News and Announcements
For 30 years, SF State has recognized notable alumni for their contributions to their communities, whether it’s the creation of innovative social programs, their leadership in business or through the art they’ve made. This year’s San Francisco State Alumni Hall of Fame inductees are innovators in dance, poetry, food and health care and are also community and business leaders. SF State President Lynn Mahoney and the University community will honor the four newest inductees at a celebration and dinner Friday, Nov. 1, at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco.
“Each year, as we induct new alumni into our Hall of Fame, I’m impressed by the range of their accomplishments — though I’m not surprised by their success. SF State prepares students to be successful global citizens focused on problem-solving with a lens toward equity,” Mahoney said. “All our Hall of Fame alumni share a desire to leave an enduring mark through their work and in their communities. All four inductees exemplify this, and it is a pleasure to welcome them to the Hall of Fame.”
Stephen Gillett (MBA, ’07)
Stephen Gillett is the chairman and chief executive officer at Verily, an Alphabet health technology company focused on research, care and public health to deliver on the promise of precision health and help people live healthier lives. He leads teams that create tools to accelerate data and evidence generation, products to enable more personalized care and science-based approaches to manage disease at a population level.
Gillett is a highly recognized and sourced tech executive and thought leader who has 15 years of C-suite experience at some of the nation’s biggest brands, including Alphabet’s Chronicle, Symantec, Best Buy and Starbucks.
Gillett’s achievements span industries and disciplines. He has been featured in Fortune’s “40 under 40” list, included in CNNMoney’s “Executive Dream Team” and selected as a Henry Crown Fellow by the Aspen Institute. His influence in the health-care industry is underscored by his inclusion in The 2022 Healthcare Technology Report’s “Top 25 Healthcare Technology COOs” and his nomination to Modern Healthcare’s 2023 “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” list. His ingenuity extends beyond the corporate world: He was recognized by WIRED magazine as an innovative “Guild Master in World of Warcraft.”
A devoted family man of Lebanese descent, he married his high school sweetheart, and together they have eight children living in Dallas. He is a board member for Discord, Dutch Bros and Granular Insurance. Amazon named him a bestselling author for his 2019 memoir “From Simi Valley to Silicon Valley.”
Evan Kidera (B.A., ’04; MBA, ’14)
San Francisco native Evan Kidera is the co-founder and CEO of Señor Sisig, a trailblazing Filipino-fusion restaurant. Raised in a culinary environment, with his late father being a sushi chef, Kidera was no stranger to kitchens across San Francisco. However, by college, he discovered his true passion was business. Determined to marry his entrepreneurial drive with his roots, he chose to channel his expertise into an industry that felt like home — food.
In 2010, inspired by the street food movement, Kidera partnered with childhood friend Gil Payumo to launch their first food truck. While earning his MBA at SF State, Kidera applied his business acumen to grow Señor Sisig from a single truck into a celebrated name in the Bay Area’s culinary scene. Fourteen years later, Señor Sisig boasts a fleet of food trucks and three brick-and-mortar restaurants in iconic locations, including the Mission District, San Francisco Ferry Building and Oakland. A fourth restaurant is set to open at Chase Center in 2025.
Under Kidera’s leadership, Señor Sisig has gained national recognition, appearing in major publications and on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.” The brand has played a key role in bringing Filipino flavors to a wider audience, popularizing it across the Bay Area and beyond.
Kidera’s commitment to the community is equally strong. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Señor Sisig provided meals to frontline health care workers and communities in need. He maintains close ties with SF State, regularly speaking to business students and sharing insights on entrepreneurship. Above all, Kidera values his family, considering them his greatest achievement and source of joy.
Genny Lim (B.A., ’77; M.A., ’88)
Genny Lim is a second-generation Chinese American born and raised in San Francisco’s Chinatown. She is an award-winning playwright, poet, performer, educator and community leader. San Francisco Mayor London Breed named her poet laureate of San Francisco in 2024, the first Chinese American to hold the title. She was previously the SF JAZZ poet laureate (2016 – 2018). She’s been a San Francisco Arts Commissioner and established community-based arts programs such as the Cultural Equity Arts Program and Writers Corps.
