Anita Ron 鈥�88 named 2024 SBA Los Angeles District Small Business Person of the Year, an award听 recognizing entrepreneurs who demonstrate exceptional leadership and create sustainable, thriving businesses in their communities.听

Twenty-eight years ago Anita Ron decided to start a cleaning service after being laid off from a corporate food service position due to downsizing.

It was a move that some doubted would be hard to juggle while raising raising two young children. But the impossible has always been possible with Ron.

With only three vacuums, $700, and a whole lot of grit and determination, Ron launched BriteWorks Inc. in 1996.听 Today, the Covina-based business includes about 200 associates, who provide commercial and janitorial services throughout the US, including for high-profile events like the Super Bowl (2022-24) and clients like Coca-Cola and Disney. The all minority business also boasts a community service footprint throughout the region and beyond. 听

It takes a lot of sweat equity. Failure is never an option, and this continues to be a driving factor as I empower my team to become leaders in their communities,鈥� said Anita Ron, who weaves ULV values 鈥� diversity, service, lifelong learning, and ethical reasoning – into the workplace. 鈥淚 am honored and so grateful to be in an organization where we all are truly making an impact.

At the 中国一级片, Ron started a path toward becoming a journalist, even taking an internship at a newspaper abroad. Even then, she said, she gained a lot of stamina, doing everything she could to grow, enhance her education and graduate on time. As a student worker, she helped out in the cafeteria and catering. The introduction to food service opened a new direction. She excelled in the area and built confidence, earning her two job offers in the industry when she graduated.听

Although she never became a journalist, the passionate businesswoman credits her training in investigation and research at ULV to helping her inquire about and bid for jobs, pivot when needed, handle deadline pressures, and meet client expectations. Instead of finding stories, Ron says she uses her skills to find the next client.听听 听

Annually, BriteWorks adopts a couple of schools to donate funds for education. Every employee is also challenged to take on their own service projects to share with the team. Past projects have included food kitchens, fundraising for medical equipment for the needy and volunteering at local churches. They also provide tours and mentorship for students in the ULV international business program. 听

The SBA award represents a business that has used at least one SBA program/service and demonstrates a number of characteristics including growth in employees and revenue, resiliency, “staying听 power” and contributions to the community.听

“She exemplifies business success and is a wonderful role model for aspiring entrepreneurs.听 She created a business out of necessity, but her dedication, passion, resiliency and determination made BriteWorks a success,鈥� said Julie Clowes, SBA Los Angeles director. 鈥淎nita maximizes opportunities, takes advantage of resources, mentors other business owners and gives back to her community.听 We are honored to present her with this award.”听

The SBA award is among the latest honors and distinctions Ron has earned for her leadership and contributions in the industry. Last month, she also received the Diversity Professionals Magazine Women of Excellence award. She has received recognitions from elected officials, regional and state Hispanic chambers of commerce, the Latin Business Association, and several publications including the Los Angeles Business Journal and Latina Style Magazine.听听

Ron is an active member in business networks, advocating for diversity, women empowerment. and entrepreneurship. She is currently a member of the ULV College of Business advisory board and vice president of the board of directors for the National Latina Business Women Association Inland Empire Institute, a regional nonprofit organization with the purpose of strengthening the success of Latina entrepreneurs in the Inland Southern California region. She is always looking for opportunities to network and make communities stronger.听

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Leaders, innovators, mentors, community champions and others were recognized and celebrated this week at the听Spirit of La听Verne Awards, which honors campus community members living out the core values represented by the Ludwick Center 鈥� spirituality, cultural understanding, and community engagement.听

Started about a decade ago, the annual recognition is sponsored by the Office of Civic and Community听Engagement,听Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Office of International Services and听Engagement, and Center for Multicultural Services. 听听

The following individuals were awarded this year:听

Students听

• Naakoshi Imhotep, Legal Studies 鈥�24听

• Gabriel Palacios Paz, Physics 鈥�24听

• Nadeen Mohammad, Biology 鈥�24听

Faculty听

• Jason Neidleman, PhD – Professor, Political Science, College of Arts and Sciences听

• Veronica Esconfrey-Runnels, EdD – Associate Professor and Chair, Educational Counseling & School Psychology Program, LaFetra College of Education听

