Professional Announcements

8/23/2004

° New Chairs of various departments have been named for the fall semester. They include: Bob Nugent, Art; Eric McGuckin, Director, Hutchins School; Roger Bell, Philosophy; Robert Eyler, Economics; Lynn Cominsky, Physics and Astronomy; Jagan Agrawal, Engineering Science; Dorothy Freidel, Geography; and Judith Abbott, History.

° Faculty listed below have recently been granted status as Faculty Emeriti by the President, following recommendation by the Academic Senate: Chester Allen, Business Administration;  Sally Hurtado de Lopez, Literacy Studies and Elementary Education; Brian Shears, Educational Leadership & Special Education; Ellen Kay Trimberger, Women's and Gender Studies; Michael Baldigo, Business Admininistration; Duncan MacInnes, Curriculum Studies and Secondary Education; Robert Smith, Political Science; George Johnson, Business Administration;  Jamal Munshi, Business Administration; and  James Stewart, Environmental Studies and Planning.

° Aurore Simonnet, a scientific illustrator for the NASA Education and Public Outreach Group at SSU, has seen the publication of a children's science book she illustrated. She and her husband, the author, published "Why Can't I Jump Very High? - A Book About Gravity." It is geared towards children seven to ten years of age, and combines a storyline with simple demonstrations that can easily be repeated at home or school. Simonnet, has also done some animations for the book's Web site, located at www.sciencesquare.com, which gives more resources to parents and teachers to help kids get interested in science. The book is available now by special order through the campus bookstore.

° This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Sonoma State University Paralegal Program. Since 1979, the program has graduated 668 paralegals, some of whom have returned to teach in the program. Others have gone on to law school and become respected attorneys, some are published authors and many continue to work as paralegals in such areas as personal injury, family law, real property, estate planning and probate.

The recent graduation ceremony was held in The Cooperage. Sonoma County Courts' Presiding Judge Allan D. Hardcastle delivered the keynote address and revealed that he employed one of the program’s first graduates, June Hepler. Faculty member Lisa Ann Hilario of Spaulding, Mc Cullough and Tansil welcomed the students to the paralegal profession, emphasizing the importance of ethics and professionalism. West Publishing Outstanding Achievement Awards were earned by Mari Frye for Legal Writing and Robin Winning for Legal Research. San Francisco Court Commissioner Frank J. Drago was presented with a crystal gavel in recognition of his 22 years as an instructor in the SSU program.

Spring 2004 graduates were Georgina Ann Anthony, Juanita Dreiling, Eszter Freeman, Lisa M. Greenfield, Philip Hallquist, Stephanie A. Hayes, Monica C. Huante, Jennifer A. MacDougald, Karen Sue McMillan, Lauren R. Parkhill, Melissa Benét Wallin, and Cecilia Keleti Wallis. Summer graduates are Anne Gradek, Alison F. Grant, Alison E. Hoffman, Kimberly K. Holland, Myla Holmes, Cheryl Thea Rivkin, Lloyd Strecker, Lisa Trumbly and Scott Wilson.

SSU's paralegal program began in 1979, with a proposal submitted to the Office of Extended Education. The pioneering effort was initiated by Mari Bettis Giblin, a graduate of the Dominican College Legal Studies Program, with the support of her mentor, attorney Ken Coho. Giblin became the first coordinator of the Attorney Assistant Program on the university’s campus, taking responsibility for marketing the program, developing the curriculum, hiring faculty and recruiting students.

After three years, Giblin retired to care for her new family. Morgan Walsh, an esteemed faculty member, served as coordinator part-time for just under a year, before turning the program over to Diane Petropulos in 1983. In her 16 year tenure, Petropulos brought national recognition to the program when she served as President of the American Association for Paralegal Education.

Classes were offered in various satellite campuses during expansion programs and new classes were added as technology swept into the field of law. In 1999, program graduate Joni Boucher took the reins from Petropulos and continues as the program coordinator to the present time.