Cal U alumni receive awards
Recipients of the California University of Pennsylvania蘑菇视频 Alumni Association蘑菇视频 2011 Awards of Distinction are:
Dr. Stan Komacek of Uniontown received the John R. Gregg Award for Loyalty and Service.
?Komacek has worked at Cal U for 24 years. He is currently serving as Associate Provost and Associate Vice-President for Academic Affairs (interim) in the office of the Provost and a Professor of Technology Education. Prior to joining the Provost蘑菇视频 office, Komacek served as chair of the Department of Applied Engineering and Technology for 13 years. Komacek joined the Cal U faculty in 1987.
Komacek served as an adjunct associate professor for West Virginia University when he was the Training Associate Field Supervisor for the U.S. Office of Education-funded Technology Education Demonstration Project, 1991-92. From 1984-87 he served as Curriculum Associate for the Monongalia County Schools (Morgantown, W.Va.) through West Virginia University, and from 1981-84 he was an Assistant Professor at Salem International University (West Virginia).
Komacek earned his bachelor蘑菇视频 degree in Industrial Arts from California University of Pennsylvania, a master蘑菇视频 of education in Industrial Education from Miami University, and a doctorate of education in Technology Education from West Virginia University.
Dr. Kate Mitchem of Morgantown received the C. B. Wilson Distinguished Faculty Award.
Mitchem is professor and past chair in the Department of Special Education at Cal U, which is now the Department of Early, Middle and Special Education. Mitchem is the inaugural recipient of the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust Endowed Chair in Education at Cal U. She also coordinates the Annual Autism Conference at Cal U.
Mitchem has certification in secondary education, multicategorical special education and autism, has a doctorate in special education with an emphasis in applied behavior analysis from Utah State University, and is currently completing the requirements to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst.
During her career in special education, Mitchem taught students with learning disabilities and behavioral disorders for eight years in a variety of settings. She also coordinated a large, federally funded prevention project in the middle and high schools of an inner-city school district.
Before coming to California University in 2005, Dr. Mitchem was a faculty member for six years at West Virginia University. There she worked extensively as a consultant, staff developer and researcher assisting schools and counties in developing academic and social programming for students with or at risk for emotional and behavioral disorders.
Dr. Mitchem is past president of the West Virginia Council for Exceptional Children, co-editor of Rural Special Education Quarterly and reviewer on two scholarly research journals.
Margaret Green received the W. S. Jackman Award of Distinction.
Green is an adjunct professor at Old Dominion University and a member of the University蘑菇视频 College of Health Sciences Advisory Board. She earned her bachelor蘑菇视频 degree in education from California University in 1970 and her master蘑菇视频 degree from Columbia University蘑菇视频 College of Dental Medicine, has been continuously active for over 43 years in many levels of her profession. Mrs. Green has extensive career experience in the roles as a clinician, educator, researcher, advocate and an administrator in an array of settings.
Following graduation from the University of Pittsburgh and prior to enrollment at Cal U, she was employed as the school dental hygienist at Pennsylvania蘑菇视频 East Allegheny School District and Head Start Program. She is recognized nationally for her leadership to establish dental hygienists as key players in helping solve America蘑菇视频 oral health crisis and internationally for working collaboratively to advance Dental Hygiene蘑菇视频 education, practice, regulation and the quality of life of those served.
Having received three governors鈥� appointments, she dedicated 10 years of service on the Virginia Board of Dentistry. As a clinical examiner, Green has participated in numerous research trials and studies including those of the Federal Drug Administration, United States National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and Old Dominion University蘑菇视频 Dental Hygiene Research Center.
Following her leadership positions as state president and national trustee for a District comprised of five states, Green became President of the American Dental Hygienists鈥� Association (ADHA) in 2006.
David W. Robey received the Michael Duda Award for Athletic Achievement.
Robey of Morristown, Colo. is the Western Regional Vice President of Passport Health Communications. He was previously Senior Vice President, Sales and Business Development at AP Technology and worked many years at First Data Corporation, where he was the Vice President/Director of Major Accounts and Sales.
A generous benefactor, he has also established The David W. Robey and Family Football Scholarship Endowment Fund.At Cal U, Robey joined the Vulcan football team as a walk-on and finished as one of the school蘑菇视频 most celebrated defensive lineman ever. He received a letter of notification and an official certificate from William Hill, executive director of Best Athletes in America, which was the governing body of this prestigious award. Robey signed free-agent contracts and competed in the NFL training camps with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Colts. He also played with the Pittsburgh Colts semi-pro team and the Saskatchewan Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League. He was inducted into Cal U蘑菇视频 Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001.
He was the president of the TKE蘑菇视频 for two years and earned his bachelor蘑菇视频 degree in industrial arts from Cal U in 1977 and his master蘑菇视频 degree in guidance counseling in 1980.
Dr. Emily Sweitzer of Merrittstown received the Pavlak/Shutsy Special Service Award.
Sweitzer is an associate professor of justice and behavioral crime and Chair of the Justice, Law, and Society Department at California University of Pennsylvania. She is also the Director of the Justice Studies Division within the department. She has a doctorate degree in educational psychology and 39 credits in post-doctoral coursework in educational administration from West Virginia University, a masters鈥� degree in school psychology and a bachelor蘑菇视频 degree in Psychology from California University of Pennsylvania.
