Fillmore residents Juan Villalobos and Armando Vidal each received a $1,000 Southern California Edison Green Jobs Initiative Scholarship. These scholarships were established by Southern California Edison for students studying science, including physics, chemistry, geology, mathematics, and chemical or mechanical engineering. (20 of these $1,000 Green Jobs Initiative scholarships were awarded in total.)

Also in March, Fillmore resident Christopher Salazar was awarded a $1,000 Eileen Taylor Phoenix Scholarship. Phoenix scholarships are awarded to select re-entry students based on their academic goals and progress, along with their financial need who are returning to school to learn new skills in order to be competitive in the marketplace or who are returning to school after an extended break.

Ventura, CA - On May 19, Ventura College will graduate its 50th class of nurses as 43 students receive their nursing pins, symbolic of service to others, by veteran registered nurses during an emotional ceremony whose roots date back 1,000 years to the Maltese Cross worn by crusaders.

The pinning event kicks off a celebratory year that honors Ventura County’s oldest nursing program with the inaugural distribution of the Paul and Bessie Carter Nursing Scholarship totaling $20,000, and receipt of a $65,000 program grant from the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation for the nursing assistant program.

Events honoring alumni and current nursing program students will be held throughout the year-long celebration, culminating May 2015.

“Just in the past 14 years, Ventura College has produced more than 1,700 nurses. You can’t enter a patient floor in any hospital in the county and not find several of our graduates. We are proud that our program is known for its rigor, and our graduates are known for their high level of skills, knowledge and compassion,” said Sandra Melton, PhD, RN, nursing director.

The popular program attracted the support of the late Bessie Carter, who used the bulk of her estate to establish a scholarship fund with the Ventura College Foundation. In early May, four students each received $5,000 from this new scholarship program. The recipients include Angie Salcido, Shannon Franco and Benjamin Romero III, all from Ventura, and Rashea Paquette of Oxnard.

More reason to celebrate is the $65,000 grant from the Dorothy D. Rupe Nursing Program fund at the Arthur N. Rupe Foundation in support of the certified nursing assistant program. The foundation’s grants are awarded to programs providing quality entry-level healthcare training for students, thereby creating economic opportunity for individuals, as well as increasing the availability of certified nursing assistants and home health assistants in California communities demonstrating a critical need in the workforce.

“The program support and scholarship funds we are receiving create a tremendous ripple effect that touches so many lives, from our program’s students, graduates and their families, to all the patients and their loved ones. Nursing changes lives in a profound and positive way,” said Melton.

An 80-year Ventura resident of modest means, Bessie Carter passed away in 2012 at 100 years old. She and her husband worked as civil servants at the Naval Base Ventura County before retiring in the 1960s. “They are proof that you don’t have to be wealthy to create a lasting legacy,” said Norbert Tan, executive director of the Ventura College Foundation.

For more information about scholarship funds and other giving opportunities, contact the Ventura College Foundation at www.venturacollege.edu.

The Ventura College registered nursing program offers an associate’s degree in nursing science, and is accredited by the California State Board of Registered Nursing, and the National Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing.

Established in 1983, the Ventura College Foundation provides financial support to the students and the programs of Ventura College to facilitate student success and grow the impact and legacy of Ventura College as a vital community asset. The Foundation also hosts the Ventura College Foundation Marketplace, an outdoor shopping experience held every weekend on the Ventura College campus east parking lot. For more information, contact Norbert Tan at (805) 289-6160 or ntan@vcccd.edu. Or visit www.venturacollege.edu/foundation.

Camarillo, CA - More than 1600 CSU Channel Islands (CI) candidates for graduation will receive degrees in separate morning and afternoon ceremonies on Saturday, May 17, including CI students who have completed their degrees in business and psychology in partnership with Santa Barbara City College and the first graduating nursing class from the CI and Cottage Health System extended campus located in Goleta, California.

The morning ceremony will begin at 9 a.m. and will include the following academic programs:
Applied Physics, Biology, Business, Biotechnology & Bioinformatics, Biotechnology/MBA, Chemistry, Communication, Computer Science, Economics, Environmental Science & Resource Management, Information Technology, Mathematics, Nursing, and Spanish.

