Registration is now open for the Summer Central youth camp program held at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park.
Summer Central provides Middle School and Junior High aged youth (ages 11-14) with opportunities to build a strong foundation in a variety of skills that will enhance their personal growth.
Each session covers aspects of leadership, communication skills, global awareness, health, compassion, and personal development through a carefully planned series of activities including hands-on personal leadership exercises, sports and recreation, and community service. The program?s combination of structured activities, personal reflection, facilitated group discussion, and play is designed to keep participants stimulated and engaged.
Participants take a role in group decision-making such as where field trips will be held and which community service projects to work on. The program runs for five two-week sessions, June 17 - August 23. Summer Central?s hours are Monday through Friday ,10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Extended supervision, 6:45 ?10 a.m. and 4:45 ? 6:15 p.m., is also available. There is no program on July 4. The cost is $260 per 2-week session. The maximum enrollment per session will be 24 participants.
Summer Central is held on the campus of Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park, at the intersection of Petaluma Hill Rd. and East Cotati Ave. For more information or for a registration packet, please contact the Sonoma Student Union by calling (707) 664-2382, by e-mailing rec.sports@sonoma.edu, or on the Web at www.sonoma.edu/recsports.
Registration has begun for the popular Super Kids Camp at Sonoma State University in Rohnert Park.
Super Kids Camp, for children ages 6 to 12-years old, provides campers with fun opportunities to learn through recreational, educational and cultural activities. Super Kids Camp emphasizes cooperation and non-competitive games. Camp counselors are all SSU college students.
The camp runs for nine one-week sessions, June 17 - August 16, Monday through Friday. Activities throughout each week include sports, drama, art, Tuesday and Friday swimming, Wednesday field trips, Thursday on-campus explorations (e.g., magic show by the Chemistry Dept., backstage tour of Evert Person Theater, visit to the SSU Botany Lab), and the Thursday all-camp special event. Camp hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Optional Extended Day Care, 6:45 -10 a.m. and 4 -6:15 p.m. is available. Cost for the program is as follows: full week, $92; three day (any three days), $67; full- week extended day care, $35; three day extended day care, $30. There is a one-time summer registration fee of $28, and $25 for each additional sibling.
The camp is held at the Sonoma State University campus in Rohnert Park, at the intersection of Petaluma Hill Rd. and East Cotati Ave.
For more information or for a registration packet, please contact the Sonoma Student Union by calling (707) 664-2382, by email at rec.sports@sonoma.edu or on the Web at www.sonoma.edu/recsports.
The Sonoma State University Wine Business Program is proud to present the 4th Wine Career and Industry Night entitled "Expanding the Consumer Base of Wine Drinkers: Reaching the Next Generation" scheduled for May 9 from 5 -7 p.m. Questions and discussions will focus on how wineries are currently marketing to marginal wine consumers and the 21-35 year age bracket. These two segments are generally overlooked by the wine industry and could represent significant revenues, if captured.
Darryl Roberts, Editor and Publisher of Wine X Magazine, in Santa Rosa, CA, will moderate a five-person panel which will include:
* Jeff Bundschu, President, Gundlach Bundschu and Co-Founder of WineBrats
* Michael Topolos, President, Topolos Vineyard
* Lee Nordlund, Marketing Director, Robert Mondavi Winery
* Dr. Linda Nowak, Professor of Marketing, SSU
* Dr. Janeen Olsen, Professor of Marketing, SSU
* Ryan Stanley, Wine Business Student, SSU and Wine Sense Wine Club, SSU
After the panel presentation, the floor will open to the audience for additional questions and debate. This event is a great opportunity for students interested in working in the wine industry, as panelists will also talk about how they became involved in the industry and what advice they have to offer college students.
Wine Industry and Career Night is open to everyone in the community, and is free to attend. The event will be held in the Cooperage on the Sonoma State campus and lasts from 5 until 7 p.m. Parking is $2.50 for non-permit holders; please purchase temporary parking permit in SSU Parking lots.
This event is being sponsored by Union Bank of California. The Wine Business Program thanks them for their generous support.
