04 Fall2.indd - CSUSB Magazine - California State University, San ...

S T U D E N TS C A P E SOdds and Evensby Carol DixonFor four Cal State SanBernardino students, the oftenbumpy road hasn’t kept themfrom overcoming some toughodds. Now their education ishelping to even those odds stillmore.Connie Jones was born withcongenital cataracts. Theseare not the kind that can beremoved. They severely impairher vision. She doesn’t drive,but she can do just abouteverything else given theassistive technology providedby Cal State San Bernardino.Through the use of Zoom-Text Jones can see wellenough to read and write easily.When she arrived at CSUSB,she started out as a transitionspecialist, a graduate internshipposition under the WorkabilityIV program. Workability IVpartners with the Departmentof Rehabilitation to developjob skills and to locate workfor individuals with disabilities.The service is available up untiltwo years after graduation.Currently, Jones has moved upfrom her internship role to apart-time staff position as agrant writer for the Servicesto Students with DisabilitiesOffice. Jones is pursuing hermaster’s degree in rehabilitationcounseling and is finishingher coursework in time forgraduation this December.Jones plans to continue withher grant writing to supportherself as she moves to hernext challenge — a Ph.D. inhigher education.Wesley Farris is a Cal StateSan Bernardino alumnus whograduated in June 2003 with abachelor’s degree in psychology.He is also a 40-year-oldquadriplegic who explains that22 years ago he was in anaccident in which it was “a carversus a tree.” Farris choseto attend CSUSB because ofits close location to his homeand he has fond memoriesof his instructors. GeraldineStahly, one of his psychologyprofessors, had submitteda paper written by Farrisand four other colleagues, tothe American PsychologicalAssociation conference. Thework was accepted and Farriswas invited to present thepaper on July 28 in Honolulu,Hawaii. This is one of the largestconferences given by theAPA. The topic of the paperwas, “Family Violence ImpactsChild Custody — a Study ofCourt Records.” The hypothesisof the paper was that morefathers are seeking custodynow. In 1994 the oppositewas true and mothers wereprimarily seeking custody. Inspeaking about CSUSB, hesays, “My experience at CalState was a very rough andConnie JonesRosa Padillapleasant one.” The rough partwas dealing with the disabilityand the need for accommodation,but the pleasant part wasworking with all of the instructors.Rosa Padilla was injuredin 1996 after 20 years on thejob as a vice president with alocal bank. She was diagnosedwith myosascitis cericalgia. Thisinjury caused her to lose theuse of the right side of herbody. Through workers compensation,Rosa started on theroad to recovery through retraining.She became Microsoftand Cisco certified and waseventually elevated to therole of director of training forthe Vocational RehabilitationTraining Facility. After budgetcuts sparked by the Sept. 11,2001, terrorist attacks forcedher to downsize the staff,eventually her own positionwas eliminated. She had alwaysrisen to the top by relyingupon her own skills. But afterher physical setback Padilladecided she should return toschool for a bachelor’s degree.At 43, she agreed to join her21-year-old daughter Michelleat Cal State San Bernardino.She has found a welcomingcampus that can accommodateher special needs. In the classroomshe has had occasionto use tape-recorded lecturesand she is often provided witha scribe. Sometimes Michelleherself has filled that role, andhas received volunteer creditsfor her efforts. Mother anddaughter are both majoring inbusiness. Says Padilla, “It’s scarywhen you come back (to college)as an adult. But the SSDstaff has been wonderful intheir accommodations.”Colleen Murphy hasreceived the Dale M.CONTINUED ON PAGE 32STUDENT UNION MAKEOVER: THE SHOW — You might thinkthat the Santos Manuel Student Union just couldn’t miss outon the extreme makeover rage sweeping the planet, but it’sreally just progress. The union is getting, O.K., a facelift that bySeptember 2005 will add more dining space, more space for theCross Cultural Center, more restaurant choices, a 200-seat theatreand a grand lobby and lounge area. … Ummm, stay tuned.Fall/Winter 200423CSUSB