The afternoon ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. and will include the following academic programs:
Anthropology, Art, Chicana/o Studies, Credentials (teaching), Early Childhood Studies, Education, English, History, Liberal Studies, Performing Arts, Political Science, Psychology, and Sociology.

Students eligible to receive degrees or credentials include candidates from fall 2013, spring and summer 2014. A live Web streaming of the ceremonies will be available by visiting: http://go.csuci.edu/live. Students and guests attending the ceremonies can use #cigrad on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, App.net, Vine, and Google+ to be featured on our official Tagboard at http://go.csuci.edu/cigrad.

For more information, contact commencement@csuci.edu or 805-437-3100, or visit www.csuci.edu/commencement.

MASTERS

Master of Science in Biotechnology & Bioinformatics
Nishita Reddy Avula, Sukhada Bhojane, Blake Broaten, Dominique Burns, Kate Caves, Brandon Chackel, Kali Cottingame, Stephanie DeSanti, Adam Dudik, Surbhi Dutta, Maribel Espinoza, Jesus Fajardo, Grant Gabrelow, Zonia Garcia Gonzalez, Derrick Hau, Valerie Hennes, Daniel Hynes, Chuan Jiang, Daniel Joseph, Kusum Kumar, Rex Lacambacal, Arumugapradeep Marimuthu, Daniel McCoy, Aja Meng, Petronela Mikhaltsevich, Artemis Naderkhani, Arthela Osorio, Shane Patao, Shwetha Phatarpekar, Joshua Plat, Eric Samuels, Joseph Saweres, Brook Sell, Jay Sharma, Mandana Shirdast, Shivangi Shirpurkar, Michael Silva, Suharika Thotakura, Kim Tran, Takahiro Watanabe

Master of Science in Biotechnology/Master of Business Administration (dual degree)
Kenneth Connell, Sam Dabestan, Armaun Emami, Dustin Fishel, Deborah Gaines, Bora Kim, Emmanuel Manasievici, Mai Nguyen, Anthony Palanca, Ryder Paredes, Erik Petersen, Luella Roma, Gregory-Thomas Stanger, Vincent Sui, Mirela Todorova, Jonathan Weitz, Sherine Yassa

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Dr. Sunghee Nam

Camarillo, CA - Dr. Sunghee Nam, a full-time CSU Channel Islands (CI) Lecturer in Sociology, has received the 2014 President’s Award for Innovations in Teaching and Learning. The award is presented each year to an individual who has made unique and significant contributions to the teaching mission of the University.

Nam, a CI faculty member since 2006, is well-known for developing service-learning courses that mutually benefit CI students and community members. In recent courses, she has led students in community-based research to create an oral history of Ventura County residents affected by the “Great Recession;” engaged CI and Oxnard College students in collaborative projects to ease transitions from community college to a four-year university; and exposed students to the impacts of globalization through an immersive service-learning travel course in South Korea.

“Dr. Nam is the prototype of the teacher/scholar who changes students’ lives,” said Provost Gayle Hutchinson. “Our campus is committed to encouraging students to become civically-engaged citizens of the world; Dr. Nam’s classes demonstrate what that can look like.”

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Holly Roepke

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University will hold its 2014 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17.

About 800 students are eligible to participate in the ceremony in William Rolland Stadium.

Holly Roepke, an organizational leadership major from Thousand Oaks, will speak on behalf of the Bachelor’s Degree for Professionals program students. She began attending CLU in 1995 as a traditional undergraduate. She set records and earned numerous honors as a Regals soccer player, but had trouble finding her place academically while working several part-time jobs. With only a semester of classes remaining, she left CLU after the death of her faculty mentor. In 2011, she returned in the Professionals program. This time, she was the single mom of a 6-year-old son and was teaching physical education and coaching full-time. She struggled to schedule classes around her job, find childcare, buy books and groceries, and keep going after being laid off, but she succeeded with support from others.