She is a nationally certified school psychologist, certified as a K-12 principal in West Virginia, completed a post baccalaureate certificate in Forensic Science and Law from Duquesne University, a consulting member of the Institute of Criminological & Forensic Sciences, and is a graduate of Violent Crime Behavior 1, a specialized and invited training sponsored by retired members of the FBI Behavioral Science Unit.
Sweitzer has been employed as a family therapist, school psychologist and as an assistant principal prior to her present position.
She is the author of Developing Social Interest in Conduct Disordered Adolescents: An Adlerian Approach, a contributing author in Career Development in the Schools, Health Hints for Kids, National Student Assistance Journal, Journal of Individual Psychology, The Journal of Law and Ethics, and co-authored several articles in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics.
Sweitzer also received the 2007 Presidential Gala Award for Teaching and is a master trainer for 鈥淥ne on One, Connecting Cops & Kids鈥�, a national training module offered through the Fred Rogers Company. She is also secretary for the International Society for the Exploration of Teaching Learning, editorial board member for Scientific Journals International, and regional editor for Maxwell Scientific International.
Fred Gladney received the Professional Excellence Award.
Gladney of Laguna Niguel, Calif., is a business and executive coach. He has been a successful corporate executive in the information technology sector with IBM and Compaq Computer, now part of Hewlett Packard. He was part of the leadership team of Isearch.com, and senior vice president of Pittsburgh based Development Dimensions International.
Gladney was founder and CEO of CWG, a software development firm, and has been at the helm of a number of successful entrepreneurships in real estate and Internet marketing.
Gladney has demonstrated leadership in building highly motivated and disciplined teams that have consistently exceeded revenue and profit targets. He has managed national and international teams in direct and indirect marketing channels, and has won numerous leadership and management awards. He is a decisive team leader and developer of people, without compromising what he calls 鈥渁ppropriate accountability.鈥�
Gladney is a 1971 graduate of California University of Pennsylvania, and has participated in management development programs at Harvard and Princeton Universities. Originally from East Liberty, Gladney was also an active member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity during his Cal U days. He was transferred to Los Angeles by IBM in 1976.
He delivered the keynote address at Cal U蘑菇视频 Spring 2010 Undergraduate Commencement.
Oliver Comstock of Fort Thomas, Ky., received the Young Alumni Award.
For the past year, Comstock has served as the Account Executive at RJE Business Interiors, an Indianapolis-based company that sells office furniture with a focus on their flagship brand, Knoll. He is responsible for creating relationships and conveying the value of good design, efficient workflow, and internal branding in the commercial and educational environments.
Comstock joined RJE after being the Director of Sales at Funke Fine Arts, located in Cincinnati, Ohio. In the position, Comstock evaluated company costs, revenues, and crafted creative solutions for all aspects of the business but with a focus on marketing and sales.
From 2004-2005 he was owner of the Karma Caf茅 hookah lounge 鈥� a business he started in college, learning business skills in class by day and applying them at the caf茅 at night. He was the Internet Sales Manager at Cerra Automotive from December 2006 through March 2008. Fully utilizing Cal U蘑菇视频 diverse academic programs and following the knowledge of the business department faculty members, Comstock joined the Student Marketing Association, became SMA President, and was selected as the Marketing Student of the Year.
Comstock also became involved with Student Cabinet, Speaker of the House of Representatives and was voted Cal U蘑菇视频 Homecoming King in 2006. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing and graduated Summa Cum Laude in May 2008.
Three years later Comstock remains active with his alma mater. He currently serves on Cal U蘑菇视频 Young Alumni Advisory Council and delivered the keynote address at last fall蘑菇视频 New Student Convocation.
Adele Lynn of Belle Vernon received the Meritorious Award.
Since 1982, Lynn has served as the founder and owner of The Adele Lynn Leadership Group (formerly Lynn Learning Labs), an international consulting and training firm whose clients include many Fortune 500 names such as Boeing, USAA, Johnson and Johnson, High Mark Blue Cross Blue Shield of several states, UPMC and more. Her business in North America focuses on helping organizations forge trusting relationships and improve productivity and quality through improvements in emotional intelligence and workplace trust. Her work on emotional intelligence is offered through strategic partners throughout Latin America, India, and Europe.
Lynn lectures at numerous colleges and universities throughout the United States. She is also a frequent guest on radio talk shows and TV shows throughout the United States and Canada.
She earned her Bachelor of Science from Cal U in environmental science and then a master蘑菇视频 degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
She is the author of six books published in nine languages. She has also authored a CD ROM, video and participant蘑菇视频 book, Mentoring: Passing on the Torch that won the 1998 Athena Award for Excellence in Mentoring. Her books for trainers and coaches are 50 Activities for Developing Emotional Intelligence in Leaders, which has consistently been a best seller in training and development publications and The Emotional Intelligence Activity Book, which has received international acclaim and has been published in five languages. Amacom has published Adele蘑菇视频 book, The EQ Difference in January of 2005. In January of 2007, Amacom released, quick EQ Activities for Busy Managers and Teams. Different Kind of Smart 鈥� Applying Emotional Intelligence at WorkTM.