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Points of PrideLocated at the core of Silicon Valley, San José State University is an exceptional place for hands-on learning, professional development and personal growth. Whether you are a graduate or a friend of the university, there are many reasons you can be proud of San José State. From an award-winning faculty and high-achieving students to cutting-edge programs and growing collaborations with the community and the corporate world, SJSU is on the move as it meets the challenges of the 21st century. Download Points of Pride 2006-2007 [PDF; 95Kb] Archived Points for Pride: 2005 [PDF; 219Kb]; 2004 [PDF; 59Kb]; 2003 [PDF; 224Kb]
OverviewKnown for the high quality of its academic programs, its excellent faculty (87 percent hold doctorates or the highest degrees in their academic disciplines), and its diverse and committed student body, San José State successfully educates students to compete in today’s complex, high tech and global economy. For the past six years, San José State has been ranked among the top ten masters-level public universities in the West by U.S. News & World Report’s survey of “America’s Best Colleges.” In the 2006 survey, the College of Engineering is ranked 14th among the nation’s Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (in addition, electrical engineering ranks 11th; civil engineering, 16th; mechanical engineering, 16th). San José State is the number one supplier of education, engineering, computer science and business graduates to Silicon Valley, the world’s high tech capital. The oldest and one of the largest universities in the 23-campus California State University (CSU) system, SJSU attracts students from throughout California, the United States and 100 countries of the world. Located in the nation’s 10th and California’s third largest city, San José State had a fall 2005 enrollment of 29,975 students – a 3.2 percent increase from last year. Approximately 75 percent of the students were undergraduates; 25 percent were graduate students. Almost 59 percent of the student population had an ethnic affiliation. More than 100 different languages are spoken on campus. Founded in 1857, SJSU is the oldest public institution of higher education on the West Coast. From its beginnings as a normal school to train teachers, the campus has matured into a comprehensive university offering 134 bachelors’ and masters’ degrees. San José State is one of the largest public-sector employers in Silicon Valley, with about 2,500 full-time employees and an annual budget of $472 million (2005-06). In 2004, SJSU was listed among the Bay Area’s Best Workplaces for Commuters by a coalition of business and government groups. For three years running, the coalition has honored those local employers who have helped reduce traffic and air pollution by offering their workers carpools, subsidized transit passes, and other such services. Some 6,450 bachelors’ and masters’ degrees were awarded in 2004-05 — continuing to support the region by supplying Silicon Valley with more graduates at the baccalaureate and masters’ levels than any other school in the nation. Awards and accoladesSan José State University ranks as one of the top 41 universities in the world in the prestigious TopCoder competitions, currently coming in at number 33. SJSU is ranked 7th in the United States, and is the only CSU campus in this ranking. TopCoder is considered the major league for ongoing worldwide computer programming competitions. The 15-member SJSU computer science team consists primarily of students, who solve and present solutions to online problems. They also evaluate solutions proposed by other teams, all within a designated time limit. San José was named the Gold Winner of the prestigious 2005 James C. Howland Award for Municipal Enrichment by the National League of Cities for its collaboration with San José State University to create the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library. San José was one of four cities to receive the gold award; four cities were given silver awards. All eight cities were showcased at the NLC Congress of Cities exposition in Charlotte, NC. KSJS, 90.5 FM, San José State University’s student-run station, won “Station of the Year, Medium Markets” at the 2005 JazzWeek Summit held in Syracuse, NY. JazzWeek is the nation’s premier jazz radio Web magazine, which compiles the weekly chart that monitors radio airplay on jazz stations across the nation and is used by the entire jazz record industry. These awards are voted on by jazz radio programmers, record industry representatives, artists and other peers in the jazz radio and records industry. KSJS was a previous winner of this award in 2003, and was also nominated in this category in 2004. The College of Education is accredited under the performance-oriented standards of the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education. According to the NCATE, this accreditation is a high mark of distinction that has been awarded to only 614 colleges of education throughout the country. These institutions produce more than two-thirds of the nation’s new teacher graduates annually. NCATE’s rigid standards require that accredited institutions have the following: partnerships with preschool-12 schools that enable college students to develop the skills necessary to help students learn; an understanding of how to work with diverse student populations; faculty who model effective teaching practices; and the necessary resources to prepare candidates to meet new standards, including information technology. For the third year in a row, the Purchasing Department has received the National Purchasing Institute Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award for its innovation, professionalism, productivity, and leadership attributes. In 2005, the award, which is presented to public and non-profit procurement organizations, went to 36 California agencies. SJSU is one of 80 agencies in the nation that have won the NPI award multiple times. SJSU’s Career Center team received two honors at the Career Services Institute, held at Stanford University, in fall 2005. The center was awarded a best practice for its innovative marketing and outreach campaign, “Get Your Ducks in a Row,” which included a series of collateral and events around a central theme to promote the importance of early attention to career development. A second best practice was given to the “Got Ethics” brochure, which