|
|
Emeriti home | Emeriti Center | President's
letter | Executive Committee |
Emeriti news | |
Emeriti News(If you have a news item that you want to share with other members of the Emeriti, please email it to Mark Shapiro - ) May 2008
More pictures from the Spring Outing can be found here.  George
E. Saint-Laurent, Professor of Comparative Religion Emeritus, died
on April 24, 2008 of a massive stroke. He was 75. His funeral
was held April 26 at St. Nicholas Roman Catholic Church in Laguna
Woods, where he lived."I knew George since he first came to the Department of Religious Studies [now Comparative Religion] as a part-time instructor in the early 1970s and found him to be outgoing and friendly to all who came in contact with him," said James A. Santucci, chair and professor of comparative religion. "From the very beginning, he demonstrated that he was an outstanding instructor, gaining admiration from his students for the breadth of his knowledge and the clarity with which he presented the material. Although an expert on Christianity, George taught a number of courses outside his area, including linguistics and Greek. His work ethic and the degree of preparation that he devoted to each of his classes were truly admirable. His reputation as a master teacher spread well beyond his department and continued throughout his career at Cal State Fullerton and beyond." Another colleague, Benjamin Hubbard, emeritus professor of comparative religion, called Saint-Laurent a "superb and dedicated teacher, who inspired his colleagues and radiated kindness and optimism." Saint-Laurent, author of Catholic Spirituality in Focus: Eight Themes of Mind and Heart and Spirituality and World Religions: A Comparative Introduction, was a frequent speaker at community events. His talks focused on understanding the spiritual vision that produces inspiring leadership, the values and virtues that create persuasive and morale leadership and the process growth toward personal integrity. Saint-Laurent, who was born in Boston, earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Paul’s College in Washington, D.C., in 1955; his master’s degree in religion from St. Paul’s College in 1956; and his doctorate in sacred theology from the Catholic University of America in 1968. He conducted research in peace studies at Boston College in 1984 and participated in a series of summer institutes sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities during the 1970s and '80s at Harvard, Yale, UCLA and the University of Notre Dame. He joined Cal State Fullerton’s faculty in 1975, won a merit award for superior teaching in 1986 and served as chair of the then-Religious Studies Department in the early 1990s. He was a member of the Academic Senate for 10 years. In his 1997 letter to Saint-Laurent conferring emeritus status, President Milton A. Gordon wrote: "Over the years, you have earned a reputation as a gifted teacher and a wise and caring adviser." In 1998, Saint-Laurent became a founding member of the advisory board for the university’s Guardian Scholars program, which assists youth who are exiting the foster care system and striving to earn a college degree. "He really, really believed in the Guardian Scholars program," Saint-Laurent's wife, Michaeleen Saint-Laurent, said about her husband. "He often said the best way to deal with poverty is through education. He once made the comment that he felt God's blessings when he was teaching in the classroom. Whenever he prepared to teach a new class, he would look at the group and tell himself, 'I love these students.' Teaching wasn't about him, it was about them and their road to become what they really were meant to be." In a 2001 Desert Post Weekly article, Saint-Laurent said: “I have always been interested in religions as a hobby and as a personal commitment. Religions are inexhaustible in their depth and applications. You never reach the end when you study religion. There is always something new to discover. ... Our culture says to look out for No. 1. Religious wisdom says to put yourself at the end of the line. It is better to give than receive. The credibility of these religious wisdoms lies in the fact that they have endured through all types of criticisms for so many years. In spite of those criticisms, thousands find these truths help them. These truths resonate in their hearts and bring more joyous and successful life." Saint-Laurent, survived by his wife Michaeleen and daughters, Marie Louise Dickey and Jeanne Nicole Saint-Laurent, lived what he taught and will be remembered with much affection, Santucci said. Donations in Saint-Laurent's memory can be made to the university's Guardian Scholars Program, c/o CSUF Philanthropic Foundation, 2600 E. Nutwood Ave., Suite 850, Fullerton, CA 92831.
 J.
