— PSFA Heroes —
Week of May 4, 2020

Candy Flynn
Student Experience Manager, HTM Master’s Program
Nominated by Jeff CampbellI would like to nominate Candy Flynn, our Student Experience Manager for the HTM Master’s program.
For the last eight years – in addition to always being a positive force in the department – Candy has done a brilliant job of supporting our students from pre-application through graduation and everything in between. If you polled our alumni, they would be unanimous in their praise and affection. But she’s also been a dynamo when it comes to recruiting and – this year – her efforts will culminate in achieving our very ambitious target…and with high quality applicants.

Maya Ginsberg
Lecturer, Musicology
Nominated by Scott LipscombThe School of Music and Dance has been significantly challenged by the recent, unexpected move of all classes from face-to-face teaching to virtual platforms. Thankfully, we have well-placed, resident experts in online instruction, and both Maya and Justin have gone well ‘above and beyond the call’ to provide tech support and to recommend specific technological solutions for some of the unique issues facing instructors of dance and of music; we owe them both a significant debt of gratitude.

Justin Morrison
Lecturer
Nominated by Scott LipscombThe School of Music and Dance has been significantly challenged by the recent, unexpected move of all classes from face-to-face teaching to virtual platforms. Thankfully, we have well-placed, resident experts in online instruction, and both Maya and Justin have gone well ‘above and beyond the call’ to provide tech support and to recommend specific technological solutions for some of the unique issues facing instructors of dance and of music; we owe them both a significant debt of gratitude.

Maggie Shoya
Office Manager
Nominated by Amy Schmitz WeissI would like to nominate Maggie Shoya as a PSFA Hero. She is the invisible/hidden element that keeps our JMS school engine running! I don’t know where we would be without her. She has always spent tireless hours to help keep our School running in her role and continues to do now and even more so virtually. We appreciate her so much and all she does for our School! “I wanted to chime in with my support. Maggie Shoya deserves recognition. She has not missed a beat in dealing with paperwork, contracts, reimbursements, etc. - and all the other bits of bureaucracy that are critical to keeping our school functioning. I don’t see how JMS would function without her.” - Noah Arceneaux, Interim Director, School of Journalism and Media Studies.

Noah Arceneaux
Associate Professor
Nominated by David CoddonI’m writing on behalf of Dr. Noah Arceneaux, interim director of the JMS school.
Dr. Arceneaux has shown extraordinary leadership, patience and guidance through not only the 2019 displacement of faculty and students due to the PSFA Building issues but in 2020 throughout the pandemic crisis and its impact on the SDSU community. He has not only communicated with JMS faculty on a consistent basis, but has supported us with encouragement and compassion.
From Laura Castaneda - Dr. Arceneaux’s leadership is stellar.
First a building disaster, then a giant move, and COVID-19 pandemic all as interim director!? He never flinched or stopped. He never missed a beat, and his dedication to students continues. Much Gratitude to him!

Sherry Ryan
Director
Nominated by Konrad MooreRegarding Dr. Ryan, when SDSU announced its sudden transition to “Virtual Learning,” I hit the panic button with full force, including authoring and sending a poorly considered and blistering email complaint. Dr. Ryan responded with a measure of grace and wholly non-recriminatory reassurance that immediately disarmed my personal sense of frustration/ anxiety and effectively re-set my perspective. Second, she thereafter volunteered and took the time from her busy schedule to meet with me for approximately 2 hours to personally walk me through (i.e., teach me) Zoom. At a time of tremendous tumult, Dr. Ryan demonstrated exemplary and amazing wisdom, maturity, steadiness, leadership and personal care.

Mei Zhong
Head of International Studies Minor
Nominated by Giancarlo TaylorI would like to thank Dr. Mei Zhong for spending endless hours behind the scenes to help International students and returning study abroad students figure out ways to study when borders are shut down. She is gentle yet unrelenting in her outreach and help to International students and students who want to understand our world - from Beijing to Baja. Thank you, Xie-Xie, Gracias Mei Zhong!!

Niyi Coker
Director of the School of Theatre, Television, and Film
Nominated by Melanie DumontI would like to mention my School Director, ‘Niyi Coker, as a great leader. ‘Niyi is truly the most supportive, kind, and dedicated leader I have ever had the pleasure to work with. His unwavering optimism during times of crisis is inspirational to say the least. This fiercely positive nature, along with accessible support at all levels, provides TTF faculty, staff, and students with confidence as we navigate our unknown future. So, a big thank you to ‘Niyi!

Kellie Quinn
Nominated by Darell PughI’d like to nominate Kellie Quinn. She is a graduate of our MPA program, a former Fulbright Scholar, and currently works for the International Rescue Committee (IRC) helping immigrant, refugee families establish small businesses. Her work over the past several years has directly resulted in the establishment of nearly one hundred small businesses that employ members of the immigrant refugee community, making them able to directly support themselves and their families, while supplying the broader community with needed services.

Kathleen Czech
Lecturer
Nominated by Heather CanaryDr. Kathleen Czech, lecturer and Director of Internships in the School of Communication, has created “Kat’s Kitchen” that provides free meals to order for her students.

