1970s

Actor William Windom
1976, 1979, 1982 Professional Artist In Residence (PAIR)
William Windom appeared in the inaugural 1975-76 season of the PAIR Celebrity Series presented by the College of the Arts, said Wallace Farrelly, cultural events director, performing his famous one-man shows celebrating the writings of humorist James Thurber and journalist Ernie Pyle.

“I remember the first time he appeared, we arranged for him to do a ‘rap’ session with acting students,” Farrelly recalled. “Despite the fact that he was already an Emmy Award-winning actor and had appeared in nearly 20 Broadway plays and such major motion pictures as the Academy Award-winning Best Picture ‘To Kill A Mockingbird,’ he created an instant rapport with students and faculty by showing them he was a no-frills, down-to-earth human being instead of a ‘star.’”

A chess aficionado, Windom arranged games with students during down times, Farrelly said. “He was passionate in his message to the students: Be open to any avenues in the arts where your talent can lead you. As an example, he said that, while television appearances had become his bread-and-butter, doing live theater such as his nationally touring one-man shows was something he would never give up because of his inner need for the interaction with live audiences.”

His candid manner led to questions from the students on myriad topics, Farrelly remembered. “This was a wonderful augmentation of their classroom studio studies.”

Inventor Buckminster Fuller
1973 Geodesic Dome Dedication
Buckminster Fuller – architect, futurist, global thinker, author, poet and inventor – is credited with coining the term “Spaceship Earth,” and was concerned throughout his life with the question of how and why humanity has a chance to survive successfully on this planet. Fuller visited the campus in 1973 to dedicate the geodesic dome adjacent to the Engineering building built by about 150 students in a technology studies course under the direction of Barry E. Gerber, assistant professor of political science. Students attending CSUF in the 1970s remember the geodesic dome; some even attended class inside it. While on campus, Fuller spoke in the gym on “Beyond Apocalypse,” receiving a standing ovation.

Composer Aaron Copland
1977 PAIR
Aaron Copland – the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer of such works as “Billy the Kid,” “Fanfare for the Common Man,” and “Appalachian Spring” – came to campus as a visiting artist. One of the best-known American composers, he was also the first to combine jazz rhythms with classical music. Best known for concerts and ballets, he also wrote scores for eight films. “It was a very exciting time for our students,” recalled Todd Miller, professor of music.

“Copland conducted, gave lectures and spoke to the students. It was a big thrill for them.” The PAIR series artists, including Copland, recalled Lloyd Rodgers, professor of music, “hung out, shared experiences and demonstrated that they had the same concerns as the students and were regular human beings. I think the benefits were obvious, (it) kind of humanizes the process, these guys were first and foremost just musicians and that is what came across.”