Lim has authored five poetry collections: “KRA!” (2017), “La Morte del Tempo” (2017), “Paper Gods and Rebels” (2013), “Child of War” (2003) and “Winter Place” (1989). Her award-winning play “Paper Angels” (1978) has been produced in the U.S., Canada and China and was the first play by an Asian American to air on PBS’s “American Playhouse” in 1985. She is the co-author of “Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel Island” (1980), which won an American Book Award. She’s collaborated with jazz legends Max Roach and Herbie Lewis, as well as Bay Area musicians Marcus Shelby, John Santos, Francis Wong and many others.
Over the years, she’s been honored for her work. Most recently, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the city of Berkeley in 2022 and the Reginald Lockett Lifetime Achievement Award from PEN Oakland in 2021. She’s taught poetry at local colleges and K – 12 schools and curated the Poetry in Schools Program at the de Young Museum from 1989 to 1993. She earned a certificate in Journalism from Columbia University.
Patrick Makuakāne (B.A., ’89)
Patrick Makuakāne founded and oversees the cultural organization Nā Lei Hulu i ka Wēkiu, which features a traditional dance company that also blends classical hula with stylized movements and contemporary music with a theatrical flair. Raised in Honolulu, he began dancing at 13 and studied with some of Hawai’i’s most recognized hula masters. Makuakāne founded his dance school in 1985.
In 2023, he received a MacArthur “genius” grant for his groundbreaking work as a cultural preservationist. As the leader of the organization, he’s trained thousands of dancers in hula, creating and sustaining a thriving community. His productions combine traditional hula with contemporary music and movements that uplift Hawaiian culture and history while tackling powerful topics such as colonialism and Native Hawaiian transgender artists.
Over the past 39 years, Makuakāne has been honored for his work. He received a Lifetime Achievement Kulia i ka Nu’u Award from the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce of Northern California. In 2020, he was a recipient of the prestigious Hewlett 50 Arts Commission, which supports the creation and premiere of 50 exceptional works by world-class artists. The San Francisco Arts Commission presented him with a Legacy award in 2018. He is the spiritual and cultural adviser for the Native Hawaiian Religious Spiritual Group at San Quentin State Prison.
His latest projects are writing and choreographing a musical based on the epic tale of Hi’iakaikapoliopele, the youngest and favorite sister of the Hawaiian god Pele. He’s directing and choreographing the first major Hawaiian-language opera based on the life of native Hawaiian patriot Timoteo Haʻalilio, which will premiere with the Hawai’i Opera Theatre in May 2026.
SF State has earned the prestigious Seal of Excelencia granted by Excelencia in Education, the nation’s premier authority on efforts to accelerate Latinx student success in higher education. The Seal is a national certification for institutions that strive to more intentionally serve Latinx students.
SF State is one of 17 colleges and universities to earn the Seal in 2024. In 2018, Excelencia introduced the Seal to certify trendsetting colleges and universities for their efforts to become learning environments where Latinx, and all, students thrive. This year marks the organization’s 20th year of service to accelerate Latinx student success in higher education.
The Seal of Excelencia framework represents a rigorous assessment of certified institutions’ intentionality and impact. It assesses the institutions’ outcomes in retention, financial support and degree completion for Latinx students through the alignment of data, practice and leadership. Seal certification remains valid for three years, after which institutions can recertify progress.
“We are deeply honored to receive the Seal of Excelencia for our steadfast commitment to advancing the talents of Latinx students,” SFSU President Lynn Mahoney said. “Here at SF State, we understand the importance of providing an environment where students’ identities are celebrated and represented in their education. Earning the Seal reflects that.”
This year’s cohort of newly certified and recertified institutions belongs to a collective of 46 colleges and universities that have earned the Seal. Together, they represent less than 1% of all institutions but enroll 17% and graduate 19% of all Latinx students nationwide.
Specifically at SFSU, Latinx student enrollment doubled between 2010 and 2022. More than 39% of students identify as Latinx, making them the largest ethnic group among the University’s undergraduates.
“The colleges and universities that earn the Seal of Excelencia lead the charge in meeting our nation’s degree attainment goals,” said Deborah Santiago, co-founder and CEO of Excelencia of Education. “They demonstrate commitment to Latino student success through impact and ongoing self-assessment.”
