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Winter 2008 Volume 25, No. 4
P E P P E R D I N E U N I V E R S I T Y
Graduate School of Education and Psychology
Using New
Tools to Create
a Dynamic
Classroom
Future Learning | Sojourner Truth Academy | Bilingual Educating | SignShine | Rock the Docs
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 1

Letter From the Dean
The Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) aims to give
students the tools they need to become effective practitioners and instruments of positive
change in their communities. Curriculum for the academic programs is developed with a practical
emphasis, and our partnerships with schools, health institutions, and related organizations offer
our students the opportunity to engage in hands-on learning. In line with this mission, GSEP
has brought on leadership to promote the importance of Future Learning Environments. An
important part of future learning is classroom technologies, and I am proud to say that we are at
the forefront of exploring this significant initiative.
In addition, GSEP has adopted two other key initiatives, the Urban Initiative and Healthy
Relationships. The Urban Initiative seeks to prepare students in both the education and psychology
Divisions for the challenges of working in underserved, urban communities for the long term. Our
Healthy Relationships initiative stems from the Boone Center for the Family’s valuable research
on the factors that contribute to developing healthy relationships. Going forward, the Colleague
magazine will provide progress updates on each of these three initiatives so you can see how our
work here at GSEP is making a difference.
As a further testament to GSEP’s commitment to provide service and our students’ mission to
live a life of purpose, our alumni continue to pioneer programs to enhance the community both
locally and abroad. I am proud of the risks our students are taking, whether it involves building a
creative school program in urban Los Angeles, exploring cultural competency in Nepal as a result
of globalization, or bettering the higher education system in war-torn Afghanistan.
I am continually impressed and inspired by the efforts of our faculty, staff, and students to
support our initiatives and so many other innovative projects, and look forward to sharing our
successes with you on each of these fronts.
Margaret J. Weber, Ph.D.
Dean

Table of Contents
Features
8
Future Learning
GSEP Explores Future
Learning Environments
Sojourner Truth
Academy
ELA Alumni Open
Charter School
for Underserved
Students in New
Orleans
10 12
Bilingual
Educating
MAETC Alumna
Receives Award
for Bilingual
Educational
Excellence
SignShine
ELA Alumna
Encourages Early
Communication
with Children
Through Sign
Language
14 16
Rock the Docs
Educational Technology
Student Develops
Documentary
Curriculum
Departments
04 Initiatives
06 News
20 Class Notes
22 Donor Roll
Perspectives
18 Academy for Recording Arts
By Dr. Jennifer Murphy
19 Research Visit to Nepal
By Jeἀrey Lee
19 State of Education in Afghanistan
By Dr. Mirwais Azizi
Winter 2008 Volume 25, No. 4
Managing Editor Jennifer Scharnikow
Editor Jaya Bhumitra
Creative Director Brett Sizemore
Art Director Gayle Wheatley
Director of Alumni Relations Claudette LaCour
Photographer Ron Hall
Copy Editor Vincent Way
Contributing Writers Dr. Mirwais Azizi, Jaya
Bhumitra, Dr. Rhonda Brinkley-Kennedy,
Dr. Ken Canfield, Dr. Eric Hamilton, Vanessa
Jahn, Jeffrey Lee, Dr. Jennifer Murphy
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY Graduate School of Education and Psychology
Administration
Dean Margaret J. Weber
Associate Dean, Psychology Robert A. deMayo
Associate Dean, Education Eric R. Hamilton
The Pepperdine Colleague © is published two times per year by the Graduate School of Education and Psychology
and the Office of Alumni Relations. The opinions expressed in the Colleague do not necessarily reflect those of the
University or its management.
Please send address changes and alumni updates to:
Pepperdine Colleague
GSEP Alumni Office
6100 Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90045
Tel. 310.568.5510
E-mail: gsepalum@pepperdine.edu
To contact the Colleague editor, e-mail: gsepedit@pepperdine.edu.
GSEP Colleague Summer 2008 3

GSEP Initiatives
The Urban Initiative
Ce l e b r a t e s i t s I n a u g u r a l E v e n t
Host Alma Salazar, director of the education and workforce
development task force for Greater Los Angeles Chamber of
Commerce and UNITE-LA, energizes the crowd.
The Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP) has had a long tradition of
engagement with its urban neighbors. For more than 50 years, GSEP has been
preparing teachers, administrators, and mental health workers for service in the
Greater Los Angeles area. Building on that history of service, the Urban Initiative was
developed to deepen the link between GSEP professional preparation programs and
the education and mental health needs of those in urban settings.
To launch the joining of GSEP’s current work and future projects under this new
initiative, GSEP celebrated the Urban Initiative Inaugural Event on October 7 on the
roof top of the Union Rescue Mission, one of the Urban Initiative’s partner
organizations. The evening included a reception and program, attended by GSEP
faculty, staff, students, and alumni, as well as community leaders from Los Angeles’
urban centers.
Alma Salazar, director of education and workforce development at the Los Angeles
Chamber of Commerce and UNITE-LA, hosted the event, which featured two keynote
speakers, Faye Washington, chief executive officer, YWCA of Greater Los Angeles and
Rhonda Brinkley-Kennedy, Psy.D., MFT, newly-appointed director of the Urban
Initiative. The program was enhanced by testimonials from GSEP alumni and current
students working in urban settings.
Dr. Brinkley-Kennedy shared her vision of how the Urban Initiative will continue to
build knowledge, inspire service, and create change: “GSEP is in an individual position
to take a leadership role in both developing research and training to assist mental
health professionals, administrators, and educators for the unique challenges that
exist in urban areas. We aim to give our students the tools not only to serve, but to
empower under-resourced families and communities.”
Keynote speaker Faye Washington,
CEO, YWCA of Greater Los Angeles,
engages the audience.
4 GSEP Colleague Winter 2008

This intriguing collection of short stories features brain-twisting tales of murder and
mayhem that will keep readers guessing until the very end… or will they? All the clues
are provided just add ingenuity. Match wits with such unlikely amateur sleuths as:
• The Smart Guys Marching Society, a group of suburban “Desperate Husbands”
who stumble into — and love — crime-solving.
• A brilliant female psychologist whose session with a patient threatens to turn deadly.
• A penniless patent clerk named Albert Einstein, who gets caught up in the search
for a turn-of-the-century serial killer...
Baffling, amusing and suspenseful, From Crime to Crime is bound to captivate mystery
buffs of every kind.
“ In updating the legendary Isaac Asimov’s crime solving Black Widowers, Palumbo adds
a touch of Neil Simon to the mix, gathering his odd quintet of armchair sleuths each
Sunday for deli, arguing and solving impossible crimes. Male bonding has seldom been
more entertaining. A sparkling assemblage.”
—Dick Lochte, author of Croaked! and Sleeping Dog
“ Dennis Palumbo’s gang of affable husbands solves some daunting mysteries with a combination
of clever deduction and sly humor that is very appealing. Lots of fun.”
—April Smith, author of the latest
FBI Special Agent Ana Grey mystery, Judas Horse.
“Dennis Palumbo’s stories are fun to read: smart, well-written and delightfully original.”
—Peter Lefcourt, author of The Manhattan Beach Project.
“Palumbo’s contemporary characters dig into these classic, brain-teasing whodunnits with
humor and wit. It’s a feast for crime-story lovers of all stripes.”
—Bobby Moresco, writer/producer Crash; Million Dollar Baby
GSEP initiatives
B o o n e Ce n t e r
f o r t h e F a mi l y
Researches the Impact of
Quality Relationships and
Healthy Fathering
Quality relationships are the building blocks of healthy
families, and healthy families are the pillars of vibrant
communities. This truth is being realized through the
work of the Boone Center for the Family (BCFF), and in
particular through its fatherhood initiative which is
promoting healthy fathering throughout Los Angeles.
In partnership with the Children’s Institute, World
Impact, and a host of other nonprofits, BCFF is taking the
lead in providing training, programming, and
benchmarks to boost the quantity and quality of
fathering in the region.
Why is this of such concern? Consider the following:
children growing up in a home without a dad are much
more likely to drop out of school, make poor grades,
commit delinquent acts, engage in drug and alcohol
use, receive welfare, marry early, and go through a
divorce as an adult.
Almost 60 percent of all children under the age of 18 will
spend at least part of their childhood living apart from
their fathers.
Conversely, children who feel a closeness to their father
are twice more likely to enter college or find stable
employment after high school, 75 percent less likely to
have a teen birth, 80 percent less likely to spend time in
jail, and half as likely to experience depression.
A four-decade study found that when dads encourage
their daughter s to excel and achieve and were
emotionally close to their sons, the daughters were
more successful in school and their careers, and the sons
achieved greater status later in life.
The conclusion is obvious; when fathers are equipped,
encouraged, and challenged to be more involved in their
From Crime to Crime
children’s lives, everybody wins: dads, moms, sons,
daughters, and the fatherless. In addition households,
neighborhoods, schools, and communities will
experience less stress and disruption. The strategic
nature of healthy fathering cannot be underestimated
because, like mothering, it has the power to shape
generations.
$24.95
FPO
Mystery/Suspense
FPO
Dr. Susan Hall
Courtroom Modifications for Child Witnesses: Law and Science in Forensic
Evaluations
This book closely examines the legal and psychological adjustments that can be
made for child witnesses. The book comprises a unique combination of legal
knowledge and psychological expertise, reflecting Dr. Hall’s background in both
fields. Dr. Hall hopes the book will be used by mental health professionals and
lawyers alike, for the good of every child witness passing through the legal system.
(American Psychological Association, 2008)
Dr. Stephanie Woo and Dr. Carolyn Keatinge
Diagnosis and Treatment of Mental Disorders Across the Lifespan
This comprehensive text is aimed at students and professionals alike. Chapters
cover symptoms, prevalence, diversity of sufferers, and legal and ethical issues
unique to the treatment of specific disorders. At the end of each chapter about
broad clinical disorders, the authors have included an in-depth look at one example,
such as postpartum depression. (John Wiley & Sons, 2008)
Dr. Diana Hiatt-Michael
Teaching, Curriculum, and Community Involvement
This book delves into topics such as satisfaction in teaching, curricular-decisionmaking,
schools as learning communities, and parent involvement in American
public schools. As a professor with Pepperdine University for close to 35 years,
Hiatt-Michael’s latest book is dedicated to her nearly 100 dissertation students. She
has been honored by the American Educational Research Association with the 2004
Outstanding Contributions Relating Research to Practice Award in the interpretive
scholarship category and served as editor of the Promising Practices monographs.
(Information Age Publishing, 2008)
Leah Melber (M ’93)
Informal Learning and Field Trips: Engaging Students in Standards-Based Experiences
Across the K-5 Curriculum
This book brings together tools and information to guide young learners through
educational journeys outside the classroom. Based on constructivist philosophy
and inquiry-based learning, the manual includes activities for language arts, math,
science, social studies, and fine art lessons. Sections related to English-language
learners and special education students are also included. (Corwin Press, 2007)
From Crime to Crime Palumbo
F A CU L T Y A u t h o r s
A lu mn i A u t h o r s
From
CAN YOU FIGURE OUT... WHODUNNIT?
Crime
to
Crime
Mind-boggling
Ta l e s o f M y s t e r y
and Murder
Dennis Palumbo
Dennis Palumbo (M ‘88)
From Crime to Crime: Mind-Boggling Tales of Mystery and Murder
This entertaining collection of mystery short stories features endearing characters and
suspenseful storylines. Palumbo was formerly a television and screen writer who later
pursued a master’s in counseling psychology, and now uses his experiences as a licensed
marriage and family therapist in private practice as inspiration for concocting the clever
capers that appear in his fiction writing. (Tallfellow Press, 2008)
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 5