If you have additional questions and/or would like to reserve a seat, please contact Becky Montrose at becky.montrose@sonoma.edu. This event requires advanced reservations.
In the increased effort to save students money, the Sonoma State University Bookstore has created a Textbook Scholarship program which will help not only the students who receive the scholarships, but all SSU students.
The Textbook Scholarships are awarded to Academic Schools based on their percentage of "in time" textbook orders. "In time" textbook orders are those that are received one week before the start of finals. The higher the percentage of "in time" orders, the easier it is for the Bookstore to pass the savings on to the students. With ?in time? orders, the bookstore is able to buy back more books from students and is able to purchase more used books to sell to students at 75% of the new price.
The School with the highest percentage of "in time" orders will receive a scholarship to give to a student of their choice. The student(s) selected by the winning School will get "a complete set of all required textbooks for all courses officially enrolled in by the selected SSU student," says Ken Brown, Store manager. Additionally, scholarships will be awarded to any School that a receives a 75%, 85% and 90% "in time" orders.
In the past, the percentage of textbook orders received "in time" has been between 50 and 70 percent of the total orders received in the semester.
"On time orders translate directly to savings for students," comments Robert Eckman, book department manager.
The School of Business and Economics received the first Textbook Scholarship for receiving 67% "in time" orders.
The Bookstore at SSU is proud to announce its 1st Annual Faculty Author Week from April 29 ? May 3rd from noon to 2 p.m .
Over 16 members from the faculty and staff will be on hand each day, to read excerpts from their books and/or be available for signing copies of their work. Faculty authors have published works in a wide range of catagories that will appeal to everyone?s interests - from astronomy, literature, art history, ethnic studies, to fiction, non-fiction and more.
For more information, a detailed schedule of authors and events will be available via The Bookstore web page at bookstore.sonoma.edu.
For more information, contact Ken Brown at (707) 664 2329. Or visit the bookstore's web site at http://bookstore.sonoma.edu/
To help alleviate the need for housing for students in Sonoma County, work has begun on the Sonoma State University campus on six new student apartments buildings which will be called Beaujolais Village. The complex will be able to offer housing for up to 650 students.
The apartments will be built on the southeast side of campus near Cossack Stadium and E. Cotati Avenue. Each unit will have 4 private bedrooms and 4 baths. Three of the buildings are scheduled for occupancy for Fall 2003 and the other three for Fall 2004.
For further information, phone project director, Norm Dickenson, (707) 664-2059.
For information on Sonoma State University Housing Services, call Tim Tiemens, (707) 664-2541. Information on the web can be found at http://bookstore.sonoma.edu/housing
Long time political and social justice activist Angela Y. Davis, now a professor at University of California, Santa Cruz, will speak about the human rights and economic impacts of America's growing prison-industrial complex at a free lecture at 8 p.m. on Monday, April 29 at The Cooperage at Sonoma State University.
Currently a professor in the History of Consciousness Department at UCSC, Davis gained her international reputation in the early 1970s, when she was tried for conspiracy and imprisoned, and later fully acquitted, after being implicated in a shootout in front of a California courthouse.
Davis resumed teaching at San Francisco State University after the fiasco, and has subsequently lectured in all 50 US states, as well as internationally throughout Europe, Africa, the Carribean, Russia and the Pacific.
Currently a member of the Advisory Board of the Prison Activist Resource Center, Davis now focuses on exposing racism that is endemic to the US prison system (which she calls the Punishment Industry), and exploring new ways to de-construct oppression and race hatred.
Her revolutionary politics and academic writings provide a link from 1960s groups like the Black Panthers to contemporary social activism.
Davis is seen by supporters as a revitalising force in New Left politics and individual life-affirming cultural studies, particularly blues and hip-hop music.
Her acclaimed books exploring the institutionalisation of racial politics include If They Come In The Morning (1971), Angela Davis: An Autobiography (1974), Women, Race & Class (1981), Women, Race and Politics (1989), Blues Legacies & Black Feminism (1999) and The Angela Y Davis Reader (1999).
