PSFA E-CONNECT - October 2009

MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN

A Seven-Day Educational Adventure for SDSU Alumni and Friends

It is my great pleasure to announce that the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts is partnering with the College of Arts and Letters to present a special seven- day cruise along the Mexican Riviera from April 10-17, 2010 on the Holland America Oosterdam.

In addition to sunny beaches, relaxing shipboard activities and great food, this cruise will include exclusive educational seminars and off-shore excursions featuring renowned SDSU faculty who are experts on various aspects of Mexico’s unique culture, ecology and history. Professors Patricia Cué from the School of Art, Design and Art History and Paul Ganster, Director of the Institute for Regional Studies of the Californias, will be joining us on this excursion and will be sharing their knowledge of the region. These lectures are designed to enhance your experience while still leaving ample time to enjoy the pleasures of the Mexican Riviera.

Please visit the website for additional information http://psfa.sdsu.edu/mexico/ or call Jennifer Majors at 619-594-6281.

I hope you will join me onboard!

Joyce M. Gattas, Dean
College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts

In the News

SDSU Art Council Presents Duane Michals

The SDSU Art Council is thrilled to showcase an evening with Duane Michals, critically acclaimed and often provocative artist, photographer, lecturer and poet on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 at 7:30 pm at The Neurosciences Institute in La Jolla.

A prolific artist, Michals is well known for his pioneering photo-sequences and distinctive images that include handwritten text. He has published more than twenty monographic books, including a retrospective, The Essential Duane Michals, and has been a powerful influence on younger generations of photographers worldwide, encouraging artists to address the issues most important to their own identities.

Advance tickets are available by calling Kim Wright (619) 594-1213. $20 General Admission, $15 Art Council Members/Groups, $10 SDSU Students with ID. Tickets will be $25 at the door.

Alumni Filmmakers To Have Film Broadcast This Fall

Alex Farnsley (Political Science ’86, MA Television, Film and New Media ’07) and Kevin King (MA, Television, Film and New Media) will have their new film, Stories from Baghdad U.S.A. broadcast on the San Diego County Television Network on October 22, 2009, and dozens of other times throughout the year. The 45-minute documentary features the stories of 12 El Cajon Chaldeans, from recent immigrants from Iraq to those who have spent decades in America.

Check your local listings for additional airings: Cox: 19 (N) & 24 (S) Time-Warner: 24/Digital Cable 124.

Alumni Highlights

Sheriff Bill Kolender Retires

San Diego County Sheriff William “Bill” Kolender (Public Administration ’71) recently retired from a distinguished career in law enforcement that spanned over 50 years. Sheriff Kolender became the 28th Sheriff of San Diego County on January 2, 1995, and was re-elected three times before his retirement in 2009. Prior to his election as Sheriff, he was Chief of Police for the City of San Diego Police Department for 13 years. He retired from the San Diego Police Department in 1988. Sheriff Kolender received the PSFA Outstanding Alumni Award in 1985.

In a statement, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said, “Sheriff Bill Kolender has built a notable, distinguished and honorable career in law enforcement and has been a great partner in working to ensure public safety. While serving the people of San Diego, he led the county through some of the most devastating wildfires this state has ever seen and also transformed and modernized his department’s crime laboratory which has since earned prestigious accreditation.”

Phyllis Schwartz Named CEO for The Jumpitz

Phyllis Schwartz (Journalism ’77) recently assumed leadership of the award-winning children’s entertainment group, The Jumpitz. Honored as the PSFA Outstanding Alumni in 2001, Schwartz has had a highly successful, 30-year career in the television industry.

This past summer, The Jumpitz made an appearance on the television show Tori and Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood, and performed at venues such as Legoland.

In addition to Phyllis, three of the five Jumpitz cast members are PSFA alumni: Adam Wilensky (Performance Theatre Arts ’08) as Jake, Jason Mallery (Performance Theatre Arts ’06) as Nathan, and Olivia Espinosa (Theatre Arts ’02) as Mari.

Student Spotlight

Masters Students Make Music on YouTube

Music Master’s students Paul Nowell and Leonard Patton have created their own YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/LeonardandPaul. Their unique videos feature trombone and vocal collaboration. In the three months since the channel began it has received over 100,000 hits and attracted the attention of celebrity Ryan Seacrest, who featured their “Song for Ryan Seacrest aka Mr. Hollywood” on his blog and website.

Prior to enrolling at SDSU, Nowell and Patton both attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston (Nowell in 20007 and Patton in the early 90s). After receiving their undergraduate degrees, Patton began a successful career as an actor and musician and Nowell toured the world as a trombonist for the world famous Glenn Miller Orchestra.

Student Wins Big at San Diego Music Awards

Danny Green, a master's student in the Jazz Studies program in the School of Music and Dance, is the recipient of the "Best Jazz Album of the Year” award from the San Diego Music Foundation. The award was presented at their 19th annual San Diego Music Awards ceremony, held on September 10, 2009.

With You in Mind, Green's debut solo release, has received extensive airplay in stations around the globe since January 2009. The album features Justin Grinnell (bass), Dylan Savage (drums), Allan Phillips (percussion) and Tripp Sprague (soprano saxophone). With 10 original compositions and one cover, Green combines both Brazilian and Latin influences, cradled in mainstream jazz and classical nuances.

Faculty Focus

Jeanne F. Nichols Receives 2009 Outstanding Faculty Award

PSFA has selected Dr. Jeanne Nichols, Exercise and Nutritional Sciences, as the 2009 Outstanding Faculty member. This award recognizes Dr. Nichols’ two decades of service to SDSU in teaching, research and community outreach. Dr. Nichols’ many accomplishments include publishing over 50 research papers, participating in NIH-funded studies for the past 13 years, and chairing the Tour de Cure for the American Diabetes Association since 2000. PSFA congratulates Dr. Nichols on her success.

Matthew Rowe Gives “Play by Play” on BBC’s 2009 Proms

Conductor Matthew Rowe, Music and Dance, was one of three featured conductors offering commentary this past summer for BBC’s MaestroCam. During selected televised concerts, Proms in the Park, viewers had the option to launch a picture-in-picture interactive service, which gave at-home viewers a performer’s eye view of the conductor, along with commentary explaining the conductor’s actions. Rowe was selected to provide “play by play” commentary due to his 2008 role as a conductor mentor on BBC2’s popular reality TV series Maestro, which required him to teach a celebrity to conduct an orchestra in a few short weeks.