Linda Levine earns ‘Outstanding Faculty Award’ from Quarterback Club

Linda Levine received the Outstanding Faculty Award from the SJSU Quarterback Club at the first football game of the season.

Linda Levine received the Outstanding Faculty Award from the SJSU Quarterback Club at the first football game of the season.

Linda Levine, a Health Science and Recreation professor, in the College of Applied Sciences and Arts at San José State University was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award by the SJSU Quarterback Club for her many years of inspiring and supporting Student Athletes. She was celebrated on the football field during the first game of the season on Thursday, Aug. 28 against North Dakota. She enjoyed the game and fireworks from the Provost’s box and routed home a 42-10 win.

CASA staff recognized for long-time service

At the 46thAnnual Spartan Service Celebration on Oct. 30, three staff members from the College of Applied Sciences and Arts were recognized along with more than 80 staff members campus-wide for serving San José State University for 15 to 35 years.

Stanley Laufer stands during the Spartan Service Celebration. He has worked on campus for 15 years.

Stanley Laufer and Kristina Luna, who work in the School of Library and Information Science, were recognized for 15 years of service while Curt Sennewald, who works in Kinesiology, was recognized for 20 years of service.  Staff members are first recognized when they reach the milestone of 15 years of service and then again at 5-year increments.

Laufer is a network administrator for SLIS, a program that is completely online. Luna is the administrative services manager and works closely with SLIS Director Sandy Hirsh to manage the budget for the college.  Sennewald is an instructional support assistant II with Kinesiology.

“The staff are the backbone of the university,” said Shawn Bibb, the vice president for Administration and Finance, who was himself honored for 25 years of service.

During the presentation of awards, different AVPs took the opportunity to touch on some of the goals set by President Mohammad Qayoumi in the strategic plan for the university.

“Thank you to all of you who make the university a better place to work by helping and caring,” said Bill Nance, the vice president of student affairs, noting that staff members play a large part in welcoming students and other visitors to the university.

At the recent celebration, five staff members were recognized for 35 years of service.

Provost Ellen Junn acknowledged in a fast-paced business environment it is becoming increasingly rare for employees to stay at the same company or organization for 30 or 35 years. She referenced a short video that gave voice to a handful of the long-time employees who talked about their experience on campus.

“They talk about love of the community,” she said. “…Staff represents the heart of the campus.”

The format for the service celebration was updated this year from a luncheon in past years to an afternoon recognition ceremony followed by a reception that allowed honorees to mingle with others from campus.

CASA students take homecoming crowns as first African-American couple selected

Two students enrolled in San José State University’s College of Applied Sciences and Arts programs were crowned as homecoming king and queen Thursday night. Daniel Harris-Lucas is a public relations student with the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. Diana Busaka is a student in Occupational Therapy.

The two were touted as being historic because it is the first time in the history of the school that an African-American couple has been selected as homecoming king and queen. The two are pictured in their royal garb in a report by NBC Bay Area news, along with an article about the historic crowning.

The article quotes SJSU journalism professor Dona Nichols as saying while there has been an African-American homecoming queen in the past, this is the first time a couple has been selected.

Read the full article below:

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/SJSU-Names-1st-African-American-Homecoming-King-Queen-229282531.html