This lecture is co-sponsored by the School of Social Sciences, the American Multicultural Center, the InterCultural Center, and is the first lecture in the Bob Karlsrud Lecture Series.
Sonoma State University President Ruben Armi-na announced today that Stuart C. Jones, J.D., has been chosen as the University's new Vice President for Development. Jones replaces Dr. James Meyer who retires this summer.
Jones' appointment begins July 1.
"We couldn't be more pleased that Stuart will be joining us. He comes from a university similar to SSU that holds the same values as we have here. He has an outstanding record in fund raising and I fully expect he will continue to excel at SSU," said Armi-na.
Jones is currently vice president for advancement and regional services at Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah. His job there involved working closely with the campus community, governing boards and leadership to establish the institution's priorities and fund raising strategies.
He will provide similar leadership at Sonoma as he gets to know the campus and donors who support the University. "My wife Michelle and I are looking forward to moving our family to California. I am excited by the opportunities at SSU and welcome the challenge of achieving them. I am particularly impressed with how SSU's donors and friends are involved with the activities of the campus. This is a place I want to be," said Jones.
Jones earned his B.A. in political science at Southern Utah University, his MBA at Utah State University, and his Juris Doctorate and MPA at the University of Utah. Prior to serving as vice president of advancement and regional services at Southern Utah University, he was assistant to the president there.
He also practiced law with one of Utah's largest and oldest statewide law firms worked as a judicial clerk for the United States Court of Claims in Washington, D.C., and served as a political campaign director for two successful U.S. senate campaigns.
Professional activities and affiliations include several board appointments, volunteer legal counsel and service as a member of the Utah Summer Games Board of Governors. Among his many awards and honors Jones was named Man of the Year by the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce and was a gold medalist in the Men's Open Tennis Tournament in the Utah Summer Games.
For further information, contact Lynn McIntyre, vice president for university affairs, (707) 664-2732 or lynn.mcintyre@sonoma.edu
Granola U.
Frisbee U.
Nude "human potential" classes at the "duck pond"?
Sorry. That's ancient history.
Sonoma State University comes of age this year in the celebration of its 40th year of classes. The college that started at a Rohnert Park seed farm in the 1960's has become a university of which to be proud.
A celebration is planned on Thursday, April 18 from 11 to 1 p.m. to recognize the occasion. Events include a Founders' Day observance, a College Bowl and the burial of a time capsule to be opened in the year 2061.
FOUNDERS' DAY
The Founders' Day events celebrate the University's beginnings. Photographs of milestones in its past will be on display in the campus quad and guests can get a "then and now" look at the University by comparing old photographs to the campus blossoming around them and talking to the many retirees, some of whom were here at the beginning. Guests can see what it looked like "way back then." A birthday cake will be served to honor the University's founding.
COLLEGE BOWL
From 11:45 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. a fast-paced college trivia bowl will be played. College Trivia Bowl (known locally as "SSU-Know)resembles the television game show Jeopardy. Four teams, each made up of faculty, staff, students and retirees, compete for a chance to win prizes. The contestants are asked questions about SSU's 40-year history while the audience hoots and hollers out wild, and often wrong, answers.
TIME CAPSULE
At 12:30 p.m., a procession transports the time capsule to its Alumni Grove burial site. The 3-foot-long aluminum container weighs more than 50 pounds. The items inside give a varied look at life in the second year of the 21st Century for those who will open it in 2061.
The Sonoma State experience is represented in the capsule by items such as Cossack memorabilia, photographs of the campus, sports items, a University flag, a laptop computer, clothing items donated from SSU students, the campus' master plan for buildings, posters, and a Blue Book and a Scan Tron sheet. Representing life off-campus, there is a cell phone, a CD of music from this era, a condom, September 11 media reports and current entertainment magazines, including Halle Berry's win as the first African-American woman in history to win an Oscar for the Best Actress category.
Also included in the time capsule is a scrapbook with inspiring comments by students, faulty and staff about their experiences at SSU and what they hope for its future.
