News and Views Summer 2007. - Slippery Rock University

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SRU Counseling
Department Cited
as Best in PA
Slippery Rock University’s
Counseling & Development Department
was presented the “Outstanding
Counselor Education Program” award
from the Pennsylvania Counseling
Association, an advocacy organization,
at its 38th annual conference. The
association picked one university for
the top award from among 25 counselor–educator
programs in the state.
“
The association picked
one university for the
top award from among
25 counselor–educator
programs in the state.
”
The award cited the graduate-level
College of Education department as
a whole and its emphasis on preparing
students for several counseling
fields. This is the second time SRU’s
department received the award. The
first one was in 2002, said Donald
Strano, associate professor counseling
and development, at SRU.
With 150 students enrolled, the
department offers masters degrees in
community counseling, school counseling,
and student affairs in
higher education.
International Alumni Newsletter
Office of International Services
Volume 13 Issue 1 Summer 2007
Editor: Heather Costello, Graduate Assistant
Catching Up with Seeme Baqai Moreira,
Pakistan, ‘85
Seeme Baqai Moreira, originally from
Pakistan, reports that her decision to come to
Slippery Rock University was not a difficult one,
although her adjustment had a few challenging
points. Seeme’s uncle, Dr. Mohammad Akhtar,
was a professor at SRU and instrumental in
her admission process. Seeme explains, “Unlike
most freshmen who start in September, and
go through an orientation program to get used
to the place, make friends, etc., I arrived at
Slippery Rock in the dead of winter and had
to acclimatize myself the hard way. Despite the
freezing temperatures and the piles of snow,
none of which I was accustomed to coming from
a country with a hot climate, I was very taken
in by the warmth of the people. Within a short time, I was totally at home on the
campus and my new environment.” Seeme’s strong English language ability (her first
language is Urdu) and her willingness to communicate to others when she needed help
assisted in her transition to a new campus and culture.
Originally Seeme had come to SRU with plans of becoming an architect; however
her career goals changed after meeting an inspirational professor named Ursula Albers.
Seeme recalls, “Unlike the majority of the students in my accounting class, who
couldn’t get away fast enough from the subject, I thoroughly enjoyed the class… I
look back with so much fondness and respect for Mrs. Albers who was influential in
my career choice, and as a result my life at SRU and afterwards.”
Seeme also spent much time engaging in co-curricular activities. She was
active in the Internation’s Club, and in 1984 enjoyed serving as the Master of
Ceremonies at the annual International Dinner. Seeme was also very active in the
student affiliation of the National Association of Accountants, including her year
of presidency. Other activities Seeme participated in include Delta Mu Delta, the
National Honor Society in Business Administration, and the Slippery Rock Ski Club.
In addition, Seeme worked as a volunteer Income Tax Auditor for senior citizens and
other qualifying individuals. Lastly, she worked in the library, bookstore, and the
Dean’s Office in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Seeme’s academic achievements were recognized through several honors. These
include: achieving Dean’s List all seven semesters she attended SRU; receiving the
Maree McKay Alumni Academic Scholarship; being nominated for the Stuart
(Continued on page 2)

Seeme Baqai Moreira Feature (Continued from page 1)
Cameron McLeod Society
Scholarship by the Butler Chapter
of the National Association of
Accountants; and joining the
scholastic honor society Alpha Psi
Chapter of Delta Mu Delta.
Seeme remembers the abundance
of opportunities at SRU she could
take advantage of with her group of
friends, who included international
and U.S. students. “I was totally
captivated by the amount of
opportunities there were on campus
in a multitude of areas --- there
were always a number of talks,
speakers, music concerts, dances, art
exhibitions, sporting events, sight
seeing trips and excursions going on
all the time. It was so thrilling for me
to have access to all these activities,
that I have memories of not wanting
to miss ANYTHING. I was quite
often running from event-to-event in
an attempt to experience everything.
Coming from Pakistan, where such
opportunities are very limited, I was
truly appreciative of this exposure.”
Seeme has several memories that
stand out. One of her fondest memories
involves a road trip during Spring
Break to Florida’s Disney World with
fellow SRU students and friends. It
was quite the college experience! Another
memorable moment in Seeme’s
life was when she was selected to
be student graduation speaker. Her
mother and sister came from Pakistan
to watch her participate in two honors,
graduating and speaking at commencement.
This was such a positive
way for Seeme to close her chapter at
Slippery Rock University as a 1985
Summa Cum Laude graduate.
After graduating from SRU,
Seeme pursued her MBA at Bowling
Green State University where she
served as a Research Assistant in 1986
and as a Teaching Assistant in 1986-
87. In May 1987 she completed her
MBA and returned to Pakistan to
work for the World Bank with the
Resident Mission’s Economic Unit.
After working there for a year, she
married her husband Mario Moreira
(SRU class of ’84) who she originally
met at Slippery Rock University.