GSEP NEWS
G S E P We l co m e s Dr . E r i c H a m i l t o n
As Associate Dean of Education
Whether it’s helping to lead the charge for mathematics
education reform or promoting the role of technology
in transforming formal and informal education, Eric
Hamilton, Ph.D., is conceptualizing the future of
learning. A former division director with the National
Science Foundation, international speaker, and
researcher in the development of innovative learning
technologies, Dr. Hamilton now shares his vision as
Associate Dean and Professor of Education at the
Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP).
“We have a nationally unique niche at GSEP in terms of
our interdisciplinary approach, the communities of
research and learning that
we nurture, and in how
we apply scholarship to
complex educational and
other organizational settings,” says Dr. Hamilton.
“I want to help us refine and expand that niche.”
Dr . M a r g a r e t R i e l H o n o r e d
For Excellence in Distance Learning Teaching
Margaret Riel, Ph.D., visiting faculty in the education division was honored with the
world’s most prestigious distance learning award from the United States Distance
Learning Association (USDLA). Dr.
Riel is best known for her research
and development of collaborative
learning models and communities
o f p r a c t i c e . S h e h a s s t u d i e d
interactive learning environments
w i t h a f o c u s o n collaborative
l e a r n i n g , f a c i l i t a t e d, b u t n o t
controlled, by technology. The result
of her work is the development of
m o d e l s o f n e t w o r k l e a r n i n g ,
s p e c i f i c a l l y “c r o s s - c lassroom
collaboration” and “electronic travel” designs, with the goal of creating contexts for
teacher and student learning.
Of her recognition, Dr. Riel says, “Any award for teaching is shared equally with the
students, and the students at Pepperdine are some of the most engaged, motivated
learners that I have taught.”
Dr. Riel took home the Gold-level award for Online Technology in Higher Education in
the category of Best Practices for Excellence in Distance Learning Teaching. The USDLA
Awards were created to highlight distance learning instructors, programs, and
professionals who have achieved extraordinary results through the use of online,
videoconferencing, satellite, and blended-learning delivery technologies.
Dr. Margaret Weber, dean of the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, noted
that, “This is a wonderful recognition of Dr. Riel’s development and support of the virtual
learning environment and the learning experiences she provides for our students.”
Dr . E l iz a be t h R e il l y E x a min e s
Women in Leadership on Research Trip to Afghanistan
Dr. Elizabeth Reilly, associate professor of educational
leadership, attended a research trip to Afghanistan in
March and April to study women in leadership. This
research was a companion study to the work she was
supporting as chairperson for Dr. Mirwais Azizi, now a
graduate of the Doctor of Education in Educational
Technology program, on the state of education in
Afghanistan today.
Dr. Reilly interviewed dignitaries from the Afghanistan
National Assembly, as well as the minister of women’s
affairs, whose responsibility it is to meet the national
goals of including women in civil society and leadership
positions.
Dr. Reilly reported that, “The nation must continue to
grapple with policies that presently institutionalize
gender inequities, from admission to universities to
adequate support for those women placed in positions
of leadership. However, as the international community
continues to engage with Afghanistan in authentically
collaborative ways, women have the opportunity to
serve as a model for inclusion that embraces the best of
Afghanistan’s cultural and religious traditions.”
6 GSEP Colleague Winter 2008

GSEP NEWS
B o o n e Ce n t e r
f o r t h e
F a m i l y
Savvy Chic Fundraiser
Supports Healthy
Relationships
The Boone Center for the Family’s (BCFF) Savvy Chic
fundraiser returned for a fifth year to celebrate fashion,
fare, and friends in support of healthy relationships and
strong families. On November 12, a large group of
women, and some brave men, gathered at the Beverly
Hills Hotel for a luncheon, silent auction, and fashion
show to honor the 2008 Friends of the Family Award
recipient, Helen M. Young. Helen's life has intertwined
with Pepperdine University for more than 65 years. As a
graduate of the second graduating class of George
Pepperdine College; wife of M. Norvel Young, the second
president of Pepperdine University; and founding
benefactor of BCFF, Helen has devoted and sacrificed
much for her belief in Christian service and education.
"There is no greater need in our country or in our churches
than that of having strong families," commented Helen.
The Boone Center for the Family, a division of the
Graduate School of Education and Psychology, is the
recipient of proceeds from the event, which was
produced by the Friends of the Family League, an
auxiliary of the center.
G S E P H o n o r s L ife o
And U.S. Marine Ricardo Crocker
Members of the Pepperdine University and Santa Monica communities came together
in July to honor the life of Ricardo A. Crocker, a student of the Master of Arts in
Education program at the Graduate School of Education and Psychology (GSEP),
whose life was tragically lost during his service in
the Iraq war. Crocker was a major in the Marines,
member of the Santa Monica Police Department,
and participant in the Police Activities League
program, which fosters trust between youth and
the men and women of the Santa Monica Police
Department in a safe and nurturing environment.
Those in attendance included Maria Garcia Crocker,
Ricardo’s sister; Timothy Jackman, Santa Monica
f F o r me r S t u de n t
chief of police; Phil Sanchez, Santa Monica deputy chief of police; Debbie Anderson,
investigative analyst, Santa Monica Police Department; Gary Hanson, Pepperdine
University executive vice president; Margaret Weber, dean of GSEP; Patty Loggins,
Santa Monica Police Activities League (PAL),
human services administrator; and eight youth
involved with the PAL program.
The way Crocker lived his life and valued others is a
shining example to all.
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 7

the
olden
age
gIf
society
ducation
GSEP Explores
Future Learning Environments
was on the verge of a
golden age in education, how
would we know? What if a
golden age was only one of
many possible paths we could follow,
but by no means inevitable? By having a
sense of what is possible in the future,
we can imagine it more clearly, we can
shape it, and we can hasten it. The
process of understanding what the future
might hold can have a powerful effect in
shaping what the future will hold. One
of the defining themes this year for the
Education Division of the Pepperdine
University Graduate School of Education
and Psychology (GSEP) is Future Learning
Environments. Through various research
and development efforts, GSEP is poised
to play an important international role in
helping to shape new directions for
schools.
For example, GSEP’s Online Master of
Arts in Educational Technology (OMET)
program has been a widely copied
pacesetter in opening up not only the
content areas of educational technology,
but also in creating the communities of
practice that are increasingly viewed as
crucial to future learning. The image that
many hold of technology as a way of
isolating students with faces glazed in
front of a screen is giving way to
recognizing the profound possibilities of
technology to bring people together in
meaningful ways we never thought
possible. The OMET program features
what visiting professor Dr. Margaret Riel
has dubbed “learning circles” that form
online (virtual) and face-to-face (“F2F”)
communities that are well poised to
advance the University’s mission of
purpose, service, and leadership. The
learning circles approach in OMET is the
subject of an expansion grant to Riel by
the American Evaluation Association
(AEA). In fact, the virtual/F2F approach
to building these communities has been
shared in other programs within GSEP,
and one of the challenges that the
Education Division faces involves
incorporat ing such innovat ions
systematically in its interdisciplinary
offerings. The division’s overall array of
graduate programs in teacher education,
organizational leadership and change,
administration, and educational
technology models the kind of
8 GSEP Colleague Winter 2008

cross-disciplinary thinking that will be
needed in structuring future learning
communities.
The OMET experience and the Education
Division’s structure are two elements of a
broad set of initiatives explicitly
advancing future learning communities.
This past June, associate dean of
education Dr. Eric Hamilton cochaired a
symposium at Germany’s well-known
Knowledge Media Research Centre
(KMRC) on the role of social software
(mult iplaye r le arning and game
environments, Facebook, Wikipedia) in
future learning environments. This
symposium was supported by a National
Science Foundation (NSF) grant to
Hamilton and a grant from the German
government to KMRC director Friedrich
Hesse. At the symposium, Hamilton
outlined a theory for future learning
communities. The theory involves
themes that use terms like “sightlines,”
“self-regulation,” “modeling,” “hybrids,”
“personalization,” “interactional
bandwidth,” “cognitive density,” and
“flow.” Not all of these have an especially
futuristic sound or feel to them, but large
shifts hinge on each. This framework has
been shared in conference keynote
addresses in England and was a principal
feature of other symposia Hamilton led
in Japan, Singapore, and Uganda in 2007,
with additional support from NSF and
Microsoft Research.
Much of this work involves technology,
but compelling environments of the
future will be characterized by new ways
of thinking about learning. Here again,
Pepperdine is exerting a leadership role.
A recent book coedited by Hamilton,
Foundations for the Future in Mathematics
Education, includes chapters from an
international slate of authors sharing
research on a more systems- and needdriven
approach to teaching one of our
country’s education trouble spots,
mathematics instruction. Technology is
not the main driver—that there are
colla b orative teams struc t uring
mathematical solutions to real problems
is much more important. The approaches
discussed in this volume form the basis
for a large engineering consortium grant
from NSF, involving Pepperdine, the U.S.
Air Force Academy, the University of
Pittsburgh, the University of Minnesota,
Purdue University, California Polytechnic
State University in San Luis Obispo, and
the Colorado School of Mines.
“How can virtual
humans advance the
educational interaction
of real humans?”
There are many other
questions about how
combinations of new
technologies can create
high-performance
learning environments
whose possibilities
are only vaguely
understood now.
Another initiative directed at future
learning communities is a complex
research and development project
funded by a new grant to GSEP by the
U.S. Department of Education’s Institute
for Education Science. This project,
called Agent and Library Augmented
Shared Knowledge Areas (ALASKA), is
high-tech oriented and uses new notions
of how teachers might function in the
future. ALASKA integrates various
technologies such as intelligent tutoring
s y s t e m s wit h animat e d avat ar s,
collaborative networks, tablet computing,
and digital libraries of instructional
content created by teachers and students.
Pepperdine is carrying out this project
with Granada Hills Charter High School
in Los Angeles Unified School District.
One element of AL A SK A will be
implemented in a calculus course that
Hamilton will teach in Seaver College in
Spring 2009, and will include research
funding both by Seaver and Microsoft
Research. AL ASK A represent s an
opportunity to blend emerging
technologies in unique ways. One
question the grant poses is, “How can
virtual humans advance the educational
interaction of real humans?” There are
many other questions about how
combinations of new technologies can
create high-performance learning
environments whose possibilities are only
vaguely understood now.
To understand the broad array of
p o ssibilitie s, a siz able group of
international leaders has worked together
to formulate an international virtual
network of researchers who explicitly
focus on future learning environments.
Many of these pacesetters met at the
Graziadio Executive Center this past
March, and numerous projects have
emerged from that meeting, including an
effort to advance some of the work at
Pepperdine in meetings that Dr. Hamilton
will lead in Uganda and South Africa this
fall.
What might the future hold? Pepperdine
holds a mission of purpose, service, and
leadership with a firm conviction that
scholarship and faith feed one another.
GSEP is uniquely positioned to help
advance and carry out a creative vision
for the future within this mission, one that
reflects a humane, redeeming, and high
performance set of possibilities that may
indeed reflect and help lead to an exciting
new era for schools and learning. n
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 9