Ryan Glatt, who decided to study exercise science after seeing how physical therapy helped his late mother, will speak on behalf of his fellow traditional undergraduate students. Participating in the Semester at Sea program gave the Simi Valley resident a global perspective and a desire to change the world for the better. He launched a club and organized a student service trip to provide aid in Haiti and tended bees in CLU’s sustainable education garden. He received a grant last summer to research childhood obesity by assessing lifestyle factors associated with toddler activity levels and has worked as a personal trainer. He develops educational programs for Agua Inc., a water filtration company that uses plant-based biotechnology, and will conduct fieldwork in Gambia for the company after graduation.

Music professor Wyant Morton, director of choral activities at CLU, will receive an Honorary Alumni Award. The Thousand Oaks resident joined the faculty in 1992 and chaired the Music Department for 15 years. He launched the university’s New Music Concert series in 2003 and founded Areté Vocal Ensemble, a CLU-based group of professional artists that focuses on new and unconventional works, in 2009. He has conducted the CLU Choir in performances at the Lincoln Center and in England, Italy, Norway and Sweden. He has received several awards at CLU including Professor of the Year in 2001 and the President’s Award for Teaching Excellence in 2009.

Primo Custodio, a vice president for NBC Universal, will give the keynote address. The Chatsworth resident, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business management in 1999 and an MBA in management and organizational behavior in 2007 from CLU, serves on the School of Management’s Advisory Council. Since 2001, he has overseen human resources for NBC Universal’s studio operations, which includes post-production media services, engineering and technology, stages and back lot operations, facilities and finance. Custodio has managed the human resources team through six significant mergers and acquisitions.

Tickets are required for admission. For more information, call the Office of Academic Affairs at 805-493-3364.

Primo Custodio

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University will hold its 2014 Graduate Commencement Ceremony at 10 a.m. Friday, May 16, in William Rolland Stadium.

More than 600 students are eligible to receive master’s or doctoral degrees at the ceremony.

Primo Custodio, a vice president for NBC Universal, will give the keynote address. The Chatsworth resident, who earned a bachelor’s degree in business management in 1999 and an MBA in management and organizational behavior in 2007 from CLU, serves on the School of Management’s Advisory Council. Since 2001, he has overseen human resources for NBC Universal’s studio operations, which includes post-production media services, engineering and technology, stages and back lot operations, facilities and finance. Custodio has managed the human resources team through six significant mergers and acquisitions. He began his career with the company as human resources director for Universal Studios Hollywood in 1988.

Jason Peplinski, the director of educational services for the Simi Valley Unified School District, will speak on behalf of his fellow doctoral graduates. The Simi Valley resident is receiving a doctorate in educational leadership and completed his research on teacher prestige. He previously served as principal of Moorpark High School and Lincoln Elementary School and Santa Susana High School in Simi Valley. He taught for a decade before going into administration. He serves on CLU’s Board of Regents and chairs the Graduate and Professional Student Council.

Sean Worthington, assistant vice president of regional private banking in the Ventura office of Wells Fargo, will speak on behalf of the students receiving master’s degrees. The Oxnard resident is graduating with an MBA in finance. The Ventura County native was a member of the first freshman class at Oxnard High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from California State University, Channel Islands. He joined Wells Fargo in 2005 after succeeding in the bank’s Forward Hire program and now manages the finances of nearly 400 affluent clients.

Tickets are required for admission. For more information, call the Office of Academic Affairs at 805-493-3364.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) will showcase the research and collaborative work of faculty and students at the Sixth Annual Student Research Conference on Saturday, May 10, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the John Spoor Broome Library on the CI campus. The event, sponsored by SAGE Publications, is free and open to the public. Please register to attend this event at http://go.csuci.edu/src.