Higher education, business, philanthropy and government leaders in Excelencia’s community convened in Washington, D.C., to recognize SFSU as one of eight institutions that earned the Seal of Excelencia for the first time, as well as nine other institutions that earned recertification. The announcement was part of the organization’s National Policy Forum, focused on innovating policies to accelerate Latinx degree attainment and strengthen our country’s civic leadership and workforce. The 17 Seal-certified institutions exemplify the kinds of programs and practices that inform good policy.
Before SFSU earned the Seal of Excelencia, President Mahoney joined Excelencia’s national network of Presidents for Latino Student Success (P4LSS). The network comprises over 200 higher education leaders committed to making their institutions learning environments where Latinx, and all, students thrive. Institutions in the P4LSS network are eligible to apply for the Seal. To earn the Seal of Excelencia, they must demonstrate:
- An intentional, institutional focus on advancing Latinx student success by aligning data and practice
- Deliberate and ongoing assessment to identify and implement strategies that improve Latinx student achievement
- Leadership commitment to continue transforming into an environment where Latinx students thrive
- A long-term and unwavering commitment to intentionally serve Latinx, and all, students
For example, SFSU is conducting targeted outreach efforts aimed at bolstering retention and degree completion rates among Latinx students. Much of this work is part of the CSU’s Equity Priority directives, which aim to eliminate equity gaps. Re-enrollment and re-engagement campaigns are also a priority with cross-campus units working to help our Latinx students who have dropped out return.
“Students and families as well as leaders in philanthropy, business and government look to colleges and universities that earned the Seal of Excelencia when making their institutional choices,” said Sarita Brown, co-founder and president of Excelencia in Education. “Excelencia is proud to partner with institutions ensuring America’s bright future by advancing the talents of the Latino community.”
Emmy-winning journalist Whit Johnson (B.A., ’04) has experienced a lot in the 20 years since he was a Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts (BECA) major at SF State. He was among the first reporters to interview Secretary of State Hillary Clinton after Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi was killed. He reported on the recent total solar eclipse and covered two Olympics. And he just got back from Florida, where he covered Hurricane Helene.
When you’ve had experiences like that, you build up a lot of stories — and Johnson returned to the SF State campus Tuesday, Oct. 1, to share some. The co-anchor of the “Good Morning America” weekend editions and anchor of the Saturday edition of ABC’s “World News Tonight,” Johnson talked to students about journalism, his journey and his advice for launching a successful career. The event, held in Knuth Hall, was moderated by Journalism Professor Venise Wagner, who brought along students from her class “Social Impact of Journalism.”
“I never imagined that I would end up here [as a network anchor],” Johnson said. “But the one thing that I think I did have going for me was just a work ethic that I developed while I was here at San Francisco State.”
Johnson grew up in San Francisco, and both his parents are SF State alums. (Johnson’s dad actually joined him for his Oct. 1 visit, and they were both chuffed to talk about how the school evolved from the ’60s to the early 2000s to now.) Johnson came to the University for the broadcasting department — and soccer. He wanted to be a professional player, but injuries halted that journey.
“While I was here, I sort of evolved from a wannabe morning disc jockey and prank caller to a sports broadcaster to a news broadcaster,” Johnson said. Since the news initially seemed intimidating, he leaned into sports broadcasting. He even voiced Gator basketball, welcoming spectators and doing PA announcements.
As he approached graduation, he began putting together VHS resumes, using the campus editing bay to work on the tapes. “Out of dozens of tapes, I got exactly three job offers. None of them were in sports,” he recounted.
He accepted a broadcasting job in Yakima, Washington, for a salary of $18,000. Though it felt less than ideal, the move set the trajectory of his professional and personal career. He met his wife, journalist Andrea Fujii, in Yakima. When she got a job in Salt Lake City, he followed. He got a job at CBS News in Washington, D.C., while she got a job in Baltimore. To prioritize his family, he returned to local news with KNBC in Los Angeles, before ultimately ending up at ABC News in New York, while his wife became a freelancer for ABC News.
“Every career move along the way has been both strategic and surprising,” he told students. But the chain of events all started because he was prepared for that first post-grad step.