Finding
in the
ELA Alumni Open Charter School for Underserved Students in New Orleans
N
ew graduates don’t often leave school and immediately open their own dynamic
learning institution, but that’s exactly what alumni Kristin Moody and Channa
Cook did when they launched Sojourner Truth Academy, a charter school for
underserved students in New Orleans, Louisiana.
10 GSEP Colleague Winter 2008

Moody and Cook met as teaching colleagues at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched
Studies in the Los Angeles Unified School District. At the time, Moody was enrolled in
the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and Psychology program for a
Master of Science in Administration and Preliminary Administrative Services Credential,
Educational Leadership Academy (ELA), which she completed in the winter of 2006.
Moody’s successful experience with the program inspired Cook to apply, and she
completed her degree in the spring of 2007.
Moody had always dreamed of opening an alternative high school, and that was one of
the primary drivers of her enrollment in ELA. “The program, as a whole, was integral to
my feeling comfortable pursuing and defending a project as extensive as Sojourner
Truth Academy. My teachers’ support of my project and belief in me boosted my
confidence and inspired me to pursue a path of leadership. I became aware that I was
able to accomplish whatever I set my mind to accomplish.”
In contrast, Cook never thought she would be opening a school the year after finishing
her degree. But while Moody was the catalyst for the idea, both alumni were fully
committed once they visited New Orleans in March 2007 for a volunteer trip. While
there, they both saw the need for quality education, high expectations, and a supportive
environment for adolescents. They were disappointed to see so many teenagers treated
as if they could not succeed. Of the experience, Moody says, “We came home from the
trip and took all the best practices we had heard about and witnessed firsthand, and
compiled them into the rough draft of Sojourner Truth Academy.”
Sojourner Truth (formerly Isabella Baumfree, 1797-1883), the namesake and role model
for Sojourner Truth Academy, was a woman who took on multiple roles in her life:
activist, abolitionist, suffragist, orator, pioneer, and mother. Drawing from Truth’s
masterful ability to pursue a balance between self-improvement and community uplift,
Moody and Cook incorporated into Sojourner Truth Academy a system of higher
education that would encourage students to become aware of the community around
them and find ways to make an impact by helping others.
Moody describes Sojourner Truth Academy as “an open-enrollment high school that
will prepare its students for college and to be leaders for positive change in New
Orleans.” Moody explains the significance of such a categorization: “An openenrollment
high school with high expectations is relatively unheard of in New Orleans.
As a result, we have higher than average numbers of at-risk and historically underserved
students. The challenge is great, but the students are already exceeding our expectations.
These kids are redefining themselves, and we can’t wait to see how they change their
own communities with the new tools they’re being given.”
“An open-enrollment
high school with high
expectations is relatively
unheard of in New
Orleans. As a result,
we have higher than
average numbers of
at-risk and historically
underserved students.
The challenge is great,
but the students are
already exceeding our
expectations.”
In addition to cofounding the school, Moody and Cook retain leadership positions in
the administration; Moody acts as operational support, while Cook acts as principal.
Cook says that her participation in ELA contributed to what she has created at Sojourner
Truth Academy: “The overall emphasis on leadership, rather than administration and
management, is what was most important for me about the ELA program; as an
instructional leader at Sojourner Truth Academy I remind myself that leadership is my
main goal.”
Sojourner Truth Academy is off to an inspiring start. The school year began with full
rosters and a long waiting list—impressive for a new charter school. Moody is
confident that the future looks bright: “There is no question that Sojourner Truth
Academy will not only make its mark in New Orleans as a school that enables at-risk
students to lead their communities and go to college, but will also show the rest of the
nation the power of well-trained, thoughtful teachers and administrators, when
coupled with kids who refuse to give up.” For more information on Sojourner Truth
Academy, visit http://www.nolatruth.org/. n
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 11

MAETC Al u mn a Receiv es Aw ard f o r
Bil in gual Education al Excel l en ce
Dual Language l e a r n i n g
f o r a Melting Pot s o c i e t y
Ha nna h Limb, alumna of the Pepperdine University
Graduate School of Education and Psychology’s (GSEP) Master
of Arts in Education with Teaching Credential program, broke
new ground as the recipient of the first Visionary Award given by
the Pepperdine California Association for Bilingual Education
(CABE) at its annual conference, March 6-8 in San Jose,
California. GSEP initiated the award in recognition of alumni
service in accordance with the mission of GSEP and CABE to
promote educational excellence and social justice for all.
Of the honor, Limb says, “I was surprised to receive an award
that had never before been offered to any GSEP alumnus.
I was very honored at the opportunity to be a role model for
future GSEP students. It was an unforgettable experience to
attend the ceremony with my family and to be among students,
faculty, my fellow alumni, and CABE board members.”
Limb had spent four years working in marketing before
deciding that she could make more of a difference working
with children in education. She enrolled in GSEP on the
12 GSEP Colleague Winter 2008

ecommendation of a friend and GSEP alumnus. Limb says
that the move changed the course of her future.
“The GSEP program was a tremendously fulfilling experience.
My professors diligently supported and trained all the students
to be the best educators for our future generations to come,”
Limb said. “Through my courses and student teaching, I gained
a better understanding of what it meant to be a highly qualified
educator who is sensitive and aware of individual student
needs. My student teaching experience at three different
schools provided unique opportunities to work with a wide
spectrum of students composed of all socioeconomic levels
including special needs students.”
Limb’s interest and experience in working with bilingual
educators serving children in California made her an
exceptionally qualified candidate for the award. Formerly,
Limb was a committee member in the development of the
Korean Language Arts Standards published by the Asian Pacific
and Other Languages and Dual Language Office of the Los
Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). These important
standards guide instruction in all Korean dual language
classrooms within LAUSD and have also been referenced by
other school districts throughout California and the nation.
Currently, Limb sits on the curriculum development committee
where she is developing the curriculum based on the Korean
Language Arts Standards. Her work with bilingual educators in
C ali f o r nia ha s als o b e e n p r e s e n t e d at t h e D ual
Language Institute and the Korean Language Arts Professional
Development Workshop. In addition, Limb enjoys teaching
third grade Korean dual language at Third Street Elementary
School in LAUSD.
Though Limb’s plate seems full, she is not content to stop there.
Her next steps include pursuing a doctoral degree, as well as
an administrative credential. Limb explains, “With these
degrees, I hope to make a difference in the education world. I
take great joy in interacting with other bilingual educators and
sharing the best practices by thinking of ways to promote our
expanding program that is benefiting countless numbers of
bilingual students in the state and nation.” n
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 13

ELA Alumna Encourages Early Communication
with Children through Sign Language
“A baby uses
language very early
on – when it cries,
for example. Speech
only develops at 16
months, but a baby
can say so much
before then. Why
wait two years to
have a conversation
with your child?”
14 GSEP Colleague Winter 2008

Et el Leit was pregnant with her first child when she conceived the idea for SignShine.
Leit, who had always been interested in languages, wanted to teach her daughter
Hebrew, Leit’s native language. However, because Leit’s husband didn’t speak Hebrew
himself, she felt she needed to come up with an alternative form of communication
that the three of them could share. That is when she discovered sign language.
While traditionally used for the hearing-impaired, Leit learned that sign language is
also useful for babies that have the cognition to communicate and the muscular ability
to use body language, but not necessarily the vocal ability to form words. “A baby uses
language very early on—when it cries, for example. Speech only develops at 16
months, but a baby can say so much before then. Why wait two years to have a
conversation with your child?” questions Leit. To emphasize her point, Leit describes
how her second child started asking for milk and grapes at just seven months using sign
language.
With this in mind, Leit founded SignShine, whose focus is to support the development
of healthy young minds through play, music, and communication. SignShine provides
families and professionals with the skills to connect with babies and children in
meaningful and interactive ways, using American Sign Language for language
acquisition, early literacy skills, and brain development. “Research shows that children
that start signing as babies have a 12-point higher IQ by the age of eight,” Leit offers.
But signing can be beneficial for older children as well, even up to the age of 10.
“Children that sign are better readers,” says Leit. “Because everything is very visual in
first and second grades, children in that age group in particular can benefit from the
visual cues that are a part of signing.”
Leit graduated from the Pepperdine University Graduate School of Education and
Psychology with a Master of Science in Administration and Preliminary Administrative
Services Credential, Educational Leadership Academy (ELA) in July 1999. She says that
participating in this program brought out the leader within her. She had always had an
entrepreneurial spirit, but the hands-on program gave Leit a step-by-step approach to
beginning a business, including writing a mission statement, establishing effective
relationships with coworkers, and remaining true to the original vision.
Sign
At the moment, Leit is focused on expansion. She is writing two books, a parenting
“It’s been almost 10 years and I still to back to the lessons I learned in ELA—how to
resolve conflict, the best way to time projects,” Leit says. “But it was the personal
relationships with the instructors that really taught me to trust myself and pursue
something about which I am so passionate.”
book (due in 2009), and a guide for using sign language with autistic children (Signing
for Love, also due in 2009). In addition, Leit just launched an international Web site
(www.babysignshine.com) to build on the current Web site (www.signshine.com). The
international site offers numerous resources for families, preschool and elementary
school educators, therapists, and psychologists from around the world that are looking
for classes or programs, pictures and videos, and the latest research in signing.
SignShine is even starting to educate other instructors to take the trademarked
SignShine method into their own communities.
baby
“SignShine is about helping families to communicate,” Leit explains. “I want people
worldwide to know about this beautiful parenting method because it goes beyond
teaching the signs themselves—it teaches how to use the signs on a daily basis to
establish routine, how to effectively promote language development, and how to
develop a positive relationship between parent and child.” n
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 15