The annual forum highlights the research, scholarship, creative activities and grants of CI faculty and students in a series of collaborative and individual exhibitions. There will be 30 faculty-student presentations and more than 100 posters representing students’ final projects, on a variety of topics, including:
• Effects of the Springs Fire on Plant Communities in the Santa Monica Mountains
• Electronic Cigarettes and Smoking Cessation
• Profiling of Human Normal and Cancer Cell Lines Using Phenotype Microarray Analysis
• Want to Know Who's At Risk for Internet Addiction? Click Here
• The Analysis of Mercury in local Seafood from Ventura Harbor to Long Beach Harbor
• Correlation of Surface Level Ozone (O3) and Weather Conditions in Camarillo California
• Impact of Storytelling on Students' Learning of Mathematics

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On Saturday, April 26th, Mountain Vista School held it’s bi-annual Community Service Day from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Around 75 students, parents, and staff participated in the event sponsored by the Mountain Vista School Site Council to provide students with appropriate community service activities and at the same time beautifying the school. The community service activities included greeting card making for our service men and women, bracelet making for foster children, reorganizing the ballroom, and weeding and planting around campus. A new flower garden was planted on the East side of campus near the kindergarten classrooms and mulch was spread in existing beds. City Councilman Tucker assisted in planting the new garden. Councilwoman McCall helped clean out and organize the ballroom. The students and parents were treated with a pizza lunch at the conclusion of the event. Mountain Vista staff would like to thank everyone who came out to help out.

Mountain Vista staff would also like to invite the community to come to our Open House and Art Show, Thursday, May 1st from 5:45 – 7:30 pm. The Mountain Vista Booster Club will be selling pizza and a drink for $2.00. We will be honoring Owens and Minor for their continued support of the Mountain Vista Art Program.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA - The Princeton Review has named CSU Channel Islands (CI) one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible “green” universities in its “Guide to Green Colleges,” released Thursday, April 17. The recognition adds to other environmental accolades for the University on the eve of the worldwide and campus celebration of Earth Day on April 22.

CI is one of 332 institutions recognized in the guide for its noteworthy achievements to integrate sustainability into its campus, classrooms and community. To produce the book, The Princeton Review partnered with the U.S. Green Building Council to survey roughly 2,000 of the nation’s 4,300 colleges. Of the 832 campuses that responded, 332 demonstrated practices that distinguished them as “green.”

The study responds to a growing interest among students in attending colleges that practice, teach and support environmentally responsible choices. In a 2013 Princeton Review survey of nearly 10,000 college applicants, 62 percent said a college’s environmental commitment was important.

The “Guide to Green Colleges” lauds CI for utilizing its natural campus setting to engage students and faculty in study of how environmental issues interact with social, economic and societal issues. More than 65 percent of CI students take sustainability related courses. In addition, the guide commends CI for its efforts to purchase local food, significantly reduce water and energy consumption, boost recycling rates, and promote biking, carpooling and sustainable living among students and employees.

“We are proud CONTINUED »

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) will host the Sixth Annual Conference for Social Justice in Education, Saturday, April 19, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Grand Salon. The annual event brings together Ventura County teachers and learners for a day of discussion, sharing, planning and action to promote equal opportunities for learning in our schools and communities.

The conference is free and open to the public. Teachers, students, parents, administrators, counselors, youth advocates, activists, and paraprofessionals are encouraged to attend. Anyone interested in social justice in education or learning about it is welcomed. Lunch is provided for participants who register in advance. Participants should register in advance at http://education.csuci.edu/justice-conference/registration.htm.
This year’s theme, “Cultivating Mentorship in Schools & Society,” highlights the essential processes of networking, of building a common agenda, and of creating opportunities for collaborative impact to achieve social justice by and through education. The focus on mentoring is designed to broaden our perspectives on what education is, where it occurs – and how it can serve the goal of social justice. The conference features keynote speaker Maria Elena Plaza, Director of Certificated Human Resources & Public Relations for the Oxnard School District. Break-out sessions, which will be held in Del Norte Hall, will examine an array of issues relevant to our county and promise to be thought provoking. During lunch, participants will hear from a panel of community leaders who have facilitated change in the county through mentorship.

Free on-campus parking is provided. Once on campus, follow the directional signs to the designated parking lot. Free parking is also available at the Camarillo Metrolink Station/Lewis Road parking lot in Camarillo with bus service to and from the campus. Riders should board the CI Vista Bus to the campus; the cash-only fare is $1.25 each way. Buses arrive and depart from the Camarillo Metrolink Station every hour and half-hour, from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org.