Chaz Cabrera
Nominated by Bill YeagerI nominate music education major Chaz Cabrera for his use of virtual technology in the field of music performance. Not only has he created a new way of making a music video with virtual technology, he has created a first-rate product that will rival any video created in a conventional way. The full article and video can be read on KUSI.

Katie Turner
Lecturer
Nominated by Dani BedauKatie Turner, in the TTF, has shown leadership and vision to both faculty and students during this unprecedented time. In addition to her consistent positive attitude and “can-do” spirit, she provides ongoing Zoom technical support to faculty and she initiated Theatre Folk Fridays to meet the social and emotional needs of Theatre students. As Shakespeare says, “Thanks, thanks, and ever thanks” to our Katie!

Shirley Valencia Gutierrez
Student Services Coordinator
Nominated by Bryan RansomShirley Valencia Gutierrez goes above and beyond in her support of faculty, staff, and most importantly students.
From Kevin Delgado - Over the past few years—which have seen staffing and leadership change, budget shortfalls, and other challenges—Shirley has been a invaluable source of professionalism and kindness, treating all faculty and students with respect and patience. Shirley is a font of kindness and calm in our School, a professional presence so constant that it often goes overlooked because it has become so typical of our experience. Shirley is the best.

Alane Lockwood
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
Nominated by Mei ZhongAssistant Dean Lanie Lockwood has been very supportive of the advisors in the College of PSFA in general, and our work in the International Studies Minor in particular. She provides updated information and offers very specific assistance as needed, especially with explaining policy changes such as the CR/NC issue.
From D.J. Hopkins - In the last month, I’ve also interacted a few times with Lanie—another treasure. She has been a campus-wide voice for sensible, compassionate accommodations for our students during this crisis, and she has the know-how to explain the implementation of these crisis response procedures. Plus: Lanie, too, has put in very long hours over the last two months.

Annie Buckley
Director
Nominated by Michele BurgessAnnie Buckley has been incredibly PRESENT, giving extra time and consistent and generous support, as well as marshaling resources to help us through this time.
Group Nominations
The PSFA Dean’s Office Team
Nominated by Dean Peggy Shannon
A huge shout out to my entire team: Donna Conaty, Kurt Lindemann, Lanie Lockwood, Belinda Vasquez, Clarence Singh, Craig Winton, Lina Alonzo, Theresa Luu, Jennelyn Sustal, Giancarlo Taylor, Mei Zhong, Lizbeth Price, Annie Foral, John Petreikis, Eric Logan, Kevin Perez, Elise Moersch, Jordan Maharaj, and Andrea Cornell because it really does take a VILLAGE! These are extraordinary people and I am so grateful to work alongside each and every one of them!
Stuart Voytilla
Lecturer, Head of Undergraduate Advising
Katie Turner
Lecturer, Undergraduate Advisor
Nominated by D.J. Hopkins
On March 23rd, I wrote an email to the Dean with the subject line “Stuart and Katie are treasures.” Indeed, they are. The two of them worked together so well to navigate the TTF’s part of the COVID crisis management. They’ve been working so hard, replying to email quickly at all hours of the day, making themselves available for tutorials and one-on-one instruction on short notice, and doing all this and more with great kindness and competence. They’ve been compassionate, patient instructors to our faculty basically non-stop over the last couple weeks. I know this, because I myself have had reason to reach out to both several times. And they have continued to do so over the last month. Katie has distinguished herself as a leader among students and faculty in both online teaching effectiveness and her efforts to bring the people of the TTF together via Zoom.
Instructional Technology Services
Nominated by Sue Greenberg
ITS folks: the heroes of this pandemic. Fielding phone calls. Answering questions. Responding to emails. Teaching Technology with tireless patience. They saved us all.
On a Friday two weeks after my computer crashed, post shutdown, these three, masked & gloved, corralled us through, delivering the goods with grace.
My gratitude goes to
- Dr. James P. Frazee, Chief Academic Technology Officer, Associate Vice President
- Sean Hauze, Ph.D, Associate Director
- Rudy Arias, Associate Director
Greene Music
Nominated by Karen Follingstad
On behalf of the School of Music and Dance and the Keyboard Area, I would like to acknowledge and thank Greene Music from the bottom of my heart for their help securing and delivering several keyboards for class piano students and 3 acoustical and one electronic piano for our piano majors. This has enabled them to practice, participate in keyboard classes and online concerts and finish their requirements for the semester. Students and faculty thank Greene Music!
Lanie Lockwood
Assistant Dean of Student Affairs
Theresa Luu
Student Success Specialist
Jennelyn Sustal
Student Success Administrative Coordinator
Nominated by Lizbeth Price
I’d like to call out Asst. Dean Lanie Lockwood and her team: Jennelyn Sustal and Theresa Luu.
They have created a wonderful series of video explanations and a handy visual flowchart that has helped PSFA students make sense of the new grading systems and changes during the COVID19 crisis.
Their work is so clear and useful that it was called out this week as an example and referenced in a story by the Daily Aztec, and has now been picked up by the University’s StratComm division for use to support all SDSU Students.
Brava team!