’64.
Patricia will now lead the Alumni Association through 2007-2008. Patricia had
previously been the president of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the SJSU
Alumni Association, former president of the College of Education Alumni
Association, and former vice president for programs of the SJSU Alumni
Association. Smith has also been an avid member of the Spartan Foundation and
Quarterback Club at SJSU.
2. COLLEGE OF EDUCATION HONORS LOCAL TEACHERS
On May 25, the College of Education Alumni Board held its annual Teachers and
Scholarship Recipients Reception. The event is held at the One-Room Schoolhouse,
donated by the COE Alumni Board, located in History San José.
The educators honored for their service to education were Don Anderson,
Barbara Babb, Barbara Goetz, Kathryn Holt, Linda Kubitz and Henry Warkentin
Among the scholarships awarded at the reception were two academic scholarships
given by the COE Alumni Board to College of Education students Arlene Dominguez
and Veronica Miranda Pinkney. For more information about honoring an educator,
call Sally Dubbin at (408) 867-3099.
Events and Programs
3. SPARTAN SPOTLIGHT FOR RECENT GRADS
The Alumni Association, in conjunction with Athletics, is hosting the first
ever Spartan Spotlight. This event is geared toward young professionals and
recent graduates in the San José area and is sponsored by the Smoke Tiki Lounge
on Post Street.
WHEN: June 26, 2006; 5 - 8:30 p.m.
WHERE: Smoke Tiki Lounge, Post Street, San José
RSVP: Please RSVP
before June 24
4. ALUMNI-HOSTED WELCOME RECEPTIONS
The Alumni Association has teamed up with Outreach and
Recruitment to offer welcome receptions for newly admitted SJSU students. Alumni
and friends from around the state have volunteered time to host receptions on
behalf of the university. Interested in attending a reception near you? Below is
a listing of reception dates and times. We hope to see you at a reception in
your area. Find out how you can volunteer. Welcome Reception Locations:
5. ZeroOne COMING TO SAN JOSE - CADRE
For two decades, San José State University has fostered one of the nation’s leading media arts programs, the CADRE Laboratory for New Media. This summer, the university and CADRE will showcase their achievements as Visionary Sponsors of “ZeroOne San José: A Global Festival of Art on the Edge.”
For the event, which runs from August 7-13, the world’s foremost artists,
technologists, theorists and cultural producers will transform downtown San José
into an international art gallery and technology center.
Concurrently, San José State will host two academic conferences, the
International Symposium on Electronic Arts (ISEA2006) and the Pacific Rim New
Media Summit. In addition, the university is sponsoring ZeroOne artists in
residence and gallery exhibits, including a show at Works/San José featuring 21
CADRE master’s of fine arts graduates.
Some events are free. Others require registration and tickets. For more on
ZeroOne, including ISEA2006 registration information and ticket sales, please
see http://isea2006.sjsu.edu/
.
6. EXCEPTIONAL WOMEN EXECUTIVES
Join the Exceptional Women Executives and the Commonwealth Club on August 10, as
they welcome David Kelley, founder and chairman of IDEO. IDEO is currently
ranked #15 in Business Week's most innovative companies in the world.
As founder of one of the world's leading design firms,
Kelley will explain the roles that people can play in an organization to foster
creativity and use design thinking to transform their corporate culture.
IDEO's renowned company culture has given rise to the Apple mouse, the first laptop computer, the Palm V and hundreds of other standard setting designs. This event is part of the weeklong ZeroOne San José Festival.
WHEN: August 10, 4:30 p.m.
WHERE: King Library, San José State University
RSVP: RSVP now, or contact Liz Harvey
at 408-924-3410 for more information
7. SANTA CRUZ CHAPTER WHARF TO WHARF RACE
 Be a part of the Santa Cruz Chapter’s Team for the annual Wharf to Wharf race
in Santa Cruz. Come out and meet fellow Spartans in your area while enjoying
this local tradition.
WHEN: July 23, 8 a.m.
