Highlights and Accolades at Stan State
Stanislaus State stepped into a smashingly good spring semester with several noteworthy accomplishments, from its inclusion in a statewide public service program to a faculty member earning two stellar recognitions, here’s a recap of the most recent highlights and accolades:
- Sustainability Coordinator Wendy Olmstead has joined leaders
from higher education, business, nonprofits and government
agencies across the globe as a member of the Association for the
Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE)
Advisory Council. Olmstead will serve a two-year term. In her
role, she will provide advice and guidance on higher-level
strategy, as well as specific programs and services including the
technical development of AASHE’s sustainability reporting tool,
STARS, feedback related to the development and implementation of
AASHE’s strategic plan. Olmstead will also participate
on one of the organization’s technical committees on academics,
engagement, operations and planning and
administration.
- Stanislaus State earned more accolades for its academic
programs, this time from University HQ and Applied Behavior
Analysis Programs Guide. University HQ included Stan State in
three of its 2022 rankings: best master’s degree Colleges in
California (No. 29), best MBA colleges in California (No. 32) and
best bachelor’s degrees in California (No. 36). Applied Behavior
Analysis Programs Guide recognized the University for its Master
of Science in Psychology program.
- Steve Arounsack is having a banner year. In January, the
professor of cultural anthropology was honored as a 2022 Wang
Family Excellence Award Recipient by the California State
University. Then, on Feb. 8, Disney Animation Studios’ “Raya and
the Last Dragon” received an Academy Award nomination for
best animated feature film. Arounsack served as the film’s lead
cultural advisor and principal visual anthropologist.
- Stan State student June Sidlauskas was front and center in
Orlando, Florida, during the Student Veterans of America national
convention and was a finalist for the 2022 Student Veteran
of the Year award. Sidlauskas, who transferred to Stan State
from San Joaquin Delta College, was named Delta’s Student of the
Year.
- Director of Academic Technology Jase Teoh is one of 12
applicants selected for the first cohort of the Next Leaders
Fellowship (NLF), a one-year program aimed at increasing the
number of Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) in senior
roles in higher education information and technology.
- Stan State was among 45 colleges and universities in California selected to participate in #CaliforniansForAll College Corps, a historic program that will help create a debt-free pathway for low-income students — including AB 540 eligible Dreamers — who commit to public service. The University will receive $1.74 million for two cohort years, which will fund fellowships through its College Service Fellows program.