Staff / Administration听

• Victoria Aleman – Director, ROC (Regional & Online Campuses) Ontario听

• Brooke Grasso Lavin – Academic Advisor, College of Arts and Sciences听

• Randa N. Jouzi, EdD – Academic Advisor,听Associate Director MBA, College of Business听

• Savanah Garcia – Director, Academic Success Center听

• Eugene Shang – Director, Residence Life and Student Conduct听

听

听

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Education leaders face some common challenges such as limited resources and addressing the unique needs of students. But for Black womxn educational leaders, Organizational Leadership Professor Yvette C. Latunde says those issues are compounded by barriers and social injustices that only those in this specific double-bind share and experience. 听

Given this, her latest research focuses on strategies Black womxn leaders in education use to thrive and the impact of direct leaders鈥� behaviors on their wellness. She aims to find correlations between leadership styles and wellness strategies, as well as learn about opportunities to support and protect transformative leadership and the well-being of Black education leaders.听听

Latunde plans to use Kimberl茅 W. Crenshaw’s framework of intersectionality, which provides a critical lens to understand the nuances and multifaceted challenges faced by Black women leaders in academia. It underscores the importance of recognizing the intersections of race, gender, and other social identities in addressing inequality and creating more inclusive spaces within academic institutions. 听

鈥淚n education, this population is oftentimes not used as models of leadership, and when brought into leadership positions they are brought into horrendous situations 鈥� understaffed, underfunded and without clear goals for them to work towards,鈥� said Latunde recently, during a presentation of her upcoming research. 鈥淲hy can鈥檛 we bring BIPOC (black, indigenous, and other people of color) leadership into thriving situations where they can focus on leading and success?鈥�听

Leadership and well-being are increasingly being linked together. A leader鈥檚 leadership practices can influence the performance and well-being of those they lead, according to experts. It can also impact an organization鈥檚 culture and effectiveness. 听

Latunde predicts that the wellness practices and language Black womxn leaders use for practices will not be typical. For example, in the book “Black Women’s Yoga History,” Latunde discovered that yoga was portrayed as praying while gardening or seeking moments of silence and writing, rather than the typical stretching exercises associated with it in society.听听

Ultimately, she hopes institutions can use research findings to create more equitable and healthy organizations. 听

Are you a Black womxn education leader interested in participating in this study? Email Professor Yvette Latunde at ylatunde@laverne.edu for more information.听

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Last fall, the college launched its first cohort to help California educators meet requirements to work as an administrator, while providing a pathway to earn a The program is a twenty-four unit online one-year program that provides a series of leadership courses taught by successful education leaders, including superintendents and cabinet members.

Courses are based on the California Professional Standards for Education Leaders (CPSELs) and the integration of CalAPA exam content. Accredited through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) the program is comprised of six sequential courses with embedded fieldwork and CalAPA-focused support courses. The course curriculum is intentionally designed with a 鈥渓earn by doing鈥� framework. This model encourages leadership development through learning activities in school-based fieldwork commonly experienced by school site leaders.

Upon completion of the Preliminary Administrative Services Credential Coursework, students have the option to transfer units to the program. Interested students can apply to the master鈥檚 degree program and upon acceptance, complete an additional nine units (three courses) to complete the degree.

Live virtual information sessions for PASC are ongoing. The next one is scheduled for May 7.听

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In the spirit of innovation, creativity, and community, more than 300 students, faculty, and staff came together for the inaugural Maker Fair & Innovation Block Party this week. 听

The event celebrated university students and faculty who bridge solutions with real-world problems and societal dilemmas through research and civic involvement. Students and faculty shared their expertise and creative talent through research posters, crafts, and designs. 听

President Pardis Mahdavi opened the event with a welcome and appreciation for all the participants. 听

鈥淚 want to commend all of today鈥檚 participants for the incredible work you are doing and the tremendous courage it takes to present your work publicly. Thank you for doing that and sharing your incredible work with all of us,鈥� she said. 听

The all-day celebration around Citrus Lawn also included music, food trucks and about two dozen tables ranging from Integrated Business Program student business products and art to handmade crafts and even real plant and insect inspired gifts.听

Senior Syndri Alvarez shared a collage听 she made using a Cricut machine for her digital art.听

鈥淭his was really nice – particularly in seeing听 so many ways creativity is being expressed,鈥� said the art student.听