MAY 14 40TH ANNIVERSARY PHOTO
On May 14 at noon, a special aerial photo will be taken of current faculty, staff, and students, community members, retirees, and others joining together to form a large number "40" on the lawn by the campus lakes. This culminating event for the 40th Anniversary of SSU's first classes is shaping up to be the unifying event for the campus and community.
For more information, contact Susan Kashack at (707) 664-2122.
The 2002 Spring Session of Sonoma State University's Lifelong Learning Institute has begun and runs through the first week in June.
Due to the growing popularity of this program, the Institute is offering a special event for Institute members this session titled "To Your Health: A Health Science Lecture Series" on Mondays, April 8 through June 3 from 10-11:45 a.m.
The Institute offers three eight-week sessions per year (fall, winter, spring) with an array of course subjects taught by emeritus faculty and regional experts. As LLI founder Ed Stolman said at the inaugural welcome, "It's learning for the pleasure of it. No tests, no grades, no homework, only knowledge and enjoyment."
The eight courses for the spring session are:
* Hollywood Studios in the Golden Age of Cinema (Barbara Spear)
* Music and Dance in World Cultures (E. Garder Rust)
* The Middle East, Islam and the West: An Anthropological View (Donna Brasset)
* Music, Politics and Propaganda (Joann Feldman)
* Sexuality and Evolution: Owls, Moles and Platypuses (Bernie Goldstein)
* Shakespeare and the Battle of the Sexes (William Babula)
* Green Versus Gold: Californians and the Land (Clarice Stasz)
* Visions of Sonoma County (Gaye LeBaron)
The 2002 Winter Session of the Lifelong Learning Institute exceeded staff expectations with a record number of students (278, a 17% increase from the inaugural session), who braved the elements to connect or reconnect with other LLI students and experience the growing opportunities for learning at SSU.
For a spring course brochure or additional information, call Johnna LaRue at (707) 664-4170.
The North Bay International Studies Project (NBISP) and Sonoma State University (SSU) are sponsoring a series of programs on "Voices of South Asia's Diversity" at SSU for the North Bay community during April. The schedule begins on April 15 at noon in Person Theater with a free presentation by noted author and UN delegate Shashi Tharoor, whose acclaimed novel, Riot, describes the current crisis between Muslims and Hindus in India today.
A two-day conference on April 26 and 27 begins at 8:30 a.m. on Friday with a panel discussion chaired by keynote speaker, Manuela Albuquerque, City Attorney for Berkeley. The panel of SSU faculty and members of the North Bay community will focus on issues of religion, fundamentalism, women and stereotypes in India and South Asia.
At 1 p.m., Professor Laxmi Tewari will give a musical performance and presentation on Indian music in the Arbor by the campus lakes. All Friday events are free.
On Saturday, April 27 beginning at 8:30 a.m in the SSU commons, the focus will be on the teaching of India and South Asia and will include standards based curriculum materials and resources for the classroom. Presentations will include incorporating current issues and culture of India and South Asia in the classroom and a performance of classical South Indian Dance, Bharatnatyam, performed by Shraddha Ravani. Participation is $15 and includes morning snacks and lunch. ($10 for students).
A special showing of the Oscar-nominated Indian Film, "Lagaan," will be shown from 3:30 - 7:30 p.m. at Warren Auditorium in Ives Hall at SSU.Admissions is students $1, general $5.
The deadline to register for April 26 and April 27 events is April 17.
For further information, contact NBISP office at (707) 664-2409. One unit of credit is available at additional cost if attending all of April 26 and 27.
The University Library is thrilled to celebrate the 7th Annual National Poetry Month with a series of poetry readings and a dynamic display of favorite poems created by library visitors.
Poetry Readings in the Library Wednesdays at noon during the month of April, SSU faculty and students will enchant us with poetry readings and lead us in lively discussions. Starting on Wednesday, April 10, join a lively reading by Gillian Conoley (Lover's in the Used World, Beckon, Tall Stranger: Poems), Sherril Jaffe (One God Clapping: The Spiritual Path of a Zen Rabbi, Ground Rules: What I Learned My Daughter's Fifteenth Year), and Noelle Oxenhandler (The Eros of Parenthood: Explorations in Light and Dark). These readers are faculty members of the SSU English Department, each specializing in a specific aspect of writing: Conely on poetry, Jaffe on fiction, and Oxenhandler on non-fiction.