Their wedding in November of
1988 was a very traditional Pakistani
ceremony in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Next Seeme and Mario moved to
Boston, Massachusetts. Seeme worked
for Boston Gas Company for five
years, starting in the Accounting
Department but after six months
was promoted to head the Financial
Accounting Department. Later
she moved to the Conservation
Department to be in charge of a
ground-breaking econometrics
research study that was designed to
measure the effectiveness of various
conservation improvements.
After the birth of her first daughter,
Aliya, Seeme pursued a career
in real estate, allowing her flexible
hours and more time with her family.
Seeme enjoys working with people
and is able to capitalize on her strong
financial background and marketing
skills to be successful. She has been
a consistent award winner, including
being awarded membership in the
Sterling Society for recognition of her
sales performance in 2006.
Spare time is often spent
traveling, enjoying international
cuisines, or watching Hollywood
or International films. Seeme and
her family have, of course, made a
number of trips to her home country
of Pakistan. In addition, they have
explored parts of England, Ireland,
Netherlands, Belgium, Spain,
Morocco, Portugal, France, Canada,
Saudi Arabia and India. Their
intentions are to see many more
places once the girls are a little older.
It is evident that the Moreira’s love
to travel!
Seeme volunteers at the schools
that both daughters, Aliya (age 11) and
Iman (age 7), attend. She also enjoys
helping with their Girl Scout and
Sunday School activities.
Seeme’s volunteering is not limited
to her role as a mother. She is on the
Business Advisory Board of Kahani, a
quarterly magazine for elementary age
children of South Asian origin growing
up in North America. During the past
five years, Seeme and two close friends
have been organizing large (200-250
people) social events for Pakistani
Women in the Boston metro area. In
addition to the pure entertainment
value, each event usually has a theme
and a cause. For example, two years
ago an event was held to raise money
for the victims of the earthquake in
Pakistan.
Seeme’s aspirations for the
future incorporate the foundation
in accounting she started at SRU.
Although she opted for a career in
Real Estate after becoming a mother,
she plans to return to her career
in accounting when the girls are
older. Seeme is especially interested
in pursuing a career in the area of
Energy Conservation where she can
utilize her financial skills, energy
conservation experience, and her
passion for environmental causes. As
Seeme makes plans for her future, she
and Mario continue to assist other
students through the two scholarships
(one in Accounting and one in
Communications) that they set up four
years ago for qualified SRU students.
Thank you Seeme for sharing
your SRU and life experiences with
us, as well as for your generosity in
establishing scholarships for a new
generation of SRU students.

Water Filter Conference for Project Designed
to Help Developing Nations Solve
Drinking Water Shortage
A three-day Water Filter Conference in November showcased the research of
Slippery Rock University art students. They developed a low-input ceramic kiln and
flame induction burner system, which was used in firing Potters for Peace ceramic
water filters for people in developing countries. The conference educated staff,
students, faculty and the public about the system. It also publicized the viability of
the ceramic water filter while demonstrating the leadership role SRU has assumed in
this project.
The conference, headed by Richard Wukich, professor of art and a recognized
ceramicist, included various researchers, experts, and interested patrons from the
regional community and nation that presented their latest accomplishments. The
event showcased research pertaining to the making and marketing of the colloidal
silver enhanced ceramic water filters being used to remove water impurities, making
the water suitable for human consumption.
Participants demonstrated the capabilities of the filter technology in providing
low cost, ecologically sound methods of water treatment in developing nations, to
potential financial supporters. The conference also updated the progress of the ongoing
efforts of Potters for Peace, Rotary International, Pure Water for All, Shoulder
to Shoulder - Pittsburgh, and the SRU Potter’s Guild to plan and build a model filter
production facility in El Progresso, Honduras.
Saving With PC Monitor Energy Settings
Slippery Rock University expects to save more than $27,000 annually in electricity
costs by activating sleep mode settings on 2,000 faculty, staff, and computer lab monitors.
The University’s Energy Conservation Committee, formed by President Robert Smith,
approved the plan as its first energy conservation measure.
“Conservation and use of alternative sources of energy are a part of our mission,”
Smith said. “We have all lived through a steady stream of energy price increases, severeweather,
energy shortages and debate on energy-supply technologies. Installing shutdown
mechanisms on computers is an easy and painless way to conserve.” The Energy Star
settings, usable on Windows-based PCs, shut the monitor down after one hour of no use
“
The primary savings
will occur overnight.
”
according to John Press, systems specialist for information technology, at SRU. Sleep mode
does not disable the system.
Press said the power management plan reduces monitors’ electric consumption 67
percent. The Energy Star settings are expected to lower the University’s estimated annual
electric usage for computer monitors from $41,792 to $13,831, Press said. The primary
savings will occur overnight, Press said, noting studies have shown that only 35 percent
of computer users turn their monitors off for weeknights and weekends. He also expects
multi-shift environments where workers or students share computers to benefit.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s “Energy Star Million Monitor Drive”
award was presented to Slippery Rock University in March 2007 for saving energy with the
sleep mode settings.
