- Home
- About
- Departments & Programs
- Faculty & Staff
- Students
- Giving
2010 Department Nominees
and Awardees
Undergraduate Nominees
Art and Design
Megan R. Bailey
Megan is an artist and a scholar. She is a dual major, graduating with a Bachelor’s of Art (Drawing and Painting emphasis) and Biology (Ecology and Evolution emphasis) with a 3.96 GPA. She has received numerous awards, some of which are: Patricia Gilles Memorial Award, the International Travel Scholarship, Smittcamp Family Honors College Scholarship and the Time Warner Academic Award. In her creative endeavors, Megan has accumulated a robust selection of art exhibitions that have shown at the CSU Honors Consortium, Gallery 25 and Phebe Conley Art Gallery. The department notes that Megan’s service to the university and the community is a valuable indication of her commitment to being a volunteer.
Communication
Jennifer Ervin
During Jennifer’s undergraduate studies at Fresno State, she has maintained a 4.0 GPA while working full time. She was elected co-President of the student organization, Professional Communication Association, which she says “has allowed me to become involved in philanthropic endeavors like Light the Night and help coordinate numerous fundraisers and volunteer efforts for the Fresno Food Bank.” For these endeavors, Jennifer was nominated for the 2010 Student Volunteer of the Year. Jennifer plans to attend graduate school full time in the fall and to eventually pursue a doctorate in communication.
English
Cameron Aveson
A native of Southern California, Cameron moved to the Central Valley in 1994. His academic career has been rather non-traditional in the fact that he left school for over a decade before returning in 2004. Last year one of Cameron’s poems was chosen by Philip Levine, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award in poetry, for a most prestigious honor, winner of the Academy of American Poets competition. He has also received the Larry Levis Prize for poetry in the spring of 2009. Cameron will pursue his MFA degree in poetry this fall through the English department’s Creative Writing Program.
Linguistics
Melissa M. Freeman
Melissa is a double major, earning her degree in General Linguistics, with a minor in Japanese, and an International Business Administration degree. “As a Fresno native, it is very exciting to be graduating from California State University, Fresno.” She has been involved with various organizations and cheering on the Bulldogs as a cheerleader for two years. One of Melissa’s projects was the Chukchansi Language Revitalization Project: making teaching materials for the tribal elementary schools and being responsible for the dictionary that is being made for the tribe. Currently she is volunteering as an assistant to the director of Fresno State’s Centennial, ensuring a celebration to remember for the entire campus. Professor Golston states “Melissa is a talented and multi-faceted gift to the college and the community.”
Mass Communication and Journalism
Amanda J. Fine
Amanda Fine is a mass communication and journalism major with an emphasis in public relations. An outstanding civic-minded scholar, Amanda was President of Fresno State’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Chapter in 2009-2010. She co-founded the University’s first student-run firm (TALK) last year and is currently serving as its Executive Director. She is active in student government as a Justice on the ASI Student Court and has completed seven semesters of internships for a variety of organizations. Amanda earned the President’s Volunteer Service Award for her work with SCORE and has volunteered for the Susan G. Koman Foundation.
Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
Gonzalo Nava-Perez
Gonzalo Nava-Pérez grew up in Northern California with a dual heritage: He is the son of Mexican immigrants, and grew up speaking Spanish and English, while being part of both Mexican and American customs and traditions. As the first in his family to obtain a college degree, Gonzalo has a double major in Spanish and Sociology. Gonzalo’s will and desire to raise consciousness and promote social change, following a lesson learned both in Spanish literature and Sociology courses, has inspired him to work towards the gradual elimination of inequality. In Gonzalo’s quest for an improvement in the lives of the underprivileged, he has heavily invested himself in CAMP and Upward Bound.
Music
Allison Nunez
Allison Nunez is currently a senior at California State University, Fresno. She is majoring in Vocal/ Choral Music Education and will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts this spring. In her years at Fresno State, she has worked as the Choral Librarian for a year and as the Choral Assistant for two years. Along with colleague Emily Broderick, she helped establish and lead the Fresno State Vocal Jazz Ensemble. She has also been a member of the Concert Choir, Chamber Choir, and Opera Theater group at Fresno State. She has traveled with Dr. Anna Hamre and the Fresno State choirs to Beijing and Shanghai in China as well as Vienna, Prague and Salzburg in Europe. She is currently the treasurer of the Fresno State Composer’s Guild. On the weekends she contributes her musical talents to the local church Family Word Fellowship. She has earned multiple scholarships including the Gary Unruh Music Scholarship in 2007 and the Loretta Anne Price Scholarship in 2009. She plans to pursue a career in music education as a choral conductor and theater director.
Philosophy
Teresa Johnson
Born and raised in Porterville, California, Teresa moved to Fresno in 2008 to attend Fresno State. Teresa's upbringing as a member of a non-denominational Christian church encouraged her philosophical side to emerge. Teresa says, "I continue to be enthralled by ethics (especially bioethics), ancient questions about nothingness, and issues concerning the nature of God, canon, and the Bible." Arts are a big part of her life. She enjoys playing the piano and snapping digital photograhs of nature. Always wanting to be a professional artist and perhaps illustrate children's books, Teresa decided in fourth grade that she would rather be the one who wrote the books. Her goal is to work as a full-time author, with a special interest in the power of speculative fiction to deal with the issues and realities of our own world.
Theatre Arts
Matthew McGee
While at Fresno State, has performed in a dozen theatre productions, designed sets and puppets for others, and has been recognized for these achievements, earning many notable scholarships and awards. With his eye for performance and design, Matthew created his own business—McGee Entertainment. Through it, Matthew has designed, built, and produced numerous puppet shows, performing for children of the central valley over forty times since 2008. In addition he has produced a series of short Internet films with his puppet characters, which have garnered fans from all over the country.
Graduate Nominees
Art and Design
Leslie D. Batty
Leslie Batty is graduating with a Master of Arts (studio art emphasis) with a 4.0 GPA. Leslie has received numerous awards that include the Graduate Student Research and Creative Activities Merit Award, the Tokalon Ina Gregg Thomas Memorial Scholarship, the Provost Scholarship, and the Artist In Residence from the Fresno MET. Leslie’s work has been enthusiastically received and has enjoyed a number of exhibitions that include Fitting the Subject/Object: Graduate Exhibition, CSUF Grad Student Juried Invitational at the Corridor Gallery, and A Vision Unfolds at the Fresno Art Museum.
Communication
Hagar Attia
Hagar states, “As a Muslim American woman of Egyptian decent, education is a privilege I do not take for granted.” Maintaining a GPA of 3.9 as an undergraduate, she was nominated by the Sociology department for the Dean’s medal in 2008. At the graduate level she has been able to maintain a 4.0 while teaching two classes every semester. In addition to school, Hagar volunteers at her local mosque by teaching a weekend class. “Staying in touch with my community is the very reason I am pursuing a master’s degree in the first place. This degree, and hopefully a Ph.D. in the future will allow me to represent the voices of Muslim Middle Eastern women in the academy.”