William Maxwell, founding chair of
Cal State Fullerton's Communications Department, died on
April 24, 2008 at the age of 88. He had been suffering from
Parkinson's. Maxwell joined the university in 1960 and served
as chair of the Communications Department for 13 years. He
continued teaching until 1982.Rick Pullen, Dean of the College of Communications noted that "Bill was greatly respected by all those who worked with him. He was truly a visionary in that he established a 'communications' department that embraced more than just journalism. "As a result, the department evolved into five concentrations and has become one of the largest in the nation. Bill loved working with students. He set a goal to know the name of every student within two weeks, even in his large classes. Bill had many friends, both on and off campus. He was greatly respected by all who knew him."
When he stepped down as chair, the program had more than 600 majors,
including 80 graduate students and 19 faculty members. Twice during
the period of 1969 to 1973, Maxwell was cited by the
California Newspaper Publishers Association for his
contributions to higher education in journalism.
"Bill Maxwell set this department's curriculum on a course at the outset that exists almost entirely intact today," said Edgar Trotter, professor of communications, who joined the Cal State Fullerton in 1975. "He saw the importance of a strong set of core courses from which the individual concentrations could grow. He understood that the term communications was all-embracing and covered all aspect of interaction between individuals, including that through the modern means of communication. "His passion for international communications, an outgrowth of his own experience, put him well ahead of his time. Today his ideas, his commitment to the field, and his grounding work stand as bright as ever." Maxwell was himself a Fulbright professor in Peru just prior to joining Cal State Fullerton. He traveled widely and conducted research in many countries, including Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean in 1966, Asia, India, Afghanistan and Iran in 1968, the Soviet Union and Mongolia in 1969 and Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and Pakistan in 1970. Active in many education and press organizations, Maxwell served as a member in the International Press Institute, International Association for Mass Communications Research, American Association of University Professors and National Association for Education in Journalism, as well as Sigma Delta Chi, the national professional journalism society. Locally, he was a member of the California Intercollegiate Press Association and Orange County Press and Advertising clubs. From 1955-1959, Maxwell had served as department chair and professor of journalism at the University of South Dakota. From 1959 to 1960, he was a visiting professor at UCLA, where he served as associate director of the campus' "Foreign Press Awards." He also had served on the faculties at Michigan State and the University of Iowa. "I remember when I was younger and in school, Bill paid special attention to me, encouraged me in my interest areas and generally was a big booster," remembered his nephew Alec Maxwell from Alamo. "He was special in many ways. He was my 'idol' as far as his traveling to so many places and so many times. Bill was kind of a 'shining star.' "He was the little brother in his family of five siblings and the one who got the PhD and did all the traveling. I think we all shared wonderful experiences vicariously through our Uncle Bill." Niece Belinda Ashenfelter of Bend, Oregon, remembers Maxwell as a prolific photographer. "When we saw him he always had a camera around his neck. When he attended family events his photos were always the BEST!" Professor Maxwell earned his B.A. degree from the University of Southern California, his M.S. degree in journalism from Columbia University, and his Ph.D. in mass communication from the University of Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Bobbie, and his siblings, but
is survived by eight nieces and nephews and their families. In
addition to Ashenfelter and Maxwell, they are: John Chessell of
Friday Harbor, Wash.; Bill Chessell of
Minden, Nev.; Patty Cochran of Concord; Diana Ropke of
Woodland; Robert Worthen of Las Flores; and David Worthen of
Estes Park, Colo.
Contributions in Maxwell's honor may be made to the J. William
Maxwell Scholarship, awarded annually to the top graduating senior
in the Communications Department. Checks may be made payable to the
Cal state Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation, with reference to the
scholarship in the memo section, and sent to
Cal State Fullerton Philanthropic Foundation,
2600 E. Nutwood Avenue, Suite 850, Fullerton, California 92831.
April 2008 We have received the very sad news that our colleague Atara Stein, Professor of English, Comparative Literature and Linguistics Emeritus, passed away on March 21, 2008 at the age of 48. Dr. Stein received her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in English from UCLA. She joined the Fullerton faculty in 1990 and rose through the ranks to Full Professor in 2002. Dr. Stein struggled valiantly with multiple sclerosis for many years and took early retirement in 2005. Professor Stein's teaching and scholarly interests were in the areas of British Romantic literature, popular literature, and culture and gender studies. In addition to numerous publications in her areas of interest, she published The Byronic Hero in Film, Fiction, and Television (Southern Illinois University Press, 2004). Atara's exceptional love and concern for her students was legendary. Many stayed in contact with her after her retirement by reading her blog (http://astarte59.livejournal.com/). Dr. Stein is survived by her daughter, Sarah Van Winkle,
her son, Bradley Van Winkle, and her former husband, Chris Van Winkle.