Growing Exercise
Science Program
Receives Accreditation
Slippery Rock University’s
Exercise Science Program is one of six
schools in the nation to receive the
maximum five-year accreditation from
the Commission on Accreditation of
Allied Health Education Programs, the
largest programmatic accreditor in the
health-sciences field. It is the program’s
first-ever accreditation from CAAHEP.
The CAAHEP accreditation
through 2011 means the program
meets the highest national standards of
quality and serves the public interest
by assuring a well-qualified workforce,
said SRU’s Dr. Patricia Pierce, professor
of exercise and rehabilitative sciences
and department chair. The SRU
Exercise Science Program’s curriculum,
faculty, laboratory facilities and
advisory committee consisting of
professionals in the health, wellness
and fitness occupations were examined
in order to receive the maximum
accreditation. The most recent
accreditation adds even more prestige:
SRU’s Exercise Science Program was
the first in the nation to be accredited
by American Society of Exercise
Physiologists and is endorsed by the
American College of Sports Medicine
and the National Strength and
Conditioning Association.
“The exercise science major at
SRU is well-known for its excellent
curriculum and successful graduates,”
said Dr. Susan Hannam, dean of the
College of Health, Environment and
Science. Enrollment has tripled to 515
over a three-year period due, in part, to
the emphasis of health and wellness
to society.

Harvard Group
Includes SRU
Computer
Science Professor
David Dailey, associate professor
of computer science at Slippery
Rock University, was invited by
the Envisioning Science Project at
Harvard University to participate in a
software development initiative aimed
at improving visual communication.
Dailey and a few others will help in
the design of the next generation of
“image and meaning” software.
The software being planned will
help scientists, writers and visual
communicators share technical
information through images.
Ultimately, the goal is to make
scientific images more understandable
and usable by teachers and the public,
he said.
Dailey said his work in the
field prompted the invite from the
Harvard-based group. He and other
scientists and representatives of the
business community met at Harvard
in March of 2006 to launch the
brainstorming component of their
study. The group includes scientists
from Harvard, MIT and Duke.
“Some of the software I developed
for a book I am writing appears
to match up nicely with ideas that
these folks at Harvard have been
discussing,” he said. “There is a chance
what I’ve been developing may fit into
what they are contemplating as part
of the image and meaning project
recently convened at Apple Computer
in Cupertino, California.”
Dailey said he also hopes to develop
graphical tools to augment on-line
discussions in real time. “Rather than
bulletin boards or chat rooms, how
might we use some sort of graphical
metaphors to preserve connections between
ideas, including the time-based
element of those ideas?”
SRU Special Education Professor Offers
Expertise to Schools in Kosovo
When Slippery Rock University’s Dr. Joseph Merhaut, assistant professor of
special education, was contacted by the University of Pittsburgh to join its four-year
project in Kosovo, he was intrigued, but had little idea of the massive destruction,
disarray and sometimes unsafe conditions he would find in Kosovo’s school systems.
A conference, held at the University of Prishtina, allowed both Dr. Merhaut and
Lema Kabashi, a graduate student from Kosovo now studying at SRU, to address
an audience of undergraduate and graduate students, teachers and members of the
Ministry of Education in Kosovo on ways to help improve the system. Merhaut’s
presentation, “Special Education in America,” focused on current trends in special
education and offered an overview of special education law in America. Kabashi
presented her experience in America, including details from her initial visit and
her current experiences with the SRU’s graduate program as well as experiences in
American classrooms.
As part of the project, Merhaut traveled to Kosovo with the University of
Pittsburgh team in October. Kosovo is a country formally under Serbia, but now
administered by the United Nations while it works toward independence. “It was
seven, eye-opening days to say the least,” he explains. “School administrators, and
the people, want a great education system, and at one time they may have had it, but
with the political infighting, the bombing and disorder facing the system, they have
a long way to go.” Still, Merhaut, an expert in classroom inclusion for those with
special education needs, says he hopes to continue to proffer ideas and workable plans
to help the children succeed.
At SRU, Merhaut has been proactive in creating the Assistive Technologies
Laboratory used to teach SRU students studying in special education how to use,
and expand use of, equipment designed to motivate and energize those with special
education needs. The SRU laboratory, funded, in part, by a $100,000, four-year
grant from the Pittsburgh-based Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust, has seen steady
growth and utilization since opening. More than a dozen pieces of equipment help
SRU students learn how important sound, sight and touch stimulation is to those
who require special learning development. They also learn how they may one day use
similar equipment in their own classrooms.
“As part of the ‘Civic Education Project Conference’ in Kosovo, we met with
officials from the Kosovo education ministry and those from the University of
Prishtina, the only public university where the emphasis is on pedagogical training.
We were able to offer ideas on how improvements in their schools, and, in particular,
meet the needs of special education students, could be accomplished,” Merhaut
explains.
Merhaut says he had the chance to review the region’s recent history, including
firsthand views of what the so-called “ethnic cleansing” has meant to the local
population as well as the devastating effects and bombing results of the country’s civil
war. “We met with Agim Veliu, Kosovo’s minister of education, who was the target
of an assassination attempt before NATO came to the country’s aid, and we saw the
dedication of teachers. Merhaut estimates 20 to 30 percent of the slightly more than
2 million inhabitants – 50,000 school-age children, many of them orphans – require
some form of special education.