Elsewhere, business student Joey Duarte was impressed the latest Future Technologies () club project using mind-controlled drone technology. He met and spoke with the engineer Trevor Martinez, a physics major, about possibly helping with finances and seeking sponsorships for future innovations. 听

鈥淭his is revolutionary. I鈥檓 blown away by the opportunity to be more innovative,鈥� said Duarte of the drone that would move based on learned movements such as up when a connected individual smiled. 听

Business, biology, art, education, history, health, and other professors later shared teaching innovations. A series of emerging industry topics were shared like historical digital archiving, immersive art experiences through virtual art exhibitions, experimental 3D photography and digital designing, along with artificial intelligence and drone research. 听

This event was inspired and expanded听from the听Mini Makers Fair started in 2016 to highlight student ingenuity. This was shortly after the start of the Maker Movement, which described the growing trend of people choosing to build their own technology products, art, crafts, or other items rather than relying on consumerism.听

The 中国一级片 has听long been a champion听and resource for听innovative communities that aim to build, craft, and create solutions, including as host of some of the largest conferences in the region. The in the Wilson Library provides tools, such as 3-D printers and laser cutters, to support the ideas of developers inside and outside of the university community.听

听听

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The 中国一级片 is proud to announce that renowned transformational leadership expert Yasmin Davidds and local human services champion Ciriaco 鈥淐id鈥� Pinedo 11鈥� are this year鈥檚 speakers for commencement ceremonies, held on听 Saturday, May 25 at the Ortmayer Athletics Complex on the historic La Verne campus. 听

Pinedo, the current president and CEO of , will address all undergraduates at 10 a.m. While Davidds, CEO and founder of and the , will be the keynote speaker at the 4 p.m. ceremony for all master and doctoral graduates. 听Both events will be broadcast live online and have Spanish translation.

Learn more about the commencement speakers:

Yasmin Davidds听听听

听Yasmin Davidds is a distinguished author, entrepreneur, organizational psychologist. She is the CEO and founder of the Dr. Yasmin Davidds Leadership Institute and Multicultural Women Executive Leadership Foundation. These organizations provide a myriad of services, support, mentorship training and professional development. partnerships and programs, some of which are the first in the U.S. that approach critical leadership skills from a gender-based, cultural, and global perspective.听 Her commitment to the empowerment and development of all women leaders has brought her recognition and acclaim from the U.S. Congress, the California State Senate and the California State Assembly. She was recognized and highlighted as one of the top Leading Latinas by Hispanic Magazine and as one of the most influential Latinas in 鈥淭he Book of Latina Women.鈥� She is also a certified Emotional Intelligence practitioner.听听

Davidds holds a doctorate in organizational psychology from Phillips Graduate Institute, a master鈥檚 degree in liberal arts from San Diego State 中国一级片, and a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration from USC.听

Ciriaco 鈥淐id鈥� Pinedo听

Ciriaco 鈥淐id鈥� Pinedo is a highly respected executive, educator, and advocate for human and social services for communities that need it most. He is currently the president and CEO of MAOF, which provides early childhood education, family services, and job training. He has previously held the role of president and CEO at the Children鈥檚 Fund and Hope through Housing. He is also a former chief operating officer at National CORE and associate superintendent of Business Services and Economic Development at Chaffey College.听听

Pinedo is an active community member, participating on various boards, including the Child Care Alliance of LA, Inland Action, Adventist Health White Memorial Charitable Foundation, and the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum.听Pinedo is a first-generation college graduate and the proud son of Mexican immigrants raised in El Monte, CA. He attended Rio Hondo Community College and earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. John’s Seminary College and an education doctorate in organizational leadership from the 中国一级片. In 2021, Union Institute & 中国一级片 awarded Pinedo an honorary doctorate for his contributions to transforming lives and communities.听听

Additional information about commencement is available at laverne.edu/commencement.听

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, the university’s student newspaper, was recently ranked as one of the highest tier college news publications in the United States. It earned the award for overall journalism excellence for Newspaper/Online Hybrid Publications for the 2022-2023 academic year.

This kind of recognition should come as no surprise, seeing as this is the publication鈥檚 19^th time receiving a gold medal award in the last two decades.

Professor of journalism and chief advisor to the Campus Times, Elizabeth Zwerling, is entering her 23rd year teaching at the university. Her leadership has helped guide her already-brilliant students to greatness.