Funeral services will be private, but a celebration of her life will be
held on campus at a later date. In lieu of flowers the family
requests that donations be made to The National MS Society, PO Box 4527,
New York, NY 10163 (or online at
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/donate/index.aspx).
Condolences may be sent to The Family of Atara Stein, 5108 Nearglen
Avenue, Covina, CA 91724. January 2008 We have received the very sad news that our colleague Masami Ehara Kuni, Professor of Theater and Dance Emeritus, passed away in Japan on April 4, 2007. Professor Kuni received his B. Humanities degree from Tokyo Imperial University. He later studied with Mary Wigman, a world-renowned teacher of dance, and later received his Ph.D. from Friedrich Wilhelm University. He joined the School (now College) of the Arts faculty in 1964. Masami was responsible for the development of the dance program here at Fullerton, and he headed the program for several years. He received emeritus status in 1975, but remained active in dance education long after that. Dr. Kuni owned dance schools in Los Angeles and Tokyo. He was a guest artist with dance troupes in many parts of the world, including Brazil, Germany, as well as with many major groups in the United States and Canada. Masami was a world renowned dancer who frequently was invited to hold master classes as a choreographer with major professional troupes and at many universities. He also authored a number of articles and books on dance and esthetics. Masami donated the Kanga painting, one of eight such paintings in the world, which hangs in the foyer of Langsdorf Hall. Professor Kuni is survived by his wife Tomiyo.
December 2007 Save the Dates: Our Vice President, Nelson Woodard, has arranged three outstanding programs for the coming Spring semester. Friday, March 7, 2008 is the date for our Spring Membership Lunch at the Alta Vista Country Club in Placentia. There will be a choice of three entrees (including vegetarian). The cost will be $22 per person. On the agenda is election of officers, and entertainment by the Night and Day guitar trio. Friday, April 11, 2008 is the date of Emeriti Spring Outing to beautiful Santa Anita Racetrack in Arcadia. A buffet lunch is included in the price of the outing (TBA). Note that this is a bus trip, so there will be a limit of 57 attendees. On Saturday, May 3, 2008 we have a theater party planned at the CSUF Performing Arts Center. This is a 2 PM Matinee performance of "The Night of the Iguana" (our own Jim Young will be one of the featured performers), which will be followed by a wine and appetizer reception. We have a block of 50 seats reserved ($8 each for those without season tickets), and the cost of the reception will be $7. Those of you who have season tickets can reserve your seats by calling box office manager Sandra Clark at 714-278-5936. ------------------------ Charlie Frazee, Professor of History Emeritus, frequently works as a cruise ship lecturer. This is an excellent way to travel the world economically. He provides the following information for those who might be interested. Emeriti who enjoy the sea and visiting foreign lands have an opportunity to do so at less cost if they are willing to give lectures on cruise ships. The lectures are divided into destination talks on the ports to be visited and specialty lectures on any subject that would be of interest such as economics, biology, or bridge. Lecturers usually have to pay their way to the port of embarkation . The booking agency also charges a fee from $50-65 for each day of the cruise. In return all the costs on board are gratis for the lecturer and a guest, with the exception of drinks and excursions. Two of these booking agents are Posh Talks in Palm Springs (760-323-3205) and Sixth Star Entertainment in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Both have web sites that tell how to apply and the cruises that are available. ------------------------ The California State University Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association (CSU-ERFA) is searching for a new Executive Director to replace Bob Kully who recently retired. This is a part-time position. Those interested should check the vacancy announcement. ------------------------ Our 2007 Holiday Lunch that was held on December 7th at Morningside of Fullerton was exceptionally well attended. Perhaps that was because Morningside hosted us at no charge!
We were entertained by carolers during lunch, and
following that interested emeriti were able to tour the facilities.
