Dean's Medalists announced

by Tom Uribes

The California State University, Fresno Dean's Medalists -- the Class of 2000's top 10 students - have been selected.

They are now under consideration for the highest honor given to a graduating student at the 89th Annual Commencement ceremony on May 20. The procession begins at 9 a.m. in Bulldog Stadium.

The Dean's Medal honors the top graduating student in each of the university's eight schools and colleges of academic discipline and the divisions of Graduate Studies and Student Affairs. The deans of each college, school and division select a medalist based on academic excellence, community involvement and other outstanding achievements.

The medalists range from a student who was stabbed and assaulted when she was a teen involved in gangs, to a tennis standout who speaks several languages, to a sight-impaired student who relentlessly pursued his goal to earn a college degree.

College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology

Yala Vang, B.S., Food and Nutritional Sciences (Option in Dietetics and Food Administration)

Yala Vang, the oldest of ten children, was born in the refugee camps of Thailand and came to the United States when she was two years old. She was a class valedictorian at Edison High School. Vang, whose cumulative GPA is 3.52, was one of the university's four finalists for the Volunteer Bureau's Student Volunteer of the Year Award in 1998.

College of Arts and Humanities

Wakako Yasuda, B.A., General Linguistics

Wakako Yasuda's academic achievements at Fresno State include a grade point average of 3.92 and a number of awards and honors. Yasuda stands apart from a very strong field of departmental nominees because of her success as an undergraduate researcher.

Sid Craig School of Business

Dora Djilianova, B.S., Business (finance option)

After completing high school in Bulgaria, Dora Djilianova came to Fresno State on a tennis scholarship in 1996. She became one of the top Division I tennis players while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Fluent in English and Bulgarian, and proficient in Russian, French and Macedonian, Djilianova served as a foreign language interpreter for the Educational Research Center. She has participated in fundraising for the Special Olympics.

School of Education and Human Development

Enedina (Anna) Ramirez, B.A. in Liberal Studies

Anna Ramirez has had a long journey from the day she was assaulted, stabbed and nearly paralyzed at the age of fourteen. Ramirez now serves as a volunteer counselor/mentor at her former foster home and said she relishes the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of troubled teenagers. Ramirez graduates with a 3.68 GPA and wants to become a high school guidance counselor.

College of Engineering and Computer Science

John Jamison, B.S., Computer Science

John Jamison, who will graduate with a 4.0 GPA, recently scored in the 99th percentile on the computer science Graduate Record Examination (GRE). He plans to pursue a doctorate in computer science. The Fresno City College transfer is a member of the computer science honor society Upsilon Pi Epsilon and the student chapters of the Association for Computing Machinery and the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers. In addition, Jamison is a very active volunteer for projects such as the Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries.

College of Health and Human Services

Leslie A. Cox, B.A., Communicative Disorders

When her son was born deaf, Leslie Cox's life changed forever. Returning to school, she became an advocate for the needs of deaf children and has worked to ensure that area schools have adequate programs for the hard-of-hearing. While researching the best method to use in communicating with her deaf son, Cox became certified as a cued speech transliterator. She also conducts training sessions to teach cued speech to others. She has a cumulative GPA of 3.6 and a 4.0 GPA in her major courses.

College of Science and Mathematics

David J. Schonherr, B.S., Math and B.S., Physics

David Schonherr is answering the call for more teachers. Schonherr, a high school dropout who obtained a GED, will graduate this spring with a double major in mathematics and physics and plans to become a high school teacher in those subjects. He has an overall GPA of 3.98 and a Fresno State GPA of 4.0. He is now eyeing a master's degree in physics at Fresno State. Schonherr gives freely of his time to tutor both lower-division and advanced students in mathematics and physics.

College of Social Sciences

Sandra Stephenson, B.A., Sociology

Completing her undergraduate degree last summer with a cumulative 4.0 GPA, Sandra Stephenson is now in the Ph.D. program at UC Davis, where her dissertation will include examining the impact of highways on communities. Stephenson presented a paper at the Student Research Conference of the Social Science Research and Instructional Council, "Finding the Roots of Tolerance in American Society," in which she did secondary data analysis of public opinion on suicide. Stephenson has performed as a pianist in the jazz band at Fresno State and as a solo jazz artist.

Division of Graduate Studies

Justin J. Bain, M.A., English (Composition Theory Option)

A model CSU graduate, Justin Bain already carries several academic distinctions. He holds a 4.0 GPA in his master's work and graduated summa cum laude in 1998 with his undergraduate degree. Bain has been recognized for his abilities with a steady series of honors and awards. He is a Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholar and has been a Rodman Presidential Scholar, a Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholar and a Ronald E. McNair Scholar.

Division of Student Affairs

Robert T. Rose, B.A., History

Robert Terry Rose was born with a congenital disease of the retina which severely affects his vision. At the age of 30, as his visual impairment increased, Rose took up the challenge of pursuing a college education. He graduates with a bachelor's degree in history with a cumulative GPA of 3.86 and a 4.0 in his Fresno State coursework. Rose advises mentors and tutors other students through the Reentry Program, the Services for Students with Disabilities Office and the History Department. v