“Like America, some of its schools offer alternative or attached classes; others use
an integrated classroom plan to help assimilate those with special needs or learningdisabled
students as part of the regular classroom. We offered strategies on
(Continued on page 5)

Continued Growth in Enrollment and
Student Quality
Slippery Rock University continues its upward climb in student enrollment,
this year hitting the 8,230 mark, up 1.5 percent from over a year ago and showing
substantial growth in minority student enrollment. “We are extremely pleased to
have set, and met, our 1-to-2 percent enrollment growth goal,” said President Robert
Smith in announcing the 2006-07 enrollment figures. “The efforts turned in by those
on our entire campus, and especially the enrollment management team, are to be
commended. The fact that we are in our seventh straight year of growth, shows our
goals of continuing to increase the value of a Slippery Rock University diploma and
to offer our university as a premier residential campus are continuing to resound with
high school students and their parents.”
The university opened the first phase of its $110-million residence hall replacement
project this year, providing new, suite-style residence living to some 1,066
on-campus students. In addition, the university’s new $14.5-million Advanced
Technology and
“...One-third of our new students are in the
top 25 percent of their high school class...
Science Hall opened
providing modern
classroom and
laboratory space as
”
well as a 350-seat, high-tech auditorium. New programs in such areas as criminology
as well as additional accreditations for several academic programs have also drawn
new student – and parent – interest in SRU academics.
The entering freshman class was marked at 1,429 students and shows another
increase in SAT scores. The current year reports an average of 1004, compared to 945
in 2000. The average high school grade-point average of entering freshmen stands
at 3.24, compared to 2.99 in 2000. Nearly one-third of our new students are in the
top 25 percent of their high school class as compared to less than a quarter in 2000.
These numbers speak to the issue of continuing work in increasing the student profile
of entering students.
Specific numbers show undergraduate enrollment stands this year at 7,545, with
graduate enrollment at 685. Total enrollment last year was 8,105.
In other statistics, enrollment from the top five Pennsylvania counties, in order, show
Allegheny, Butler, Lawrence, Mercer and Beaver leading the list, with the states of
Ohio, New York, New Jersey and Maryland providing the most students from outside
Pennsylvania. There were 106 international students in Fall 2006, with 12 coming
from Japan, 10 from Sri Lanka, and eight from England. There are also five students
from China. SRU’s continued work in recruiting minority students also shows
rewards, with black student enrollment up 12.6 percent over a year ago to stand at
376, and Hispanic student enrollment up 8.2 percent to stand at 78.
SRU Goes Green
With Solar, Wind
Energy System
Slippery
Rock University
has activated a
solar and wind
turbine system to
generate electricity
for its Robert A.
Macoskey Center
for Sustainable
Systems Education
and Research.
Using energy
technology is a
smart way to reduce emissions of
air pollutants and greenhouse gases
associated with global warming.
Thomas Reynolds, Macoskey
Center director, said, “By identifying,
designing and implementing clean
energy policy and technology
solutions, we are delivering important
environmental and economic benefits.
The new system will also provide
additional opportunities for students
and the community at large to
observe clean energy technology and
study ways to move toward local
energy independence.”
The system follows research
by former graduate student Heath
Gamache, who studied the feasibility
of the project by erecting a 100-
foot meteorological tower on the
Macoskey property that measured
wind speed and direction for a year.
SRU received a $27,000 grant from
the Pennsylvania Energy Department
Development Authority for
the project.
Kosovo (Continued from 4)
co-teaching and individual instruction,
and we showed the benefits of assistive
technology laboratories like ours. We
set up plans for the next step, including
finding instructional grants to help
expand such programs and even to
bring those who are already teachers, or
those interested in becoming teachers, to
the U.S. for exposure to new pedagogies
and strategic thinking for use in the
classroom,” he says.
Merhaut says he expects to return to
the region as a way of further expanding
thinking about inclusionary classes for
special needs students, identification
and evaluation of those thought to be
exceptional students, and as a way of
gathering further information on the
progress of co-teaching classes and
other suggestions made to Kosovo
school officials.

Changes in Strategic Planning
A new era of strategic planning at Slippery Rock University kicked off December
7, 2006. The strategic planning team is comprised of individuals representing all
areas of the University including faculty, staff, students, alumni, the council of
trustees and the Slippery Rock Foundation, Inc. Robert Smith, SRU president and
chair of the committee, told the group that this planning process would be, “very
different from the traditional approach we’ve taken in the past toward strategic
planning in that it will build upon and embrace data and staff work already in place.”
“Because of our continuous planning process, we have a rich, comprehensive
set of data and several sophisticated planning documents that have already been
completed, or that are under way, that we will use as the underpinning for this
iteration of our strategic planning efforts,” Smith said. “It just doesn’t make any sense
to repeat the work that’s already been done. Rather the strategic planning committee’s
job will be to integrate and build upon these documents.”