For more information, visit http://education.csuci.edu/justice-conference or contact Kaia Tollefson, Project Vista Director at 805-437-3125 or kaia.tollefson@csuci.edu.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - The Eighth Annual Festival of Scholars at California Lutheran University will showcase a range of work by undergraduate and graduate students from Monday, April 28, through Saturday, May 3.

This scholarly work includes a variety of traditional research, creative work and the application of theory to real-life situations. The projects reflect months or even years of focused work with faculty mentors.

For example, biology major Tori Dahl from Anoke, Minn., created a poetry collection to serve as an interdisciplinary resource to be used in elementary classrooms to increase awareness about the aims of the environmental movement. Los Angeles resident Shannon Taylor, a doctoral student in the Graduate School of Education, studied the relationship between spiritual formation and leadership development in higher education, focusing particularly on women who are entering and graduating from college in record numbers. Psychology student Aaron Waters of San Anselmo measured the expression of gratitude for a good deed as a predictor of resilience and thriving in undergraduates. Annika Weber, a biochemistry major from Denver, Colo., investigated a compound called pentachlorophenol that is used as a pesticide and disinfectant to better understand its possible toxic and carcinogenic effects.

Faculty members will present brief summaries of recent sabbatical projects. Psychology students will present their research into advances in the understanding of brain function. Sociology and criminal justice students will present results of their research on the influence of religious and gender differences regarding attitudes on homosexuality and capital punishment and discuss the subculture of street basketball and people’s attitudes towards government surveillance.

The Piano Quintet, Saxophone Quartet and Clarinet Quartet Honors Ensembles will present a concert representing the culmination of their work for the academic year.

Multimedia major Gustavo Youngberg from Thousand Oaks will show “Edgar Allan Poe Seen Alive,” which features animations of famous literary figures that he created by colorizing and transforming old photos.

Political science students’ presentations on perspectives on global citizenship and civic engagement will include discussions on obesity in America, government transparency and the public trust, and how members of Congress engage with their constituencies through social media.

For a complete schedule of events, go to callutheran.edu/fos. CLU’s Office for Experiential Learning, Research and Faculty Development is presenting the free festival. For more information, call 805-493-3795.

Ventura County Community College District announced today that it will extend the Moorpark College president search into summer 2014 to seek additional candidates for the position. “Following interviews with four exceptional candidates, it was determined that we needed additional time to ensure the best possible fit for Moorpark College,” commented Dr. Jamillah Moore, Chancellor. “I have complete confidence in our search process and anticipate we will identify the best candidate as we continue our search.” A new call for candidates will be released in summer 2014. Dr. Bernard Luskin, who has served as Moorpark College Interim President since September 2013, will continue to serve in the President’s role until a successor is named.

California State University Channel Islands

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) has announced that its Early Childhood Studies (ECS) Bachelor of Arts degree program is now taking applications for a fall 2014 cohort allowing individuals to complete the final two years of their degree at the CI Goleta campus. The program will serve both Early Childhood Education graduates from Santa Barbara City College, and the workforce of early childhood professionals in Santa Barbara County who have an Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood or Child Development. Currently, there is no public university offering a BA in this field of study in Santa Barbara County.

“Having this degree program available in the area is important because new research supports the influence of quality programming on children’s learning success, and funded programs such as Head Start and state funded preschool programs require their teachers to obtain a BA degree,” stated Dr. Gary W. Kinsey, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of the School of Education. “CI’s Early Childhood Studies program is one of only two in the CSU system that provides a BA in Early Childhood Studies that prepares teachers to serve diverse families and children from birth to age eight. This is significant, since California’s Commission for Teacher Credentialing (CTC) is discussing the addition of a stand-alone credential for Early Childhood. Since CI’s program already prepares educators to serve children from birth to age 8, graduates from the program will be extremely well positioned for attaining the new credential through CI, and prepared better to meet the diverse needs of families in Santa Barbara County.”

The ECS program at CI offers core curricula in early childhood studies while highlighting the contextual influences of family, culture, language, and society. “There is a specific focus on the preparation of graduates who possess knowledge and skills in language acquisition and literacy for dual language learners,” according to Dr. Elizabeth Quintero, Coordinator of CI’s Early Childhood Studies program. “The value of diversity and the importance of ensuring that all children have consistent access to high-quality educational experiences are core tenets of CI’s School of Education and Early Childhood Studies program.”