English
Andrea Mele
Andrea Mele grew up in Fresno, CA and attended UC Berkeley from 2002-2005, where she earned her B.A. in English Literature. Her scholarly interests include women’s rhetoric/lesbian writing, queer theory, genre studies, and literary theory. Andrea held a two-year Teaching Assistantship in the First Year Writing Program. In addition to teaching, she participated in data collection about the program’s effectiveness and subsequent revision of its goals, outcomes and curriculum. She has also been a reader for Fresno State’s Upper Division Writing Exam. Last year, Andrea worked as an editorial intern for Fresno State’s highly acclaimed literary magazine, The Normal School, and was contributing editor for The Jay Z Critical Reader (forthcoming). She led a workshop at the annual Young Writers Conference and read her own nonfiction work as part of the San Joaquin Literary Association’s reading series at Fresno’s Rogue Festival. Andrea hopes to continue her studies in nonfiction writing in Fresno State’s M.F.A. program.
English
Rachel Jackson
Originally from Austin, Texas, Rachel earned her B.A. in English from the University of Texas in 2001. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa during her senior year and served as Managing Editor of the Texas Travesty. In 2004 she married her husband Ross who flies F/A 18 Super Hornets for the US Navy. During her time in the M.F.A. program she was Editorial Assistant to The Normal School, and served as President and Treasurer for the San Joaquin Literary Association. She has helped to plan and organize the Rogue Festival and the AWP Conferences in Chicago and Denver. “Outside these roles, I also co-coordinated and publicized numerous literary events on and off campus, and have been an active performer at public readings.” Rachel is currently at work on her first book.
Linguistics
Dasha Victoria Henderer
“My journey with Fresno State began in Spring 2005 when I took prerequisite classes for the M.A. in Linguistics.” After a two-year detour teaching English in the Middle East, Dasha has successfully completed her master’s degree in Linguistics with an option in Teaching English as a Second Language. Her accomplishments include three presentations based on her master’s project, “Phonological movement in Colloquial Russian,” in collaboration with Linguistics faculty, Dr. Agbayani and Dr. Golston. Other awards include a Travel Grant and the Provost's Scholarship. Dasha’s plans to pursue doctoral studies and teach. “My deepest gratitude to my loving husband, Brian Henderer, and my professors: Dr. Brian Agbayani, Dr. Chris Golston and Dr. Jidong Chen.”
Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
Daniel Calleros Villarreal
Daniel Calleros Villarreal pursued a career in broadcast journalism, but along the way became motivated by the social value he saw in Spanish classes. During the last 7 years, he has been juggling three activities: working over 40 hours a week, attending school full time, and devoting time to his wife and two daughters. His research aims to explore the concepts of ‘otherness,’ cultural hybridism, and the effects that globalization brings upon subjects. Daniel has been accepted to the University of Arizona, where he is the Spanish and Portuguese Department’s nominee for the prestigious Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Graduate Fellowship. He will be pursuing a Ph.D. in Spanish Literature.
Music
Bryce Cannell
Despite receiving little training in music as a youth, Bryce worked diligently to achieve his academic and artistic aspirations. This dedication resulted in a 4.0 GPA and a mature compositional voice that has received national recognition. One of his works was selected for performance at the 2010 NACUSA National Conference in Portland, OR. Bryce held a Teaching Assistantship in the Department of Music teaching Music Fundamentals and is currently teaching music theory to children ages 6-12 at a local music school. At Fresno State, Bryce co-founded the Composer’s Guild (a student organization) in 2007 that brought several recognized artists to interact with music students on campus. “I believe graduate school is what you make of it, and I can say with confidence that I have made the most of it.”
2009 Department Nominees and Awardees
Undergraduate Nominees
Art and Design
Kristen Roan
Kristen Roan will graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (Studio Art/Painting), a minor in English, and a 3.9 GPA. She is a member of the Smittcamp Family Honors College, Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, and Golden Key Honor Society. Kristen is an aspiring painter, photographer, and creative writer, whose works have explored a variety of topics including the social networking phenomenon, classic film imagery, and gender dynamics. Kristen's photography and paintings have been exhibited on numerous occasions to favorable response. Outside of her art, Kristen has volunteered her time on the planning team of the Veritas Forum, and has served as a member of the founding cohort of Peer Health Educators at the Student Health Center. After graduation she plans to travel to Korea where she will teach English before returning to California to pursue an MFA. Kristen owes her success to her ever-supportive family and the sponsorship and guidance of the Smittcamp Family Honors College.
Communication
Shannon Michelle Rowe
Shannon is a 40-year-old wife, mother and full time student. She resides in Corcoran, California, with her husband Curt and two youngest children Brandon and Jana, while her eldest son, Garret, serves our country as a United States Marine. It was her third attempt, and at the urging of Bonnie, whom she affectionately calls her adoptive daughter, that she returned to education in 2004. It was that first semester back that she met Robin McGehee, an instructor with College of the Sequoias, that she found a deep interest in the field of Communication.
English
Keith S. Ford
“I love languages.” Keith has studied French, Spanish, Greek, and Latin and will be adding German semester. Before returning for his degree, Keith worked as a produce exporter to the Pacific Rim, befriending people from different cultures and hearing their stories. His interest in stories began with his father’s tales of mountain life in North Carolina. “I believe stories are humankind’s one truly universal trait. Our stories needn’t be similar, though some indeed are; it is telling them that is integral to understanding any other culture. Stories foster sympathy like nothing else. In today’s world, sympathy is what we need most.”
Linguistics
Ellen Kahn
Ellen Kahn is graduating from the Smittcamp Family Honors College with a degree in Linguistics: Interdisciplinary Language Studies, and plans to pursue a degree in Nursing after graduation. In her free time she enjoys being outdoors and spending time with her family; her favorite thing about Fresno is seeing the mountains on a clear day. She is very grateful for the education she has received at Fresno State.
Mass Communication and Journalism
Kaley A. Delarosa
Kaley began her education at Fresno State without expectations and said she has found a home and a purpose. “I have succeeded in journalism and public relations because I believe in truth, fairness, and advocacy. Throughout my education, I saw needs on my campus and in my community and used my skills to make a difference in people’s lives.” Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” While not always successful, Kaley says she tries to live by those words every day and considers the education and experiences she has gained over the past four years invaluable and will always carry them with her.
Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
Julio P. Garcia
When he was 19, Julio García came to the U.S. with the goal of being the first in his family to earn a college degree. He worked long days as a field laborer and attended night school to learn English and earn enough money to help support his family and save for educational expenses. Within two and half years, he graduated from West Hills Community College with a 4.0 GPA and had earned two A.A. degrees: one in liberal arts and the other in mathematics.
After three semesters here at Fresno State, Julio will graduate with a B.A. degree in Spanish. He plans to attend graduate school toward earning a Ph.D. in Hispanic Languages and Literatures. His plans beyond that are to earn a teaching post at the college or university.
Julio has served as a tutor and role model for CAMP (College Assistance Migrant Program) and he was one of the founding members of Austral – a campus student organization that promotes consciousness of the rich literary and cultural heritage of Latin America through the discussion and promotion of Spanish-American authors and their texts.
Music
Mathew J. Gomes
Mathew Gomes is graduating with degrees in music composition and English. He is a graduate of the Smittcamp Family Honors College as well as a member of the inaugural class of the Arts and Humanities Honors College. He has participated in a number of Music department performing groups, both instrumental and vocal, including the wind ensemble, the concert choir and the Fresno Community Chorus. As a member of The Collegian for six semesters, he received journalistic awards for his work on the print and online editions of The Collegian. He has made the President's list each semester since beginning at Fresno State, and will graduate summa cum laude with a GPA of 4.0. Matt plans to continue his interest in literary criticism, concentrating on the intersections between music and literature in his graduate studies.