“The foundation of our work will come from the state system’s strategic
planning document, the University’s current strategic plan, as well as its enrollment
management plan; dining services plan; facilities master plan; diversity plan;
information technology plan; and the Foundations of Excellence plan,” Smith said.
“Our goals remain the same. We want to raise the value of a Slippery Rock
University degree. We want to assert our presence as the premier public residential
University. And, we want to control our own financial future. Through strategic
planning, we hope to more effectively link resources to results,” Smith said.
Antarctica Expedition Provides a “Rock Solid”
Learning Experience
Michael Zieg, assistant professor of geography,
geology and the environment at Slippery Rock University
did a two-week research expedition in Antarctica with
eight other geologists selected for the National Science
Office of Polar Programs project. Zieg collected 150
rocks that he and SRU geology majors will analyze to
learn more about the separation of Antarctica
from Australia.
The igneous rocks, formed by cooling magma, are
part of a sequence of sills, or horizontal intrusions, Zieg
said. These sills were discovered as part of Capt. Robert F.
Scott’s famous Discovery Expedition from 1901 to 1904.
Zieg collected his samples in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, which, contrary to what one
would assume, “is an ice free area,” he said. “That is part of what makes this project
so important, that the rocks are exposed on the surface with no soil, poison ivy or
snakes.” Zieg and his students will be able determine how the sills formed and cooled
and learn more about the development of igneous intrusions.
SRU Chemistry Major
Places First At National
Research Symposium
For her biochemical research,
Slippery Rock University chemistry
major Amanda Henry placed first
in the biochemical science category
at the Ninth Annual Undergraduate
Research Symposium in the Chemical
and Biological Sciences. The
symposium was held in October at
the University of Maryland, Baltimore
County. There were 160 students from
across the U.S. that participated. The
symposium showcased undergraduate
research in chemistry, biology
and biochemistry.
Henry won for a poster
presentation on her yearlong research
into how viruses and cancer affect
human cells. She used a sodium
solution (sodium butyrate) to study
the activity of enzymes, searching
for a way to slow cancer cell growth.
“Hopefully, in the far future my
research will be able to be applied
to real cancer cells,” said Henry,
who hopes to earn a doctorate in
biochemistry.
“Scientific know-how helps us
make decisions about health standards,
health policy and regulations. We
“
Hopefully, in the far
future my research will
be able to be applied
to real cancer cells...
”
applaud Amanda’s research and are
pleased she received recognition from
the symposium,” said SRU’s Dr. Susan
Hannam, dean for the College of
Health, Environment and Science.
$600,000. Addition to Campus Home
Slippery Rock University and its alumni association broke ground at 9 a.m. on October 21, 2006, prior to the annual
homecoming parade, for a 2,600-square-foot, $600,000 addition to the Russell Wright Alumni House as a project designed to
provide additional meeting and conference space.
The original building, named for major SRU benefactor, the late Dr. Russell Wright, a member of the class of 1923, opened in
1998 and offers a large reception area, Memorabilia Room and small meeting room in addition to alumni association offices. The
new addition will turn the facility into a state-of-the-art conference center and expand much-needed meeting space on campus. It
will provide space for commemorating the university’s history and for on-campus classes for alumni.

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist
Peter Arnett Lecture
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Peter Arnett, best
known for his 1991 on-the-scene coverage for CNN of the
Persian Gulf War bombing and for his TV interview with
Osama bin Laden, visited Slippery Rock University to
deliver an address to the entire University community. The
veteran journalist, who received his Pulitzer in 1966 for
reporting work on the Vietnam War for The Associated
Press, also is known for being the first television reporter
granted a 60-minute interview of pre-submitted questions
with Bin Laden in 1997. The interview took place in
eastern Afghanistan.
While serving as a war correspondent, he stirred up
controversy by granting an interview with state-controlled Iraqi Television during
which he commented on the American war in Iraq, saying, “The first war plan has
failed because of Iraqi resistance. Now they are trying to write another war plan.
Clearly, the American war planners misjudged the determination of the Iraqi forces.”
He later apologized for granting the interview, but not for his comments.
Improved Dining
Slippery Rock University’s 36-year-old Boozel Dining Hall will receive a $6.7
million remodeling job scheduled to begin in the summer of 2008. The remodeling
will include a new entrance and reconfigured interior to accommodate 27 percent
more students, as well as new booth seating and a grab-and-go snack area.
The renovation is necessary to better accommodate students living in the new
suite-style residence halls nearby, according to Debra Pincek, assistant to the vice
president for student life. “With the housing shifting to that area of campus, we’re
already feeding more students than we have in the past few years,” Pincek said.
“There will be no walls restricting movement and no centralized service area creating
bottlenecks. We’re going for more of an uptown feel, with casual seating in the
entrance and booth seating.”
Students will eat at Weisenfluh Dining Hall or Rocky’s Grille during the Boozel
renovation, which is expected to last nine months, Pincek said. SRU plans to extend
hours at Weisenfluh to accommodate more students and is looking at other measures,
such as portable kitchens at the University Union, to help reduce crowding at mealtimes.