“The facilities here allowed me to fine tune the skills that I needed to get my first jobs, get my foot in the door … ,” he explained, emphasizing the importance of being able to pitch himself as a reporter who could shoot, write and edit his own material on a tight deadline. “[As a student] I was hanging out in the news studio, in the sports studio. I was doing reports when I wasn’t supposed to be doing reports. I was hanging out in the control room when I wasn’t supposed to be in the control room. I was using the edit bays just on my own.”
Johnson maximized his time with his professors, too. He fondly recalls talking to professors like Professor Emeritus of Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts Marty Gonzalez, KRON-TV’s weekend morning anchor today, peppering them with questions about getting into journalism, salaries and more. “I asked all the awkward, uncomfortable questions,” Johnson recalled. “Through those experiences, through access and talking to people, I learned that you’ve got to be willing to pack up and go where you need to go.”
Some of his most memorable SF State experiences were listening to speakers who came to talk about their own careers. They were often people he grew up watching on TV. Now current SF State students get to say the same about Johnson. In addition to the talk in Knuth Hall, he also dropped by Marcus Hall to be interviewed by BECA students.
“He had a lot of information that was needed for all of us. I like to hear about his stories of where he went and what happened,” said first year Creative Writing major Savannah Paquette, who attended Johnson’s morning panel.
“In order for this job and career, you need to just get up and go to random places, to record and give the information to the world,” she added.
Learn more about SFSU’s Department of Broadcast and Electronic Communications Arts and Department of Journalism.
Across the Golden Gate Bridge in Tiburon is the only marine lab on the San Francisco Bay: SF State’s Estuary & Ocean Science (EOS) Center. This October, the center opens its doors to the public for its annual Marine Lab Open House to give the community an opportunity to learn about the San Francisco Bay, partake in family-friendly fun and enjoy gorgeous views — all for free.
“The Open House gives the EOS Center an opportunity to open our doors to the community and share our passion for marine and estuarine science and conservation,” said Katharyn Boyer, EOS Center interim executive director. “It is fun and fulfilling to share what we do with a swath of the public eager to learn.”
This year’s event is Sunday, Oct. 13, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the EOS Center at the Romberg Tiburon Campus (3150 Paradise Drive Tiburon, CA 94920). Everyone (students, adults, children, scientists and non-scientists) is encouraged to come. Past events have attracted hundreds of attendees — the 2019 event drew over 1,000 attendees — and last year’s event was the first in-person event after a three-year hiatus.
“My favorite thing is seeing the curiosity and interest in children and adults who attend from all around the Bay Area — it gives me great hope,” Boyer said. “I love to be surprised by the questions that make me realize we have not told our science and conservation stories well enough or in quite the right way.”
But the EOS Center’s scientists are certainly trying, developing a variety of exhibits and immersive experiences about the ocean, marine life and solutions to environmental issues. Nearly 100 active marine lab scientists from the EOS Center and onsite partners like the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center and San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve will greet visitors and answer questions.
Other partners will highlight the intersection between art and science. This year, the Tremology Lab — an arts and science collaborative — will showcase whale and dolphin sounds outdoors via a portable 16-channel immersive audio system. Tremology Lab projects have been exhibited at the National Geographic Society Museum, South by Southwest (SXSW) and more. SF State School of Design Lecturer Josie Iselin will also be on hand to teach visitors how to make their own algae cyanotypes. A “seaweed enthusiast,” Iselin has been a longtime EOS Center collaborator and has produced art and books about seaweeds and kelp.
“People learn in different ways and art can be an effective way to inspire curiosity. For example, when people see the beautiful and varied forms of seaweeds while using them to make sun prints, their interests might be sparked to learn more,” Boyer said. “We love to watch those sparks fly; this is what our Open House is all about.”
Register for the free Marine Lab Open House and learn more about the EOS Center.
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the first two weeks focus on essential online safety practices. Phishing is a tactic where criminals send fake emails or messages to trick you into clicking malicious links or downloading harmful attachments, potentially compromising your personal information or installing malware. Thankfully, recognizing scam emails is straightforward with the proper knowledge. To outsmart phishers, check out ITS resources, including the “Phish Bowl,” for current examples of scams.
When choosing a password, using a single password across multiple accounts is risky; if that password is stolen, it can unlock all your sensitive information. Ensure each account has long, random and unique passwords to protect yourself. For more tips on avoiding phishing attacks and securing passwords, visit the ITS main page and check out cybersecurity resources.