Philosophy
Erik Cuadros
Erik Cuadros will complete his B.A. in Philosophy Pre-Law and his B.A. in Political Science with a 3.72 GPA. As a Smittcamp Scholar, he has been heavily involved in campus and community activities. He has served his fellow students in a variety of leadership positions with ASI and Vintage Days. He also is an active member of Delta Sigma Phi and Phi Kappa Phi. In the community, Cuadros has organized events and volunteered with the Red Cross, Special Olympics, and Kids Day. Erik will attend law school and looks forward to advocating for justice and continuing his service for others.
Theatre Arts
Yosef A. Mahmood
Over the course of Mahmood’s Fresno State career he has taken part in over a dozen theatrical productions as a crewmember, actor, and a director. He has also managed to stay civically involved in the university both in the Theatre Department through ETC and faculty meetings as well as through his work on the Student Academic Petitions Committee. Beyond the University, Mahmood also gained invaluable experience through Internships in Senator Feinstein’s and Congressman Radanovich’s offices. “I know that my experiences at Fresno State have prepared me well for my further education at a top tier law school, as well as for the rest of the challenges life has in store.”
Graduate Nominees
Art and Design
Meiru Huang
Born in China to parents who missed their chances of getting higher education, Meiru was taught to treasure every opportunity given to realize her academic ambitions. With support from instructors, she has been able to continue pushing herself further beyond the limits faced by most international students. Meiru’s artwork has been selected for exhibitions at the Corridor Gallery and the Fresno Art Museum. Working for the Dean’s Office as a part-time graphic designer was a great career experience. In 2007 and 2008, she was awarded the prestigious Adolf Odorfer Scholarship. Her final art project “Miscellaneous” received the Graduate Research Merit Award from Division of Graduate Studies.
Communication
Tiffany A. Rogers
As a Graduate student in the department of Communication, Tiffany has submitted papers to and attended both regional and national conferences in the field of communication. Recently, she presented a paper at the Western States Communication Association conference, where her work was evaluated with the work of Doctoral students and faculty from other institutions. Tiffany has participated in events run by the Communication department and, as a member of the League of Women Voters, events that have benefitted the community at large. She is dedicated to continuing hers pursuits in Communication and education as a researcher and a community college teacher.
English
Kristin Fitzpatrick
Kristin FitzPatrick is an MFA candidate in Creative Writing, with a concentration in fiction. During her first year in the program, she received a William Saroyan Scholarship and the Fresno Fiction Award. She has served as president and events coordinator for the San Joaquin Literary Association and taught workshops at the Young Writers’ Conference. She is also an intern on the staff of The Normal School.
Kristin has represented the English department and the College of Arts and Humanities at three professional events: as a workshop contributor at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference and as a panel presenter at both the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) and the Society for the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States (MELUS) conferences. Her fiction has appeared in Colorado Review and her essays in other publications. She plans to continue teaching college English and to publish more of her creative and academic writing projects.
Linguistics
Miho Schweizer
Miho grew up in Miyazaki, Japan and completed her undergraduate degree with a major in Japanese language education at Utsunomiya University in Japan. She first came to the United States in 1995. She studied English in Oklahoma and in 1999 moved to the Central Valley of California. Miho is a mother of three preteen children who are being raised in a trilingual home environment, and this experience has resulted in her love of linguistics as a field of study. Her experience with faculty of the department of Linguistics at Fresno State and their assistance with many of her research projects has been a very rewarding experience and Miho hopes to continue her studies in a suitable doctoral program upon graduation from Fresno State.
Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
Kathyria Vicuna
Kathyria Vicuña graduated from California State University, Fresno in summer 2008 with a Master’s Degree in Spanish. As a CSUF student, she worked as Teaching Associate for three consecutive semesters until her thesis was completed. When Kathyria immigrated to this country, she did not expect to get this far in her education because of the poor economic situation of her family. But, “I have always believed that I can accomplish anything in my life if I work hard to accomplish my goals.” As a Spanish college professor, she wants to encourage the youth to achieve their career goals through acquiring a higher education, thus, enabling them to have a better future.
Music
Aarne Mark Kela
Aarne Kela is a graduate of Reedley High School and Columbia University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in American History. Aarne was the winner of the Mu Phi Epsilon scholarship competition and the Fresno Organizers scholarship competition while an undergraduate student studying piano performance with Andreas Werz. He also performed for the master classes of Fabio Badini, Andreas Haeffliger and Paul Badura-Skoda and accompanied the Fresno State music department’s Opera Workshop production to celebrate the 250th birthday of Mozart. Aarne is active as an accompanist, piano studio instructor and composer. Most recently, he composed music for Fresno State’s fall theater production, “La Celestina.” He was also a contributing composer to Fresno State’s production of “Henry III.” Aside from a fulltime job at Fresno Christian Schools where he is piloting a new keyboard program for all fourth grade students and serves as the school’s staff accompanist. Arne has also served as musical director, performer and accompanist for several productions of Reedley’s River City Theatre Company.
2008 Department Nominees and Awardees
Undergraduate Nominees
Art and Design
Moua Xiong
Moua Xiong is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (studio Art/Painting emphasis) with a 3.8 GPA. She is a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and a life member of the California Scholarship Federation. Moua is distinguished not only by her strong academic performance but also by her incredible artistic talent and insight. Professor Nick Potter writes, “I have been impressed with her work from the first day, which along with her maturity and self-discipline, sets her apart from other students, as does the depth and quality of her intellect and visual awareness.”
Moua’s artistic works are inspired by the notion of ‘the other.’ Moua’s family emigrated from Laos in the 1970’s and much of her work deals with the issues she has had to face growing up in a dualistic mode where the dominant American culture clashes with her minority Laotian culture. Another subject that is recurrent in her work is youth culture as it relates to identity formation and labeling. Moua’s works have been exhibited in student exhibitions on campus and at Sharon Aria’s Studio in Fresno.
Moua plans to attend graduate school to earn her Master of Fine Arts degree. She also plans to freelance illustrate for fashion magazines and refine her earlier coloring books perhaps for publication.
Communication
Sarita J. Field
“I am a person who defies definition; nothing more and nothing less than me.” Coming from a family in which the women do not fit the stereotypical mold of femininity sparked Sarita’s interest in gender communication. Her grandmother instilled in her a spirit of fiery independence and showed her the power of a woman with a degree.
Sarita Joyce Field will graduate with a B.A. in Communication and currently has a 3.88 GPA. A Ronald E. McNair scholar, Sarita’s research examines the nuances of masculinity and religion and has presented her research at the Undergraduate Communication Conference. She is a member of the communication honor society, Lambda Pi Eta, and is a student leader for the Campus Crusade for Christ. Sarita intends to focus research on gendered communication in graduate school and is now deciding on which school to attend of the seven different graduate programs that have admitted her. Eventually she hopes to return to California to be a professor of Communication.
English
Jaclyn M. Smith
Jaclyn may be the most advanced student of English Studies that the department has seen in decades. Her analytical abilities have been described variously as “phenomenal” and “amazing,” her participation as elevating the “caliber and complexity of any class discussion.” Professor Ruth Jenkins writes that “Jaclyn may be the brightest, most prepared, and personable of all the students that she has taught in her twenty years at CSU, Fresno.” Professor Samina Najmi writes that Jaclyn’s “insights, always articulated thoughtfully and with respect for other students’ opinions, had a way of shifting the discursive landscape of the class, in ways that nuanced our discussions and gave them the most meaningful kinds of complexity.” Amongst the praise that Jaclyn receives from the English faculty is a recurring refrain about her humility even as she asserts a complex and rigorous argument, as one faculty member noted, “I’m not sure that Jaclyn knows just how very smart she is!”