includes case studies and guidelines related to ethical behavior relevant in the job search process. The brochure was recently adopted by the UC Davis Career Center for use with its students. The Web services unit of the Department of Academic Technology was awarded the 2005 Community of Academic Staff Outstanding Professional Award by the CSU Center for Distributed Learning. The award is for academic technology professionals who have made exemplary contributions to their campus, the CSU system or to academic technology in general. SJSU’s Department of Health Science received the first-ever Open Society Award by the Society for Public Health Education, the professional association for health educators. The award will be given annually to a person or organization whose body of work exemplifies the principles of an inclusive and respectful society that recognizes and celebrates diversity, encourages dissent and dialogue, and works toward social justice through the practice and science of health education. The Early Childhood Special Education teacher training program is featured in the new membership brochure of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. The brochure, which pictures an SJSU student working with a group of children, states that SJSU’s ECSE program was established in response to society’s need for teachers to serve young children with risks and disabilities and their families. SJSU is the only CSU university included in the brochure. The Honorable Susan Hammer, San José’s mayor from 1991 to 1998, was named the recipient of San José State University’s 2005 Tower Award. The award is presented annually to an individual in recognition for service to San José State University. The recipient is selected by the Tower Foundation's board of directors from solicited nominations. Tops in diversitySan José State is a cultural crossroads, reflecting the great diversity of the region and state. For more than a decade, SJSU has ranked nationally among those schools graduating the greatest number of Asian Americans, Latino students and minority students overall. The university is one of 19 CSU campuses named as “Publisher’s Picks” by Hispanic Outlook In Higher Education for having solid records in recruiting, enabling and graduating Hispanic students. The annual national standings are based upon formal and informal inquiries as well as data from the National Center for Education Statistics. The CSU is the most diverse higher education institution in the nation, with ethnic minorities making up more than half (55 percent) of its identified student body. Hispanics make up about 21 percent of the total CSU student population. In 2004, the CSU conferred 57 percent of the state’s bachelor’s degrees earned by Hispanics. San José State University is also one of 14 CSU campuses named among Black Issues in Higher Education’s “Top 100.” It was ranked 14th in the annual national list of colleges and universities that conferred the most bachelor’s degrees on minority students in 2003/04. Using data from the U.S. Department of Education, SJSU was ranked 9th for awarding baccalaureate degrees to Asian Americans; and in the listing of particular disciplines, 5th in business. Commemorating a legacy1968 Olympic gold and bronze medal winners and SJSU student activists Tommie
Smith and John Carlos have a place to call their own on campus. On Oct. 17,
2005, a 20-foot sculpture of the two athletes was unveiled in the Sculpture
Garden (between Clark Hall and Tower Hall). Australian Peter Norman, the silver
medalist who was with Smith and Carlos on the victory podium and supported their
stand, flew to SJSU for the day-long celebration. The campaign to commemorate a legacy was conceived and led by the SJSU student government organization, Associated Students. Designed by artist Rigo 23, the sculpture depicts the pivotal moment in history when Smith and Carlos took a stand for human rights on the victory podium at the Olympics, a silent protest that was seen around the world. In May 2005, the California State University and San José State University presented honorary doctorates to Smith and Carlos at the university’s 148th commencement ceremony. At the forefrontA new wireless network for students, faculty and staff on campus was launched in spring 2006. Covering 63 acres of campus area, the new Comcast-run wireless network offers 552 access points, which provide four times the coverage offered by the earlier BlueSocket wireless network. Every place except the Market Cafe, Event Center and Campus Village is covered. The wireless network can also be accessed from King Library, allowing easy access to e-mail and the Internet to those with an SJSUOne account. The wireless network meets the latest security standards and has a multi-layer defense protocol. The Department of Meteorology’s new Web site features a live weather Webcam from the top of Duncan Hall. Designed by Mike Voss, lecturer, in collaboration with an external consultant, the site provides live weather conditions and a satellite loop showing incoming weather. The Department of Meteorology also has a new supercomputer. The Linux Supercluster is a 56-processor, 112-node parallel machine that can run at speeds comparable to the world fastest supercomputers. The machine is being used with air pollution simulations, for modeling the climate and simulating Martian weather patterns. The School of Nursing plans to increase nursing enrollment by 30 percent and renovate the Nursing Learning Resource Centers (skills lab, library and computer lab), thanks to funding from The Valley Foundation. The nursing student enrollment project will fund an additional 22 students per semester in the university’s bachelor of science degree program over a five-year period, beginning in spring 2006. By fall 2010, 100 additional graduates will be prepared to enter the Santa Clara County’s highly complex healthcare workforce. San José State educates the vast majority of baccalaureate-prepared registered nurses in Santa Clara County. In addition, over a one-year period, funding from The Valley Foundation will transform the university’s Nursing Skills Lab into a state-of-the-art laboratory, including a simulated environment in which nursing students will learn technical, hands-on skills. Each year, California State University student volunteers contribute nearly 30 million hours of community service learning, both as part of their academic experience and as a university-encouraged