Fund Drive Challenge Continues
We are half-way to meeting our
goal of adding $10,000 to the Stan
Kendziorski International Student
Scholarship Fund. If we can meet this
target of $10,000 by the end of 2007
Stan has graciously agreed to contribute
another $10,000, thus bringing the total
fund drive to $20,000. If you’ve not
already made a contribution, would you
please do so now so that we can reach
our goal and double it via Stan’s gift?
Contributing is easy. Online donations
can be made at www.sru.edu. Click on
the Giving to SRU link at the left, then
on How to Give and finally on Give
Now. Under Scholarship Fund scroll down
to Stan Kendziorski International Student
Scholarship and on Academic Department,
select International Services. Or checks can
be written to SRU and sent to: SRU
Foundation, P.O. Box 233, Slippery Rock, PA
16057, U.S.A.
At this time we would also like to
publicly thank the following alumni who
have contributed thus far. A special thanks
goes to: Moinul Akhand (’93, Bangladesh);
Sanjay Arnold (’96, Sri Lanka); Rhyme
Chang & Sheila Cheong (’94, Macao); Seren
Cetin (’96, Turkey); Suresh DeCosta (’98, Sri
Lanka); Salehin Ghani (’01, Bangladesh);
SRU Students’
Presentation Wows
NASA Scientists
Two Slippery Rock University
seniors recently presented the findings
on their air pollution research at the
invitation-only American Geophysical
Union’s National Conference. The
SRU students were so impressive,
NASA scientists approached them
about working together.
David Fujii, an environmental
geosciences major, and Matthew
Batina, a geography major with
an emphasis in applied geographic
technology, studied causes of air
pollution in the western part of
the state. Their findings showed air
pollution in western Pennsylvania
comes not only from westerly winds
but also gets recirculated from the
eastern seaboard. Fujji and Batina
submitted an abstract on their findings
and were invited to present at the
conference before 14,000 scientists
from around the world.
“Following the presentation,
NASA scientists approached the
students and told them they did a nice
job and that they wanted to work with
them,” said Julie Snow, SRU assistant
professor geography, geology and the
environment. “NASA invited the duo
to collaborate with the agency on
its AURA Earth Observing Mission
studying air quality and climate.”
Rajeev Karmacharya (’95, Nepal); Alex
Kondur (’98, Tajikistan); Chow Yang
Lee (’95, Malaysia); H.C. Malmstrom
(’90, Sweden); Ashish Marballi (’01,
India); Francoise Marco (’93, France);
Nakaba Mawatari (’00, Japan); Akiko
O’Hata (’91, Japan); Lise Ostergaard
(’90, Denmark); Carlos Perez-Felip (’94,
Paraguay); Anna Pomichalova (’92,
Slovakia); Nalinda Prematilake (’93, Sri
Lanka); Faruq Rahman (’96, Bangladesh);
Ikuyo Shigetomi (’90, Japan); Julia
Timofeeva (‘96, Ukraine); Johan “Isak”
Widstrom (’88, Sweden); Chang Yao Lim
(’99, Malaysia).

SRU Math Professor
Tapped for
National Post
The Mathematical Association of
America (MAA), the largest mathematics
association in the U.S., has
selected Slippery Rock University’s
award-winning math Professor
Robert Vallin to become its first
associate director for student activities.
Vallin was granted a leave of
absence from SRU for two years
beginning June 2007, to join the
Washington, D.C.-based 30,000-
member organization that supports
undergraduate mathematics and
mathematics-teaching curriculum.
“This is a brand new position and
it’s a chance to set the tone for the
MAA for years to come,” said Vallin,
who, as part of his duties, plans to
design a Web site for students of all
math abilities.
Vallin has received several honors
since arriving at SRU in 1992. Most
recently, he received the 2006 Andy
Award at the 30th Summer Symposium
in Real Analysis, a branch
of advanced calculus, his research
specialty. The Andy Award, named
after retired mathematician Andrew
Bruckner of the University of
California/Santa Barbara, honors a
mathematician making a contribution
to the field of real analysis.
Vallin brought a greater sense of
fun to math on campus as well. He
organized an annual Pi Day scavenger
hunt for students, allowing the
winner to toss a pie at a professor of
his or her choice. He also planned a
learning event on Leonardo of Pisa’s
famous “Fibonacci Sequence,” an
800-year old sequencing of numbers
from the man that brought the
decimal system to Europe.
alumni updates
A special thanks to all of the Alumni who have provided us with these life updates. If you would
like to be included in a future edition of News & Views please email pamela.frigot@sru.edu.
Matias Allendes, ’94, Chile
is pursing an MBA at China Europe
International Business School
in Shanghai.
Sif Anderson Lazizi, ’96, Denmark
is enjoying her work in Fairfax,
Virginia as a government contractor.
Danuka Athukarola, ’03, Sri Lanka
is in Sri Lanka working as a manager
at a group of computer software
companies. Computer software,
hardware, total solutions, and demining
are all aspects of
the business.