WHERE: Santa Cruz, CA
RSVP: For more information, contact Donna Ziel
at 831-336-5043
8. ALUMNI ASSOCIATION TRAVELING TAILGATES
 Once again, the Alumni Association will be following our Spartans on
the road during the 2006 Football Season. We hope you will join us and meet
Spartans from your area, as well those traveling to the game. This year’s
receptions are as follows:
9. SECOND ALL-FRATERNITY AND SORORITY REUNION
The SJSU Alumni Association has partnered with the
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life to present this year's Second
All-Fraternity and Sorority Reunion. At our last event, over 350 proud Spartans
came out for a weekend of reconnecting, rejoicing and remembering. The purpose
of this reunion is to showcase the best and brightest within the Greek tradition
at SJSU. Come share the success stories of our Greek alumni, while honoring the
relationships built throughout the years.
WHEN: October 14, 11
a.m. – 3 p.m.
WHERE: North Field, Spartan Stadium
RSVP: Register now. For more information, contact Paul Richardson
at 408-924-6527
10. CALLING ALL GOLDEN GRADS
Once a Golden Grad, always a Golden Grad. Come back and help us honor this
year’s incoming class of 1956. All classes prior to 1956 are welcome to join the
fun.
WHEN: October 13 -14
WHERE: Hotel Montgomery, SJSU Main Campus
RSVP: For more information,
contact Sandy Moran
at 408-924-6519
Alumni on the Move
11. NATIVE SON ORGANIZES ETHIOPIAN RELIEF EFFORTS
Seifu Ibssa ’92 Business, who oversees PeopleSoft financial applications for the
McClatchy Company in Sacramento, hasn’t forgotten his roots. He fled Acheber,
Ethiopia and its Marxist government in 1982, but began returning to his homeland
to bring humanitarian relief to the community after the political situation
stabilized in 1992. Through Ibssa’s efforts, Acheber has received much needed
medical supplies, a maternity bed for the health clinic, classroom desks, land
to build a new kindergarten, and a new well and water storage tank to ensure
safe drinking water. “My dream is big,” Ibssa says in McClatchy’s corporate
newsletter. “I want to transform that village. I want to train the children. I
want to focus on the next generation.” Read more at www.ethiopianvillageoutreach.org.
12. HARRY WONG MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
The College of Engineering received $830,000, the largest private individual
gift to date, from the family of alumnus Harry Wong ’51, Industrial Technology,
to establish a scholarship in his name. Wong, who died in 2004, came to the
United States at age 13 and served in Indo-China during World War II as a member
of the U.S. Army. The Harry Wong Memorial Scholarship will provide significant
funding to four students each year, reports College of Engineering Dean Belle
W.Y. Wei. “We are grateful for the Wong family’s generosity and support of
education,” she said.
13. SIMMONS NAMED COO, AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY - CALIFORNIA DIVISION
 Rose
Pierro Simmons ’71 Social Work, an American Cancer Society employee for the past
28 years, is the new chief operating officer of the California Division. She
will oversee operations in 65 field offices and 41 Discovery Shops, and a staff
of 566. “Cancer touches one of every three people,” she said in an ACS press
release. “It is important that we continue to spread the message to every
Californian that many cancers are preventable, (and) that early detection will
increase survivorship.”
14. SPARTAN ENCLAVE AT OSCAR-AWARD WINNING ANIMATION STUDIO
 What do Robert MacKenzie (’98 Graphic Design), Jeff Biancalana (’98 Graphic
Design) and Lizette Vega (’04 Art) have in common these days? All are employed
by the Academy Award-winning Blue Sky Studios. Based in White Plains, NY, the
studio is responsible for such animation marvels as Ice Age.
Robert (who taught Lizette at SJSU) worked on Shrek 2 at Dreamworks before
moving to New York to join the Blue Sky Art Department. Jeff worked as lead
animator and designer at Leapfrog before signing on as a Blue Sky story artist.
And Lizette, after designing characters and environments as a freelancer for
Blue Sky, got offered a permanent post last year. All are now involved on the CG
animated movie “Horton Hears a Who,” based on the Dr. Seuss story and scheduled
for release in March 2008. Robert writes: “We’re having a great time over here
at Blue Sky and are very excited about our upcoming movie. I think it’s going to
be a great film.” Watch for it, fellow Spartans!
Chapter & Network Corner
15. AFRICAN-AMERICAN ALUMNI NETWORK DEVELOPING
A group of interested alumni are developing an
African-American Alumni Network within the SJSU Alumni Association. The purpose
of this network would be to meet others within the community, show a visible and
positive African-American presence within the larger alumni community, and to
assist with recruitment of new students. If you’re interested in joining this
network, please contact Paul Richardson
at 408-924-6527.