Wednesday, April 17, will showcase a number of SSU student poets, both graduate and undergraduate.
The series will end on Wednesday, April 24, with an inspiring reading/performance by Jonah Raskin (Jonah Raskin's Greatest Hits, More Poems, Better Poems) and musician Sarah Baker, both SSU faculty members. For this final reading, autographed broadsides of one of Raskin's poems "Cooler than You" will be available for the first 25 people.
Share A Favorite Poem Because a poem can so deeply move us and provide profound insight throughout our lives, the University Library is dedicating a space for the sharing of such favorite poems by the famous and not so famous. During the month of April, on the bulletin board on the first floor of the University Library (in the hallway by the elevator), library visitors can post their favorite poem and read those posted by others. People are encouraged to stop by often, read what others have posted, and add poems to the board.
For more information on National Poetry Month, visit the Academy of American Poets website at http://www.poets.org/npm/. All events in the University Library are free and open to the public although there is a $2.50 fee to park on campus. For additional information on University Library Arts and Lectures program visit the website at http://libweb.sonoma.edu/about/gallery/eventscal.html.
Entrepreneur quarterbacks and even armchair entrepreneurs will have the chance to prove their business plan can "score" during a special elevator- pitch competition on April 9 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at The Cooperage on the Sonoma State University campus.
The Two-Minute Drill event is co-hosted by the North Bay Angels, Sonoma State University, The Press Democrat and the Golden State Capital Network and is part of the upcoming 2nd Annual North Bay Golden State Venture Capital Conference in May.
Two SSU MBA entrepreneneurial student teams will be competing on April 9. "We are excited to be able to host these sessions and at the same time provide our students with opportunities to have their new venture ideas evaluated by experts," says Armand Gilinsky, who teaches the MBA Entrepreneurship class and is also the Director of the E Center at Sonoma State. "This is a vital first step on the path towards the future funding of student-initiated ventures," he adds.
In the Two-Minute Drill competition, entrepreneurs will have a chance to present two-minute "elevator pitches" to the audience and receive a score in key categories from a panel of judges who are seasoned angel and venture capital investors. During this "pitch" the company leaders will justify why their high-tech business is worthy of an angel or venture capital investment.
Sponsors of the conference have put together this competition and coaching forum for promising start up and early-stage companies. A maximum of 20 companies who apply will be able to make a 2-minute elevator pitch to a select panel of angel and venture capital investors.
The judges will then select the best North Bay entry from the presentations to receive a complimentary slot to be a presenting company at the upcoming North Bay Golden State Venture Capital Conference slated for May 6-7 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Rohnert Park as well as a special coaching session before the actual event.
Along with the competition, organizers will also provide a special workshop that will highlight components of a successful elevator pitch and also the keys to building a successful executive summary and PowerPoint presentation that generates interest from investors.
Companies who think they have the "game" to take part in the Two-Minute Drill must send an e-mail to entrepreneur@goldencapital.net. Guidelines on what to include in can be found at www.goldencapital.net/Events/Apply_To_Present.asp. The competition is open to any California company, with priority going to companies located in the North Bay.
For more information on the competition and tips on how to polish a pitch, entrepreneurs should visit the web site, www.goldencapital.net or call (530) 893-8828. The event is open to the public. Those who RSVP in advance via e-mail at rsvp@goldencapital.net will be charged $20; people registering at the door will be charged $30.
The Waring Jones Reading Room in the University Library at Sonoma State University is now open to students and the general public to allow browsing through the university's Jack London collection.
This impressive room was named in honor of Jones because of his recent donation of Jack London materials to the University Library. Jones? gift also provided the resources for the construction of a unique space to house the materials.