Earning a perfect 4.0 in English classes and an impressive 3.97 for her cumulative GPA, Jaclyn plans to relocate to the San Francisco area and pursue a Master’s degree in Literature and study publishing. She has already established herself as a writer in the Fresno area both as a grant writer for the Clovis Police Department and as an editorial intern at Fresno Magazine.
Linguistics
Martha Rodriguez Villapando
Martha was born in a rural village in central Mexico and immigrated to the USA when she was eight. As a child, she struggled in school, but this May, she will be the first person in her family to earn a B.A. degree.
Commenting on Martha’s two majors, biology and linguistics, Professor Chris Golston writes, “Martha has the ability to bring together different areas of knowledge,” linguistics and biology. She has taken the time to mentor incoming freshmen and has tutored students in biology. When tutoring, she teaches students to apply principles of linguistics such as morphemes to decode text. Martha stands out as an outstanding linguistics major (general linguistics option) for many reasons.”
A single parent, Martha has raised two children; her daughter is in high school and her son is applying for admission to medical school. Martha considers her reincorporation into society following successful treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder to be her greatest accomplishment. Professor Brian Agbayani writes, “She is not only one of the most inspiring people that I’ve ever met, she is extremely intelligent and diligent, and she never takes the “easy way out.”
Martha is a success story for returning and older students. Despite all of her challenges, she has earned a 3.86 GPA at Fresno State. She is planning to complete a teaching credential, and then, complete her M.A. in teaching English as a second language. In her personal statement she wrote, “adversity can be turned into opportunity.” Linguistics Chair, Ellen Lipp wrote, “This positive outlook contributes to her success as a parent, a student, a tutor, and as a mentor of incoming freshmen.”
Mass Communication and Journalism
Jamie L. Gregory
As a soon-to-be-college graduate, I carry with me the Winston Churchill adage “This is not the end…. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”
Jamie began volunteering in the University’s Athletics Media Relations office at the age of 15, beginning her path of service learning. Working as a student assistant in the athletics department gave Jamie the opportunity to continue the activities in which she had been previously engaged, inspiring her to become a mass communication and journalism major in order to pursue a career in public relations. In support of her major, Jamie states that her minor in Geography gave her the opportunity to “learn more about … cultures and countries that shape humanity.”
Professor Betsy Hays states, “Jamie is the first student I’ve had that could walk into a senior level public relations position the day after graduation. She is that good, and she is that good because she has taken full advantage of her time here at Fresno State. Jamie is a shining example of determination, persistence and commitment to excellence.”
Jamie has maintained a solid 3.94 GPA; is a member of the Public Relations Student Society of America, and has received numerous scholarships, including the very competitive Bernard Shepard Scholarship, which she has earned two years in a row.
Jamie states that “communication is special to me not only because it is fundamentally required to participate in society, but because it is an outlet for personal expression. It is my own art. It is my creative calling. Communication allows me to be me, convey my thoughts and share my ideas with others. And I found my art here at Fresno State.”
Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
Edgar Castellon
Edgar Castellón will graduate with a 3.8 GPA as a double major in Spanish and Political Science and has completed coursework in Pre-Law. He plans on attending law school, specializing in an area of law such as International Law or Immigration Law. He serves as Treasurer for three student organizations: the Fresno State Political Science Association, the pre-law chapter of Phi Alpha Delta, and the Fresno State Mock Trial team. In addition to volunteer work for several community organizations such as the Fresno Adult Living Center, Edgar is frequently called upon to translate for various schools, the Fresno Community Hospital, and for the Fresno Court House. Edgar believes that his work as a translator helps to break down barriers. He states, “I want to be a catalyst for change, by struggling to give a voice to those that do not have one, and make my community, my friends, my educators, and my family proud.”
The eldest son of immigrant parents, Edgar says “that he has always felt it was his duty to be an example for his younger siblings by exemplifying the importance of being persistent in all aspects of one’s life.” Edgar credits his parents for teaching him the value of hard work and dedication and the importance of perseverance. Professor Ted Bergman writes, “explanation, encouragement, and constructive argumentation are in Edgar’s blood, and when he speaks, he cannot help but teach. For him, mastery of a subject is not an end, but rather a means to connect with and help others.”
Department Chair, Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval writes, “Edgar is proud and conscious of his great abilities and of his cultural background, yet he is humble, compassionate towards others and self-giving to the greater community.”
Music
Kevin Matthew McDonald
Kevin McDonald, 3.5 GPA, has distinguished himself as a musician versed in both Jazz and Classical idioms. He is the recipient of many awards and scholarships including the 2007 Paul Shaghoian Award for Outstanding Musicianship and the Lee Ann Price Memorial Scholarship. A four-year member of Fresno State’s top Jazz ensemble, Jazz Band “A,” Kevin also leads and composes for the Fresno State Protean Visions Jazz Combo and recently produced the group’s debut album Watercolor Bridges. He has held the post of Principal Bass with both the University Symphony Orchestra and the University String Orchestra.
Kevin has served as the Associated Students Senator for Parking and Safety and currently serves as the AS Associate Vice-President of Club Finances. He is active in the community as producer, radio personality, and programmer for KFSR’s (the campus radio station) Tuesday Morning Jazz program. Kevin is also active in the Fresno community as a teacher and mentor, coaching the bass section of the Youth Orchestra of Fresno. He teaches acoustic and electric bass and conducts master classes for both classical and jazz students as a staff member at the La Sierra Music Camp. In 2005, Kevin was an invited guest clinician at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
Professor Thomas Loewenheim writes, “Mr. McDonald is without a question one of the most enthusiastic students I have taught in quite a while.” Professor Michael Caldwell writes, “Kevin is also one of our most dynamic student leaders on campus. He is very humble, yet very aggressive with regard to effective leadership. Kevin is an excellent student with outstanding intellectual capabilities.”
Philosophy
Josh J. McDonald
Josh McDonald is a triple major in Philosophy, Psychology, and Political Science, with an additional minor in Music and has earned an astonishing cumulative 4.0 GPA.
Josh is a member of the Smittcamp Honors Program, the College of Arts & Humanities Honors Program, the Psi Chi Honor Society in Psychology, the Golden Key Honor Society and the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. Josh has been the recipient of various academic scholarships and awards including the Juliana Bissett and Vivian I Pickford memorial scholarships. He has published inside of two different volumes of Voicing Ideas. He has presented papers at two Voicing Ideas conferences, the CSU Honors Conference and was invited to guest lecture at the English Department at Cal-Poly, San Luis Obispo. He was selected to participate four times as a member of the California Institute for the Preservation of Jazz, and three times for the All-State Collegiate Honor Jazz Band.
In addition, Josh’s many and extraordinary contributions to student government and student life at Fresno State have been equally outstanding. During the 2006-2007 academic year Josh was elected the College of Arts & Humanities Senator to the Associated Students. AS President Juan Pablo Moncayo makes this statement about Josh, who serves as his Chief of Staff, “Josh approaches his passions with the interest of acting on them. Many can talk, few actually act.”
While concentrating on his studies, Josh has focused on a variety of issues very important to him; serving his peers and working to improve both campus and Fresno communities. Fresno Councilmember Brian Calhoun states, “Improving the quality of life in our community is a key component of public service. Josh has exemplified this…” Mayor Alan Autry states, “While we cannot help but be impressed with his achievements outside of City Hall, we are most proud of the outstanding service he has provided to the citizens of Fresno.”
