Why Mother Nature Is Good for You THE SCIENCE OF ECOPSYCHOLOGY PAGE 22 PLUS SAVING THE WESTERN POND TURTLE THROWNOLOGY SOFTBALL PLAYS HARDBALL THE ANNE FRANK SAPLING SACRED SAND MANDALA ALUMNI NEWS MORE summer 2011
S u m m e r 2 O1 1 Insights is produced by the University Affairs Division. PRESIDENT Ruben Armiana VICE PRESIDENT U N I V E R S IT Y A F FA I R S Dan Condron VICE PRESIDENT UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT Patricia McNeill EXECUTIVE EDITOR Susan Kashack MANAG I N G E DITOR Jean Wasp COPY EDITOR Jessica Anderson CONTRIBUTORS Bryan Bell Anne Biasi Brandon Bronzan Jennifer Coate Mary Gomes Paul Greenblatt Tyler Lobe Sarah Rothe PHOTOGRAPHY Christopher Dinno Matt Flores Charlie Gesell Christine Hayes
A Legacy Continues A Sound Investment Playing It Cool Beautiful Impermanence Getting a Head Start Historical Highlights, 19602011 Water Polo Wonder Semester at Sea Thrownology Perspective Electronic Media Fasting Softball Playing Hardball Letter from the Alumni President Monets Passion Class Notes Chuck Fisher For the Love of Sports Leading with Music Fighting for Justice Mixing It Up 4 8 10 11 12 16 17 18 20 22 24 26 29 30 31 33 35 37 39 Become an advocate for the CSU and Sonoma State Univers
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SSU Memorial Home to One of Only Eleven Saplings from Anne Frank Tree By JEAN WASP The story of a sapling taken from the horse chestnut tree that often lifted Anne Franks spirits as she hid from the Nazis during World War II took a poignant twist last year. In 2009, SSU was one of eleven locations nationwide that had received a sapling taken from the aging tree that resided behind the annex where Anne Frank and her family and friends spent two years in hiding. As part of their educational effort
The ailing mother chestnut tree outside the Amsterdam annex, where Anne Frank hid from the Nazis, met its demise during a storm in 2010, but the sapling lives on. Photo The Anne Frank Center, USA Hans Angress of Santa Rosa, who went to school with Anne Frank in the fall of 1941, says, Anne Frank has become such a symbol of the human toll of intolerance worldwide. I find it wonderful and appropriate that this living asset to SSUs already existing Memorial Grove will be added. Senior Director for
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. Su m m er 2O11 7
A SOuND INVeSTmeNT New 12 Million Gift Gives Green Music Center an Opening Season in 2012 BY SUSAN KASHACK Not to name drop, but recently piano superstar Lang Lang made a midnight visit to the almostcomplete Donald Maureen Green Music Center at Sonoma State University. His task try out the hall, play on the concert Steinway, and let potential donors Joan and Sanford Weill know if the hall was as good as they thought. Lang Lang agreed. His next stop perform with Herbie Hancock at a White House s
ABOVE An artists rendering of an aerial view of the completed Donald Maureen Green Music Center. LEFT Joan and Sanford Weill back listen with Don and Maureen Green to a performance by violinist David McCarroll. Photo by Linnea Mullins BELOW The Steinway concert grand awaits worldclass musicians in the acoustically magnificent Joan and Sanford I. Weill Hall. Photo by Charlie Gesell Dance Foundation. Under Joan Weills leadership, Alvin Ailey has earned a reputation as one of the most acclaimed in
Comcast Newsmakers host Jack Hanson came to the Green Music Center this spring to tape a segment about Leibingers work at SSU developing the jazz program. Photo by Ruth Wilson The New Jazz Studies Director Takes Charge of the Band By BRyAN BELL Recording horn sections for P. Diddy and working on soundtracks for movies is only a small part of what Doug Leibinger does. He is a musician, a composer, an educator, and the new director of the Sonoma State University jazz program. A multitalented arti
A Sacred Sand Mandala Blesses the Campus For four days and with a delicate touch, millions of grains of iridescent sand were painstakingly put into place to make a statement about the constantly changing nature of life. Buddhist monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery lived on campus so they could demonstrate the ancient process of creating a beautiful and unique Green Tara sand mandala at the University Library Art Gallery in April. During the course of the mandalas creation, which represente
Getting a Head start A Pioneering Partnership Gives the Western Pond Turtle a Chance by JeAn WAsP 12 Su m m er 2O11
