Alumni Events
London Alumni Events A Great Success On Thursday, May 31 the Marshall Goldsmith School of Management kicked off a week of alumni events in London, England. On Thursday Alumni Director and United States International University Alumnus Ali-Abu-Rahma met with Alliant’s England Alumni Liason Eric Chan to set up the facility at Regents College and prepare for the arrival of Alumni from around the world. Attendants began arriving the following day. On Saturday, June 2. business school namesake Marshall Goldsmith presented to the crowd, receiving great participation and feedback. Dr. Goldsmith then hosted the Alumni then headed to a local restaurant, where they networked and shared photos, yearbooks and stories about their time at USIU. On Sunday, June 3 Alumni visited the site of the former United States International University London campus in Watford. The group toured the renovated space, now elaborately-furnished condiminiums, and again shared stories of their time there. The following day Dr. Abu-Rahma met with a group of Arab alumni to coordinate resources for alumni networking. Dr. Ginger Hovenic,
Associate Vice President for Corporations, Business and Government (and USIU alumna) presented on campus growth and promoted the new Alumni scholarships and Alumni online networking site. The event was well attended by alumni from Switzerland, Germany, Portugal, Africa, London, Greece, Sri Lanka, China and Dubai. “The alumni were very interested in learning more about the university and happy to learn the university was expanding and reaching out to them,” said Dr. Abu-Rahma. “Many alumni have since updated their information and thanked me for giving them the opportunity to reconnect after five years.”
Alumni Host First Graduating Class of CSPP Japan Program An August 14 luncheon signified the culmination of a long trip for students enrolled in CSPP’s Japan-based Clinical Psychology Master’s program. The 36 students, who became the program’s first graduating class, enjoyed hot Mexican food and conversation as they prepared to return to Japan. A total of 48 people attended the luncheon including the students enrolled in the program, and also faculty, staff, Alliant-SF students, alumni, and University President Geoffrey Cox.
During the luncheon, Dr. Nancy A Piotrowski, Director of the Japan program, explained the program for all those in attendance. President Cox provided inspirational words, related a bit of the CSPP’s history as a pioneer in the field of psychological education, and compared this graduating class to those first CSPP students in the United States. President Cox applauded the students’ pioneering spirit and expressed optimism that the class would be the first of many to come. He encouraged the students to continue to be pioneers and spread CSPP’s philosophy of psychological practice throughout Japan.
The lunch was the conclusion of the students’ week-long excursion to Alliant’s San Francisco campus. While in San Francisco, the students attended classes at Alliant and did site visits throughout the Bay Area. The students flew back to Japan the following day. The students will graduate in September at a ceremony to be held in Tokyo.  First Annual CSPP Bay Area Alumni Reception The First Annual CSPP Bay Area Alumni Reception was a rousing success. Held on May 23 at the home of Ed Bourg, CSPP professor and alumnus, the event brought together 27 CSPP alumni, Alliant faculty members, administrators and staff, including the University’s President Geoffrey Cox. Alumni represented the classes of 1970, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1989, 1992 and 1997. On the slightly rainy Saturday afternoon, the group rekindled involvement in CSPP’s alumni association. The event featured inspiring words from Dr. Bourg (shown at right), Dr. Cox, Dr. Jean Chin, CSPP Dean, Dr. Don Nadler, Co-Chair of the CSPP Alumni San Francisco Chapter and Alliant Interim Provost Dr. Rodney L. Lowman. First USIU/Cal Western Alumni Reception During a beautiful San Diego early evening, 74 people, with 42 alumni among them, gathered at the Scripps Ranch Campus for an Alumni Reception honoring the past of USIU/Cal Western alumni, and celebrating the present and future of Alliant alumni. The evening was filled with excitement, as alumni saw familiar faces and reconnected with old friends. Alumni enjoyed hors d’oeuvres at the patio outside McDonald’s Hall and dinner at the dining hall. The program was presented by USIU alumna Kirsten Anderson, ‘02. Speakers included Alliant’s President Geoffrey Cox, alumnus and University Professor Emeritus of Strategic Management, Dr. Patrick Sullivan, ’87, alumnus and Acting Dean of United States International College of Business, Dr. Ali Abu Rahma, ’99, Phillip Kopp, ’02, Jeremy Deal, ’00, and Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Rodney L. Lowman. Attendees also enjoyed the 15-minute movie clips presentation, featuring the life of USIU students back in the alumni’s days at the University. Screams and laughs punctuated the entire show. Fresno Alumni Receptions On May 20, an alumni receptionhonoring Dick Axelrod was held at the Fresno campus. Dr. Axelrod is an author and a founder and principal of the Axelrod Group, a consulting firm that pioneered the use of employee-involvement to effect large-scale organizational change. Alumni and CSOS students had the opportunity in listening Dr. Axelrod’s insights into creating an effective organizational development and transformation. On June 2, alumni from the Fresno campus once again gathered at the home of Dr. Toni Knott, Program Director and Associate Professor. Attendees received an opportunity to meet in person with Alliant’s President Dr. Geoffrey Cox and Deputy Chief Robert Nevarez, speaker for the Fresno Graduation on June 3, 2005. The two receptions marked an effort to reconnect alumni with the University.
|