service, reports the Office of the Chancellor. This is the equivalent of a $200 million contribution to their communities, even at a minimum wage. At San José State University, more than 2,900 students participated in courses with service-learning during the 2004-2005 academic year. International and Extended Studies and the College of Business have finalized a university-wide academic exchange program agreement with Yokohama National University in Japan. The exchange program will increase options for SJSU students who want to take advantage of a global education experience as part of their course work. YNU, located 15 miles outside Tokyo, offers a good selection of courses in all levels of Japanese language learning, as well as business, engineering, technology and Japanese culture. International and Extended Studies has launched two training programs in business and public administration for two delegations of government officials from China. Approximately 46 officials from the Yunnan and Hunan provinces are participating in this training, which they began in fall 2005 and will continue through April 2006. IES has hosted more than 180 government officials from China since the program began in fall 2003. The Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies at San José State University is the only research facility in North America solely dedicated to the study of the life of the composer. It has the largest collection of Beethoven material outside of Germany, including a lock of the great composer’s hair. Most recently, the center has acquired two fragments of Beethoven’s skull on long-term loan, which were kept back when his remains were exhumed in 1863 to preserve them in a new coffin. The skull fragments had been in the possession of the Seligmann-Kaufmann family since 1863. Danville residents Paul and Joan Kaufmann, who inherited the fragments from a relative, have been working with the director of the Beethoven Center, William Meredith, since 1999 to authenticate the fragments and undertake DNA and other scientific testing. The Department of Television, Radio, Film and Theatre, under the auspices of South Bay Film Studios, produced SJSU’s first feature film, “Drifting Elegant.” The film is based upon a play by noted Hollywood writer, Stephen Belber, who adapted the screenplay and partnered with Barnaby Dallas, co-executive producer, and Nick Martinez. The movie stars SJSU alumnus Coby Bell, who starred in “Third Watch” on television. Other actors include: Josh Stamberg, who is now featured in the series “Over There”; Donnie Keshawraz, a regular on “24” who now has a featured role in “The Sopranos”; and Jenny Mudge, who has appeared on “Law and Order” and the recently completed feature film, “Playing For Keeps.” The film is directed by Assistant Professor Amy Glazer. South Bay Films was created in August 2004 by the Office of the Provost to enhance the educational prominence and economic status of film and video production at SJSU. Two downtown business incubators, supported by the San José State University Foundation and the San José Redevelopment Agency, celebrated 10 years of operation. Located on North First Street, the software and environmental incubators provide entrepreneurs with resources to ensure their success, including affordable space and start-up services. More than 300 companies have graduated from the two clusters, and 70 percent have remained in San Jose. The firms raised more than $500 million in equity and generated more than $9 million in sales tax revenue for the city. SJSU has reorganized the management team for the Systems Teaching Institute, which is part of the University Affiliated Research Center administered by UC Santa Cruz at NASA Ames Research Park. The STI manages internships and programs for community college and university students who are performing research in conjunction with NASA scientists and engineers. Chemistry Professor Bradley M. Stone, who previously served five years as co-director of the NASA Faculty Fellowship program at Ames, was named project director. Cindy Schmidt, an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Geology, was named the new director of student programs. A new B.A. degree and minor in Global Studies was instituted in fall 2004 to provide students with an understanding of international flows of information, technologies, ideologies, values and materials, and how these affect cultures, economies, politics and environments for individuals, communities and nations. The program prepares graduates for work in diplomacy, international development, management of non-governmental organizations, business and commerce, environmental preservation, cultural pursuits and the performing arts. The College of Education’s Accelerated Professional Education for Excellence Program, which addresses critical teacher shortages, is one of 12 outstanding U.S. education programs highlighted by the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education in its Partnerships for Success brochure particularly designed for legislators. The Martha H. Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies is home to 40,000 items related to Nobel Prize-winning American author John Steinbeck. The collection includes manuscripts, original letters, inscribed first editions, all of the author’s published works, films and more than 1,000 photographs. San José State is the only campus of the CSU system that has an undergraduate and graduate program in nuclear science. SJSU is believed to be the first university in the country to create a Mexican-American Studies Department. Currently, it is one of only three universities in California to offer a master’s degree in Chicano studies. The university library houses the Ted Sahl Archives, the first collection of photographs, newspapers, magazines and other material that document the San José gay and lesbian community between 1977 and 2001. San José State now offers SJSU News, Campus Events, news from the School of Library and Information Science, and the Spartan Daily, via an RSS feed (Really Simple Syndication). RSS provides an easy way to monitor fresh content and highlight new material so that a user does not have to repeatedly check a site for updates. A program known as an RSS reader can check RSS feeds on behalf of a user and display any updated articles that it finds. The Animation/Illustration program boasts of a new digital lab of high-end graphics workstations, donated by Hewlett Packard Corporation. Electronic Arts donated $75,000 for the project. Now in its seventh year, SJSU’s animation program is ranked among the best in the nation. Graduates of the program have contributed to the production of more than 45 major motion pictures. San José State’s Corporate Training Program delivers customized in-house training programs to more than 3,000 Silicon Valley professionals at some 110 companies throughout the valley. The university’s College of Applied Sciences and Arts has been a trailblazer
