Groundbreaking is official start of Madden Library project

Retiring Dean of Library Services Michael Gorman speaks Sept. 25 during groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Henry Madden Library.

Following less than two months of tearing down, the new, expanded Henry Madden Library soon will be going vertical before our eyes. More than 200 students, faculty, staff, administrators, Madden Library supporters and members of the community gathered outside the construction fence Sept. 25 for the official groundbreaking on the $95-million project. Mere minutes before the ceremony began, the last above-ground part of the north complex was leveled. President John Welty counseled that there would be inconveniences on campus as the striking, four-story building rises from the footprint of the old. “When we’re done, we will share in the satisfaction that we have given to our campus – and our region – a state-of-the-art library dedicated to the spirit of learning,” Welty said. Provost Jeri Echeverria talked about the academic impact of the new library. Library Dean Michael Gorman, whose retirement is imminent, amused the crowd by recalling that when he first saw the old buildings: “I said then it looked like a Bulgarian police station.” Associated Students President Juan Pablo Moncayo talked about the importance of the library to the student community and expressed regret that he will be finished with his studies at Fresno State before the project is completed in late 2008. When finished, the Madden Library will be the new architectural focal point of the campus in a location that has a unique connection to the Free Speech Area, where students can exchange ideas, and the Peace Garden, which inspires reflection.

Fresno State's Gilbert will present report to United Nations

Fresno State's Wade Gilbert, third from right in back row, at the United Nations building in New York City.

Dr. Wade Gilbert, an associate professor of kinesiology and a leading scholar in the psychology of coaching and preparing teachers in sports and physical education, won a prestigious award in his field and this month will present a paper to the United Nations. During September, Gilbert (back row third from right in photo taken in front of the UN building in New York City) represented the United States at a meeting of sports and physical education experts at U.N. and was chosen to draft the final report. He also was named 2006 recipient of the Dorothy V. Harris Memorial Award honoring contributions to the field of sport psychology in the United States by scholars or practitioners of the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology. He accepted the Harris award Sept. 29 in Miami. At the U.N., Gilbert will present a report that recommends four global centers of excellence and U.N. recognition criteria for sport and physical education organizations that “could essentially be the framework for sports and physical education on the planet,” Gilbert said. Gilbert was the only U.S. representative among a dozen experts invited to the United Nations from Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America and North America to develop the report.
(By Brandie Campbell, a communications specialist with the College of Health and Human Services.)

Newspaper honors Cuellar, González
Two Fresno State faculty members – Benjamin Cuellar (far right) and Berta González – are among six recipients of the inaugural Premios Herencia del Valle (Valley Heritage Awards) presented by the bilingual newspaper Vida en el Valle. The honorees were selected for their work in helping improve the lives of Latinos in the San Joaquin Valley. Cuellar, dean of the College of Health and Human Services, was cited for co-founding the Central Valley Health Policy Institute and working to address health needs of underserved populations in the region. González, who is associate vice president of the Division of Continuing & Global Education, was honored for her efforts in education, from teaching elementary school and being a principal to helping train migrants and making presentations abroad. Vida en el Valle, which is available on campus, will profile each honoree in a special edition Oct. 11.

FresnoState magazine spotlights business
The university’s commitment to training the business leaders of tomorrow and engaging the region in finding solutions to current and future economic challenges is spotlighted in the next edition of FresnoState magazine, which publishes this month. This edition features stories about dozens of staff and faculty members, alumni and community partners. The magazine’s distribution includes all staff and faculty members on campus.