Slow and is not winning the race for a certain California turtle. Rapidly shrinking numbers of the Western Pond Turtle, Emys marmorata, the states only native aquatic turtle species, has sparked the development of a pioneering research partnership between Sonoma State University and two Bay Area zoos. The primary goal of the research is to gather valuable data on many unknown aspects of E. marmoratas biology and to preserve dwindling turtle populations in California. But an initial sideeffect of
a Lake County location during the midsummer nesting seasons in 2008 and 2009. Historically, this turtle species ranged all along the Pacific Slope from northern Baja, Mexico to the Canadian border. Once estimated to have populations in the millions, it has virtually disappeared from most urban areas of southern and northern California and most of the agriculturally developed Central Valley. The project has also resulted in important new information about the effects of temperature on development
How THey DiD iT Professor Geist, his graduate students, and Oakland and San Francisco Zoo staffers spent the summers monitoring a Lake County site and radiotracking mother turtles to their upland nesting sites. Lead SSU graduate student researcher Zannie Dallara headed up the field aspects of the project with a team of SSU undergraduates and zoo volunteers. The crew would patrol the grassy expanses adjacent to a lake that is home to a sizable population of Pond Turtles, watching for gravid femal
Historical Highlights 19612011 A nottobemissed memento of SSUs history It is not very often Sonoma State University produces a history book. In fact, it has never been doneuntil now. A very brave and motivated group of retired faculty and staff spent more than four years culling through various documents about Sonoma State CollegeUniversity and gathering memories of more than 60 people connected to Sonoma. The memories are, indeed, fascinatingrich with feeling and a spirit of achievement. Writt
BY BRANDON BRONzAN If you are a fan of water polo, you probably already know the name Coralie Simmons. If not, its probably time you learned. Sure, Simmons acts as head coach of the womens water polo team, but theres a whole lot more to her story. In a playing and coaching career that has taken her to the peak of her sport, Simmons is now at SSU, working towards building an elite program from the ground up. Following a standout high school career in which she set a California record in the 100 f
WONDer continued SSU PROFILE Water pOlO The Inner Voyage Is Often the Most Challenging By JESSICA ANDERSON Many college professors explore the world from the podium. Not Rocky Rohwedderhe has taken his lectern on a global excursion. Rohwedder, a professor and past chair of the Environmental Studies and Planning Department, has taught and conducted field research in more than 20 countries around the world as a faculty member on three voyages of the Semester at Sea SAS program. Ive witnessed fir
Morocco, Ghana, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Singapore, Vietnam, China, and Japan. Everyone, of course, takes away their own unique lessons from a voyage around the world combined with field studies in a dozen countries, explains Rohwedder. The most challenging aspect for me is what Ill call the inner voyage. you cant travel around Ghana, India, South Africa, and Vietnam and not be impacted by the faces of poverty. SAS takes college students and faculty aboard the MV Explorer, a 590foot passe
An Impulse to Throw Things Leads to Unique Books By JESSICA ANDERSON Matt Flores can now check publish a book off his bucket list. With the release of his Thrownology photo books, Flores list of accomplishments has certainly taken on a whole new dimension. A graduation evaluator for Admissions and Records, Flores received his B.S. in civil engineering from Stanford University in 1999. He went on to the UCLA Professional Program in Screenwriting before writing nine screenplays and producingdirec
LEFT Time Flies BELOW Pumpkin Pi BOTTOM Throwing Punches Thrownology Photos by Matt Flores OPPOSITE PAGE ABOVE Passing the Buck BELOW Thrownology author Matt Flores A clock f lying through the air time f lies. Caut ion tape contorting in the breeze becomes caution thrown to the wind. Marbles fall out of a womans hands as she loses her marbles. And there seems to be no end to the photographic possibilities of thrownology. Flores has a spreadsheet of dozens of ideas, tagged and categorized for t
Whats Good for Human WellBeing and Whats Good for Nature Are Closer Than We Think By MARy GOMES The study of human evolution reveals to us that we have a long history of living on intimate terms with the land, and contemporary research and reflection reaffirm the strength of our emotional connection with nature. Some of these insights suggest the many psychological benefits associated with time spent in nature, from the development of creativity in children to the healing properties of gardening
