Susie Lan Cassel Ph.D.

Harry Brakebill Distinguished Professor Award, 2000-2001

My mother grew up in a rural village in Vietnam and my father grew up in Pennsylvania where he experienced the Great Depression as a teenager. Because both my parents worked so hard with their hands, they wanted their children to work with our minds, and they encouraged us by paying us differentially as kids: for work we did with our hands, they paid us $1 per hour, and for work we did with our minds, they paid us $2 per hour.  The lesson we learned — that working with our minds is a privilege and an opportunity — led us to college and, in my case, convinced me to stay.  After I had the chance to experience the excitement of new ideas and the self-altering   experience of exposure to different worlds, I realized that, for me, the good life would include sharing these pathways with others. 

Once it was clear that I would be a teacher, it was perhaps no surprise that the discipline I entered into was ethnic studies. No one could have imagined that two people from such disparate worlds as my parents would meet and marry; no one could be surprised that the home they created together (along with my maternal grandmother) would be filled with diverse ideas concerning race, language, culture, gender, nationalism, and religion. Growing up within this mixed-heritage home, located on the border between the U.S. and Mexico, my developmental years were filled with discussions of difference and a learned appreciation for diversity — and I am profoundly grateful.  Most important among the multiple perspectives that my three parents imparted, was the underlying message that none of their cultures or viewpoints was always right nor always better. In our household, filled with American, Chinese, and Vietnamese beliefs, it was axiomatic that no culture or set of beliefs is innately superior, and this has been instrumental in shaping my own assumptions about the world, my own assumptions in the classroom.     

After spending ten years in college as a student and five years as a teacher, I remain convinced that devotion to the mind keeps one young and enthusiastic — my Dad is ninety years old this year and he still reads the daily paper, writes letters and articles long past midnight, and participates in intellectual conferences and exchanges. The man who paid me two dollars an hour to work with my mind still practices what he preaches. He is the source of my inspiration, and for this I thank him.

As the daughter of an immigrant, and a Chula Vista native, I am deeply humbled by this prestigious award. Thank you to the administrators, colleagues, and students who have honored me in such a meaningful way.

 

Keith A. Trujillo, Ph.D.

President’s Award for Scholarship & Creative Activity, 2000-2001

It is an honor to have been selected as the recipient of the 2001 President's Award for Scholarship and Creative Activity, and to have the opportunity to offer words of encouragement to you, the future students of Cal State San Marcos.  I would like to begin by thanking President Gonzalez and my faculty colleagues for this very prestigious award. Thank you also to the Ecke family for their generous support of the award and to the many, many, many people over the years who have contributed to my education and supported me in my research and teaching efforts: my parents; my wife Laurie and my daughters Tara and Aimee; my professors and mentors; my colleagues; and the numerous students with whom I've had the pleasure to work.

I was selected for this award in recognition of my research, performed with Cal State San Marcos students, on the psychopharmacology and neurobiology of opiates. My students and I have made discoveries that may be useful in the understanding and treatment of pain and addiction, and have shared these discoveries with the community in scientific presentations and publications. We are often asked why we engage in scholarly work at Cal State San Marcos. We do it for a number of reasons. High among these is the discovery process itself —  we are driven by a desire to understand the world around us — but also by the desire to contribute to our disciplines, to the community at large, and make the world a better place in which to live. But the most important reason for many of us, is the opportunity to work closely with students, helping them to better understand scholarly endeavors, ranging from scientific research to artistic creation, and become the future scientists, artists, entrepreneurs, practitioners, and leaders of the country.

If I can offer a little advice as you begin your education here, it's to take advantage of the opportunity to engage in scholarly work with your professors. We have a wonderful faculty dedicated not only to classroom teaching, but also to discovery and creativity, and who are very eager to engage students in their work. Your professors are leaders in their fields, and are nationally and internationally recognized for their accomplishments. By working closely with your professors in the laboratory, the art studio, the library, or whatever realm is appropriate to your chosen field, you will enhance your education, and have the opportunity to contribute to a better understanding of the world.

Best of luck as you embark on this exciting journey!

 

Victoria J. Fabry, Ph.D.

President’s Award for Innovation in Teaching, 2000-2001

I am very honored to be the 2001 recipient of the President's Award for Innovation in Teaching.  This award has special significance for me because students must nominate candidates, and there are so many excellent and innovative instructors at Cal State San Marcos.

It is gratifying to be recognized for bringing problem-based learning to the biological sciences curriculum at Cal State San Marcos.  First used in medical schools, problem-based learning engages students to learn by inquiry and parallels the scientific process of discovery.  Working in groups, students progress through complex, real-world problems to understand important biological concepts, and to develop critical thinking and communication skills.  This method of instruction is extremely demanding of students, and they frequently excel beyond their own expectations.  I am continually impressed with their achievements and very proud of their hard-earned successes.

I wish to thank the many faculty and administrators at Cal State San Marcos for their strong commitment to innovative instruction.  I also thank my students and colleagues for their insight, inspiration, and encouragement, and my family for their unwavering support.