Member Benefit Spotlight
16. LIBERTY MUTAL AUTO, HOME AND RENTER'S INSURANCE
San José State University Alumni can save hundreds of dollars on their auto
and home insurance with Group Savings Plus! How will you spend your savings?
Campus News
17. NEW SJSU PROMOTIONAL VIDEO AVAILABLE ONLINE
How long has it been since you were last on campus? Too long?
Interested in seeing some of the changes transforming
your alma mater? Take a look at SJSU’s new video detailing the campus changes
and showcasing your university. View
now
(Please note that you must have RealPlayer installed on
your computer before viewing).
18. HOLLYWOOD CINEMATOGRAPHER AT SJSU
Hollywood cinematographer Hiro Narita will be helping with the student film
"Generic Thriller," a production of the SJSU Foundation's South Bay Film Studios
project. Mr. Narita, hired as a lecturer for the summer, will mentor the SJSU
students working on the film. Among Mr. Narita's credits are "Honey I Shrunk the
Kids," "The Rocketeer," "Hocus Pocus," "Star Trek VI," and "Never Cry Wolf"
(directed by Carroll Ballad from the novel by Farley Mowat).
19. NEW CAMPUS BANNERS
 In its most recent collaboration with the city of San José, the university
has created and the city has installed 44 new blue, gold and white SJSU banners
around the perimeter of campus.
"The banners are a highly visible way to remind everyone of the presence of a
great university in this great city," says President Don W. Kassing.
Collaborating on the project, which involved city council approval, were
University Marketing and Communications and the city's Office of Economic
Development.
20. $1 MILLION GRANT FOR NANOTECH RESEARCH
 The
U.S. Department of Defense has awarded a second major grant to enhance San José
State University's Materials Characterization and Metrology Center, which
provides students with hands-on experience in nanoscale materials research, a
field that could revolutionize the manufacturing process worldwide.
The $1 million award comes in addition to a $500,000
grant the center was awarded last year. Both awards were secured through the
efforts of Congressman Michael M. Honda. Read
more
.
Spartan Sports
21. OBERHOLSER TIES FOR 16TH AT U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
 In
two U.S. Open Championships, one-time San José State University men’s golf star
Arron Oberholser, has finished in the top-20 both times. The two-time Spartan
All-American tied for ninth at the 2005 U.S. Open. This year, he tied for 16th
place with a 291 total on the par 70 Winged Foot Country Club West Course. Read more
.
22. SIX SPARTANS NAMED TO "TOP ATHLETES OF EAST BAY" ALL-TIME LIST
Six outstanding former San José State University athletes are among 127
honorable mention selections to the Contra Costa Times’ “Top 25 Athletes of the
East Bay” all-time list. Researched by staff columnist Gary Peterson and
reporter Ann Taiko-Peterson, the top-25 athletes and those listed as honorable
mention either spent their formative years living in the East Bay or attended
high school in Contra Costa or Alameda counties. Read more
.
23. ABC TV PICKS UP NEVADA vs. SJSU FOOTBALL
For the second season in a row, the San José State University - University of
Nevada football game will be televised on a regional basis by ABC-TV Sports as
part of the Western Athletic Conference’s national television contract.
The two teams are scheduled to meet, Saturday, October
21, at Mackay Stadium on the University of Nevada campus. Game time, originally
listed at 1:05 p.m., is now 4:00 p.m. (PDT). Read more
.
24. BASEBALL SIGNS TOP AREA HIGH-SCHOOLER FOR 2007
Kyle Bellows, a top prospect out of Santa Teresa High School in San José, has
signed a National-Letter-of-Intent to play baseball at San José State University
in 2007, as announced by Spartan head baseball coach Sam Piraro.
Bellows is a combination infielder and right-handed
pitcher who played shortstop and served as the closer for the Saints as a senior
this past season. He finished 4-2 with four saves on the mound while earning
Blossom Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division “Most Valuable Player”
distinction. Read more
.
25. 40 ATHLETES NAMED TO ALL WAC ACADEMIC TEAM
A total of 40 San José State University student-athletes have earned Western
Athletic Conference All-Academic honors for the 2005-06 season, as announced by
the conference office.
A quarter of the Spartan contingent recognized came from
the 2006 spring sports of baseball, men’s golf, softball and women’s tennis,
with softball and women’s tennis leading the way with four and three honorees,
respectively. Baseball had two selections with men’s golf at one. Read more
.
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