Do you have an interest in incorporating climate change and/or climate justice into your pedagogy? Through SF State’s Climate Justice Leaders Initiative, Climate HQ aims to strengthen climate justice teaching, research and outreach at SF State.
Climate HQ supports climate justice teaching at SF State through Climate Justice Faculty Learning Communities. Modeled on the CEETL (Center for Equity and Excellence in Teaching and Learning) Teaching Squares, these communities will meet regularly throughout the semester to support each other and share best practices for teaching and learning focused on climate justice pedagogies.
The Climate HQ Faculty Learning Communities will take place in spring 2025. Each should consist of three to six faculty, staff or students. Both interdisciplinary groups and people within departments/disciplines are encouraged to apply.
The communities should meet to work on their project for 10 hours over the course of the semester, using curated resources to create a proposed pedagogy outcome including but not limited to: syllabus change, readings list, assignment/exercise, lecture(s), project-based collaboration between departments, community collaboration and/or organization of a Climate HQ event for campus.
A $500 honorarium is provided. Apply by Wednesday, Nov. 20, at 5 p.m. View the call for proposals.
For further information, please contact Carolina Prado.
The SF State Academic Senate met on Tuesday, Oct. 1, via Zoom. The senate:
- Presented an informational item: Restructuring Memorandum of Understanding: Division of Museum Studies from School of Art.
- Adopted by general consent the following proposals for substantive reduction in units:
- Minor in Urban Studies and Planning
- Minor in South Asian Studies
- B.A. in Philosophy
- B.A. in Philosophy and Law
- Passed the following proposals:
- Minor in Deaf Studies and American Sign Language
- Minor in Philosophy and Religion
- Minor in Religious Studies
- Certificate in Digital Marketing
- Certificate in International Risk Analysis
- Heard in first reading San Francisco State University Resolution to Suspend Implementation of Interim CSU Time, Place and Manner Policy.
- Heard presentations from:
- Darlene Yee-Melichar, CSU faculty trustee, on “CSCU Update.”
- Anna Titus, AVP for Title IX and DHR, “Title IX Update.”
- Guisselle Nuñez, AVP of Strategic Marketing and Communications, and Emmanuel Padilla, Latinx Student Center director, “Latinx Belonging Study Summary.”
SF State is partnering with other CSU campuses to provide you with workshop offerings. Partnering with campuses that have volunteered to participate in the CSU Cross-Campus Collaboration provides a unique opportunity to extend campus workshops beyond campus borders and offers a new way to share professional development across the CSU. Workshop offerings include:
- Breath and Health (multiple offerings)
- Dealing with Triggers
- Weekly Dose of Mindfulness (offered weekly)
- Facilitating Challenging Conversations series: Facilitation Basics (part 2 of 3)
- Servant Leadership: Lessons from Ted Lasso
- Excel: From Raw Data to Summarized Findings
- Google Inbox and Calendar Management
- Frugal Innovation: Co-Building a Better World with Less
- DEIA: Building Foundations for Inclusivity
- Nice to Meet You! A Framework for Cultivating Connection and Agency
- This Is Your Brain...On Feedback!*
- Getting Started with MS OneNote
- Empowerment Through Improvement: A Workshop for Ongoing Success (attend both sessions for completion)
- Gender Identity and Pronoun Use
- Virtual Stepping Beyond — Customer Service
- Your Brand Is Everywhere
- DEIA: Enhancing Cultural Inclusion and Respect
- Using Inclusive Language
- Ten Steps to Financial Success
- Design Studio: PowerPoint Visual Design for Non-Designers
Go to the Live Learning Programs website to sign up for workshops.
The Student Fee Advisory Committee (SFAC) at SF State is responsible for overseeing and advising on the use of student fees. It provides recommendations to the university president regarding proposed new fees, adjustments to existing fees and the appropriate allocation of fee revenue. The committee ensures that student voices are represented in decisions about mandatory campus-based fees, non-instructional fees and other student fee-related matters. SFAC is comprised of students, faculty and staff to ensure a broad representation of the campus community in its advisory capacity. All meetings are held by Zoom, which can be accessed from the SFAC webpage. Currently SFAC meetings scheduled for:
- Thursday, Oct. 10, 3 – 5 p.m.