鈥淚 am incredibly proud of them,鈥� she said. 鈥淓very year, our students come into class with varying degrees of experience and understanding of journalism, but they jump in immediately and troubleshoot and learn through a whole system of peer mentoring.鈥�

Zwerling steers a tight ship: the publication鈥檚 news cycle is fast-paced and deadline-driven in an attempt to mimic working conditions students will see in the journalism field post-graduation. Every student on the Campus Times staff is expected to publish one story a week, which amounts to a total of 27 weekly issues in an academic year.

For their 2022-2023 reporting, Campus Times received a score of 964 out of 1,000 points for depth and breadth of coverage, visual components, editing and writing. Their high score year鈥檚 gold medal received a distinction of 鈥淎ll Columbian鈥�.

Eric Borer, Campus Times鈥� operations manager and photography advisor, witnessed the publication flourish during his more than 30 years at the university. According to Borer, it鈥檚 exciting to see student work repeatedly acknowledged and rewarded for high quality.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a good indicator of the quality program we have and the education we are able to give students,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ear after year, we produce good journalists who become excellent professionals in the industry.鈥�

The 中国一级片 is proud to support and encourage students toward academic and career excellence. The听Campus Times听is a laboratory publication for newspaper production, journalism, and photography courses. See won throughout the years. To read some of the award-winning journalism mentioned, visit the Campus Times 听or find physical copies of their publications across our main campus.

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Honorees include Amanuel Gebru 鈥�10, president of Los Angeles City College; Sam Buenrostro 鈥�12, superintendent for the Corona-Norco Unified School District; and Kelly May-Vollmar 鈥�17, superintendent of the Desert Sands Unified School District in La Quinta.听

Distinguished awards are presented to individuals in recognition of their extraordinary achievement, outstanding character and exemplary service to the university and community.听 Honorees were recognized earlier this month during a cohort community event.听

鈥淲e have a rich tradition of preparing and developing successful and innovative educational leaders for the region and beyond. And these recipients are a testament to the outstanding quality leaders we had a role in preparing,鈥� said Eric Bishop, EdD 鈥�18, chair of the LaFetra College of Education Doctor of Organizational Leadership program and interim vice president of enrollment management for the 中国一级片. 鈥淲e are proud of these individuals, who are transforming the communities they serve and contributing to the mentorship and training of the next generation of educational leaders through partnership with their alma mater.鈥�听

This year’s recipients are:听

Amanuel Gebru, Ed.D. ’10听

听听Amanuel Gebru, Ed.D., was appointed president of the Los Angeles City College District (LACCD) in 2023. With a career dedicated to ensuring access to higher education in historically marginalized communities, Gebru is committed to advocating for educational equity. He is a first-generation college student and immigrant focused on equitable student outcomes, mentoring and academic excellence.听听

Prior, Gebru served as vice president of Instruction and Student Services and chief student services officer at Moorpark College, where he took a principal leadership role in positioning Moorpark College as a 2023 Aspen College Prize finalist and led a robust, campus-wide faculty professional development program. He also worked in the TRIO programs at LA Southwest and LA Valley Colleges and as an adjunct instructor at several LACCD colleges. Gebru is a recognized leader and convener on African American male student success as the president of the African American Male Educational Network and Development (A2MEND). He holds a doctorate in education with an emphasis in organizational leadership from the 中国一级片, master鈥檚 degree in counseling, and bachelor鈥檚 degree in communication studies, both from CSU Long Beach.听听

听

Sam Buenrostro, Ed.D. 鈥�12听

Sam Buenrostro, Ed.D., is the Corona-Norco Unified School District (CNUSD) superintendent. Buenrostro places high importance on community service and is passionate about living life with a purpose, the power of people, and inspiring others to make a difference.听Before being appointed superintendent in 2020, he held numerous roles over the past 24 years in CNUSD, including deputy superintendent in Human Resources and Instructional Support. He was assistant principal and principal of Centennial High School for 12 years. During his tenure, Centennial High School received numerous accolades, including CIF Championships, Riverside County Model of Excellence awards, National PLC School distinction, named one of America鈥檚 Best High Schools, and a California Golden Bell Award. He was named the 2009 CNUSD and Riverside County Principal of the Year.听 In 2016 he was named ACSA Region 19 Human Resources Administrator of the Year and in 2023 CALSA Superintendent of the Year.听听