Due to his generosity, the perfect place for a researcher to fully engage with materials from this collection now exists on the third floor of the University Library, says library dean Barbara Butler.
The Carl Bernatovech collection consists of materials from three renowned authors; Jack London, M.F.K. Fisher, and Richard Brautigan, all with ties to the Sonoma County area. The collection, considered one of the finer personal collections in the world, is distinguished by its pristine condition.
Materials include: first editions, fine reprints; signed books; rare, turn-of-the-century articles; framed photographs; linen movie posters; personal letters; biographies; original manuscripts; and film reels of early adaptations of London novels. The materials augment an already impressive regional collection housed by the University Library.
Jones made the donation to the University Library at Sonoma State University because the University?s liberal arts mission and close proximity to London?s Glen Ellen ranch seemed the perfect fit for his desire to make the collection easily accessible to undergraduates and the community.
The room and collection are housed in the University Library's Special Collections department. Please call (707) 664-2861 for Special Collections hours before coming by to visit.
Two seniors who are members of Sonoma State University?s student government have been named Women Student Leaders of the Year 2002.
Natalie Joy Concepcion (left), majoring in English and AmericanMulticultural Studies and Amanda K. Hilty (right), from the Hutchins Program, share this year?s top award, which given annual during National Women?s History Month, honors outstanding campus service and leadership by women students.
"We always awed by the accomplishments of the high-achieving nominees who dedicate their time and talents to the SSU community," said Kris Montgomery, coordinator of the Women?s Resource Center, which sponsors the award. "These students are leaders who volunteer their time and talents, as employees who go above and beyond their job description and as peers who have supported and mentored other students. They are an inspiration to us all."
In her numerous leadership activities, Concepcion has focused on the celebration of cultural diversity both at SSU and in the community. Currently, she is the Arts and Humanities Representative for Associated Students. In that capacity, she represented SSU at the California Higher Education Summit and has been the student representative on the Campus Climate Committee.
Concepcion, who came to SSU from St. Patrick High School in Vallejo, has also held the top offices in the Filipino-American Association (FAASU) and the Asian Pacific Islander Organization. For these groups she helped organize cultural awareness events and club fundraisers. In both the American Multicultural Studies Program and the English Department, she has assisted professors as a researcher and teaching assistant. Her expertise on cultural issues led her to teach a course on Filipino-American history.
Last year, she was awarded the Erin Fisher Scholarship for overall academic excellence and extracurricular involvement. As a role model, she wants her peers to recognize that "If Natalie can do that, I can do that!" Natalie went to St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School in Vallejo.
Many areas of campus have benefited from Hilty?s leadership, none more strongly than Associated Students Productions.
As chair for two years, she oversees a volunteer student board and a budget of more than $100,000. In recognition of her work, she was appointed to the National Association of Campus Activities as the Far West Region Student Representative.
In years past, she acted as the Assistant Director and a Peer Mentor for the Summer Bridge Program and was a Peer Mentor for the Equal Opportunity Program Academy. She was a leader in both Summer Orientation and the JUMP program, and acts as a link between the campus and alumni as a Student Ambassador.
A member of SSU?s Model United Nations club, Hilty couldn?t attend the ceremony as she was in New York, leading a student delegation at the National Model United Nations conference. She has also received various scholarships and awards, including the Erin Fischer Scholarship, honoring her leadership at SSU. She graduated from San Jose's Santa Theresa High School in 1997.
The other Distinguished Nominees honored this year are: Trameka Abraham, Jude Eggenberger, Katie Erickson, Erin Goldin, Chris Gorey, Beth Gorley, Kasey Halcon, Jocelyn Hall, Lisa Johnson, Jen Minnich, Lisa Moran, Lindsay Rath, Molly Rattigan Laura Reasbeck, Elizabeth Selby, Sarah Silva, Marcia Simmons, Jamie Simon, Krista Smith, Stephanie Stoll, Loreen Theveny, Kimberlee van Ruiten and Roxanna Whitaker.