Helen Mullineaux Cameron,
’94, England and husband Stuart
had their baby girl, Beth Lauren
Cameron, on August 11, 2006.
All are doing well!
David Carsky, ’91, Slovakia
continues his teaching at the
Academy of Fine Arts and Design
in Bratislava,Slovakia. He reports
that former SRU exchange
students Jana Krizanova (’06)
and Barbara Burianova (’04) have
both completed a three month
training, which included travel to
Andover, Massachusetts, the Kodak
Eastman in Rochester, New York,
the University of Delaware, and
The Getty Museum in Los Angeles,
California. Jana Krizanova has
been accepted for the position
of “Graduate Internship at the
Getty,” which is truly an amazing
opportunity for professional
growth. Congratulations!
Suresh De Costa, ’98, Sri Lanka
is happily engaged. His fiancé and
he purchased a 1940s Georgian style
home just north of the city of Skokie,
Illinois. They are busy remodeling.
Isabel Dupuis, ‘89, France gave
birth to her son Ethan on July 16,
2006. Congratulations!
Melanie Ebell, ’04, Sri Lanka and
Sandun Hemachandra (’04, Sri
Lanka) will soon be getting married!
December 10, 2007 is the big day.
The International Services Office
wishes the couple many joyful
years together.
Sylvia Fehling, ’93, Germany
gave birth to her son, Johan, on
December 9, 2006. She still resides
in Kassel. After receiving her Ph.D
in the field of Teaching English as
a Foreign Language and Foreign
Language Research, she has been
employed by the University of Kassel
as a lecturer.
Murtaza Gadit, ’98, Pakistan
and Samia Gadit are ecstatic about
their baby boy, Aaryan, who was
born on October 4, 2006 in Kansas.
What a blessing!
David Githaiga, ‘02, Kenya
completed a Masters degree
in Development Economics at
the University of Southern New
Hampshire. After spending time in
Washington DC, he left a little over
a year ago for Sudan where he still
works for Winrock International.
Nipuna Gunasekera, ’00, Sri Lanka
graduated from the University of
Pittsburgh in 2004 with his MBA.
Nipuna is currently working in Dallas,
Texas at Texas Instruments
Corporate Headquarters.
Anja Just Habekost, ’99, Denmark
& Fernando Oliv, ’00, Brazil will
never forget the morning of October
15, 2006! That is when the twins,
Paula and Gael, were
born! Congratulations!
Chika Haga, ’03, Japan
is exploring language schools in New
York to refine her English.

alumni updates
Khan Musabbir Hannan, ’99,
Bangladesh
continues his work at Inform
Technologies and is enjoying great
success in his free time as he pursues
competitive ballroom dancing.
Akiko O’Hata Hassila, ’91, Japan
lives with her family in Finland. The
family has been growing too! Three
year old daughter, Meri, now has two
younger brothers, Kai and Leo.
Ritsuko Horibe, ‘93, Japan lives
in the Lao P.D.R. in the Indo-China
region, southeast Asia. She will work
at Japan International Cooperation
Agency in Laos until June 2007.
Tamiko Ishimoto (Now Pettee), ’97,
Japan married her husband Todd
in 2004 and lives with him and their
one-year-old son, Masato, in Utah.
She is a full time mom, busy taking
care of the family and spending time
with other moms in the Moms Club.
She also enjoys outdoor activities.
Rajeev Karmacharya, ’95, Nepal
and Komal are kept entertained
with their three year old son Ayush.
When not spending time with family,
Rajeev can be found working in
the Washington DC offices at AT
Kearney, a management
consulting firm.
Seongdok Kim, ’02, South Korea
is in India doing a case study on
“Greywater reuse in tribal boarding
schools in Madhya Pradesh.”
Zuzana Kleschtova, ’01, Slovakia
is teaching Global Studies in
Bratislava at CS Lewis Bilingual High
School. In addition to her teaching,
Zuzana also works to develop
education in Slovakia and abroad. On
Saturdays Zuzana attends Comenius
University for Theology Studies.
Fernanda Lucarelli Turnipseed,
’93, Brazil
her husband Trey and three year old
son Nicholas recently moved from
Arizona to Minneapolis. Currently
her PhD is on hold but she hopes to
continue pursuing it in the future.
On the job front, she is working at
Cargill as an internal consultant for
international business. She meets
with marketing directors for each
country, identifies benchmarks, and
creates/facilitates training programs.
Nalia Mammadova, ’05, Azerbaijan
is enjoying her job as a Program
Assistant at Ganja Education
Information Center.
Ashish Marballi, 01, India
and his wife welcomed twin boys
on May 9, 2007! The exciting news
came as a big surprise because
neither have a history of twins in
their families. Ashish currently resides
in Maryland and works for JP Morgan
Chase. Good luck!
Jasmit Natt, ’05, Kenya completed
her OPT in at International Monetary
Fund in Washington DC. Now she
resides in Pittsburgh, PA where she is
working towards a MBA.