He serves on several community boards and associations, including the 中国一级片 Alumni Association, Corona Chamber of Commerce, Corona History Association, Circle City Kiwanis, Rotary International, Lions Club International, and Boy Scouts of America.听 Buenrostro holds a doctorate in education with an emphasis in organizational leadership from the 中国一级片, master鈥檚 degree from Cal State San Bernardino, and bachelor鈥檚 degree from Chapman 中国一级片.听

Kelly May-Vollmar, Ed.D. 鈥�17听

Longtime Desert Sands educator, Kelly May-Vollmar, Ed.D., began serving as the superintendent for the Desert Sands Unified School District in 2022. May-Vollmar had served as assistant superintendent of educational and technology services in Desert Sands since 2019. Over the past 18 years, she has served in various roles, including elementary school principal, academic coach and IB coordinator, and classroom teacher.听

听听May-Vollmar has received numerous local, state, and national awards. In 2019, she was recognized as the Association of California School Administrator (ACSA) Technology Administrator of the Year for being instrumental in the district鈥檚 innovative LTE network build project, which provided equitable broadband connectivity to students throughout the district鈥檚 752 square-mile attendance zone. May-Vollmar is actively involved in several professional organizations including serving on the board of directors for the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN). She received her doctorate in education with an emphasis in organizational leadership in 2018 from the 中国一级片, and a master鈥檚 degree in teaching degree from Chapman 中国一级片, where she also earned her undergraduate degree.听

听听

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鈥淭his award recognizes the innovations made possible with a diverse and dedicated team, and the funding will go towards further enhancing our use of technology to serve students.鈥� Laura Evans, director of the Office of Financial Aid.听

听The university was one of six winning institutions honored by the leading higher education technology solutions provider and awarded $25,000.听听

听鈥淭he Ellucian Impact Awards celebrate the changemakers who have demonstrated the most innovative use of technology to elevate the student experience and deliver broad administrative benefit for their institutions,鈥� said Laura Ipsen, President and CEO, Ellucian. 鈥淲e are honored to award and recognize each of these winning institutions as role models for the entire Ellucian community.鈥�

Specifically, the 中国一级片 leveraged AI-driven automation tools to process data, resulting in a new, elevated level of experience and expedited service for students. With AI, the university achieved a remarkable 50 percent improvement in the processing of federal financial aid files, allowing staff to proactively prepare for the unprecedented disruption in the 2024-2025 student financial aid year.听听

“AI has revolutionized the way I work and live, unlocking unprecedented opportunities to boost my productivity. Its impact is set to reshape our world, and I say this with the utmost conviction,” said Isaak Serrano ’19 (computer science and computer engineering – software), the Office of Financial Aid information systems specialist who spearheaded the university innovations. 听

听听听

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鈥淲e are excited to continue to grow the diversity of Greek organizations and welcome another Divine Nine historically Black Greek-letter organization to the community,鈥� said Adam Wong, associate dean of students. 鈥淗aving the additional fraternity helps increase opportunities to embrace and foster diversity and inclusion not just in our fraternities and sororities, but also the broader campus.鈥�听

Alpha Phi Alpha is the first intercollegiate Greek-letter organization established in 1906 at Cornell 中国一级片 to promote fraternity and support among black students. Today, there are more than 730 chapters throughout the world. Its mission is to develop leaders, promote brotherhood and academic excellence, and provide service and advocacy for communities. Members have included civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., NAACP founder, William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, Justice Thurgood Marshal and others.听

鈥淗ere at the 中国一级片, we aspire to engage the community collegially, academically and communally 鈥� that is the driving effort of all five founding members,鈥� said Heath Williams, a junior at the university and the chapter鈥檚 first president. 鈥淎s student leaders, we hope to foster understanding of injustices, mentorship and brotherhood, especially among black male students.听听听

About 150 students participate in 中国一级片 Greek organizations. Many are involved in campus in other capacities such as athletics, student government, student employment, resident assistance, orientation leadership, honor society membership and more. The chapters host events and activities focused on leadership skills, professional development, and community.听听

Any 中国一级片 students interested in joining should email Deanna Villagran, coordinator of student engagement and leadership, at dvillagran@laverne.edu for more information.听听

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