on many fronts, including:
Centered in the heart of San José and Silicon Valley, the College of Business has been serving the business educational needs of our community and the global marketplace since 1928. The College is one of the 500 institutions worldwide that are accredited by the prestigious AACSB International – The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. It is also one of the select few business schools accredited at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. In addition, the College of Business is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the California State Board of Education. The College of Business, in cooperation with the university’s Norman Y. Mineta International Institute for Surface Transportation Policy Studies, is one of the first business schools in the country to offer a master’s degree in transportation management. The Mineta Institute is one of 10 transportation research centers throughout the country dedicated to surface transportation issues. Underwritten by a $1.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the State of California, it conducts ongoing research, including studies on the prevention of terrorism in surface transportation. The university promotes the development of intercultural communication and knowledge by actively seeking overseas students and faculty to come to the United States and by sending U.S. students and faculty abroad. SJSU offers students study abroad opportunities at 150 sites in 40 countries. SJSU also is affiliated with more than 135 higher learning institutions on six continents for faculty exchange or collaboration in research. The School of Art and Design is one of the largest and most highly regarded programs in the United States. It is known for its small class sizes, direct student-professor interaction, high-tech computer equipment (including the new SGI-sponsored animation lab) and nationally recognized faculty. The Moss Landing Marine Laboratories is a consortium of seven CSU campuses, led by San José State. MLML receives as much as $14 million annually in federal, state and private foundation funding for a wide range of research and education projects in ocean sciences. Construction is underway on a new $4 million, 500-foot concrete pier, just north of the Moss Landing Marine Laboratories headquarters. Students and scientists from MLML and more than 20 other marine science institutions on the central coast, as well as the nearby Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, will use the pier. The U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded the College of Engineering a $500,000 grant for the establishment of a collaborative research program in nanoscale materials and device characterization, including support of a Materials Characterization and Metrology Center. The center, which will be managed through the SJSU Foundation in partnership with IBM-Almaden Research Center and NASA-AMES Center for Nanotechnology, will conduct research projects to further the understanding of nanoscale materials for use in a wide range of computing, data storage and sensor applications. The DARPA award will support the work of six SJSU graduate students and six faculty members in the industry/partner laboratories. Funds from the award will also be used to provide technical support and maintenance services for the nanomaterials research equipment located throughout the SJSU campus. The College of Engineering was named one of eight colleges and universities across the nation to participate in the National Science Foundation Cyber Security Research Center. Research at the multi-institution research center will be focused on improving the reliability of the nation’s computer infrastructure to protect against cyber attacks. The TRUST (Team for Research in Ubiquitous Secure Technology) effort has been funded by a nearly $19 million, five-year grant from the NSF as part of its national science and technology centers program. Engineering Dean Belle Wei is the only Asian-American woman currently serving as dean of a four-year accredited engineering school and the first woman to hold the position at SJSU. The College of Engineering provides more engineers to Silicon Valley firms — including Lockheed Martin Missiles Space and Cisco Systems — than any other college or university in the nation. SJSU’s Survey and Policy Research Institute engages the university’s academic resources in public opinion and applied research for business, government and civic organizations. Services provided include research data, policy evaluation and analysis. The institute regularly releases Consumer Confidence Surveys of Silicon Valley. The Spartan Scholastic Society, a new program at SJSU, has been established to support and mentor emancipated foster youth who have a dream of higher education. The program is designed to help former foster youth find housing and financial aid, and connect them with mentors who can provide career and other support. There are approximately 125 students from foster care programs at SJSU. San José State is participating in a CSU system-wide Demand Reduction Program administered by the California Power Authority. The DRP is an incentive program designed to provide participants with payments in return for removing large quantities of electrical demand from the public grid. This action enables the CPA to maintain adequate reserves and prevent rolling blackouts. The program lasts for the summer peak electrical period, June through September. Facilities, Development and Operations is also helping to reduce peak loads in buildings according to guidelines in the Flex Your Power program, by systematically raising campus thermostats to 78 degrees. This measure alone is expected to result in a permanent reduction in peak demand by at least .25 megawatts. Campus Village opens its doorsThe university’s new housing complex, Campus Village, opened its doors to students, faculty and staff in fall 