Josh will pursue Graduate studies in English Literature here at Fresno State next fall.
Theatre Arts
Paul Henry
Paul Henry, 3.5 GPA, is graduating with a B.A. degree in Theatre Arts with a concentration in acting. He has appeared in many Theatre Department productions including Henry IV Part I, The Laramie Project, Little Foxes, Urinetown, the Portable Dance Troupe, and the Theatre for Young Audiences touring show. Paul has pursued his interests in technical theatre, designing the lighting for University Theatre productions including Polish Joke, the Portable Dance Troupe, Speed the Plow, and A Lie of the Mind. He has been a percussionist with the Bulldog Marching Band as well as playing for several Theatre Department productions. He has composed music for the Department’s production of Macbeth, and for several plays at the summer festivals, Shakespeare Santa Cruz and the Woodward Shakespeare Festival. With the Central Valley Youth Symphony, Paul has toured Europe and China.
Paul has twice received the Roy and Dorothy Christopher Student Internship Award; first as acting intern with Shakespeare Santa Cruz and second as lighting intern with the Phoenix Theatre Company of New York City.
Graduate Nominees
Art and Design
Christopher Lopez
Christopher Lopez is graduating with a Master of Arts (Studio Art) degree and a 3.9 GPA. He is the recipient of both the Hispanic Scholarship Fund/McNamara Family Creative Arts Project Grant and the Adolph Odorfer Art Scholarship; both of which were crucial for the production of his exhibit The Sound, and its Aesthetic Counterpart, or Your Whiteness.
An avid community service participant since high school, Chris has served many projects both personally and financially. Chris states “Community service is an invaluable life experience.” He provided continued support to several local organizations including the Marjorie Mason Center for Women in Domestic Violence, Toys for Tots, Autism Speaks, and numerous local elementary schools.
Chris currently serves as an adjunct professor at the State Center Community College District, Reedley College. “My experience as a graduate student has given me the skills and knowledge needed for this teaching position. My accomplishments are a reflection of what I have learned at the University over the past two years. The knowledge and skills I have acquired will remain an inspiration to me as I continue to produce and teach art.”
Professor Edward Gillum states, “Chris Lopez is one of the most innovative and creative students I have worked with. He has an enviable energy and has great compassion for both life and art. He craves knowledge.”
Communication
Leslie G. Collins Hester
Leslie graduates with a 4.0 GPA. Her scholarship centers on marginalized voice recovery, more specifically sex and gender in communication. She has presented papers at national and regional conferences and has submitted a competitive manuscript, co-authored with Dr. Diane Blair, to the National Communication Association Conference. Her thesis was nominated by the Department of Communication for the university’s Outstanding Thesis Award. In addition to her remarkable research agenda, Leslie held two graduate appointments in the department - one as a graduate associate and the other a graduate teaching assistantship. Having distinguished herself in the classroom, she won the Gene Anderson Award for Excellence in Teaching. She is also the recipient of a Graduate Student Research Merit Award and a Graduate Student Travel Grant.
Twice her fellow graduate students honored her to receive the Honorary National Communication Association Membership. Leslie has represented the department at graduate studies and donor events, as the department’s liaison to local community colleges for the 33rd annual Undergraduate Communication Conference, and as adjudicator for the Peach Blossom Oral Interpretation Festival. She is founding member of the Sigma Epsilon Chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the Undergraduate National Communication Association Honor Society and a student member of the Western States Communication Association.
Professor Kevin Ayotte writes, “Leslie Collins Hester is an exemplary graduate student, modeling the intellectual commitment to rigorous communication inquiry that we seek to inculcate in our students.”
English, MFA in Creative Writing
Elizabeth Scheid
Elizabeth Scheid is a publishing poet and prose writer with seven published poems and an interview with a prize-winning poet to her credit. At least four of these publications can be found in first rate, nationally known juried journals. While maintaining a 4.0 GPA, she has given at least seven separate public readings of her work, delivered one conference paper, and has twice been nominated for the Associate Writing Programs Intro Awards, a national competition for emerging writers that results in a cash award and journal publication for the winners.
Elizabeth is a charter member of the San Joaquin Literary Association, a member of the student organization known as the Student Reading Series Committee, and a regular reader at public events such as the Rogue Festival. She represented Fresno State at the Associated Writing Programs annual conference where she volunteered to man the Creative Writing Program’s bookfair table. Elizabeth was awarded a Graduate Teaching Assistantship in English and in addition to teaching courses in Freshman English composition, she also taught beginning poetry writing. Often students would stay after class to tell her how much they were gaining by reading and writing poetry, often stating that they were becoming a more rounded person.
Professor Connie Hales writes, “Liz Scheid is an exceptional student who has already brought considerable honor and improvement to our program and the university, and whose work promises outstanding accomplishment in the literary arts.”
English, MA
Georgia P. Williams
Georgia writes, “I seek to build bridges between students and larger communities, both within the academic world and within larger communities outside academia.”
Her service on both campus committees and academic committees in numerous community colleges in the valley are extensive. From work on the Young Writers Conference, to organizing a national MELUS conference on campus, to presentations at state-wide educational conferences, to scholarly presentations at conferences in literature, the social sciences, and English composition theory, Georgia has established herself as a well known, well respected, and important voice representing Fresno State in many matters academic, locally, regionally, and nationally. Awarded a teaching assistantship in English Composition, Georgia quickly became a leading voice in the development and strengthening of the Freshman Writing Program. She is a strong advocate for service learning where learning in the classroom is put in service of the greater community. Her innovations in this arena earned her special recognition by Provost Echeverria. Georgia’s outstanding academic achievements have earned her membership in Phi Kappa Phi and the Golden Key Honor Society.
Georgia’s accomplishments need to be seen in a wider context to better appreciate their worth. For most of her life she has battled severe and recurring clinical depression. But despite these disabilities, Georgia has completed the M.A. in English Literature and is near completion of the M.F.A in Creative Writing, maintaining a 4.0 GPA throughout.
Linguistics
Ria Kudu Inge Cahyani
A Fulbright scholar from Indonesia, Ria has earned 4.0 GPA. Ria has presented her master’s project entitled “Indonesian and English Linguistics Hybridization in Media Discourse: Some Findings from Indonesian Adolescents’ Magazines across Time” at the Annual CSU Fresno Research Symposium and at the CSU East Bay Conference.
Alongside her extraordinary academic work, Ria has also excelled in service to the university and the community. She apprenticed as an ESL teacher with the American English Institute, and she volunteered as a teaching assistant for the Fresno Montessori School. Ria also volunteered as a research assistant for Professor Sandra Lee. Ria hopes to take a position as a teaching assistant in the Madera Unified School District to work with ESL learners with reading disabilities, and in preparation she is independently studying the Lindamood reading, spelling and speech program so that she can assist these learners by using the latest teaching techniques.
Ria’s ultimate goal is to pursue a Ph.D. in early literacy or syntax acquisition. Her goal is to work with the UNICEF/UNESCO branches of the United Nations to help children around the world, especially those in her country of Indonesia.
Mass Communication and Journalism
Zoua P. Vang
Born in Laos, Zoua and her family immigrated to Fresno when she was a toddler. After graduating with her B.A. degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Minnesota, she became the first Hmong-American reporter at a mainstream television station when she was hired by the ABC affiliate in St. Paul, MN.
