Submitted: March 30, 2015
Jared Birnbaum, 2014 International Studies, is enrolled in a master’s program at Fresno State University. Birnbaum plans to finish with a master’s degree in Communication and Linguistics, and also be certified in Teaching English as a Foreign Language and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TEFL/TESOL).
Submitted: March 20, 2015
Mark S. Fesler, 1984 Chemistry, worked for more than 25 years as an analytical chemist. For the last eight years, Fesler has worked as an environmental scientist and consultant with the engineering company CH2M Hill.
Submitted: March 15, 2015
Larry Flammer, 1956, Zoology, taught high school biology in San Jose for 38 years, and retired in 1997. In retirement, he created a website for teachers everywhere (ENSIweb), with interactive lessons that teach critical aspects of nature of science and evolution, challenging topics often slighted or misrepresented, but necessary for repairing misconceptions. The site is still getting an average of over 2,000 hits a month from many appreciative teachers across the country. He has also published a unique student e-text: Science Surprises: Exploring the Nature of Science, that integrates several of the excellent “Nature of Science” lessons on the ENSI site.
Submitted: March 3, 2015
Meg Godlewski, 1987 Journalism, has combined journalism talent with a passion for aviation. She is celebrating 16 years as the staff reporter for General Aviation News, a national magazine. Godlewski also supplies the Ask the CFI column for Aviation for Women magazine, an international organization. Godlewski is a frequent contributor to aviation textbooks, combining humor with science, and technique. Godlewski is anticipating the publication of her first fiction novel sometime this summer, if she can work the edits and rewrite around a busy flying schedule.
Submitted: February 10, 2015
Virginia Howard Mullan, 1980, Anthropology, retired with a fabulous retirement party at the Arcata Theater Lounge after 30 years of teaching all subjects in a multigraded classroom at Bridgeville Elementary. Mullan is currently working at College of the Redwoods training foster and kindercare guardians, while also volunteering and substitute teaching at Cuddeback School in Carlotta, Calif. She is still writing and is currently working on publishing a vignette about Julia Park Howard. This year, Mullan had the chance to see many of her friends who are HSU alumni, including: Suzanne Stone Gorter, Jim Gorter, Sherry Sweeney, Jody Stevens Vandenburg, Marty Casillas, John Bennett, Bob Fiock, Dave Ward, and Ralph Martinez.
Submitted: February 5, 2015
Marshall R. Ligare, 2009 Chemistry, finished his PhD at University of California Santa Barbara and is starting a postdoctoral research position at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
Submitted: January 26, 2015
Evan Lautzenheiser, 2003 Wildlife, worked for Green Diamond as a wildlife technician conducting spotted owl surveys after graduating. Lautzenheiser also completed a short stay in Palm Springs, Calif., working with desert bighorn sheep. In 2007 he was hired by Arizona Game and Fish as a district wildlife manager/game ranger.
Submitted: January 24, 2015
Kate McLaughlin, 2009 Natural Resources, recently became an environmental scientist for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in Santa Barbara. McLaughlin is working with steelhead trout—the species she studied for her HSU master's degree. McLaughlin enjoys connecting with HSU alumni who work for and collaborate with the Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Submitted: January 10, 2015
Kelly Jean Muth, 2012 Geography, has been pursuing her goals of becoming a professional disc golfer. After graduating from HSU, where she participated in the Humboldt State Disc Golf Club, Muth has participated in several national competitions and has been ranked No. 26 in the world by the Professional Disc Golf Association.
Submitted: December 11, 2014
Peter Schmidt, 1997 Wildlife, recently accepted the Refuge Manager position at Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Ruby Valley, Nevada after spending 14 years at Tualatin River NWR in western Oregon. Schmidt is moving from an urban refuge with 2,200 acres to the most remote refuge in the lower 48 states with almost 40,000 acres to manage. The nearest services are 60 miles when the pass is open.
