Nine Longtime Professors Retire from CLU

With the retirements of art professor Jerald Slattum, Ph.D., at the end of the academic year, California Lutheran University will bid farewell to the last of its “almost” original professors. Slattum joined the CLU faculty in 1962, just one year after the first classes were held at what was then California Lutheran College.

Joining Slattum in CLU’s “great generations” of retiring professors are Ed Tseng, Ph.D., 1965; Mary Margaret Thomes, Ph.D., sociology, 1969; J. T. (Jack) Ledbetter, Ph.D., English, 1970; Jonathan Steepee, Ph.D., political science, 1972; R. Kirkland Gable, Ed.D., J.D., psychology, 1975; James Mahler, Ed.D., education, 1979; Bob Amenta, Ed.D., Education, 1983; and Susan Corey, Ph.D., English, 1990.

In the summer of 1962, Slattum, a UCLA graduate student and youth minister at Westchester Lutheran Church, was attending a conference at Cal Lutheran when he overheard the dean say there was an opening for an art professor. According to Slattum, he “applied on the spot and the rest is history.” In addition to teaching art classes, Slattum has overseen the university’s art collections and exhibitions, and chaired the department for many years. In addition to his easygoing personality and sense of humor, he will be remembered for his unique collection of more than 300 neckties. He received his bachelor’s from Pacific Lutheran University and his doctorate from Union Graduate School in Ohio.

A former official with the United Nations, Tseng is a recognized scholar of Chinese culture. Since becoming part of the faculty and serving as Dean of International Education, he established CLU’s annual Colloquium of Scholars and the Kwan Fong Institute. He holds a bachelor’s from Pomona College and a master’s and doctorate from New York University.

An author and researcher, Thomes helped develop the college’s well–respected sociology department. Along with directing the graduate program in Marital & Family Therapy, Thomes chaired the Sociology Department for many years. She has a bachelor’s from College of St. Benedict and a master’s and doctorate from University of Southern California.

Ledbetter founded Morning Glory, an award–winning literary and art magazine produced by students, and served as its adviser for 25 years. He also established the Mark Van Doren Poetry Prize, which is now an endowed scholarship presented to an outstanding student poet each year. An ordained Lutheran minister, he sometimes is asked to officiate at students’ weddings. He received his bachelor’s degree from California State University, Long Beach and his master’s and doctorate from University of Nebraska.

Steepee taught in public schools in New York and at New York Institute of Technology before coming to CLU in 1972. His academic interests include California politics, American government, and issues in the Pacific Rim. An active member of the Democratic Party, Steepee nonetheless enjoys teaching a course on the Ronald Reagan presidency and taking students to the Reagan library to do research. He received his bachelor’s degree from University of Rochester, his master’s from New York State University and his doctorate from New School for Social Research in New York.

Prior to coming to CLU, Gable taught and conducted applied clinical research at Harvard University and Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry. A licensed psychologist in California and Massachusetts, a Diplomate of the American Board of Forensic Psychology and a licensed hypnotist in California, he has published numerous journal articles, books and monographs related to behavior change, therapy, crime and delinquency, and law and psychology. He received a B.S. from Ohio State University, an Ed.M., Ed.D. and J.D. from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. from City University Los Angeles.

As director of CLU’s Teacher Preparation Program, Mahler’s primary interests lie in the use of computers in schools and the developmental stages of beginning teachers. A former school psychologist for the elementary schools of Oak Park, Ill., he also served as a teacher, principal and regional director in Lutheran schools in New Jersey and California. He received his B.S. from Concordia University in Illinois, and his M.A. and Ed.D. from Teachers College, Columbia University.

A former school teach and principal, Amenta specializes in curriculum development. Along with teaching, he served as Director of the Educational Administration Program in the School of Education. With a B.A. and an M.Ed. from California State University, Fresno, Amenta completed his Ed.D. at University of Southern California.

Corey is particularly interested in women’s spirituality, American women’s literature and history, and ethnic literature. She and two former CLU colleagues co–authored a collection of anthologies titled The American Journey: United States History Through Letters and Diaries. She received her bachelor’s degree from St. Olaf College and her master’s and doctorate from University of Minnesota.