While maintaining a 4.0 GPA during her graduate studies here at Fresno State, she has succeeded professionally first as a reporter and anchor at the local NBC affiliate and now as Communications Director for First 5 Fresno County, an organization that works to improve the lives of young children and their families. As a reporter, Zoua traveled to a refugee camp in Thailand to document the last wave of Hmong refugees coming to America. She produced a documentary about the plight of the Hmong that is now used in classrooms throughout the Valley and at public libraries. Her reporting and documentary works have been recognized with two Associated Press Awards and a Best of the West Award. The City of Fresno and other non-profits have honored her for her storytelling and journalistic work and she was given the Fresno City College’s Spotlight Award for her work with college students. Zoua also serves as an Advisory Member of Stone Soup and has served as a Board Member of the Central California Asian Pacific Women’s Group.
Zoua’s passion is to give voice to underrepresented groups. Professor Betsy Hays states, “She started from nothing, valued her education, and created opportunities to learn, grow and succeed both professionally and personally.”
Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
Edgar Perez
Edgar Perez will graduate with a Master of Arts degree in Spanish and a 4.0 GPA. Professor Ted Bergman writes, “Far more than a student, Edgar is a scholar and thoughtful writer whose essays on Hispanic language, literature and culture show as much his love for them as his understanding of how they touch his life and those of others.”
The barriers of living seventy-five miles from campus, being diabetic, working, but most importantly, being a supportive father, did not keep Edgar from pursuing his educational goals. Edgar is a member of Phi Kappa Phi, and he has presented a paper at the Annual Graduate Conference on Hispanic and Lusophone (Portuguese) Literatures, Cultures, and Linguistics. He has served his community through his volunteer work with the Merced County Youth Council and tutoring students in Spanish grammar, literature, and linguistics. Edgar states, “These activities have provided me with the opportunity to ensure that those who represent the future in my community have positive alternatives to enrich and improve their lives.”
Edgar plans to continue his studies at UC Davis. He writes, “My desire to become a university professor has been born from understanding that I can make a living by doing something that I truly enjoy, while at the same time contributing to the improvement of society and by leaving a legacy for my children that will help them as they grow and become productive citizens.”
Music
Sarah Basiletti
Sarah, percussion major with a specialty in mallet instruments, completes her graduate career with a 4.0 GPA. In recognition for her extraordinary musical talents, the Department of Music awarded her a graduate associateship as Mallet Percussion Instructor for the Bulldog Marching Band and a graduate teaching assistantship in Freshman level ear-training. Sarah is timpanist for the Sequoia Winds Community Band and performs with the Allan Spencer Marimba Group. She has also performed with the Orpheus Chamber Ensemble, the Fresno Community Chorus, the Fresno Choral Artists, and the Kings Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to her private studio teaching percussion lessons, Sarah teaches Class Piano and Music Fundamentals at Reedley College and plans to continue as Pit Instructor for the Bulldog Marching Band. She hopes to publish an ear-training bingo game she developed and uses in her ear-training classes to assist students with their recognition of intervals and chords. Ultimately, Sarah plans to pursue a doctoral degree in music theory.
2007 Department Nominees and Awardees
Undergraduate Nominees
Art and Design
Jamie Ibey
Ms. Jamie Ibey has been on the President’s list every semester at
Fresno State while taking class loads of up to 21 units per semester. She
is graduating with a BA in Studio Art with a GPA of 3.94. She is a member
of both the Golden Key International Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi International
Honor Society. An accomplished portrait photographer, she started her
own business 7 years ago, specializing in children and their families and
is also considered to be one of the most accomplished painters in the department. Jamie’s
strengths as a natural leader and commitment to community are demonstrated
by her volunteer efforts such as 2003-04 Baha’I Youth Service Corps
where she taught art and spiritual values to children. She has also
donated hundreds of dollars of artwork for auctions benefiting non-profit
organizations such as Fresno Covenant Foundation and Scholarship Uganda. As
co-curator of the Annual Student Art Exhibition for CSUF Conley Gallery, she
developed a computer program for organizing the inventory of student entries
in the exhibit, which is now being used for all following shows.
Communication
Brittany Cooley
Brittany Cooley embodies the well-rounded student most specifically characterized
by her self-discipline, academic acumen, and future promise. Ms. Cooley
is a model student-athlete and Team Captain. As a leader on the Fresno
State women’s golf team she played in 80% of her tournaments and worked
ahead of schedule in her classes often learning the material without aid of
class discussion. For three years she has been recognized for academic
achievements at the Kiwanis Torch of Excellence. Her future holds much
promise-her leadership in academic, athletics and in her community is something
we can all be proud of.
English
Jill Buettner
Jill Buettner will graduate in May 2007 with a major in English and a minor
in French. She has a 4.0 GPA and has been a Smittcamp Honors student
during her four years at CSUF. In 2003-05, she was one of the seven
professional members of the Fresno Ballet, balancing the demands of that position
with 15-17 units each semester. She is currently working as a tutor
in the English Department Writing Center. She plans to earn a Ph.D.
in English with an emphasis in British Romanticism.
Linguistics
Amanda K. Mewbourn
The Linguistics Department is proud to nominate Amanda K. Mewbourn for the
2007 Dean’s Medal. She is the first person in her family to earn a B.A.
degree. Amanda stands out as an outstanding linguistics major (TESL
option) who is also completing two minors: one in Asian studies and the other
in Japanese. In addition to studying Japanese, she is trying to master
Mandarin (Chinese). She has developed a passion for Taiwan and spent a year
studying at the National Taiwan University. To prepare for her career as an
EFL teacher, Amanda has completed linguistics courses that are part of her
TESL option. In addition, she has taken advantage of opportunities at the
on-campus American English Institute (AEI), where she served as a volunteer
conversation partner, as a volunteer teacher’s apprentice for two semesters,
and as a teacher of pronunciation.
Mass Communication and Journalism
Jamie Gard
Jamie Gard is a Smittcamp Family Honors College scholar and a MCJ student
majoring in Public Relations with a minor in Business Administration. Even
though Jamie works full-time and is involved with numerous community projects,
she has maintained a 4.0 GPA. Jamie works as a Communications Coordinator
for the Central Valley Nutrition Network and for Tutoring Club of Clovis where
she tutors a variety of students ranging in age from 5-17 in areas of math,
reading and writing. Jamie’s dedication to the community is overwhelming
and has given numerous hours of service to her community. She volunteers in
Clovis Elementary kindergarten classes, served as an application reader for
the Smittcamp Family Honors College, worked with the American Cancer Society
and Fresno media to publicize Relay for Life, and provided the initial concept
and inspiration for the Arts & Humanities Honors Program. Aside from giving
of her time to the community and college, Jamie has also served in a variety
of leadership roles: founding and editing the Smittcamp Family Honors
College student-run newsletter (Smittcamp Scoop), organizing the first-ever
Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Regional Activity at CSUF
as the PRSSA President, and serving on a variety of Associated Students (AS)
committees including the Strategic Planning Committee and the AS Election
Commission. Jamie has been recognized for her academic achievements through
the Northern California Scholarship Foundation Academic Achievement Awards
(in 2004 and 2006), by seven semesters on the President’s List and the
Dean’s List for academic achievement, and as a member of Phi Kappa Phi
Honors Society and Kappa Tau Alpha Honors Society. Complementing her
diverse experiences as a CSUF student, Jamie participated in a 2005 study
abroad program to Egypt that emphasized historical and cultural roots of Middle
Easterners and African Americans.
Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
Viviana Barrondo
Viviana Barrondo and her younger sister joined their parents when they
came to the United States in 1997. She has supported herself through
high school and college with a series of part-time jobs and grants, because
education and improving her future has always been her most important goal.
When she came to CSU Fresno from the L.A. area, her plan was to be a school
counselor. Having
almost finished her Liberal Studies degree, she took a Spanish literature
class from Dr. Saul Jimenez-Sandoval. It was at this time that it became
clear to her that the Spanish language and literature are as valuable as any
other in the world, even though many may not appreciate it. A member
of the International Honor Society, MECha (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano)
and Entre Nosotras (a club for Hispanic women), she also volunteers at the
American English Institute at Fresno State as a conversation partner for international
students. She works as a Bilingual Aid substitute for Fresno Unified
School District, and as a para-educator substitute for special education classes
for Fresno County. Viviana plans to begin the M.A. program in Spanish
this Fall, and ultimately wants to finish a Doctorate degree in Spanish at
the University of Arizona. She has a special interest in how women are
perceived in the Latin-American culture, especially Mexican culture and feels
her goal to become a professor, joining the few Mexican women with Ph.Ds,
would set an example and be of encouragement to Mexican women, showing it
is possible to reach their goals and dreams. Viviana feels that Spanish
is essential in the United States, and that by teaching Spanish she would
aid in preserving the language here in the US.
Music
Jessie Fox Brunner
Jessie Fox Brunner is a musician of depth and ability, actively involved
as both a classical and jazz saxophonist. In 1999, he was selected as lead
tenor saxophonist for the Kern County Honor Jazz Band, which opened for saxophone
extraordinaire, Kirk Whalum, at the Bakersfield Jazz Festival. Previously
in 1997, Jesse and his mother, Shirley, began maintaining a website for saxophonist
Nelson Rangel. During the summers of 1998 and 1999 Jesse attended the Mile
High Jazz Camp at the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO. It was there
that he spent time with Nelson Rangell, and studied with Dave Pietro along
with many others.
Jessie has played lead saxophone for Bakersfield College jazz band and CSU,
Bakersfield. In 2003, he relocated to Fresno to attend California State
University, Fresno and continued his jazz studies by making the top jazz band.
After only one semester Jesse's interests became more heavily involved with
classical music in all areas, but specifically with classical saxophone and
saxophone quartet.
During performances as a solo classical saxophonist and with his saxophone quartet at Fresno State he has had opportunities to perform at many different venues. In December, 2006, his saxophone quartet recorded and received extensive radio play on KJWL 99.3 F.M. In the summer of 2006, Jesse attended the prestigious Idyllwild Arts Academy under a full scholarship. A highlight of his career was performing as principal saxophonist with the Idyllwild Arts Wind Ensemble at the Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, CA.
Jesse has received scholarships from Tehachapi High School, Tehachapi Newspaper,
U.S. Marine Corps, Bakersfield College, California State University Bakersfield,
California State University Fresno, the Loretta Anne Price Memorial and Idyllwild
Arts Academy. He is currently a member of IAJE and the North American Saxophone
Alliance. Jesse is a G.P.G Publications recording artist and is published
through Dorn Publications. He is currently preparing for his Senior Recital
on March 10, 2007 and will be a featured soloist with the Fresno State Wind
Orchestra during their concerto concert on May 6, 2007.
Jesse has been privileged to study with Steven Mettler, Tower of Power saxophonist
Paul Perez, and Dr. Alan Durst. He is also equally privileged and fortunate
to have saxophonist/recording artist, Nelson Rangell, as a mentor and dear
friend. In his formal studies, he is currently in his senior year at California
State University, Fresno working on a B.A. degree in Saxophone Performance
and is on track to graduate in May, 2007 with honors, Cum Laude.
Above all, Jesse enjoys spending time with his wife, Katie. They look forward
to beginning a family together as they support each other throughout the many
joyous journeys of life.
Music
Jennie Gray/Vocal Performance
Since an early age, Jennie had a passion to be involved in vocal music, singing
in church and high school choirs and, later, at Merced Junior College, where
she received several scholarships.
When she began her formal music studies at Fresno State, she quickly became involved in Sigma Alpha Iota, serving as VP/Ritual. She has been active in Choir Council, Concert Choir, Opera Workshop (singing leading roles), Chamber Singers, and The New Music Ensemble, currently volunteering as a Choral Assistant, and page-turner for not only student convocation and recitals, but for Music Faculty concerts.
Jennie was the recipient of the department’s Martha Hagen and Arthur Wahlberg Scholarships, placed 2nd in the Fresno Opera League Competition for her age division and received the Encouragement Award for the Fresno Music Club’s Bell T. Ritchie Scholarship.
In addition to her numerous activities in the Music Department, she has also sung with the Fresno Grand Opera Chorus for the past two and a half years, giving her the opportunity to gain professional experience and the honor of performing and learning from many world-renowned singers, conductors and musicians, including Placido Domingo, William Boggs, Walter Attanasi, and Theodore Kutchar.
Jennie has been able to maintain a 3.87 GPA, working both full-time and part-time jobs along with her many curricular and non-curricular activities.
Philosophy
Michael Edward Olsen, Jr.
Michael Olsen has a double major in philosophy (pre-law option and in psychology.) He
is a member of the Smittcamp Honors Program and recipient of the Floyd Burks,
Liliane D. Wells, and the Vivian I. Pickford memorial scholarships. He
carries a perfect 4.0 GPA in over 150 units of college courses. His
paper on philosopher Richard Rorty’s epistemology was awarded a Juliana
M. Bissett Philosophy scholarship and was published in our undergraduate philosophy
journal Voicing Ideas. He has also participated in sponsored research
in the College of Mathematics and Science. He served as President of
the CSUF Recycling Club and volunteered with the Big Brothers, March
of Dimes, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, and the International student Volunteers
conservation group. He was elected to the Golden Key Honor Society. He
also tutors students at Hanford Union High School in math and science. He
served as an intern at the Central California Legal Services, helping to clear
the name and secure the liberty of a client who was a victim of mistaken identity. Department
Chair Scott Moore speaks for the entire department when he writes: “Truly
Michael is an exceptional individual with a principled conscience for social
justice.”
Theatre Arts
Kristopher Cadieux
Kris came to us from Stockton as a freshman in 2004 with a passion for theatre
and teaching. Students rarely excel in as many areas of theatre as Kris,
and he has achieved these significant accomplishments while earning a GPA
of 3.84 in the major. He designed sets for our main season, including
last fall’s Intimate Apparel. He also represented us at the National
Kennedy Center/American College Theatre Festival acting competition in Washington
D.C. for an unprecedented two years in a row. This spring, he combined
his talents for the educational outreach production of Step On a Crack by
designing the set, acting, and serving as tour/stage manager all at once. Recipient
of the Scholars for Service Grant for four years, Kris has volunteered for
Stone Soup, Fresno, worked with Kinesiology to develop a Young Sports program,
and has maintained his own non-profit organization “Mitts 4 Kids” since
2002. Kris says with what he has learned at Fresno State, he plans to
put gloves on the hands and joy in the hearts of children in every pocket
of every town. We hope he does.