2005. Consisting of three buildings, with the tallest being a 15-story high-rise, the residential complex can house up to 3,000 students and provides amenities like high-speed Internet access, video on-demand, computer lab, furnished rooms, laundry facilities, underground parking, convenience store and an interactive gaming center. Because of its prime location, Campus Village offers students the opportunity to be in the center of everything – just steps away from classrooms, faculty offices, dining facilities, and other campus buildings. City museums, restaurants, theaters, concert halls and sports venues are only a short walk away. Student AchieversGraduate students Ludmila T. Stoynova and Gaston R. Cangiano received Outstanding Thesis Awards in summer 2005 for the exceptional quality of their research. Stoynova received an M.S. degree in chemistry. In her thesis, “Studies on the Molecular Recognition of the Vitamin D3 Receptor,” Stoynova sought to advance understanding of how the D3 receptor mediates biological functions of the hormonal form of vitamin D. This form is involved in the regulation of biological responses related to several diseases such as osteoporosis, breast cancer, leukemia and prostate cancer. Her research will lead to the development of more effective treatments of these diseases. Cangiano received an M.S. degree in interdisciplinary studies. His thesis, “In Search of Patterns in Incident Reports: A Segmenting Approach Based on Syntax,” implements a computer program that analyzes narrative text in search of behavioral patterns in reporting incidents and errors in aviation. Cangiano’s work combines computer science, psychology, linguistics and cognitive engineering, to produce a system for automatic classification of errors in the Aviation Safety Reporting System maintained by NASA. This system contributes significantly to passenger safety and has generated international interest. Letha Catherine Chien and Mehrzad Karimabadi were selected as Outstanding Graduating Seniors for academic year 2004-2005. The award recognizes outstanding scholarship and contributions to the community. Chien graduated with a 3.88 grade point average and was awarded a B.A. degree in art history. In addition to being named Dean’s Scholar and President’s Scholar while at SJSU, she received academic recognition from the California Music Teachers’ Association. Karimabadi received a B.F.A. degree in art with a photography concentration. She exhibited her photographs both on and off campus while maintaining a GPA of 3.88. Twenty-nine top students from the Department of Hospitality Management and the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies worked with Pebble Beach Resorts on the 2006 AT&T National Pro-Am. The students, who were selected from among the more than 50 students who applied, helped to manage, coordinate and oversee hospitality areas at this most celebrated professional golf event. Along with their experience, students were able to receive academic credit. Sophomore Michelle Minotti was named the Xbox Live Western Athletic Conference Gymnast of the Week for the week of Jan. 30. This recognition is a first honor for the Spartans. In addition, Minotti won the all-around with a season-best of 39,050 points. A film, “Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot,” directed by art and design lecturer David Chai with a crew of SJSU students, faculty and alumni, was accepted into the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and the International Animated Film Festival in Annecy, France. Students, ranging from lower division beginners to recent graduates, worked on the film for over 55 days in the art building. This year, there were 1,732 entries from 62 countries for the international film festival and "Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot" was one of 260 that were selected. At the Sundance Film Festival, there is no specific category for animation, so the film had to compete with thousands of live-active productions to land one of the coveted spots. Out of 4,300 entries, 70 were accepted. Four senior hospitality management students and their advisor, Kate Sullivan, worked at SEMICON West, one of the world’s largest semiconductor trade shows, which was held at Moscone Center in San Francisco in summer 2005. More than 1,200 booths and 35,000 international attendees participated in this annual event. The students helped assign booths for next year’s show. They learned booth design and selection and handled the financial payment from more than 1,000 companies that reserved spaces for the show. SJSU engineering students have teamed up with Neighborhood Housing Services Silicon Valley to help local residents become better prepared for natural disasters. Named “Emergentes Project,” the effort is part of the grant-funded Engineering Projects in Community Service program, which involves engineering students in community service projects. Currently, the focus of EPICS is on emergency preparedness, especially earthquake safety. After an initial training by Guna Selvaduray, professor of chemical and materials engineering, students inspect area homes, assess what needs to be done for earthquake preparedness, and then help residents implement a Homeowner’s Guide to Earthquake Safety. Among other community service learning projects, students are also creating an elementary engineering curriculum at Anne Darling School. In a project directed by Malu Roldan, associate professor of management information systems, students are testing HP mobility products for use in community health programs. SJSU communication studies major, Solara Foxie, was awarded the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship by the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the Institute of International Education. Foxie received a $3,500 scholarship to study abroad in Ghana, West Africa, for a semester. This was a very competitive year, with only 273 of the 940 applicants receiving awards. Three students from the computer science department placed 12th in the Association for Computing Machinery Pacific Northwest Programming Contest. 