16 GSEP Colleague Winter 2008
Lens

Br et t Schneid er has always been
passionate about video production,
writing, editing, and documentary
filmmaking. However, more often than
not, those passions were often relegated
to spare moments of watching and
applauding other people’s work. That
changed over these last few years, as
Schneider started working on video
projects with the 11th and 12th grade
students at the Institute for Collaborative
Education, a small public school in New
York City where he teaches technology.
The goal was to teach the students how
to utilize the proper techniques in each
of these artistic fields. Still, with only four
video cameras available to the school,
Schneider was not immediately able to
turn his vision into a reality.
That’s when Schneider saw that Best Buy
had put out a grant through which 50
schools in the country could receive
$10,000 worth of equipment from Best
Buy stores. A light bulb went off. Schneider
applied for the grant, and was
selected as a recipient for what he coined
his “Rock the Docs” Documentary Curriculum.
Schneider describes “Rock the
Docs” as “an expanded curricular set of
units that introduce students to the processes
of documentary filmmaking.
These units are tag-teamed with academic
subject matter and students
engage in firsthand documentary filmmaking
to communicate the subject they
are examining.” This involves the students’
identifying
issues, researching
their topics,
writing original copy,
producing segments,
directing the filming, and
digitally editing the videos in their
school’s technology lab.
“T he
GSEP experience
expanded my focus,
enabling me to see a path to
both maximize my own potential
and unleash that potential in
others,” said Schneider. “My time in
OMET inspired me to create a
constructionist classroom with the
students. However, bringing my
The program is unique because, as
Schneider explains, “The curriculum
provides accessibility and curricular
differentiation to students who aren’t
always successful in classroom activities.
The intense physical, tactile, and kinetic
aspects of the filming and editing have
connected with some students with
intense attention deficits and emotional
problems. For classes as a whole, it
provides a meaningful way to use the
world as classroom and practice inquirybased
learning.”
Schneider, currently a student in the
Pepperdine University Graduate School
of Education and Psychology’s (GSEP)
Educational Technology doctoral
program, graduated from the Online
Master of Arts in Educational Technology
program (OMET) in 1999. “The GSEP
experience expanded my focus,
enabling me to see a path to both
maximize my own potential and
unleash that potential in others,” said
Schneider. “My time in OMET inspired
me to create a constructionist classroom
with the students. However, bringing
creative arts interests more
fully into the classroom
remained a scary
venture.
my creative arts
interests more
f u l l y i n t o t h e
classroom remained
a scary venture.”
Schneider goes on to say that
the doctoral program was particularly
helpful for moving beyond these fears:
“Several of the professors urged us to
look for ways of combining our passions
and developing new educational
ventures. I discovered that it was possible
to help both myself and others with
actualization through these technological
and creative efforts. GSEP helped inspire
a vision toward meaningful professional
service that is dually transformative for
both the giver and recipient.”
With the grant, Schneider was able to
purchase more than 20 cameras and
additional equipment that are used by
classes and student clubs. Of the future
of “Rock the Docs” Schneider says,
“Currently my focus is to develop the
curricular and extracurricular aspects of
the program and make it more fullyfledged
at the school site where I teach
and serve as assistant principal.
However, my hope in time is to expand
the program and make it available to
help other educators and youth who
would like to document the world
around them and create change.” n
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 17

GSEP perspectives
A ca de my f o r R e co r di n g A r t s g ives
Students an Education in Technology and Life
By Dr. Jennifer Murphy, graduate of the Doctor of Education in Educational Technology program (2005) and Master of Arts in Teaching as a Profession program (1998)
This last summer proved to be a challenging one for the Academy for Recording Arts
(ARA). In July we found out that we were effectively shut down, but the students,
parents, community members, and staff were not going down without a fight. After
eight weeks of looking for answers, the school found a new home with the Hawthorne
School District on September 5, just 10 days from the first day of school. As the
executive director of the school I could not have been more proud of the work that was
done in such a short amount of time to save our school.
ARA is a charter school residing in a warehouse in the Hawthorne School District, with
approximately 150 students who attend in order to experience a unique education,
emphasizing media arts as a medium to learn. This includes lessons in graphic arts on
Mac computers, video curriculum, and recording in a state-of-the-art recording
studio. Our curriculum incorporates a number of technological tools like My Access!, a
computer program that gives immediate feedback to student writing, and Kaplan
computer programs to help students learn to take tests required for college
admissions. Students also master the use of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, iMovie, and
GarageBand, and have the opportunity to learn Final Cut Pro, Logic, and ProTools.
Many of these students come from backgrounds that I never dreamed existed except
for my work here, and they are my heroes as they walk into school rising above their
personal struggles. Some have been pushed out of traditional schools, been abused
by the people who were supposed to take care of them, or joined gangs so they have a
bit of control in their lives, but all have chosen to attend school here, and so we are a
family. Our nontraditional structure coupled with a student-to-staff ratio of 15:1
allows us to meet our students’ needs both educationally and emotionally. Our use of
media to allow students to really tell their story with the tools with which they are
familiar gives us insight into how to best reach individual students.
Technology can be an incredible educational tool, particularly for this generation of
teens who grow up with a familiarity with technology even if they don’t have the
resources at home. With a 1:1 student-to-computer ratio, ARA allows students to
utilize technology as a springboard for education and an outlet for the difficult
experiences our students face everyday.
Our goal is to become part of our community—every year we hope to reach out to
people, and neighborhood businesses and institutions, offering even more services.
This may involve later moving to a new space which can be expanded into a
community center, developing a parent booster club, and fostering relationships with
local elementary and junior high schools. We are excited about the prospect of
developing an environment that is a safe place for our students and an instrument of
positive change where we live.
18 GSEP Colleague Winter 2008

GSEP perspectives
Do ct o r a l S t u de n t E x pl o r e s
Cultural Competency in Research Visit to Nepal
By Jeffrey Lee, candidate in the Doctor of Education in Educational Technology program
In The World Is Flat, author Thomas Friedman describes
how modern technology is flattening the world that
Christopher Columbus discovered was round. As jobs are
outsourced and local job markets become global, it is
increasingly important for educators in the 21st century
to help students navigate their way through the highly
political world.
That is why I am interested in cultural competence, the
development of skills by individuals and systems to live
and work with, educate, and serve diverse individuals and
communities. It is the willingness and ability of a system
to value the importance of culture in the delivery of
services to all segments of the population. In the summer
of 2008, my colleague Heather Guay (California State
University, Fullerton) and I embarked on a research
expedition to assess the various ways teachers and
students develop cultural competency in schools in Nepal.
Hidden from the rest of the world, Nepal is a landlocked
country enclosed within the rugged Himalayas. Literacy
rates are significantly lower in rural areas; those who live
in remote mountain villages are often a day’s walk from
health and education services. Formal schooling in Nepal
is constrained by economic and cultural factors such as a
bias against educating girls and a need for children to
work at home or in the fields. The culture is rich and very
different from our Western world.
With the support of a generous fellowship from the
Fund for Teachers, Heather and I traveled for three
weeks, visited seven schools, and discovered a wide
variety of examples of developing cultural competency
that are documented on the project Web site. Our
investigation studied how Nepalese teachers embrace
both modern and Western influences, while upholding
the rich cultural traditions of Nepal.
This unique project and experiential journey has the
potential to break the bonds of traditional learning,
while increasing each project member’s cultural
competency. As members interact with each other,
relationships will form and opportunities will emerge
that will engage each of the members to be better
teachers and learners. The project’s findings will be
shared with the Arthur F. Corey Elementary School
community in Buena Park, California, where Heather
teaches fifth grade and I teach third grade, and where
our colleagues and students prepared letters for the
Nepalese children throughout 2007-2008. I hope to
extend this project by taking several other teachers from
Corey Elementary to Nepal in the near future.
To see photographs and learn more about my research
expedition to Nepal, visit http://projectnepal.net.
E du cat io n a l T e ch n o l o g y G r a du at e
Studies State of Education in Afghanistan
By Dr. Mirwais Azizi, graduate of the Doctor of Education in Educational Technology program (June 2008)
I was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, in
1973. During the ear l y 1970 s,
Afghans were hopeful about the
future. The economy was thriving,
there was a burgeoning tourist
trade, people were working, and
food was plentiful. Sadly, all that
c h a n g e d i n 1 9 7 8 , w i t h t h e
communis t revolution and the
Soviet invasion of 1979.
By the end of 1979, we lef t our
beautiful home and possessions in
Kabul for Los Angeles, with the hopeful anticipation of one day coming back. The
Soviets left Afghanistan in 1989, and the civil war started between various factions in
order to gain control of the country. In 1996, the Taliban came to power. Because of
the Taliban’s ruthless style of governance and its support of terrorist group al-Qaida,
the United Nations placed Afghanistan under an embargo, which caused the Afghan
society to collapse. By the end of 2001, a coalition of military units from the
international community invaded Afghanistan, and the Taliban were ousted from
power. In May 2003, I returned to Kabul for the first time in 25 years, only to find that
after decades of civil unrest, Afghanistan was left with several generations that were
uneducated, in poverty, and mentally and emotionally ill.
I believe that education is the cornerstone of any society that wants to end corruption
and see its people prosper. For these reasons, I was inclined to return to Kabul, to
examine the circumstances surrounding the state of education in Afghanistan today.
After much preparation and planning, I made the trip in March of this year, along with
my chair, Dr. Elizabeth Reilly. While there, we witnessed the extreme conditions of
poverty, illiteracy, diverse language, and customs as well as extreme ethnic loyalties
that have hindered the future prosperity for education in Afghanistan.
The purpose of my qualitative study was to better understand the role Afghan leaders of
higher education take in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century. My research
explored and examined the roles, beliefs, and leadership styles of these people. I had the
privilege of meeting various government ministers and university deans and chancellors,
as well as several parliamentarians. I found that key challenges included leaders with
limited experience in higher education and a lack of motivation, insufficient organization
and resources, ethnic biases, and a lack of security. Yet, with effective leadership and
hard work, the country can rebuild. I hope that with enthusiasm, effort, and reform, it
will be possible to implement the changes to create an effective higher education system
in Afghanistan.
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 19