Many of the enrollees in the Goleta cohort will likely be community college transfer students, juniors and seniors who are prepared to complete the final two years of upper division course requirements for the ECS program. Cohort members who finish on schedule will complete their degree in four semesters taking a full-time course load of 12-16 units per term. Courses will be delivered two nights a week, utilizing both face-to-face and online learning experiences, and are planned to begin the week of August 25, 2014.

The cost of tuition and fees for the two-year program per student, at $3,253 per term, will be about $13,012. The program is prepared to enroll an annual cohort of 30 - 35 students and expects that a significant majority will qualify for financial assistance.

The CI Goleta campus is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and provides state-of-the-art technology for student and faculty use. Additionally, free parking is available and the location is convenient to students from a number of Santa Barbara County communities, with the added benefit of being close to the 101 freeway for easy access.

Those seeking more information about the ECS program, two meetings are planned for Thursday, April 17 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, May 10 at 9 a.m. at the CI Goleta Campus located at 5383 Hollister Avenue, Suite 220, Goleta, Calif. CI Admissions, Financial Aid and ECS Program representatives will be present to answer questions and assist individuals in applying to the program.

Questions can also be directed to Counselor, Sara Alcala, at sara.alcala@csuci.edu or 805-437-3579. Faculty coordinators for the program are Dr. Elizabeth Quintero and Dr. Carola Matera, and can be reached at: elizabeth.quintero@csuci.edu or carola.matera@csuci.edu.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI's strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master's degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI's Social Media.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University students are hosting a World Malaria Day event from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 24, to raise awareness and money to combat the deadly disease.

The public event near the Enormous Luther statue in Kingsmen Park will feature student music performances and a talk by Jessica Nipp, the director of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Malaria Campaign. MOE Egg Rolls and Downtown Dogs food trucks will sell food. T-shirts and other merchandise will be available.

The student-run CLU Malaria Committee is raising money to support the ELCA initiative’s goal of $15 million by January 2016. So far, the students have raised almost $11,000 by collecting donations, selling merchandise at campus farmers markets, screening a film created to raise awareness of malaria, and holding a professor variety show. The CLU community as a whole has raised more than $15,000 for the campaign.

World Health Organization member states in 2007 started World Malaria Day, which falls on April 25, to highlight the need for continued investment and political commitment for malaria prevention and control. More than 3 million lives have been saved since 2000, but malaria still kills about 627,000 people every year, mainly children under 5 in sub-Saharan Africa, according to WHO.

Working through Lutheran partners in 13 African countries, the ELCA Malaria Campaign is helping to provide mosquito nets, education, testing, medication and health care.

Entrance to the CLU event is free. Meals and T-shirts are available for $10 each. A package including a meal and T-shirt is $15. All proceeds will go to CLU’s malaria campaign. Associated Students of CLU Government and CLU’s Office of Campus Ministry, Lord of Life Student Congregation and Center for Equality and Justice are sponsoring the event.

Kingsmen Park is located west of Mountclef Boulevard between Olsen Road and Memorial Parkway on the Thousand Oaks campus.

For more information, contact the Office of Campus Ministry at campusministry@callutheran.edu or 805-493-3228.

Dr. Paul Miller

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - Leading researchers will discuss their efforts to develop new ways to attack cancer at a free symposium at California Lutheran University on Friday, April 25.

“Frontiers in Cancer Biology” will run from 8 a.m. to noon in Lundring Events Center. The event is free and open to the public. It is CLU’s second annual Cell Biology Symposium about cutting-edge research and applications in the field.

There is a renaissance occurring in cellular and molecular biology. Genetic sequencing, new techniques and deeper understanding of the workings of cells are advancing the way clinicians treat cancer. Specifically, the advances are being used to target defective pathways in cancer cells.

The speakers are all at the forefront of this research. They are Dr. Paul Miller, a radiation oncologist at North Oaks Radiation Oncology Medical Center in Thousand Oaks; Amy S. Lee, Ph.D., associate director for basic research at the University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center; and Marcin Kortylewski, Ph.D., an assistant professor of cancer immunotherapeutics and tumor immunology at the City of Hope.