Candidates for Woman Student Leader of the Year are nominated by faculty, staff and students from departments, clubs and organizations throughout campus. These nominees are known as leaders who volunteer their time and talents, as employees who go above and beyond their job description and as peers who have supported and mentored other students. The Woman Student Leader of the Year selection committee, made up of SSU administrators, faculty and staff, review the nominees? applications to choose the award winners.
More than 180 colleges and universities from across the nation will be represented at the North Bay College Fair at Sonoma State University on Monday, April 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. and Tuesday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to noon. Both fairs will be held in the main gymnasium at the Rohnert Park campus.
Representatives from a variety of public to private and specialized schools will be on hand to answer questions and give out information on financial aid and the admission process. Schools from all across the country will be represented.
Those who attend will be able to have face-to-face contact with college admissions personnel from a variety of post-secondary institutions.
Gustavo Flores, director of admissions and records at SSU, has the following suggestions for questions to ask at this year's fair.
- Are faculty members interested in students and accessible outside of class?
- Do many students go home on weekends?
- Are the athletic facilities open to all students or only to athletes?
- Does the college have academic programs that fit my interests?
- Where are computer terminals located? Will I have to pay extra for computer time?
- Will I have access to special equipment (such as an electron microscope) as a first-year student?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of the college's advising system?
- How many students will there be in courses I'm likely to take in my first year? Are those courses taught by professors or graduate assistants?
- What kinds of campus jobs are available for first-year students?
- Will there be any new programs or facilities in the next two years?
- What are the college's recent graduates doing now?
The event is sponsored by the Western Association of College Admission Counselors (WACAC). For further information, phone (707) 664-3029.
Students with Disabilities and Friends (SDF) of Sonoma State University present Russell Cosby of the Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, May 1. He will address the subject of learning disabilities and learning differences (LD) at The Cooperage.
Russell Cosby, the brother of celebrity Bill Cosby and uncle of the late Ennis Cosby, is a board member of the foundation. His story is one of hope and determination ? one of an individual who, with guidance and encouragement, realized his potential.
Cosby thought college was out of reach until his nephew convinced him otherwise. Ennis encouraged his uncle to be tested for dyslexia and helped him create his own college curriculum.
Russell Cosby was invited to speak at SSU by SDF President Toni Marks. "Students with learning disabilities are falling through the cracks of higher education," said Marks. "Many LD students will not graduate because fewer academic services are available at four-year colleges than at the primary, high school or junior college level. Our goal for this event is to inform the public about the needs of those with learning differences and learning disabilities."
Curiously, Ennis Cosby thought his dyslexia was a gift. "The happiest day of my life was the day I found out I was dyslexic," he said. That discovery enabled him to recognize that the doors of learning and creativity were open for him. He encouraged others to embrace their learning disabilities and differences by sharing his joy and inspiration.
The Hello Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation (www.hellofriend.org) was established in 1997 as a public, non-profit organization to fulfill the goals and dreams of Ennis Cosby. His common greeting to friends, old and new, inspired the foundation?s name. It is dedicated to being a friend to all people with dyslexia and language-based learning differences. "Our goal is to help friends recognize and celebrate their gifts, and to open the doors of learning for them so they can develop their full potential," said the foundation?s Executive Director Phillip Caputo.
The mission of SDF (www.students.sonoma.edu/clubs/sdf/sdf.html) is to unite and build community among disabled and non-disabled faculty, staff and students; and to create awareness and education about disabilities so that equal opportunity and access is ensured to everyone at SSU.
Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for students and may be purchased in advance at the SSU Student Union Desk, (707) .664.2382, or at the door. Parking is $2.50.
Sponsors include Santa Rosa Junior College Associated Students, SSU Associated Students, SSU Alumni, SSU, Office of the Provost Cal State Improvement Grant Funding, New Horizon School & Learning Center, Santa Rosa Sylvan Learning Center, LDA-Marin Golden Gate (LDA-MGG), Northern CA Lions Club chapters (North Bay, Santa Rosa, Windsor, Gravenstein, Healdsburg and more), the California Human Services at SSU Campus, Parents Assoc. Matrix, and CH.A.D.D./ADD.