GSEP Class notes
’08 Gretchen Janson is assistant principal of Zela Davis
Elementary School in the Hawthorne Unified School District.
Rebecca Puebla (Robertson) is interim assistant principal, Los
Angeles County Office of Education in the juvenile courts at
female institutional settings.
Benjamin Roberson is dean of students at Pacifica Christian
High School in Santa Monica, California.
John Zimmerman was elected to the board of directors
and as chair of the audit committee for Integrated Silicon
Solution, Inc., a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: ISSI) with
significant operations in China, Taiwan, and India. He has also
been selected as a participant in the Association to Advance
Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), Bridge to Business
Program at the University of Florida, a program for postdoctoral
work in business education. He currently teaches at the
University of Southern Nevada in their newly launched MBA
program.
’07 Sabina Chopra was married to Binu Vaidyan on
August 24, 2007.
Robert Martellacci, president and publisher of MindShare
Learning—Strategic Learning & Technology Solutions,
publishes the online magazine The MindShare Learning Report.
In June 2008, the MindShare Learning team was honored with a
nomination for the Mississauga Technology Awards in the “Best
in Technologies” small business category for the innovative use
of technology in launching the national e-newsletter.
’06 Rene Hernandez-Cardenache is assistant professor
of clinical psychiatry and neuropsychiatry at the University of
Miami Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He
is the clinical coordinator of the Clinical Psychology Service
at the UHealth Psychiatry at Coconut Grove Clinic and the
Neuropsychology Assessment Clinic at the mental health
hospital.
Jose Lopez is currently a therapist (marriage and family
therapist intern) for Starview Community Services in Long
Beach, California, working as part of their Full-Service
Partnership program, an intensive mental health service
program that works with children and their families. Jose noted
that he was the only bilingual (Spanish) therapist on his team
and there is great need for Spanish-speaking therapists.
’05 Juliet Ballard has recently published her
dissertation titled Factors Affecting Retention of First-Year
Science and Engineering Students at the University of Michigan. It
is available through Amazon.com. Ballard is with the University
of Michigan Health System Cardiovascular Center (CVC), where
she serves as CVC marketing and communications specialist.
Tod A. Burnett was appointed in September 2008 as the ninth
president of Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California.
Angela (Balsiger) Kahn is now a fully licensed marriage and
family therapist working in private practice in Los Angeles,
California. She specializes in treating adults and teens with
self-injurious behaviors. She gives presentations to schools,
counseling centers, PTAs, and organizations to help educate the
public about this psychological issue.
George Douglas Warriner sadly passed away recently. He was a
member of Cadre 8. He is survived by his wife, Pam.
’04 Don Barthelmess gave the 29th annual Faculty
Lecture at Santa Barbara City College. He discussed the diving
technologies that emerged in Santa Barbara during the 1960s.
The lecture is considered the highest honor for a Santa Barbara
City College faculty member and is based on a scholarly subject
of general interest.
Brian J. Brady has been named general manager of the Imperial
Irrigation District
Sarah Stuchell (’01, MA ’04) opened her own counseling practice
with locations in Malibu and Newport Beach, California. She is
finishing her Ph.D. at Loma Linda University.
Jennifer Trubenbach was featured in People magazine for her
humanitarian efforts. The seven-page article, included in the
September 12, 2008, edition, highlights Trubenbach’s work
with Operation of Hope, of which she is executive director.
Operation of Hope has performed more than 2,000 free facial
reconstructive surgeries for kids in need in Ecuador and Africa.
’03 Stefanie Bernritter, a personal life and business
coach, has published her first book and was recently
interviewed about it by Artist Interviews magazine. She is
giving 20 percent of proceeds to Save the Children (a nonprofit
organization that helps children in the U.S. and around the
world). Although the book is titled She, it is a collection of
verse for both sexes. She offers an insightful look into the
complexities of women as well as the discussion of human
emotion.
Terri Warren Dobrofsky married Richard Scott Dobrofsky on May
28, 2006.
Leola L. Oliver is assistant principal of Global Education
Academy, a Los Angeles Unified School District Charter School.
Nova Reed opened a second office location for Step Stones for
Life in Fashion Island, Newport Beach. Step Stones for Life is
a life-coaching business dedicated to helping you live with
vitality, achieve your highest potential, and create satisfying,
healthy, and loving relationships. Nova continues to serve
clients at her office in Coto de Caza in Orange County.
’01 Amy Levy launched Amy Levy Public Relations
as a full-service communications and public relations practice
to help organizations grow through strategic and creative
methods.
’98 John Gillham, Ed.D. Organizational Leadership
candidate (’09), is the Los Angeles County Office of Education
(LACOE) coordinator in beginning teacher programs. He goes to
LACOE after 10 years in the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School
District.
Cynthia Mauzerall and her husband Brad welcomed their
second child Ellie Marie in November 2006. Cynthia is currently
a counselor at the College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho, and also
works at the Lee Pesky Learning Center one day a week as a
counselor for persons who learn differently.
Dale J. Mitchell is superintendent of Fallbrook Union High
School District.
’97 Edward Fiszer released an updated version of
his third book Daily Positives: Inspiring Greatness in the Next
Generation. He and his wife Asela also welcomed Alexander
Peter Fiszer into the world on July 29, 2007.
Mauri-Lynne Heller contributes regularly to the OC Register.
In the June 12 issue honoring Father’s Day, the newspaper
published a touching story submitted by Heller. She is a
licensed marriage and family therapist and doctoral candidate
at Newport Psychoanalytic Institute, where she is also a
member of the Writing and Research Task Force. Her Web site is
at www.mlheller.net.
’95 Byron Mello has been named Maryknoll School
boys’ basketball program coordinator and varsity head coach
in April.
20 GSEP Colleague Winter 2008

GSEP Class notes
’93 Michael McCambridge was granted tenure
at California Lutheran University as associate professor of
education.
’92 Tom Johnstone is superintendent of Wiseburn
School District serving students in Hawthorne and
unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.
Lori Strother became licensed as a psychologist in March 2007.
She also gave birth to a beautiful baby boy the same month.
’91 Ned Doffoney, was selected as chancellor of the
North Orange County Community College District beginning
July 1. Doffoney was honored as a Distinguished Alumnus.
Stan Mantooth, is superintendent of Ventura County Schools.
’89 Marilyn Simpson (MA ’89, PsyD ’95) was awarded
the California Psychological Association’s (CPA) Silver Psi
Award. The Silver Psi is given to “psychologists who have made
a significant and sustained contribution to the association”.
Simpson has been active in the San Gabriel Valley chapter of
CPA for many years. On a personal note, Simpson was married
to Bill Wright in June and has relocated to the Bay Area.
’88 Leanne Neilson (’85, MA ’88, PsyD ’92), associate
provost for graduate/adult programs and accreditation at
California Lutheran University, became interim provost on
April 1.
Dennis Palumbo recently published a new book of short stories
called From Crime to Crime. Most of the stories are narrated by a
California therapist, which would make this an interesting read
for GSEP alumni. Palumbo is a former screenwriter (My Favorite
Year; Welcome Back, Kotter, etc.), now a licensed marriage and
family therapist specializing in counseling creative people. His
last book was Writing from the Inside Out (John Wiley), and he
also writes for numerous magazines and newspapers, including
the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, and The Lancet. He
also provides commentary for NPR’s All Things Considered.
’85 Charles Helmers who sadly passed away, was the
focus of an article published in The Signal-Santa Clarita Valley,
on May 8. The article titled “For Helmers, a Short Tenure,
Lasting Legacy” focused on his enduring contributions and
impression as an educator. Helmers earned a doctorate degree
in education from GSEP.
’84 Marilyn Korostoff was honored as the recipient
of the 2008 Distinguished Faculty Award at California State
University, Long Beach, given for sustained excellence in
teaching.
’80 Gary Bowers retired after 35 years teaching history
and U.S. military history in 2007. He spent the last 27 years at
Los Alamitos High School where he was recognized seven times
in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. His career was inspired
by Pepperdine professor Diana Hiatt-Michael.
’79 Phillip L. Alvarado has been selected by the Board
of Education of the Santa Maria-Bonita School District to as
Superintendent-Elect to take the helm of the 19 school district
in January 2009. He has served as the assistant superintendent
of instructional services since 1998 and has worked with the
district since 1979. He is a native of Santa Maria, California, and
attended schools in the district.
’76 Richard Newton published his first children’s
book titled One Bat- Two Bats in 2007. The publisher was Tate
Publishing.
’75 Shirley Renee Roozen (’53, MA ’75) sadly passed
away in October 2007. She taught math and science for the
Palos Verdes Unified School district for 28 years. She is survived
by her husband of 37 years, Keith Roozen, four children, and 11
grandchildren.
F a cul t y an d S tu dent s
Faculty member, Susan Hall, assistant professor of psychology,
and GSEP alumna ’08, Meghan Owenz, gave a presentation
titled “I Didn’t Go to Graduate School for Research! Assessing
and Bridging the Research-Practice Gap,” at the American
Counseling Association Conference in Honolulu, Hawaii in
March.
Reyna Garcia-Ramos, associate professor of education,
and GSEP student Khoa Ngo (’10) presented their paper,
“Constructing New Futures: After-School for Parents, Students,
and Teachers,” at the 14th Annual International Roundtable on
School, Family, and Community Partnerships in March in New
York City, New York.
Thema Bryant-Davis, assistant professor of psychology, and
graduate students Shaquita Tillman (MA ’07), Heewon Chung
(’15), and Sheila Shervey (MA ’08) presented at the annual
Association of Women in Psychology Conference in San Diego,
California, in March.
Former faculty member Terence R. Cannings is retiring as dean
of California Lutheran University. Cannings served as associate
dean of education at GSEP for nine years.
Kongit Farrell (’10), current master’s candidate in clinical
psychology, debuted an original stage presentation providing
a framework of postmodern narratives not given a voice in
contemporary media. The play was staged at Two Roads Theatre
in Studio City, California.
Daniel Ibarrondo (’11) was named the director of corporate,
foundation and government relations at Southeastern
University. Ibarrondo is completing his dissertation for a Psy.D.
Current Psy.D. student, Rogelio Serrano (’14), LMFT, started a
private practice business in Orange, California. He specializes
in psychological services for men of all ages and offers therapy
for children and families as well in English or Spanish.
Grant John Hagiya, current student in organizational leadership,
has been named bishop of the N.W. Methodist Churches.
Megan Stang (’12), current doctoral student in organizational
leadership was awarded the Leadership Award for her service to
the Division of Student Affairs at Cal Poly Pomona.
Kanika White, doctoral student in education administration,
leadership and policy, is principal of Abraham Lincoln
Elementary School is Compton Unified School District.
Don St. Clair, doctoral candidate in organizational leadership,
was chosen as the chairman of the Valley Economic
Development Center (VEDC) Board of Directors. VEDC is the
largest nonprofit business development corporation in the
region. He has served on the board for three years. He is vice
president of marketing for Woodbury University.
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 21