- Thursday, Dec. 19, 3 – 5 p.m.
- Thursday, Feb. 27, 3 – 5 p.m.
- Thursday, April 4, 3 – 5 p.m.
The longtime campus Technology Acquisition Request (TAR) process has relaunched over the summer, with a new streamlined interface and a new name: BuyIT.
Academic Technology (AT) will be hosting a series of informational sessions on BuyIT. These informational sessions will provide a brief overview of the project and process history and a guided tour of the new IT purchasing interface.
Join AT for a 30-minute informational session via Zoom on Wednesday, Oct. 9, at 1 p.m. Registration is required.
Additional sessions and more information is available on the AT website.
Curious about generative AI, but not sure where to start? Join Academic Technology (AT) for a 60-minute hands-on workshop covering the essentials of generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, including how to effectively and responsibly use them and identifying the best applications for your academic and administrative needs. Learn more and register.
The Lam-Larsen Initiative for Emerging Technologies is proud to announce its upcoming webinar “From Science to Business: Building AI Companions for Human Well-Being.” Xuan Zhao is the CEO and co-founder of Flourish Science, a public benefit startup focused on leveraging AI for mental health and human flourishing. She is also a behavioral scientist at Stanford University. Her research primarily centers on the psychology of social connection, well-being and human-robot interaction. Zhao has a Ph.D. in Psychology from Brown University and a post-doc from the University of Chicago. Her work has been featured in top academic journals and media outlets such as The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, BBC, TIME Magazine and NPR Science Friday. In her talk, Zhao will share her story of developing Flourish, a science-based AI coach for emotional wellness and personal growth. She will discuss her journey from academic research to founding a startup, as well as the unique challenges and opportunities in building AI companions for human well-being.
This webinar will take place Friday, Oct. 11, at noon via Zoom (Meeting ID: 899 1334 6328; Passcode: 096739). Registration is not required. This event is open to all SF State faculty, staff, students and alumni.
Campus Safety Week is on the way, with activities, events and trainings running from Monday, Oct. 14, to Friday, Oct. 18. Visit with and enjoy free giveaways from other safety and preparedness agencies and vendors on tabling day, Wednesday, Oct. 16. Learn more about Campus Safety Week at SF State. Camps Safety Week is sponsored by ERM, EHS, OES, AS and UPD.
Join the Institute for Civic and Community Engagement (ICCE) for Gator Votes: Bats, Brews, & Ballots, a Halloween celebration dedicated to encouraging students to register to vote in time for the general elections! Stop by the Malcolm X Plaza on Tuesday, Oct. 15, for free voting-themed games, crafts and snacks. Learn more on the ICCE website.
Are you stressed and exhausted? Do you experience neck and shoulder pain? Does your mind never stop?Attend the noon Holistic Health workshop series to learn skills to enhance health.
- Wednesday, Oct. 16, from noon to 1 p.m.: Mindful Movement Meditation (based on Feldenkrais® and Body-Mind Centering®) with Sonja Riket
- Wednesday, Oct. 23, from noon to 1 p.m.: Mindful Movement Meditation (based on Feldenkrais® and Body-Mind Centering®) with Sonja Riket
- Wednesday, Oct. 30, from noon to 1 p.m.: Quick Posture Reset with the Alexander Technique® with Elyse Shafarman
All sessions will be held in HSS306.
The Holistic Health Lecture Series is open to the University community and sponsored by the Institute for Holistic Health Studies and the Department of Recreation, Parks and Tourism.
Join the Center for Equity and Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CEETL) for its next interactive workshop on developing pedagogy around Generative AI Tools. CEETL will be holding a workshop titled “Building AI Skills and Knowledge into the Curriculum.” This hands-on workshop explores where AI fits into your courses and curriculum and how to strengthen your students’ AI literacy and develop their knowledge of the potential and limitations of AI tools. The goal of this workshop is to foster responsible use of AI in the classroom. Please bring a roadmap, syllabus or assignment that you might want to modify.
The event will be held on Thursday, Oct. 17, from noon to 1:30 p.m. in LIB 242. CEETL encourages in-person participation for this workshop. Zoom accommodation is available upon request; please email CEETL Operations Lead Cynthia Chu. Register online.