73 teams were entered in the contest and the SJSU team was the top finisher among CSU entrants. Sacramento State was the next highest at 18th place, and Fresno was tied for 45th place. Christopher Surdi, a senior majoring in business marketing and president of SJSU’s Entrepreneurial Society, recently won first place in the CEO national Elevator Pitch Competition, in Orlando, Fla. Surdi’s idea was based on the College of Engineering’s Global Technology Initiative program, which exposes business students to international companies. Three other SJSU students attended the conference, where they learned the top ten mistakes made by entrepreneurs and how to write a business plan, among a variety of offerings. Three SJSU student film projects were finalists chosen to compete in the CSU’s recent 15th annual 2005 Media Arts Festival competition for film, video and interactive media. There were 250 entries and less than 20 finalists. Four SJSU biology professors – Julio Soto, Sabine Rech, Dave Bieber and Leslee Parr – accompanied 11 undergrad and grad students to the National Conference for the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, held in Denver, Colo. in 2005. Six of these students presented posters and two gave oral presentations. Out of the 500 presentations at the SACNAS conference, only 25 awards were given and SJSU students received two of them. SJSU political science senior Michael Bernier is one of 24 students from the CSU and Santa Clara and Dominican universities, who are participating in the seventh annual Congressional Internship Program, sponsored by the Panetta Institute for Public Policy. Bernier is taking an intensive two-week orientation at the Institute, which will feature insight from noted experts and policy makers from Capitol Hill and the White House, as well as journalists, press office directors and campaign consultants. Afterward, he will begin a ten-week internship with a member of California's Congressional delegation in Washington, D.C. These interns were chosen by university presidents for their exemplary scholastic achievements as well as their interest in politics. Robert Swart, graduate student in creative writing, was one of 12 student winners of the 2005/06 William R. Hearst/CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement, who were honored recently by the CSU Board of Trustees. The system-wide award provides $3,000 scholarships to financially needy students who demonstrate superior academic performance and outstanding community service. These students have also overcome profound personal challenges to achieve academic success. Swart hopes to write a book of poetry, teach at the community college or university level, and eventually earn a Ph.D. The American Therapeutic Recreation Association’s Office of Continuing Education announced that Joanna Moore, an SJSU student majoring in therapeutic recreation, has been named one of eight 2005 Peg Connolly Scholarship recipients from across the country. Named in honor of Peg Connolly, the first president of ATRA and former executive director of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification, this program rewards students who demonstrate exceptional competence in academic achievement, personal and professional philosophy, leadership skills and other occupational achievements. Moore will participate in the annual ATRA conference in Salt Lake City, in October. Assistant Professor Benjamin Powell co-authored an opinion piece, “Don't get into a lather over sweatshops,” with David Skarbek, an SJSU economics major, that was published in The Christian Science Monitor, August 2 issue. Six students from the Department of Television, Radio, Film, and Theatre attended the National Black Theatre Festival and the Black Theatre Network Conference in Winston-Salem, N.C. Professor Ethel Pitts Walker served as the advisor to the group. Four SJSU students auditioned for Walt Disney studios as well as professional graduate schools and professional companies, and they received high marks for artistic excellence and professionalism. The students attended workshops and productions and met numerous stars from both Hollywood and Broadway. Award-winning and enterprising facultySpecial Education Professor Mary Male and Elizabeth Gilliland, lecturer in linguistics and language development, received the Provost’s Awards for Excellence in Service-Learning from the Center for Service Learning. Male has matched general and special education teachers-in-training in mainstreaming with students in special education middle school classes. Gilliland, a former Peace Corps member in Uzbekistan, has transferred her devotion to service to her students. Three art and design professors, David Middlebrook, Consuelo Underwood and Stan Welsh, were nominated by NICHE Magazine to receive the first-ever Arts Educator of the Year Award. This award recognizes professors who demonstrate an unwavering dedication to the promotion of the arts, through the cultivation and encouragement of emerging American craft artists at United States and Canadian arts programs and institutions. Alice A. Carter, professor and acting director of the School of Art and Design, was awarded the 2006 Umhoefer Prize for Achievement in the Humanities for her latest book, Cecilia Beaux: A Modern Painter in the Gilded Age (Rizzoli, NY). A notice of this award appears on page 89 of the January 23-30 issue of New Yorker. Susan Meyers, dean of the College of Education, was elected to serve as regional representative and member of the executive board for Teacher Education Council of State Colleges and Universities. In addition, Meyers was elected to serve as chair of the CSU Deans of Education for 2006-07. Katy Korsmeyer, program director for the Santa Clara County Biotechnology Education Partnership, was named president for the Bay Area Biotechnology Education Consortium at the January BABEC board of director’s meeting in San Francisco. BABEC is a consortium of Northern California Bay Area regionally-based partnerships, colleges, universities, foundations and companies that support biotechnology education outreach. Korsmeyer has directed the SCCBEP program in the Department of Chemistry for the past six years. Steven Millner, professor of African American studies, received the Educator of the Year award at the 11th annual Scholarship and Awards Gala, sponsored by 100 Black Men of Silicon Valley. Millner was recognized for his respected role as an educator, his service to youth and his active involvement in leadership roles in the community. His work is said to exemplify and foster the ideals of the BMSV organization to improve the quality of life for all young people. Sports Information Director Lawrence Fan was one of seven SIDs to receive a 25-year award from the College Sports Information Directors of America at its