Donor Roll
GSEP Thanks Alumna Merilyn B.
O’Neal for Establishing $100,000
Student Scholarship
GSEP received a $100,000 gift from alumna
Merilyn O’Neal to establish a merit-based
scholarship for graduate students in educational
administration. O’Neal received an M.S. in School
Business Administration in 1981 and went on to
have a distinguished career as comptroller in the
Riverside County School District. As the recipient
of a scholarship herself, O’Neal is giving backing
to Pepperdine to provide financial assistance to
outstanding students who want to serve school
districts as administrative leaders.
In Memoriam
Adjunct faculty member, Kristy Finzer, sadly passed
away on September 27 after being involved in a car
accident. Finzer was a licensed marriage and family
therapist and Program Manager for Exodus Recovery
MACT Program. She was also a National Alliance for
the Mentally Ill Family to Family facilitator and an
activist in breaking the stigma of mental illness.
In addition, Finzer was active in other nonprofit
agencies, serving on the board of directors of Step Up
on Second in Santa Monica and the Gay and Lesbian
Elder Housing and on the leadership council of the
American Society on Aging. Finzer had taught in the
Psychology Division since 1992. She was dedicated to
the welfare of her students and her contributions to
GSEP were many.
Adjunct faculty member in the education division,
Raleigh Philp, recently passed away, sadly. Throughout
his career as an educator, Philp taught at every level
of public and private school from grade through
graduate school. He spent a year in medical research,
was a Fulbright scholar in Morocco, a consultant
for the California State Department of Education’s
health-related programs, and received the California
Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching.
Philp devoted his academic efforts to studying brain
research and was captivated by the application of
neuroscience to learning. He was committed to
helping educators better understand adolescent brain
development and motivating teachers to use braincompatible
learning styles. He conducted learning
workshops on the subject nationwide.
School Key
PP School of Public Policy
EP Graduate School of Education and Psychology
SE Seaver
SL School of Law
PC George Pepperdine College
SM Graziadio School of Business and Management
UV Pepperdine University (1972-1982)
LIFE ASSOCIATES
Mrs. Gail M. Deering 1990 EP
Dr. Nancy M. Durham
Ms. Susan K. Giboney 1962 PC
Dr. Vichai Krisdathanont
Mrs. Anita M. Landis 1972 PC
Dr. Clara M. Lincoln 1990 EP
Mr. Michael T. Okabayashi
Dr. Doreen S. Oleson 1991 EP 1986 EP
Dr. Robert C. Paull
Dr. Susan F. Rice 1986 EP
Dr. Margaret J. Weber
EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY ASSOCIATES
Dr. Fereshteh Amin 2006 EP
Dr. Hasty Arnold 1961 PC 1985 EP
Dr. Robin Bailey-Chen 2007 EP
Dr. Robert M. Canady
Dr. Charles A. Clifford
Mrs. Kathy A. Danhakl 2002 EP
Mrs. Jacquelin D. Dedona 1949 PC
Dr. Robert A. DeMayo
Ms. Mathilda Fenner 1977 EP
Mrs. Jeannie M. Flint 1976 EP
Mrs. Dorothea F. Gales 1942 PC
Ms. Marian W. Guirguis 2005 SM
Dr. Jesse W. Hall 1975 EP
Mrs. Harriett A. Henely 1976 EP
Mrs. Tracy L. Jackson
Dr. Camy S. Kingston 2001 EP
Ms. Catherine L. Kort 1996 EP
Ms. Claudette T. LaCour
Dr. Douglas Leigh
Dr. Dennis W. Lowe 1977 UV 1975 SE
Mrs. Patricia E. Lucas 1976 EP
Dr. Farzin Madjidi 1991 EP 1988 SM
Mr. Daniel Start 1978 EP
Dr. Chester H. McCall
Dr. John F. McManus 1982 SM
Mr. Harry R. Nelson 1950 PC
Mrs. Faye Pinkett 1976 UV
Dr. Sylvia G. Rousseau 1999 EP
Dr. June H. Schmieder-Ramirez
The Honorable Jack A. Scott 1991 EP
Dr. Edward P. Shafranske
Dr. Marilyn J. Simpson 1995 EP 1989 EP
Dr. Karen S. Snyder 2000 EP
Mrs. Allie E. Tegner 1947 PC 1968 PC
Mrs. Doris M. Tomlin 1952 PC
Mrs. Patsie L. Trowbridge 1952 PC 1955 PC
Dr. William J. Watkins 1962 PC 1987 EP
Mr. Jeremy N. White 1994 EP
Dr. Duncan S. Wigg
Danhakl Family Foundation
GOLD COLLEAGUES
Mr. John L. Baker
Mr. Neville M. Brown 1996 EP 1990 SE
Ms. Elaine Feuermann-Baker 1994 EP
Ms. Cheryl L. Juniel 1989 EP 1989 EP
SILVER COLLEAGUES
Ms. Yolanda Aguerrebere 1983 EP
Dr. Samson J. Alfi 2002 EP
Mr. Robert K. Barnes 1952 PC
Mr. Darrell F. Bever 1955 PC
Dr. Gitu Bhatia 2000 EP
Dr. Michael L. Botsford
Mr. Floyd T. Buchanan
Mr. Henry L. Burns 1975 EP
Mrs. Pamela J. Cain 1999 EP 1997 EP
Dr. Russell F. Carr 1997 EP
Mrs. C. M. Channel 1975 EP
Ms. Linda N. Edmond 1988 EP 1988 EP
Ms. Norma J. Flakes 1977 EP
Mr. John D. Foster 1949 PC
Mr. Brian H. Hall 2000 SM
Ms. Carol A. Harrison 1985 EP
Mrs. Linda Y. Henderson 2002 EP
Mr. James J. Ingersoll 1987 EP
Ms. Judy L. Ingoldsby 1982 EP
Dr. Karen Kallay 1989 EP
Mr. Donald W. Kobabe
Ms. Laura A. LaFerr 1999 EP 2000 EP
Mrs. Ingrid N. Lake 2002 EP 2002 EP
Ms. Nancy M. Lippert 2001 EP
Ms. Martha H. Margulis 1999 EP 1999 EP
Mr. Dwight D. McBride 2005 EP
Mr. Jeffrey W. McCollam 1999 EP
Dr. Wanda L. McTyeire 2004 EP 1977 EP 1977 EP
Mr. Marden E. Mull 1986 EP
Ms. Karen A. Ormsby 1975 EP
Dr. La Vera Otoyo 1984 EP
Mrs. Diane E. Pardue 1982 EP
Mr. Monroe R. Perry 1973 EP
Dr. George A. Reams 1992 EP
22 GSEP Colleague Winter 2008

Donor Roll
Mrs. Cheryl Saunders 2004 EP 2004 EP 1984 EP
Mrs. Marilynn M. Shirreffs 1949 PC
Dr. Evangelina C. Stockwell 1991 EP
Ms. Mara L. Taylor 2006 EP 2003 EP
Mr. Duraiyah Thangathurai 2006 EP
Mr. Dan M. Thompson
Dr. Linda M. Thor 1986 EP 1971 PC
Mrs. Nanette E. Vaughan 1990 EP
Mrs. Jacque Lyne C. Wallace 1954 PC
Dr. Robert F. Wemheuer 1975 EP 1979 EP
Dr. Katherine Wolf 1982 EP
Ms. Veronica A. Zofchak 1987 EP 1984 EP 1987 EP
COLLEAGUES
Mr. Mitchel N. Townsend 2007 EP
Dr. Karyn E. Trader-Leigh 2000 EP
Mr. Jonathan D. Trost 1988 EP
Ms. Cindy H. Tseng 2007 EP
Mr. Padraic M. Tune 1999 EP
Dr. Beulah Underwood 1976 EP
Dr. Marlene W. Valter 1996 EP 1991 EP
Miss Elayne Y. Vanasse 1980 EP
Dr. Lynn W. Velazquez 1998 EP 1993 EP 1990 SM
Ms. Linda B. Venable 1994 EP
Mrs. Diana L. Villafana 1979 EP
Dr. Bobbi Villalobos 2000 EP
Mr. James E. Vils 2000 EP
Dr. Lauren E. Walters 2006 EP 2000 EP 1999 EP 1990 EP
Lt. Col. William L. Waters 1977 EP
Ms. Susan B. Weidig 1998 EP
Dr. David L. Whitney 1978 UV 1983 EP
Dr. Linda Wicks 1993 EP
Mr. Anthony L. Williams 2002 EP 2002 EP
Ms. Jacqueline Williams 1991 EP
Ms. Gwendolyn L. Wilson 1977 EP
Ms. Virginia C. Winkler 2007 EP
Ms. Shirley A. Woo 1957 PC
Ms. Winnie E. Wortham 1976 EP
Ms. Sheryl M. Yamada 1991 EP
Mrs. Alicia M. Yarak 1996 EP
Ms. Lakisha A. Young 2001 EP
Mrs. Donna J. Zappa-Wheeler 1982 EP
Ms. Cherilyn Ziemer 2007 EP
BOONE CENTER FOR THE FAMILY
Mr. John L. Baker
Mrs. Lee Beauregard
Pat and Shirley Boone
Mrs. Sheila K. Bost
California Community Foundation
Cardinal Health Foundation
Mrs. Carol A. Crisp
Mrs. Michelle R. Fozounmayeh 1996 SE
Mr. James M. Gamblin
Mrs. Susan K. Giboney 1962 PC
Mr. Dillard R. Harwell
Mrs. Sara Y. Jackson 1974 SE
Mrs. Rowena G. Killion
Mrs. Holly Kinyon
Mrs. Jean Klein
Dr. Dennis W. Lowe 1977 UV 1975 SE
Mr. Stephen W. McBeth
Moriah Foundation, Inc.
Northrop Grumman Foundation
Mrs. Mary Alice Reed
Mrs. Jennifer A. Ricker 1976 SE
Mr. David A. Roesler
Mr. Michael Y. Warder
Dr. Margaret J. Weber
WellPoint Foundation
FRIENDS OF THE FAMILY LEAGUE
Air Canada
Alameda Family Funeral & Cremation Inc.
Alberoni Sewing Machine, Inc.
Mrs. Gloria B. Alesso
Dr. Milka Ambrus
American Girl
Arbonne International
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co.
Ms. Patricia M. Atkisson 1995 SE
Mrs. Nena Baer
Ms. Pamela Baker
Mrs. Mary Ann Bang
Mr. Thomas J. Barrack 2005 SM
Dr. Maryan K. Baskin
Mrs. Marilyn E. Baumeister
Mrs. Sandra L. Beauchamp-Treliving
Dr. William W. Beazley 1981 SM
Mrs. Stephanie Beazley
Bedhead Pajamas
Mrs. Linda L. Beisswanger
Mrs. Jennifer L. Bennett 2000 EP
Mr. George L. Benzon
Mr. James H. Berry
Mr. A. R. Berryman 1962 PC 1967 PC
Ms. Vanessa Block
Mrs. Marsha A. Bohnett
Ms. Stephanie Bollenbacher
Mrs. Rosemary H. Booth
Mrs. Ann Borden
Mrs. Juanita O. Borderud
Mrs. Ana Bost
Mrs. Sheila K. Bost
Bradford Renaissance Portraits
Branches Communications Inc.
Ms. Rachel Brand
Brentwood General Store
Mr. Dale A. Brown 1964 PC
Ambassador Keith L. Brown
Mrs. Arletta N. Buchman
Mrs. Stephanie C. Buckley
Mrs. Laura Burdge
Mrs. Noelle C. Burkey
Mrs. Cynthia J. Burleson
Ms. Pearl O. Burns
Mr. Andrew Busch
Mrs. Natalie F. Bush
Mr. Joseph M. Cadwallader
Mrs. Naida Cadwallader
Caffe D’Amore
Calabasas Magazine
California Specialized Equipment Systems, Inc.
Mrs. Christine B. Campbell 1988 EP
Mr. Greg Campbell
Mrs. Denise Capri
Ms. Nancy M. Carnahan
Catering by Field
Mrs. Jeannette M. Chandler
Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom
Chevron Matching Gift Program
Chez Mimi Restaurant
Children’s Book World
Mrs. Valerie Cigler
Citigroup, Inc.
Classic Kids Photography
ClearPlay, Inc.
Close Encounters Paintball U.S.A.
Mrs. Bonnie S. Coleman
Mr. Rogg Collins
Mrs. Kathleen Colombano
Ms. Angela W. Colson
Coogie’s Beach Cafe
Corniche Travel Group
County of Los Angeles
Mr. Jerry S. Cox 2000 SE
Mrs. Kay Cox
Ms. Ruth E. Crooker
Mrs. Anne Marie M. Crotty 1998 SE
Ms. Yolanda R. Cunning 2003 SM
Mrs. Julie Curtiss
Mrs. Sally Davenport
Mr. Hal David
Mrs. Teran Davis
De La Croce Jewelry
Ms. Sonia M. De Lano-Regier 1994 SE
Dean Kiser Designs
Mrs. Jacquelin D. Dedona 1949 PC
Mrs. Anita Del Grande
Mrs. Niki DeLano
Ms. Nanci Denney-Bergin
Ms. Salameh R. Dibaei
Mrs. Onnalee O. Doheny
Mrs. Joyce S. Dostart
Mr. Louis W. Drobnick 1991 SM
Duke’s Malibu
Dr. Kenneth R. Durham
Mrs. Kimberley Eastman
Mrs. Trudy Edwards
Mr. Chip Eggers
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 23