By attending all three workshops in the series, participants will receive a badge. For other workshops in this series go to the CEETL website.
The Lam Family College of Business (LFCoB) is hosting its 10th Annual Women’s Emerging Leadership Forum (WELF) as an in-person event Friday, Oct. 25. WELF is a dynamic and engaging forum designed to help you realize your full potential in the workplace by bringing together a diverse group of successful and aspiring leaders to exchange one-of-a-kind stories and hard-earned insights.
This year’s event will feature sessions led by a dynamic lineup of speakers and leaders, including keynote speaker Tani Girton, CFO of Bank of Marin. As a special bonus, attendees will receive a copy of “Take Charge of Your Brand” by Strategic Marketing and Communications AVP Guisselle Nuñez, who will lead a session on personal branding.
Complimentary breakfast, lunch and refreshments are provided. Tickets are available on Eventbrite, and seats are expected to sell out quickly, as they have in the past two years. Faculty, staff and alumni will receive a 30% discount on their ticket purchases.
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to connect, grow and learn from a diverse group of successful women.
The SF State Safe Zone Ally program is looking for staff, faculty and administrators to become safe zone allies for the campus LGBTQ+ community. The Safe Zone Ally program’s mission is to foster a welcoming, inclusive and equitable campus environment by building a support network for people of all gender and sexual identities. Safe Zone allies are active and visible volunteers who are open to talking to members of the LGBTQ+ community in a confidential and supportive environment. To become a Safe Zone ally, volunteers must complete a Safe Zone Ally training. Several Safe Zone Ally trainings are offered throughout the year. The next training will be held virtually in two parts (and participants must be able to attend both): Friday, Oct. 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. and Friday, Nov. 1, from 1 to 4 p.m. For further details about the training and to register, please RVSP to Rick Nizzardini. (You must pre-register in order to participate.) You can also get more information by checking out the Safe Zone Ally website.
The Lam-Larsen Initiative Centers at SF State will host the workshop “Navigating Difficult Conversations: Teaching Feedback Skills with AI Tools” at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 12. In this workshop/webinar, Yikuan Lee and Chenwei Li will share their experiences integrating Large Language Models (LLM) and chatbots into their courses: Management Leadership (MGMT 648) and IBUS Entrepreneurship (IBUS 590). An earlier version of this workshop was presented at the Management and Organizational Behavior Teaching Society (MOBTS) in summer 2024.
Lee is an associate professor in the International Business Department at SF State. Her research covers new product innovation, innovation adoption, strategic marketing management in high-tech arenas, decision-making, psychology and behavioral economics. Her work has appeared in prestigious journals.
Li is an associate professor of Management at the Lam Family College of Business. Her research focuses on leadership, employee voice and team creativity. Her work has been published in premier management journals such as the Journal of Management, Journal of Organizational Behavior and Journal of Business Ethics.
You can join the workshop via Zoom. (Meeting ID: 854 0549 9126. Passcode: 167205.) Registration is not required. The meeting is open to all SF State faculty members.
Calling all artists, creators, makers, innovators and tinkerers! Join the Staff Maker Faire to exhibit and sell original work on Wednesday, Nov. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Science and Engineering Innovation Center. Register via Qualtrics. For questions, please email the Staff Council.
SF State Spotlight
Professor of Kinesiology Jimmy Bagley and Graduate Student Omar El-Kurd co-authored a new scientific article with a diverse team of collaborators from across the country (Babcock et al., 2024). The group studied the effects of completing the 100-mile Western States Endurance Run (WSER) on athletes’ heart and blood vessel health. They found that while this extreme endurance run from Lake Tahoe to Auburn, California, causes significant stress on the body, there were few negative short-term effects to the cardiovascular system. This research will help clinicians and coaches develop strategies to improve ultra-endurance athlete health and performance.
Professor of Asian American Studies Russell Jeung will share his insights into Asian American activism and organizing as part of an event at KQED headquarters Thursday, Oct. 10, at 7 p.m. “How We Fight: The Power of Asian American Activism” will also feature a segment examining the legacy of Filipino civil rights leader Patrick Salaver, one of the leaders behind the Third World Liberation Front at SF State in the 1960s. Tickets are available to attend in person, and the event will also be livestreamed for free. Learn more on the KQED website.