Festival of Scholars celebrates 10th year
Variety of research, projects, creative works featured
Each of the about 350 scholarly projects reflects months or even years of focused work with faculty mentors.
Photo: Brian Stethem(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. – April 6, 2016) The 10th Annual Festival of Scholars at California Lutheran University will showcase a range of work by undergraduate and graduate students and faculty from Monday, April 25, through Friday, April 29.
Research, creative work and projects that apply theory to real-life situations will be featured. Each of the about 350 scholarly projects reflects months or even years of focused work with faculty mentors.
For example, Elizabeth Averell, a Simi Valley resident earning a master’s degree in educational leadership, studied whether students view iPads as tools or toys. Crystal Guzman, an interdisciplinary education major from Santa Barbara, explored the importance of reducing, reusing and recycling in her study titled “Schoolwide Book Swap.” Dominic Lunde, a physics major from Thousand Oaks, focused on computer simulations of magnetic and nematic ordering in superconductors. Kristina Wright, a sociology major from Lewiston, researched the volunteer process in soup kitchens.
A student panel will share experiential learning projects in the Criminal Justice Department. Joshua Kraus of Phoenix worked with special agents and task force officers investigating arson and firearm crimes as an intern in the Detroit Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Ariana Sanchez of Moorpark and her Family Violence service-learning class partnered with The Coalition for Family Harmony and Homeboy Industries. Olivia Steinfeld of Simi Valley and her Criminology service-learning classmates researched college campus human-trafficking awareness and made recommendations to ZOE International for improving its campaign to end child trafficking. Kathleen Zapata of Thousand Oaks interned with the Camarillo Police Department with a focus on community policing.
Communication students will screen scenes from original films produced in the Advanced Cinema class. Political science professor Herb Gooch and psychology professor Marylie Gerson will examine terrorism through the The Joker and other characters in Christopher Nolan’s 2008 “The Dark Knight.”
English capstone students will deliver presentations including Bakersfield resident Jamie Wood’s take on cross-dressers as morally superior characters in Renaissance drama. Faculty members will summarize recent sabbatical projects.
For a complete schedule of events, go to CalLutheran.edu/fos. Cal Lutheran’s Office for Experiential Learning, Research and Faculty Development is presenting the free festival. For more information, call 805-493-3795.
More
- Cal Lutheran receives grant up to $1.2M
September 16, 2022The National Science Foundation's Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program has awarded Cal Lutheran up to $1.2 million over five years for a project to encourage STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) majors and STEM professionals to pursue careers in K-12 teaching, especially in high-need school districts.
- Deaf-education program founder retiring
May 26, 2022The founding director of California Lutheran University’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program for prospective teachers is retiring with emeritus status on Tuesday.
- Graduate, Professionals ceremony slated
April 28, 2022California Lutheran University will hold its 2022 Graduate and Professionals Commencement at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 14.
- State approves bilingual teaching program
May 5, 2021As the result of a rare interdisciplinary collaboration between undergraduate and graduate programs, California Lutheran University has become one of the first institutions in California where undergraduate students can begin earning their bilingual teaching authorization through coursework.
- 2020 grads return to celebrate in person
April 29, 2021One year after the pandemic forced California Lutheran University to hold commencement virtually, more than 300 members of the Class of 2020 will return to celebrate their achievements at an in-person ceremony just for them.
- Faculty retiring with emeritus status
April 21, 2021Seven California Lutheran University faculty members with a combined total of more than 160 years of service are retiring with emeritus status.
- Festival reflects year's historic events
April 15, 2021The projects presented next week at California Lutheran University’s 15th Annual Festival of Scholars will reflect the historic events of the past year — from research conducted and films shot in students’ homes during pandemic stay-at-home orders to studies of the impact of distance learning and the optimal amount of lying during a political campaign.
- Cal Lutheran plans in-person graduation
February 23, 2021California Lutheran University will honor 2020 and 2021 graduates at drive-in, in-person ceremonies attended by their classmates and families at the Ventura County Fairgrounds.
- Cal Lutheran grad students number 1,220
September 9, 2020The pandemic and the temporary move to virtual classes have had no impact on overall interest in California Lutheran University’s graduate programs, with enrollment remaining the same as last year at about 1,225 students at the start of the fall term.
- Faculty retiring with emeritus status
May 11, 2020Seven California Lutheran University faculty members with a combined total of more than 200 years of service are retiring with emeritus status.