Donor Roll
eHarmony.com
Mrs. Eva Elkins
Mr. Sydney Engel
Ernst & Young Foundation
Executours Travel Service
Ms. Sherry L. Falkner
Mrs. Mary Jane Filice
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Mrs. Susanna C. Forest
Ms. Kirsten L. Fox
Foxfield Riding School
Mr. Steve Fraasa
Mrs. Victoria Fraasa
Mrs. Virginia A. Freeman
Fresh Dining
Friends of Sheriff Lee Baca
Mrs. Leslie A. Frost 1997 SM
Mrs. Debbie Furtado
Mrs. Linda M. Gage
Mrs. Sharon Garapedian
Mr. Richard Garber
Mrs. Joline M. Gash 1992 SE
Gateway Advisors, Inc.
Mrs. Sharon A. Gee
Ambassador Bruce S. Gelb
George and Reva Graziadio Foundation
Gerald Oppenheimer Family Foundation
Mrs. Susan K. Giboney 1962 PC
Mr. Terry M. Giles 1974 SL
Mrs. Betty F. Glass 1976 UV
Go Kart World
Golf Italia Couture, LLC
Mr. Andy Granatelle
Ms. Maria Greenberg
Mrs. Elizabeth Guasti
Ms. Marian W. Guirguis 2005 SM
Mrs. Tamara H. Gustavson
Guy Matthew Salon and Day Spa, Inc.
Mrs. Anita B. Hall
Mrs. Joyce Hameetman
Mrs. Mary Jo Hardman
Mrs. Hildegard Harris
Harry Frank Scolinos, Attorney at Law
Mr. Dillard R. Harwell
Dr. Jack W. Hayford
Mr. Michael H. Henley
Mrs. Trellys M. Henley
Mrs. Michelle Hiepler 1989 SL
Mrs. Karen D. Hill
Mr. S. Keith Hinkle 1997 SL
Ambassador Glen A. Holden 1988 EP
Mrs. Geannie Holden-Sheller
Hollywood Chamber of Commerce
Mrs. Janet B. Holstrom
Mr. Robert W. Holstrom
Home Creations
Huemme Family Foundation, Inc.
Mrs. Wendy Hughes
IBM Corporation
J. Paul Getty Museum
Mrs. Sara Y. Jackson 1974 SE
Mrs. Jane D. Jackson
Mr. Robert G. Jackson
Johanna Spinks Master Portraits
Mrs. Katherine Julias
Mr. Asad Jumabhoy
Mrs. Judi Jurkowski
Dr. Marta B. Kalbermatter Tooma
Mrs. Paulette Kardashian
Mr. John D. Katch 1960 PC
Mrs. Linda D. Katch 1961 PC
Mrs. Loretta M. Katch 1985 SE
Ms. Jennifer Kell
Mr. Edward T. Kelly
Mrs. Michelle Kent
Kidsbizz
Mrs. Rowena G. Killion
Mr. Bruce M. Klumph
Mrs. Debra A. Klumph
Mrs. Barbara M. Knight
Kodak Theatre
Ambassador Lester B. Korn
Ms. Catherine L. Kort 1996 EP
Ms. Claudette T. LaCour
Mr. Charles R. Lande
Mr. Franklin K. Lane
Mrs. Beverly Lau
Laura M. Jewelry
Mrs. Margaret J. Leake
Learn About Wine
Dr. Bernice L. Ledbetter 2005 EP
Ms. Donna Lewis
Mrs. Rosemary Licata
LifeWay
Mr. Art Linkletter 1978 SE
Mrs. Lois Linkletter
Lola Cosmetics
London Sole
Mrs. Deborah Long
Mrs. Betty Lowe
Colonel Michael E. Lowe
Mr. Max Lucado
Lucky Strike Lanes
Mrs. Charlene D. Machen
Mrs. Paquita L. Machris
Mr. Gavin MacLeod
Mr. Michael Makri
Margie & Robert E. Petersen Foundation
Marix Tex Mex Restaurants, Inc.
Mr. Rafael A. Martinez De Sanzo
Mrs. Jana M. McBeth
Ms. Charlene D. McCaskey
Mrs. Jennifer McIntyre
Mrs. Alyson McKenzie
Ms. Wendy L. Meuser
Michael Stars, Inc.
Dr. Charlene U. Miller
Mrs. Lynda M. Miller
Mimi’s Cafe
Mr. Alejandro Miralles
Mrs. Marnie D. Mitze
Mr. Christopher D. Montan
Moonlite
Mrs. Tina H. Mosbey
Ms. Dolores Movius
Dr. William M. Narva
Mrs. Gloria S. Nelund
Mr. Patrick M. Nesbitt
Mrs. Lani A. Netter 1975 EP
Ms. Carolyn P. Nicks 1989 EP
Northrop Grumman Foundation
Mr. Frank J. Novarro
Mr. Hugh O’Brian
Ogden’s Cleaners
Mrs. Kimberly Okabayashi
Mr. Michael T. Okabayashi
OlivA Trattoria
Ms. Julie R. Oliver
Mrs. Annette E. Oltmans
Once Upon a Family
Optical Shop of Aspen
Ms. Susan Overman
Pacific Park
Mr. Geoffrey H. Palmer 1975 SL
Mr. Christopher W. Parkening
Mrs. Theresa Parkening
Mrs. Corleen R. Parmelee 2001 SL 1998 SL
Mrs. Hannah R. Parmelee 2002 SE
Mrs. Elise M. Pasetta
Pat Boone Enterprises, Inc.
Pat Boone Foundation, Inc.
Mrs. Joyce J. Penner
Mrs. Marla Pennington-Rowan
Mrs. Lucy L. Perrin
Mrs. Beth L. Perry-Helfert 1997 SE
Pierre Skin Care Institute
Mrs. Nancy F. Pippin
Ms. Mari Pleto
Ms. Cat J. Pollon
Mrs. Jutta Portzel
Mrs. Claudia B. Preston
Mrs. Theresa Quimby
Mrs. Mary Alice Reed
Ms. Beatrice L. Restifo
Dr. Susan F. Rice 1986 EP
Mrs. Jennifer A. Ricker 1976 SE
Ms. Deborah Rockefeller
Rockwell and Marna Schnabel Foundation
Rodale Publishing
24 GSEP Colleague Winter 2008

Donor Roll
Mrs. Denice E. Roesler
Rowley Portraiture
Mrs. Clarisa C. Ru 1991 SE
Mrs. Garianne C. Rubenstein 1979 SE 1983 SE
Mr. Jay H. Rubenstein 1977 SE
Mrs. Amy Jo Runnels 2000 SE
Mr. Duke Runnels 1979 SE
Mrs. Ginger Runnels 1975 SE
Dr. Charles B. Runnels
Mrs. Deborah Russell
Mrs. Deborah L. Ruth
Saddle Peak Lodge
Mrs. Sandra J. Schmidt 2012 SM
Mrs. Elvira Schneider
Mrs. Connie Scolinos
Scolinos, Sheldon & Nevell
Dr. Emily Scott-Lowe 1976 SE
Mrs. Margaret A. Sheppard
Mrs. Sylvia Sherwood
Mrs. Anne Shipley
Mrs. D’Nisa H. Simmons 1995 SM
Dr. Marilyn J. Simpson 1995 EP 1989 EP
Mrs. Marilyn D. Simpson
Mrs. Jennifer G. Sittel
Mrs. Beatrice M. Sizemore
Mrs. Coco Skouras
Mrs. Connie Slade
Ms. Constance Slade
Mrs. Sandra Soares
Mr. Lindsey P. Spaethe
Spaethe Advisors, Inc.
Ms. Johanna Spinks
Dr. Rosa M. Spivey
Mrs. Janet M. Squire
Ms. Rosemarie Stack
Mr. Greg Stanislawski
Star-Maker Products
Mrs. Alice M. Starr
Mrs. Sharon L. Steele 1990 SE
Mr. Guy T. Steuart
Mr. Stephen M. Stewart
Mrs. Nancy C. Stone
Mr. Nicholas H. Stonnington
Mrs. Dorothy B. Straus
Mrs. Pamela L. Stringer
The Honorable Robert D. Stuart
Sunset Ranch Hollywood Stables, Inc.
Susan Jane
Mrs. Jennifer Tash
The Armand Hammer Foundation
The Beverly Hills Hotel
The Bush Family Revocable Trust
The Cobb Family Foundation, Inc.
The Justin Dart Family Foundation
The Malibu Colony Co.
The Pet Headquarters
The Schneider Family Trust, CGA
The Warehouse Restaurant
Mrs. Anne Tippens
Mrs. Lois E. Titus
Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
Tra di Noi Ristorante
Mrs. Robin Trento
Mrs. Glenna K. Trimble
Mr. Thomas J. Trimble
Mrs. Sheryl D. Turner
Tuscany Il Ristorante
United Way, Inc.
Ms. Joanne Vandergeest
Viva Mart, Inc.
Mr. Roger Wacker
Ms. Cameo Wallace 1987 SE
Ms. Charity N. Wallace 1997 SE
Mrs. Carol A. Wallace
Mr. Robert M. Wallace
Ms. Adriana Walton
Mrs. Cheryl L. Warder
Mr. Michael Y. Warder
Mrs. Ann S. Warford 1993 EP 1966 PC
Mr. Daniel A. Weber
Dr. Margaret J. Weber
Mrs. Susan D. Wehba
Mrs. Allyson F. Weinberg
Mrs. Ellen L. Weitman
Wells Fargo Foundation
Mrs. Karen L. Whitney
Mrs. Gail M. Wilburn 2005 EP
Mrs. Carla D. Williams
Mrs. Mary B. Williams
Mrs. Deborah Wolstenholme
Wood-Claeyssens Foundation
Worth Collection
Mr. Lacy A. Wright
Ms. Shifra Wylder
Dr. Jere E. Yates
Mr. Brayton W. Yerkes
Mrs. Patricia L. Yomantas
Mrs. Helen M. Young 1999 SE 1939 PC
M. NORVEL AND HELEN YOUNG CENTER
Dr. W. D. Baird
Mr. John L. Baker
Dr. William S. Banowsky 1994 EP 1979 SE
Mrs. Susan K. Giboney 1962 PC
Mr. Hari N. Harilela 1988 SM
Dr. Diana B. Hiatt-Michael
Mr. Adam S. Kaplan 1997 EP
Mrs. Janice A. Pinkowski
Mr. Charles J. Pippin 1983 SM
Mrs. Claudia B. Preston
Mr. Jay H. Rubenstein 1977 SE
Dr. James R. Wilburn 1982 SM
Mrs. Patricia L. Yomantas
ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Ms. Bettye J. Webb 1974 EP
Dr. Jack D. Weber 1991 EP
Dr. Margaret J. Weber
Ms. Doris I. Weinert 1991 EP
Ms. Ilene S. Weingarten 2005 EP
Mr. Charles F. Weiss 1989 EP
Ms. Rachael K. Welborn 2006 EP
Ms. Betty J. Wells 1977 EP
Wells Fargo Foundation
Ms. Caitlin A. Welsh 1999 EP
Dr. Steven J. Wentland 2006 EP
Mrs. Nora O. Wheeler 1996 EP
Ms. Elaine C. White 1991 EP
Dr. David L. Whitney 1978 UV 1983 EP
Ms. Nancy Whitson 1994 EP
Mr. John R. Wigert 1982 EP
Mr. Talmadge L. Wiggins 1977 EP
Lt. Col. Joseph W. Wilimek 1978 EP
Ms. Kellie J. Wilks 2004 EP
Dr. Ann W. Wilks-Penrod 1975 EP 1979 SM 1984 EP
Ms. Cheryl L. Williams 1991 EP
Ms. Barbara J. Williams 1975 EP
Mr. Bobby Williams 1975 EP
Mrs. Sophia G. Williams 1975 EP
Dr. Edna D. Wilson 1987 EP 1965 PC
Ms. Carina M. Wilson 2007 EP
Mr. Todd R. Wilson 2003 EP
Ms. Kevan R. Wisniewski 1996 EP
Ms. L. J. Witte 2006 EP 1992 EP
Ms. Ashley R. Wolowitz 2006 EP
Ms. Sophia P. Wong 2001 EP
Ms. Athol W. Wong 1999 EP
Ms. Brigette Wong 1998 EP
Mr. Chad K. Wood 1997 EP 1996 EP
Mrs. Nicolee A. Woodring 1975 EP
Ms. Winnie E. Wortham 1976 EP
Mr. Garry L. Wright 1981 EP
Ms. Olivia L. Yahya 2006 EP
Ms. Sheryl M. Yamada 1991 EP
Ms. Joan S. Yen 2006 EP
Mrs. Annette J. Yensen 2003 EP
Dr. Ziegfred Young 1983 EP 1988 EP
Mr. Christopher J. Young 2005 EP
Mrs. Linda J. Young 2001 EP
Dr. Josef G. Zacher 1991 EP
Ms. Catherine V. Zanzinger 1999 EP
Mr. Daniel J. Zavala 1976 EP
Ms. Veronica A. Zofchak 1987 EP 1984 EP
GSEP Colleague Winter 2008 25