annual convention in Philadelphia. The award is given to members who have completed at least 25 years in the profession. Gloria T. Weddington, professor of communicative disorders and sciences, received the Honors of the Association award from the American Speech Language Association. This is the highest award given by ASHA in recognition for Weddington’s distinguished and outstanding contributions to the field over the course of her career. Weddington is one of five individuals to be recognized this year and the fifth African American to have ever received the award. James L. Wayman of SJSU’s Office of Graduate Studies and Research has been elevated to a Fellow of the Institution at the British Institution of Electrical Engineers. Wayman was recognized for his scientific contributions to the field of biometric identification and, specifically, his service to the British Standards Institute as a “Principal U.K. Expert” to the international standards committee on biometrics. He was also honored for his work as a “core member” of the U.K. government’s Biometric Working Group, and for co-editing the publication, Biometric Systems (Springer-Verlag, London, 2005). SJSU has been under contract to the U.K. government to provide consultancy in biometric identification since 2000. A new book by Marcos Pizarro, associate professor of Mexican-American Studies, entitled Chicanas and Chicanos in School: Racial Profiling, Identity Battles, and Empowerment, was recently released by the University of Texas Press. Pizarro studied Chicana/o students in both urban and rural school districts to find out about their school experiences, and he developed a model to understand and empower these students to be successful. Joe Mori, professor of accounting and finance, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. Among his notable accomplishments, Mori, who had been chair of the department for 32 years, designed the MS in accountancy program; formed the MS in taxation program; and conceived and developed two new undergraduate programs in accounting information systems and corporate financial management. In addition, Mori founded the San Jose Accounting Roundtable, composed of business executives and faculty, which sponsors an annual seminar for business financial executives in Silicon Valley. Jerilyn Smith, lecturer in occupational therapy, received the Award of Excellence from the 2005 Occupational Therapy Association of California, which recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement of occupational therapy in either therapeutic practice, education, research, administration, organizational or community service. Associate Professor Winifred Schultz-Krohn, from the occupational therapy department, was one of six pediatric occupational therapists in the nation who were selected to serve on a panel to develop the competencies for the new process to become board certified in pediatrics through the American Occupational Therapy Association. Schultz-Krohn was selected from more than 100 applicants. Mike Voss, lecturer in the department of meteorology, won first place in the Faculty/Staff Division and was placed seventh overall in the 2004-2005 National Collegiate Weather Forecasting Competition. Eugene Cordero, assistant professor in meteorology, received funding for his project “Connections between Stratospheric Perturbations and Climate Change - Research and Teaching Integration” though the National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program. The program is NSF’s most prestigious award in support of the early career-development activities of those teacher-scholars who most effectively integrate research and education. This five-year award for $626,000 aims to better understand the role of stratospheric perturbations on global climate change though various modeling activities. In addition, the project will develop a summer institute on the teaching of climate change for K-12 teachers. Jen Goodwin, associate head softball coach, was inducted into the Bridgewater State Athletic Hall of Fame as part of Bridgewater State’s Homecoming festivities. Goodwin, who is one of the few student athletes to be inducted into the same Hall of Fame twice, was previously honored in 1994 when she was part of the Bridgewater State softball team.
Jacqueline Thurston, professor of art at the School of Art and Design, has been
awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant by the U.S. Department of State and the J.
William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Thurston is doing research and
lecturing at Helwan University in Cairo, Egypt, during the spring 2006 academic
semester. She is pursuing a creative project involving photography, drawing
and writing on ancient feminine Egyptian deities. Thurston is also initiating
an exchange of “Shared Stories” between students at SJSU and Helwan
University. Fulbright Scholar awards are given to those who have demonstrated
academic or professional achievement and extraordinary leadership potential
in their fields. Geology Professor David Andersen was the first scientist to view the bones of a large creature recently discovered in a canal next to the Guadalupe River in North San José. Andersen observed that a pair of large curved bones was ivory tusks rather than ribs as first presumed. A scientist from UC Berkeley’s Museum of Paleontology has confirmed that the skeletal remains belong to a long-extinct Columbian mammoth, an elephant-like creature once abundant in Northern California. Wiggsy Sivertsen, director of Counseling Services, received a merit award from the Santa Clara County Office of Human Relations for her human rights advocacy efforts. Sivertsen was praised for being an outspoken champion for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Susan McClory, coordinator of Developmental Mathematics in the College of Science, was named Outstanding Lecturer for 2004-05. A faculty member since 1980, McClory has been responsible for developing a successful SJSU remedial mathematics program that accommodates a large number of students in a highly personalized manner. She interfaces with first-year students from the time they are accepted into the university until the time they have completed any remedial requirements. Annette Nellen, professor of accounting/tax and former chair of the Academic Senate, received San José State University’s 2004/05 Faculty Distinguished Service Award. This award is given for exemplary service in a leadership