Graduate Nominees
Art and Design
Erin Webster
A professional artist and single parent, Erin Webster “wanted to model
her life for her daughter, teaching her to follow her aspirations even in
the face of adversity.” Erin is now graduating with a MA in Art
in Drawing/Painting with a GPA of 3.88. An exceptionally talented artist,
she just completed her first show since her residency at the Fresno art Museum
in 2002. Erin has been deeply involved in the Fresno Art Community while
pursuing her Master’s Degree. She has taught classes at the Fresno
Art Museum Summer Art Academy, served as Art Link Coordinator in the FAM Education
department, worked for the FAM in conjunction with the San Joaquin River Parkway
Trust to develop and teach curriculum for the Nature of Art summer camp for
children ages 9-12. Erin recently wrote the entire art curriculum for
the City of Fresno Parks & Recreation Department’s After School
Program and is teaching beginning painting at Fresno City College. She
is an outstanding artist and an even more outstanding community asset.
Communication
DawnMarie McIntosh
Dawn Marie McIntosh will graduate with an MA in Communication with a 3.9
GPA. In only four semesters she accomplished so much. She has
presented four self-authored research papers, nationally and regionally, while
acting as TA or individual instructor for five different courses. Additionally
she completed her thesis, an ethnography of how race and gender is critiqued
by local Latina drag queens. From her research, she is readying two
manuscripts for refereed journals. Also, she is currently choosing between
four different PhD program acceptances where she wants to focus on gendered
communication. Eventually she hopes to return to California as a Communication
professor.
English
Guiseppe Getto/MA in English/MFA Creative Writing
Guiseppe
Getto is a graduate student in both composition theory and creative writing
at California State University-Fresno, where he teaches in the first-year
writing program. His scholarly interests have included ethnographic studies
of the academic labor movement and the development of a working class studies
curriculum for the composition classroom. His creative interests are largely
poetic, and usually involve paradoxes of duality: self and landscape, psyche
and memoryscape, disappearance and the trace, fading and etching, remembering
and trying to forget. Currently he is working on finishing his MFA and begins
doctoral study in composition and rhetoric in the fall at Michigan State University.
English
Jefferson Beavers
MFA in creative Writing
Born and raised in Dinuba, California, Jefferson Beavers had established
an enviable career as a journalist and editor when he returned to CSUF to
focus on creative writing, and earn his Master of Fine Arts degree. Not content
with his reputation as a top student (with a 4.0 GPA in all graduate coursework),
an outstanding teacher in both the English and Mass Communications and Journalism
Departments, and an exceptionally talented writer of creative nonfiction,
Jefferson has distinguished himself through his service to the MFA Program,
the English Department, and the community at large. His contributions include
founding and coordinating the San Joaquin Literary Association, which has
enhanced the life of campus and community by sponsoring and planning conferences,
workshops, student and faculty reading events, and a Visiting Writers Series
that brought world-renowned writers to campus including Jonathan Franzen,
Marilyn Chin, and Joyce Carol Oates. Jefferson edited the university’s
literary magazine, the San Joaquin Review, and helped usher the English Department
into the 21st century by creating a weekly online newsletter, MFAFresno.blogspot.com.
His contributions to the community have included coordinating the MFA Program’s
participation in the local Rogue Festival, writing about campus events for
FresnoFamous.com, and teaching in the Central California High School Journalism
Conference. Jefferson’s efforts on behalf of the university were recognized
recently with the Associated Students’ Outstanding Student Leadership
Award.
Linguistics
Sande Wu
Sande Wu graduated in Fall 2006 with a degree in Linguistics with an option
in TESL. With a GPA of 4.0, Sande proved herself to be an exceptional
graduate student. The high quality of her research is particularly noteworthy. For
example, the abstract of one of her papers ({Literacy Games for Adult Immigrant
Students”) was accepted for the 2007 TESOL International Conference,
which is one of them most prestigious conferences in the field. In addition
to maintaining excellence in academics, she has been actively engages in a
variety of extracurricular activities. Since 2004 Sande has been teaching
a variety of courses at the American English Institute and is considered an
invaluable instructor. She also taught in the Department of Linguistics
as well as the Learning Resource Center.
Mass Communication and Journalism
Christine Park
Christine
is the Consumer and Morning Reporter for ABC 30 Action News, having joined
the station in October 2000. She won an Emmy for her reporting on the
Valley's number one morning show, AM Live. She was hired as a Production Assistant
and Newsroom Trainee at KRON-TV in San Francisco upon graduating with honors
from UC Berkeley. Prior to her current position at ABC-30, she was the Special
Projects Producer and Weekend Assignment Editor.
Christine earned her Master's Degree in Mass Communications and Journalism from Fresno State in the summer of 2006. She taught broadcast writing and reporting to undergraduate students as a graduate assistant and was honored with the Outstanding MCJ Graduate Award. She was also selected for Kappa Tau Alpha, a national honors society for journalism students and awarded “top scholar.”
Christine’s master’s project was a case study analysis of the Scott Peterson case and the over-exposure of media coverage. Her project explored the reasons and motivations behind the extensive media coverage of the Scott and Laci Peterson case, and raised issues of agenda setting as well as race, gender, and class in determining coverage-worthy victims. In addition to analyzing this case from a scholarly perspective, Christine also produced a short documentary on the event and coverage. The documentary-style video contained interviews with local journalists, legal experts, and media professors, who all agree that the case contained a perfect storm of events and characters that made it the perfect story.
She currently lives in Fresno with her husband Gene and her baby girl Sydney.
Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures
Karla Suarez
Karla Suarez is the first member to graduate from college from a low-income
family that works in the fields. She is also a nominee for the
Outstanding Thesis Award, and is on the Dean and President’s lists.
Karla has been admitted to the Ph.D. program in Spanish at Stanford University; she was one of 5 applicants accepted into this prestigious program –out of a total of 125 candidates that applied.
It is Karla’s goal to critically analyze and revise the position of women writers within the Spanish literary canon. It is her belief that due to a lack of community and tradition, as well as the historically recognized hostility of established male writers towards women writers and citizens, women faced a series of hurdles that prevented them from being considered important within literary circles.
Karla has been heavily involved with non-profit organizations that promote a community awareness within the Latino community. She was a volunteer high school tutor for three years thorough the Teaching Fellows Program at Fresno State, and has been an active member of University Migrant Services. Karla has also been an active member at various Catholic charity groups in three different communities.
Karla has had to work in the fields, packing houses, and has been a translator, a nurse assistant and a community liaison for a non-profit mobile clinic in order to support her studies.
Ryan Nyberg
MA in Music Composition
Ryan T. Nyberg is a graduate student in the Department of Music, and is finishing
the MA Degree in Music with a major in Composition with a 4.0 GPA. He
received his BA in Music from the Thornton School of Music at University of
Southern California, where he graduated cum laude, and received the Student
Leadership Award for his work in the Concert Choir. Before that he received
Associates degrees from Fresno City College in Music with an emphasis in Piano
and in Business Administration, where he graduated with highest honors. A
native of Fresno, he was homeschooled K-12, graduating from high school in
1995.
Currently, Ryan works nights full-time as an office administrator, and goes to school full-time during the day. He is also a teaching associate in the Music Department, teaching beginning keyboard as a general education course. He plays flute, piano, and drums in his church worship team, and has conducted, run rehearsals, and done transcription work for his church as well. In his spare time, he writes music for student films and promotional videos.
On campus, Ryan plays with the Fresno State Flute Ensemble and the Fresno State Early Music Ensemble, and has taken part in the New Music Ensemble and numerous student recitals. He worked with the interdisciplinary research group researching pitch perception in dyadic conversations, and helped plan the inaugural Fresno State New Music Festival. For his thesis project, he is putting on an on-campus recital of original music in March, and will include a performance of his Concerto No.1 for piano and orchestra.