•
•
“I attribute so much of my personal
2008 Education and professional growth to the
Distinguished Alumnus people Award and Recipient programs • at GSEP.
Through the Colleagues, I have
Lydia Ledesma-Reese, Ed.D.
the opportunity to give something
back to the Pepperdine community.”
Lydia Ledesma-Reese, Ed.D., received the Distinguished
Alumna Award at the Pepperdine University Graduate
School of Education and Psychology commencement
on June 21, 2008. Ledesma-Reese has held the presidency
of two community colleges, Oxnard College in Oxnard,
California, and Skagit Valley College in Mount Vernon,
Washington. She was the ἀrst Latina president in higher
education in Washington State.
Prior to her appointment at Skagit Valley, Ledesma-Reese
served as acting president of Hartnell College in Salinas,
California, where she served previously as vice president
and assistant superintendent. She held other academic and
administrative appointments at De Anza College, Cerritos
Community College, and the University of California,
Irvine.
Known nationally for her outstanding leadership, Ledesma-
Reese was recognized by President Ronald Reagan in 1987
for her community leadership, and in 2006 was the recipient
of the National Community College Hispanic Council’s
Outstanding Community College Leader Award. She also
received the Courage Leadership Award from the Ventura
County chapter of the League of Latin Citizens.
In addition to her distinguished career in education, Ledesma-
Reese is notable for her many community leadership roles.
She currently serves on the editorial board of Hispanic
Outlook magazine and the boards of the United Way of
Ventura County and the Central Coast Southern Region of
the Girl Scouts. She has served on the boards of the American
Association of Community Colleges and of the National
Community College Hispanic Council, of which she was
president from 1997 to 1999.
Ledesma-Reese attended Cerritos, Cypress, and Saddleback
Community Colleges, earning her associate of arts degree
in liberal studies in 1976. She received her bachelor’s degree
in speech communication from California State University,
Fullerton in 1978, and completed her master’s degree in
intercultural/international communications in 1980. She
received her doctor of education in institutional management
from Pepperdine University in 1987 and has completed
postdoctoral studies at Harvard University.

In Education and Psychology careers,
professional relationships are integral
to growth and success. Recognizing
this, Pepperdine’s Graduate School of
Education and Psychology (GSEP) named
its alumni organization Colleagues.
The relationships that you formed as a student
don’t have to end after graduation. Through GSEP
Colleagues receptions, lectures and enrichment
offerings, we advance the spirit of collegiality
between alumni, faculty, and current students.
Colleagues fosters meaningful connections with
opportunities to mentor current students or recent
graduates and to volunteer their expertise with some
of the GSEP’s community partners.
Your annual membership in Colleagues helps GSEP
with our most important initiatives:
• Graduate student fellowships and scholarships
• Recruitment opportunities to attract top students
and faculty
• State-of-the-art facilities, technology, and
research library
Please join as a member of Colleagues by sending
your gift in the envelope included in this magazine.
Or, you may join online at our secure Web site:
http://gsep.pepperdine.edu/alumni/giving/
If you have questions regarding Colleagues, please
contact Claudette LaCour at (310) 568-5649 or
via e-mail at claudette.lacour@pepperdine.edu or
gsepalum@pepperdine.edu.
“The Colleagues are a vital part of the GSEP community. They provide
scholarships and other forms of academic support for current students
and networking opportunities to assist alumni in career advancement.
Our alumni are critical part to Pepperdine’s success and we look forward
to continually advancing the influence and reputation of Pepperdine in
our local community.”
— Dr. Ed Shafranske, Professor, Psychology
Visit us online at:
http://gsep.pepperdine.edu/alumni/colleagues/

Why Pepperdine?
N e e d w e s ay m o r e?
Wh y did you choose Pepper dine?
Friendly people and faces? The personal sense of commitment and community?
Whatever your reason for attending Pepperdine, your Alumni Association is here to help continue the legacy by bringing
Pepperdine home to you.
We are bridging the gap nationally and globally bringing you memorable events, cost-saving benefits, convenient online
services, and dependable and enthusiastic support you can count on. Whether you are across the country or around the
corner, we want to get to know you.
If you haven’t already taken advantage of the perks offered to you as a member of the Alumni Association, contact us and
we’ll show you how easy it is.
Who says the fun stops when you graduate? This is just the beginning!
Alumni Association
We are closer than you think.
To learn more about our events, benefits, and services, and to get involved contact us:
800.767.2586, ext. 2 • 310.506.6190 • alumni@pepperdine.edu
www.pepperdine.edu/alumni/

Do We Have Your Information?
Complete this form online at http://gsep.pepperdine.edu/alumni/update/.
WHAT’S NE W WITH YOU ?
Have you been published, recognized, married, or had a baby?
Have you moved to a new address or simply lost touch with us?
Please fill in your new information below and return via regular mail or visit
http://gsep.pepperdine.edu/alumni/update/ to complete your update online.
What's New?______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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Home address: ______________________________________________________________________________________________
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City: ___________________________ State: ______ Zip: ____________ Country: _______________________________________
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Save the postage and fill this form out online at:
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To return this form, simply fold it so that the “Business Reply Mail” panel faces outward,
seal with tape, and drop in any mailbox. No postage is necessary. Thank you for updating your record!
Please feel free to contact us at 310.568.5664 or gsepalum@pepperdine.edu.

GSEP Colleague
Winter 2008
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IN THE
UNITED STATES
BUSINESS REPLY MAIL
FIRST-CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 84 MALIBU, CA
POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE
OFFICE OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND PSYCHOLOGY
6100 CENTER DRIVE
LOS ANGELES, CA 90045-1590
FOLD HERE AND TAPE–DO NOT STAPLE
FOLD HERE AND TAPE–DO NOT STAPLE
To update your information online, please visit
http://gsep.pepperdine.edu/alumni/update/

Prosperity
& Posterity
Re ce i v e i n co m e f o r l i f e w h i l e
s t re n gt h e n in g s t ud e n t l
purpo s e , s erv ice , an d le
iv e s f o r
ad ers h ip
A Charitable Gift Annuity with Pepperdine
University pays you a fixed stream of income
while providing an immediate charitable
income tax deduction.
Available immediately, in exchange for transferring stock,
cash, or real estate to Pepperdine University, Pepperdine will
pay you an income stream for as long as you live. Your income
is based on your age at the time of the gift, with the highest
rate at 11.8%! You will also receive a charitable income tax
deduction that can be used to offset taxable income, resulting
in an even higher after-tax effective rate.
Best of all, your gift will help strengthen students for lives of
purpose, service, and leadership.
The mutual benefits of Charitable Gift Annuities are available
now. Please call the Center for Estate and Gift Planning at
310.506.4893 for a confidential personalized proposal.
CD and interest rates have dropped, but
our rates are still high. To increase your
income consider the Pepperdine University
Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA).
Payout Rates:
SINGLE
MARRIED
Age Rate Age Rate
65 6.5% 65/65 6.1%
70 7.0% 70/70 6.4%
75 7.6% 75/75 6.8%
80 8.5% 80/80 7.4%
85 10.0% 85/85 8.4%
90 11.8% 90/90 9.8%
95 11.8% 95/95 11.6%
For example: If you are 80 and transfer
$100,000 for a CGA, Pepperdine will pay you
$8,500/year for the rest of your life.

Give to a place
where giving makes a diff eren ce...
…in the lives of our
students and their
f amilies . The Pepperdine
Fund supports student
scholarships and the activities
and programs that enrich the
campus experience.
…in the lives and
imagina tions of our
f acul ty . The Pepperdine
Fund supports research projects
and innovations.
…in the life of a
vibrant university .
The Pepperdine Fund directly
supports the visionary
initiatives set forth by our
president and deans.
Every gift makes a difference.
…in the future .
The Pepperdine Fund helps
recruit world-class faculty,
maintains our beautiful
campuses, and provides
leading-edge technology.
The Pepperdine Fund
immediate, purposeful, and personal
800.767.2586, ext. 9
annual.giving@pepperdine.edu
www.pepperdine.edu/giving/
Pepperdine University
Graduate School of Education and Psychology
6100 Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90045-1590
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Pepperdine University
FPO