Achieving Educational Goals

Assistant Dean, Other Staff Members Earn Degrees

June 10, 2008

Rochelle Woods, assistant dean of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics and eight-year employee of the university, was honored at the May 30 Staff Recognition and Appreciation Day for completing a doctor of education degree at USC.

How she reached that degree was still fresh in her mind, and her memories will resonate with the others who were honored that day.

"Basically, for three years I was always studying or working," Woods said. "When I took a vacation, it was to read or to write a paper. Holidays were spent in libraries.

"With all of that, there was still shopping to do, laundry to wash … I became really good at multitasking out of sheer necessity. My mom, my dad, my three sisters were all behind me. It helped me to get through those times of self-reflection when I was wondering if I was doing the right thing and, even if I was, could I finish it?

"But here I am."

Other staff members who earned degrees earned this year:

Genevieve Arrey, Admissions and Records
M.P.A.- human resources, Cal State Fullerton

Rosalind Blackstar, University Extended Education
B.A. liberal studies-social welfare, Cal State Fullerton

Jackie Blyleven, Student Health and Counseling
M.P.H., Cal State Fullerton

Elizabeth Buchanan, Disabled Student Services
B.A. American studies, Cal State Fullerton

Heather Calkins, Student Health and Counseling Center
MS. kinesiology-sports psychology, Cal State Fullerton

Trish Campbell, Pollak Library
B.A. anthropology, Cal State Fullerton

Melissa Cohea, University Advancement
M.P.A., Cal State Long Beach

Jennifer Cunningham, Career Center
M.S. counseling, Cal State Fullerton

Joseph Hackbarth, Admissions and Records
M.S. information systems, Cal State Fullerton

Heather Honnen, Elementary and Bilingual Education
B.S. human development-counseling, Hope International University

Shannon Matthews, Disabled Student Services
B.A. English, Cal State Fullerton

Diane Mazzey, Mihaylo College of Business & Economics
B.A. criminal justice, Cal State Fullerton

Patti McCarthy, Physics
B.A. music, Cal State Fullerton

Mony Nhong, Information Technology
M.S. computer science, Cal State Fullerton

Michelle Swadish, Administration and Finance
B.A. anthropology, Cal State Fullerton

Judy Su, Finance
M.S. reading, Cal State Fullerton