More pictures from the holiday lunch are available
here. November 2007 William R. Heitzman, Professor of Management Science/Information Systems Emeritus, passed away on May 7, 2007 from pancreatic cancer. Bill received his BSME degree from Ohio Northern University, his MBA from Cal State Fullerton and his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California. He retired in 1997.
As department Chair, he was instrumental in shaping the values that the department has followed for more than four decades; namely, a strong tradition of excellence in both teaching and scholarship. Andy was a charismatic, demanding, and beloved teacher, with a wonderful sense of humor. He was internationally recognized for his pioneering work in the use of computer graphics to teach basic chemistry. This work was supported by several grants including one from the National Science Foundation; and, it received the EDUCOM Higher Education Software Award, a Best Natural Science Software (Chemistry) Award in 1992, and a Merlot award for outstanding chemistry education software in 2006. Andy also was very active in the American Chemical Society at both the national and local level. Andy was instrumental in developing the plans for the Science Laboratory Center (now Dan Black Hall) on the Fullerton campus. Following that work he was called upon to develop the plans for the chemistry facilities at the California State University, San Marcos campus. In addition to his academic interests, Andy was a great sports fan. He served as the faculty athletic representative for 10 years, and was President of the Big West Conference for two years. He also loved the outdoors, and one of his greatest pleasures was hiking and fishing with friends. Andy also enjoyed entertaining friends and family by cooking special gourmet dishes. Andy is survived by
his wife Kay, his sister Florence, his son Steve and grandchildren
Shayne and Seth. The Department of Chemistry has established a
student book fund in his name, and will be accepting contributions.
In addition, the family has established an endowment fund honoring Andy
at Seattle Pacific University. The UNIVERSITY CLUB AN INVITATION TO JOIN (Free… really!) (Note from your webmaster: Tony Rimmer, Director of the Faculty Development Center, recently sent me email about the newly-formed University Club. The Club is open to all faculty (including Emeriti) as well as staff and administrators. If you are interested in participating, please contact Tony Rimmer (his email is listed below) to be placed on the mailing list.) The University Club is a relatively new campus organization of faculty, staff and administrators who support, sponsor, and host a number of community enhancing and cultural activities throughout the year. The University Club is an unofficial, loosely organized group that seeks to encourage social and intellectual interactions and strengthen the campus community. Any member of the university community is welcome to join at no membership cost. All it takes to join is to respond to this message and you will be placed on the University Club e-mail list. There is no obligation. You will receive a limited number of announcements each year about upcoming activities and you can unsubscribe at any time. While most of these activities will be open to the entire university community, some will be announced only to individuals who are on the University Club mailing list. The type of activities we intend to sponsor include a variety of events, such as theatre outings, faculty presentations, family picnics, field trips, docent museum tours, sporting activities, and purely social gatherings. We will also support similar events put on by other campus groups. A partial listing of some activities for this fall include: v Docent tour of the Mummies exhibit at the Bowers Museum followed by a no-host lunch at Tangata (November 13, 11 am-2 pm, $25/ticket). See attachment for more details. v Guided tour of our new Performing Arts Center with theatres and concert hall (Fri, Oct. 7, 2:00-3:30 pm). See attachment for more details. v Third Thursday’s at the Campus Pub v Brown bag lunch talks v A night at the theatre v Holiday party at the home of Reyes Fidalgo More details on these events are forthcoming, so if you are on the University Club mailing list, you will receive more information in the future! So come join this group of delightful, fun-loving and interesting colleagues! If you are interested in participating, simply respond to this message by sending an email to Tony Rimmer and indicate either: Yes, I want to be on the University Club mailing list. Or Yes, I want to be on the University Club mailing list, AND participate in planning events. For more information contact: Vince Buck, vbuck@fullerton.edu Reyes Fidalgo, rfidalgo@fullerton.edu Tony Rimmer, trimmer@fullerton.edu Ellen Junn, ejunn@fullerton.edu Diana Guerin, dguerin@fullerton.edu Jack Bedell, jbedell@fullerton.ed
In MemoriamDuring the past year several
members of the Emeriti of California State University, Fullerton passed
away. They include:
|