Miller will present “The Evolution of the War on Cancer” at 9 a.m. A former aerospace engineer, Miller has used his background to spearhead the advancement of optimal technologies for cancer treatment. He has published research on high-grade brain tumors and participated in studies on breast and lung cancer.

Lee’s talk on “GRP78: Cancer’s Achilles Heel?” will begin at 10 a.m. She was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Sciences for her pioneering work on endoplasmic reticulum stress and its impact on cell and cancer biology. She also received the MERIT Award from the National Cancer Institute.

Kortylewski will present “Oligonucleotides for Cancer Therapy: Will They Deliver?” at 11 a.m. His studies have targeted tumor cells directly as well as tumor-permissive immune cells.

The program will begin with a continental breakfast and a poster session featuring CLU student research. Lundring Events Center is located north of Olsen Road between Campus Drive and Mountclef Boulevard on the Thousand Oaks campus.

Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center and the CLU Community Leaders Association and Department of Biology are sponsoring the symposium. For more information, contact assistant professor of biology Chad Barber at cbarber@callutheran.edu.

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands will hold “Frontiers in Neuroscience,” the 10th Annual Poe Symposium, on Friday, April 11, from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. in Del Norte Hall 1500 on the CI campus. The event is free and open to the public. Prior registration is required at http://biology.csuci.edu/poe/poe10neuroscience/index.htm.

The Poe Symposium features current topics in science and brings together professionals from multiple disciplines. This year the symposium will look at new developments and cutting-edge technologies in the field of neuroscience.

Speaker topics include:
• Stem cell strategies for treating blindness
• MicroRNAs in neural stem cells and neurogenesis
• Intravital imaging of the cellular and molecular dynamics of neuronal development
• On-demand optogenetics: a light-guide in temporal lobe epilepsy
• The future of neuromodulation: Opportunities and challenges

Check-in begins at 12:15 p.m. Limited parking is available on campus with the purchase of a $6 daily permit; follow signs to the parking permit dispensers. Once on campus, follow signs to the event. Free parking is also available at the Camarillo Metrolink Station/Lewis Road parking lot in Camarillo with bus service to and from the campus. Riders should board the CI Vista Bus to the campus; the cash-only fare is $1.25 each way. Buses arrive and depart from the Camarillo Metrolink Station every 30 minutes from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday. For exact times, check the schedule at www.goventura.org.

This event is sponsored by CI’s Biology Program and funded with the generous support of students through the Instructionally Related Activities fund. To register and to view a program schedule and speaker bios, visit http://biology.csuci.edu/poe/poe10neuroscience/index.htm, or contact Charles Sackerson at 805-437-8806 or charles.sackerson@csuci.edu for more information.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) is pleased to announce its first fully online degree – the Bachelor of Science in Business, offered through the Martin V. Smith School of Business & Economics and CI’s Extended University.

The new online degree allows students to earn their B.S. in Business at a convenient time and location and accelerated pace, with the same outstanding instruction and curriculum as CI’s on-campus degree, and in a format that meets the demands and challenges of 21st Century business learning.

“A large number of our students are juggling jobs, family responsibilities and trying to further their education and career potential at the same time,” said Dr. William P. Cordeiro, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of the MVS School of Business & Economics. “We’ve adapted CI’s popular business program so they don’t have to put their lives on hold to advance. Students can earn the same degree and enjoy the flexibility of 24-7 access to CI’s faculty, support and resources online.”

The degree is offered in partnership with Cal State Online, the CSU system’s centralized resource for offering distance-learning degree programs. The first candidates are invited to apply no later than July 15 to be considered for admission to the fall 2014 entering class.

“The online B.S. in Business represents another great step in fulfilling CI’s mission of making a high-quality college education attainable for citizens of our region, the state, and beyond,” said Dr. Gary Berg, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Extended University & International Programs. “Now we can reach and support students for whom enrollment in our on-campus degree program is difficult or impossible. Among those served by this program will be working adults, members of the military, and former CSU students who have left in good standing, but had to ‘stop out’ of their degree programs.”