capacity to the university, community and/or profession. Daniel Goldston, professor of mathematics, is the recipient of the 2005-2006 President’s Scholar Award, which recognizes his research in prime number theory that has been lauded in the mathematics world. Goldston has become known worldwide for his extraordinary accomplishments toward a proof of the twin-prime conjecture. Goldston has been studying twin primes and more generally the gaps between primes since he was a graduate student at UC Berkeley in the late 1970s. This award is one of the four highest faculty awards given by San José State University each academic year. Rona Tamiko Halualani, associate professor of communication studies, was selected as a 2005 Carnegie Scholar by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Only 20 scholars were selected from over 300 international applicants. Scholars spend a year working on a project to investigate and document significant issues in the teaching and learning of their fields. Psychology Professor Bob Pellegrini was elected president of the Western Psychological Association, the largest regional professional association in the field. Since the WPA was first established in 1921, Pellegrini is one of only two California State University faculty members elected as president of the organization, who started and finished their careers as part of the CSU system. The other was from Chico State University. Pellegrini will serve a three-year term. Anne T. Lawrence, professor of organization and management in the College of Business at San José State University, received the Outstanding Professor Award for 2004/05. This award is one of the four top academic awards given by the university each year. Elementary Education Associate Professor David Whitenack was selected as a Carnegie Fellow in the Goldman-Carnegie Quest Project, which is dedicated to the advancement of teaching. During the next two years, Whitenack will work with other Carnegie fellows to document their preparation of novice teachers. Distinguished AlumniAbout 80 percent of San José State’s 150,000 alumni on record live in the San Francisco Bay Area. The other 20 percent are scattered around the globe, with concentrations in Southern California, Seattle, Portland, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York City. More than 200 SJSU graduates have founded, co-founded, served or serve as senior executives or officers of public and private companies reporting annual sales between $40 million and $26 billion. Some prominent SJSU alumni:
AthleticsOn the intercollegiate athletic front, San José State participates at the NCAA Division I-A level in six men’s sports and 10 women’s sports, and is a member of the Western Athletic Conference. In the last 10 years, SJSU teams have been nationally ranked in the top 25 for men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, baseball, women’s golf and women’s water polo. Men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, baseball and women’s golf have advanced to NCAA championship competition. The baseball team appeared in the 2000 College World Series, earning the title as one of the eight best collegiate teams in the nation. Individuals from the men’s and women’s cross country, women’s swimming and women’s gymnastics teams also have represented SJSU in their respective NCAA Championships. SJSU Athletes have won NCAA championships in boxing, cross country, golf, and track and field. SJSU student-athletes have continued their athletic careers professionally in football, men’s basketball, men’s and women’s golf, women’s volleyball, baseball, softball, men’s soccer and tennis. More than 100 Spartan football players have been selected in National Football League drafts and six were taken in a first round. In the last 10 years, more than $10 million in capital improvements and additions have been made to the athletic facilities. Recent additions are the Jeff Garcia Hall of Champions; Blethen Field, an on-campus baseball stadium; the 10,000-square-foot Koret Athletic Training Center, which services the strength, conditioning and rehabilitation needs of the entire student-athlete population; the Scott Gadway Academic Study Center; and locker room renovations in the Event Center for men’s and women’s basketball teams. Top CoachesMany of the university’s outstanding head coaches are annually recognized. In the last five years, the Western Athletic Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation have named coaches from the sports of baseball, men’s soccer, women’s volleyball, women’s basketball, women’s swimming and diving, women’s soccer and women’s golf as the conference “Coach of the Year” in their respective sports. Men’s and women’s cross county coach Augie Argabright is recognized nationally as a legendary coach in his sport. Other distinguished coaches from SJSU history include: Julius Menendez, Bud Winter and Jack Elway. Menendez coached the boxing team to 15 NCAA titles. Winter coached track and field athletes to 49 NCAA records and the championship in 1969. Elway, father of John Elway, coached the Spartan football team for five years. SJSU Judo head coach Yosh Uchida — who also was the coach of the first
U.S. Olympic judo team in 1964 — has established his Spartans program
as a mecca for judo hopefuls. Over the years his SJSU teams have won 40 out
of 44 national collegiate titles. In 2004, SJSU signed Dick Tomey as the new head coach of the Spartan football team. He started in the fall 2005 season, and it was his task to rebuild the team and reinvigorate the program. Tomey was named Western Athletic Conference “Coach of the Year” in 1981, and Pacific-10 Conference “Coach of the Year” in 1992. Teeing OffSJSU alumnus and professional golfer, Arron Oberholser won the AT&T Golf Tournament at Pebble Beach in 2006, and is currently ranked among the top 50 golfers in the world. Golfers Dina Ammaccapane, Tracy Hanson, Pat Hurst, Juli Inkster, Janice Moodie, and Patty Sheehan are all members of the LPGA and SJSU grads. Juli Inkster and Patty Sheehan are in the Ladies Professional Golf Association Hall of Fame. PGA member Ken Venturi retired from golf with 14 career wins. On the Olympic Front
SJSU alumni have won a total of 18 Olympic medals over the years:
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Public Affairs Division of University Advancement One Washington Square San José, CA 95192-0005 408-924-1166
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