to think. Many of the processes that lead to a satisfying and meaningful life also promote a sustainable and sensitive bond with the land. Many of the processes responsible for ecological destruction are also at the root Some major histor ical shift s have altered our percept ion of nat ure. of much human psychological suffering. I believe this provides a powerful perspective to motivate and guide our efforts toward healing. One of the most important things ecopsychologists can do right now is
removing the Influence of Screen Time has Profound Impacts By MARy GOMES One of the most impactful assignments I give is the electronic media fast. I ask students to abstain from television for a week and to only use the computer as needed for work and school. Some students choose to extend the fast to other media and technologies, such as movies, radio, cell phones, and text messaging. Why focus on electronic media in an ecopsychology class As many cultural observers have pointed out, we are ex
The first couple of days tend to be the hardest. The force of habit is strong, and some students find that this change in their media habits sends ripples throughout their social lives. They become aware of the extent to which their friendships and conversations revolve around mediawatching together, gossiping about shows. Without television, they feel disconnected from their peers. The students who enlist friends and roommates to join them in the fast tend to have the easiest and most satisfyin
Playing Hardball Softball Pitchers Breaking Records and Making History Freshman pitcher Samantha Lipperd Photo by Stephen Kirschenmann 26 Su m m er 2O11 By TyLER LOBE
Back Row L to R Kayla Ledford, Megan Konieczka, Brittany Martinez, Samantha Lipperd, Ali Palermo, Ciara Becerril. Middle Row L to R Julianne Martinez, Rochelle Vanyi, Skylynn Myers, Brittanie Verissimo, Rachel Gaber, Tatiana Pizarro. Front Row L to R Vanessa Currie, Jesse Talaugon, Danielle DEccliss, Danielle Lowe. Photo by Stephen Kirschenmann A new head coach and two freshmen pitchers not your typical championship equation. No one knew exactly what would come of the Sonoma State softball team
in a season. The pair combined for 42 of Sonoma States recordbreaking 43 wins in 2010. Lipperd and Martinez were both AllWest Region selections, voted on by the regions sports information directors. Fast forward to the spring of 2011. As both near the end of their sophomore seasons, Lipperd has stepped up as one of the most dominating pitchers in the nation. Her 310 strikeouts are the fourthmost in Division II and she threw her fourth career nohitter in the conference championship game to help S
Letter from SSUs Alumni Board of Directors the President New Blood Brings New Ideas Greetings, Fellow Alumni It seems like just yesterday that I was walking across the lawn at Commencement before leaving the nest. I take great pleasure in the opportunity to serve as your president. We have had a lot of exciting things happen over the last year or so and have much more to come. In the last twelve months, we have also added many new directors to our board, and we are still looking to fill a few re
Monets Passion SomEThing SpEciAl for grEEk AlUmni The Universitys Alumni Association has established the SSU Greek Alumni Scholarship Fund, which identifies and rewards current undergraduate fraternity and sorority members who exhibit excellence in character, community, and academics. Greek alumni are encouraged to show their pride in Sonoma States Greek community by donating to the SSU Greek Alumni Scholarship Fund today. Donors will have their names and Greek affiliations proudly displayed on
, nurturing SPirit We want to hear whats happening in your life. Send updates to alumnisonoma.edu or SSU Alumni Association, 1801 East Cotati Avenue, Rohnert Park, CA 94928. 1960s Doris M. Dickenson, 66, Teaching Credential, 67, Specialized Reading Credential, published a biography along with Carmen Finley, Ph.D., titled Colonel James B. Armstrong, His Family and His Legacy to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve in Guerneville, CA. Washington Clinical
intramural sports and sports club supervisor at Sonoma State, working in that capacity from 19841988. After that time, he moved to Santa Cruz to become the intramural sports and sports club supervisor at UC Santa Cruz, where he is still employed in that capacity. He is also a 14time World Freestyle Frisbee champion as well as a former Masters Division Ultimate champion. Marcus Ziemer, 89, Management, is the Sonoma State Universitys Mens Soccer head coach. He led the mens soccer team to a NCAA Di