Erdene Nyamjav, ’04, Mongolia
is enrolled at Central European
University in Budapest, Hungary for
an Inter-European Masters degree
in Environmental Policy. Exposed
to fellow students from around the
world, Erdene feels comforted by the
diversity he experiences on a
daily basis.
Andrew Norton, ’99, England
is located two hours outside of
Manchester and works for Ove Arup
and Partners as a Transport Engineer.
Mayumi Oka, ’05, Japan
lives in Japan and works for Daikin
Industries, a major air conditioner
manufacturer. Mayumi works in an
office that manages the importing
and exporting of goods.
Tomaz Okulski, ’00, Canada
went through the Business
Management program at Humber
College, graduating in 2002. Now
he and his father own a roofing
company. When not working hard at
the family business, he can be found
enjoying life in Bolton, Canada with
his wife Dorota and little
girl, Wiktoria.
Cheng-Siew Andy Ong, ’94,
Malaysia keeps very busy working as
a real estate agent in Kuala Lumpur
and caring for his twin daughters of
three-and-a-half years of age.
Lise Ostergaard Kallman, ’90,
Denmark has been working for
SonyEricsson in Lund, Sweden. She is
a project manager for the customer
services issues in the development
of new phones, including repairs,
service, logistics, and customer
care. When not at work, she and her
husband, Robert, enjoy time with
their two-year-old daughter Rebecca.
Euijeong Park,‘97, South Korea is
an “Inviting Professor” at Kangwon
National University but is considering
returning to Wonju city government.
Euijeong is the primary supporter
of the family while her husband
is pursuing a degree in fine arts.
Euijeong loves her children, Soha
and Minha, and misses them while
they are at school.
Piotr Plewa, ’99, Poland works for
the International Organization for
Migration located in the International
District of Geneva, Switzerland. He
spends much time at work, getting
there early so he can pursue research

alumni updates
interests. Time spent traveling on the
tram allows for him to reflect on all of
the unique characteristics and culture
of Geneva and the surrounding areas.
Ivelina Popova, ’05, Bulgaria
is finishing up her studies in Bulgaria.
In addition to school and work, she
is also taking French classes to assist
with communication with her boss.
Ivelina is working to coordinate an
exchange project between Bulgarian
and Moldovan minorities. She also
went to a conference in Austria this
past January where she moderated a
panel on EU-US relations.
Alvito Rego, ’99, Kenya
will be getting married to his fiancé
Ashley in the Fall of 2007. He
has also been living and working
in Chicago. The happy couple
purchased a home just three blocks
from Soldier’s Field.
Dilshan Senanayake, ’96, Sri Lanka
and wife Suji had a healthy baby girl,
in December 2006, weighing
in at 7.6 lbs. Congratulations!
Daria Sevastianova, ’01, Belarus just
completed her PhD in Economics at
Binghamton University in New York.
While in the PhD program she was
able to teach and won the Excellence
in Teaching Award for 2006-2007!
Daria will be working as an Assistant
Professor in the Economic and
Finance Department in the Business
School of the University of
Southern Indiana.
Ikuyo Shigetomi, ’90, Japan
and husband Barrie are caring for
their new daughter who was born on
August 20, 2006. Best wishes!
Jerome Strauss, ’99, France &
Olesya Govoran, ’99, Ukraine
got married in October of 2006, ten
years to the day that they started
dating at SRU! Congrats to
both of you!
Julia Timofeyeva, ‘96, Ukraine
was able to spend a month in
Vietnam for a class project. Never
before had she seen so many
mopeds as on the bustling streets
in Saigon. Shopping was interesting
too, as she experienced differences
in sizing. However, the best part of
her month in Vietnam was the sweet
people. Many children even tried to
strike up conversations with her in
English. Julia also earned her MBA
from Georgetown University in May
2007. Congratulations!
Muriel Van Der Ploeg, ’89,
Netherlands
lives in Holland and is involved in
art (www.doucepoints.com) when
not busy caring for her two children,
Damaris (8yrs.) and Emil (6yrs.).
Christine Volkel, ’02, Germany enjoys
working for Germany’s first online
television station covering the stock
market via the internet. Christine
really is happy to be working in a
place where she can utilize what she
has learned while at SRU.
Yajni Warnapala, ’93, Sri Lanka
became a tenured faculty member at
Roger Williams University in Rhode
Island. Yajni, her husband Bobby
Yehiya (‘93 Sri Lanka) and four-yearold
daughter, also welcomed a baby
boy to their family on May 18, 2007.
We love to hear from you!
Please help us keep your records up to date!
E-mail and Phone
Pam, Director pamela.frigot@sru.edu 724.738.2605
Kelly, International Student Advisor kelly.slogar@sru.edu 724.738.2603
Denise, Secretary denise.barger@sru.edu 724.738.2604
Brenda, Secretary brenda.mckissick@sru.edu 724.738.2652
Mailing Address:
Slippery Rock University
Office of International Services
114 Carruth Rizza Hall
1 Morrow Way
Slippery Rock, PA 16057
USA
www.SRU.edu
A member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
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