The program is open to transfer students who have completed 60 units of lower division general education requirements for the Business major. For the 2014-15 academic year, CI anticipates enrolling 100 students, with enrollment increasing to 200 in the subsequent year. Students may complete the degree either on a full-time or part-time basis. A Cal State Online coach will guide and support them through the application process. The cost is $500 per unit, with a minimum of 50 units required to complete the CI portion of the program; 120 units are required to graduate. Previous CSU students with at least 80 transferable credits (40 from a CSU) may be eligible for reduced tuition of $400 per unit.

The online program is backed by a grant from the CSU Commission on the Extended University, which allowed faculty to adapt courses for online delivery.

CI’s B.S. in Business is distinctive for its liberal arts and interdisciplinary focus, which makes the degree applicable to many different areas outside of traditional business. Students learn and employ the fundamental principles of accounting, economics, finance, information system¬s, management, and marketing, but also take courses integrating disciplines such as biology, chemistry, education, English, fine arts, history, and performing arts. A capstone course provides students with the opportunity to utilize their knowledge in a global strategy simulation exercise.
For more information, visit https://www.calstateonline.net/Degrees/BACHELORS/Channel-Islands-Bachelo... or call 800-992-7886.

About California State University Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CI) is the only four-year, public university in Ventura County and is known for its interdisciplinary, multicultural and international perspectives, and its emphasis on experiential and service learning. CI’s strong academic programs focus on business, sciences, liberal studies, teaching credentials, and innovative master’s degrees. Students benefit from individual attention, up-to-date technology, and classroom instruction augmented by outstanding faculty research. CI has been designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and is committed to serving students of all backgrounds from the region and beyond. Connect with and learn more about CI by visiting CI’s Social Media.

THOUSAND OAKS, CA - California Lutheran University will present a workshop on juvenile drug abuse from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 15.

“Drugs and Juveniles” is the topic of the Sixth Annual Conference on Violence and Victimization presented by CLU’s Criminal Justice Department and Center for Equality and Justice. Experts in criminal justice, mental health and substance abuse will discuss local trends as well as treatment and prevention strategies related to the abuse of substances including prescription drugs, bath salts and marijuana.

Supervising Juvenile Court Judge Manuel Covarrubias, who oversees Ventura County’s juvenile drug court, will give the keynote presentation. Speakers will include Linda Gertson and Daniel Hicks with Ventura County Behavioral Health Department’s Alcohol and Drug Programs. Panelists will include community advocates and representatives from education, law enforcement and Ventura County Behavioral Health.

The presentations are geared toward people who deal with substance abuse problems among juveniles, including school administrators and counselors and criminal justice professionals.

The conference will be held in Lundring Events Center in the Gilbert Sports and Fitness Center at 130 Overton Court on the Thousand Oaks campus.

The $15 cost includes continental breakfast, lunch, instructional materials and a certificate of attendance.

For more information or to register, go to callutheran.edu/vvconference.

Camarillo, CA - CSU Channel Islands (CI) invites the campus and community to learn how the mathematical, natural, and social sciences are being used to help solve the world’s health problems in its STEM Diversity Speaker Series, Monday, April 7, in the Grand Salon on the CI campus. The free series is open to the public and includes two separate presentations by Dr. Carlos Castillo Chavez, a leading authority on mathematical biology and epidemiology and promoter of research opportunities for underrepresented minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Castillo Chavez will trace the marriage of mathematics and epidemics from the early 1700s to modern times and discuss the important role mathematicians, biologists, and social scientists can play in combating disease, health disparities, and lack of access to health services. He will also share his own impressive journey from Mexican immigrant and factory worker to his current stature as one of the most highly acclaimed mathematicians, epidemiological modeling experts, and research contributors on the progression of disease in the country.

The first talk, from 3 to 4 p.m. focuses on the topic “Mathematical, Computational and Theoretical Epidemiology: Challenges, Opportunities and Mentorship,” and is geared to a general audience.

The second talk, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m., is geared primarily to a high school and college student audience, but is open to all members of the community.

Castillo Chavez is CONTINUED »