Chuck Fisher For the love of sports bY JessICa aNDersON If you follow Bay Area sports, youve most likely heard of Chuck Fisher. Fisher B.A. Communications Studies, 95 and B.A. Criminal Justice Administration, 95 has been a television sports anchor and reporter for more than ten years, covering everything from high school sports to the NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB. Born and raised in San Francisco, Fisher is a lifelong 49er fan and has been attending Giants games since he was five years old. His love o
conTinUED from pAgE 32 rotations, nursing leadership, and management courses to undergraduate nursing students. Michael Hawk, 98, Communications, owns Merci Beaucoup Cakes with his wife in Los Angeles, where they specialize in wedding and specialty cakes as well as cookies. Starting with the second season, they have been a part of WE TVs reality cake show Amazing Wedding Cakes. Additionally, Hawk works as a writer for a number of websites dedicated to everything from comics to sports and physic
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI 201011 leading with Music AnnE BEnEDETTi B.A. Music, 1993 School of Arts and Humanities Emeritus Board Member, Santa Rosa Symphony Volunteer Fundraiser, Green Music Center By JENNIFER COATE Music is such an important part of the human experience. I cant imagine life without it, says Anne Benedetti who has weaved music into all aspects of her life. Benedetti was first introduced to music as a threeyearold sitting at her grandmothers piano. She recollects, I was absolutely
conTinUED from pAgE 34 genres of music while also becoming involved in a local project of preserving traditional Bhutanese music. Stephanie Stone, 07, Political Science and Spanish, has made her way to Washington, D.C., where she completed her masters degree in public policy from George Washington University in May 2009. She is currently working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as a presidential management fellow and is on an assignment to work at an embassy in Lithuani
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI 201011 Fighting for Justice chArlES A. BonnEr B.A. Anthropology, 1972 School of Social Sciences Civil Rights Trial Lawyer, Law Offices of Bonner and Bonner Author of the Bracelet By JENNIFER COATE Growing up on a cotton farm outside Selma, Alabama, Charles Bonner lived the extreme injustice of segregation. In his teens, he joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee SNCC, sitting in and peacefully marching for equal rights. Now, hes a trial lawyer and author fight
OPTOUT REQUEST FORM IF YOU HAVE ALREADY RESPONDED TO THE SSUAA OPTOUT MAILING IN THE PAST, IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO DO SO AGAIN. ImporTAnT privAcY choicE You have the right to control whether we share your name, address, and electronic mail address with our affinity partners companies that partner with us to offer products or services to our alumni. Please read the following information carefully before you make your choice below. ssU alUMNI sCHOlarsHIp reCIpIeNts ambrose r. Nichols Jr. scholarsh
HOST A RECEPTION NEAR YOU SSU alumni receptions are taking place all over California, and as far as Washington D.C. and New York City. Its a great way to reconnect and network with other Sonoma State alums. interested in hosting an alumni reception Contact the Alumni Association 707 6642426 or alumnisonoma.edu 1. SipS, BiTES, AnD BiDS 2010 The silent auction raised money for the Universitys Wine Business Program.The SSU Alumni Associationhosted event featured local artisan cheeses and SSU alumni
the NewsCenter site is ssUs onestop, uptodate source for campus news, calendar listings, sports, and more Campus Life Faculty News and Research Honors and Achievements Student Life Arts and Entertainment Calendar of Events Athletics FOllOW Us ONLINE. alsO, FIND Us ON FACEBOOK BECOME A NEwSCENTER SUBSCRIBER for periodic campus updates newscentersonoma.edu
I chose the Executive MBA at Sonoma State to accelerate my career path and further my professional growth. The program was great for me personally. It taught me about myself, what I can offer, and my strengths and weaknesses. I think it was one of the best things Ive done in my life, and I think I would do it again Adel Dahmani EMBA 11 Senior Software Engineer, Tellabs his May, the first graduates of Sonoma State Universitys Executive MBA programthe very first program of its kind in the North B
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