Testimonials
What our students and faculty say about Continuing Education

Don Benner

Don Benner, human resource director of the Redding Rancheria, joined colleagues Chief Executive Officer Tracy Edwards and Chief Operating Officer Stacey Carmen in completing the Leadership Development Program, a seven-course series dedicated to enhancing organizational effectiveness through the development of effective, inspired leaders.

Don commented, "A number of our tribal members participated in the leadership program because it was an exciting learning opportunity for our team. While we are all very busy, we found it to be an excellent use of our time. We enjoyed the chance to interact with University faculty and community leaders to discuss current government issues and new management techniques."

Don added, "It was great to have taken the time to take a step back and look at how we view ourselves and the people and communities we serve. I have been able to use a number of the creative approaches we covered to improve my day-to-day management of 150 employees, resulting in better communication and service."

For more than 30 years, CSU, Chico has provided programming specially designed for local and state government leaders. In 2001, with the support of the CSU Commission on the Extended University, Continuing Education established the Northern California Local Government Leadership Institute. Today the Institute has served more than 600 individual clients through open enrollment and custom government leadership programs.

Massimo Pigliucci

For five days in June 2003, CSU, Chico hosted Evolution 2003—the Joint Meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution, Society of Systematic Biologists, and American Society of Naturalists. More than 1,100 scholars and students from around the world came to Chico, making it the largest professional conference ever to take place on campus.

"As executive vice president of the Society for the Study of Evolution, I was closely involved with the local hosts in organizing the Society's 2003 meetings in Chico," commented Massimo Pigliucci, professor of ecology and evolution, Stony Brook State University of New York.

He remarked, "My experience of both the organizational phase and the actual event was absolutely positive. I was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere in Chico—both the town and the campus. We accommodated 16 concurrent sessions, with close to 700 oral presentations, four symposia, and 250 posters. I would highly recommend the location for future meetings of either our or other comparable professional societies."

The Chico News & Review reported an invasion of "name-tag-wearing, backpack-toting scientists," with one local food establishment reporting a 35 percent jump in sales. The total local economic impact was estimated to be more than $700,000.

Building upon this professional conference success, Continuing Education recently managed Botany 2006, the joint annual meeting of the Botanical Society of America, the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, the American Fern Society, and the American Bryological and Lichenological Society. Botany 2006 attracted more than 1,300 scholars and had special historical significance, as it was the 100th anniversary celebration of the Botanical Society of America.

Marlene Grant

"Staying relevant and up-to-date with emerging science and new approaches in psychotherapy and mediation is challenging. I realized this in my own professional practice and knew many of my colleagues in the area were traveling hundreds of miles outside our region to attend professional continuing education conferences. So I started to think of how I could be part of the effort to create and present high-quality programming that could make a positive difference," remarked Marlene Grant.

Marlene serves the community by providing psychotherapy, mediation, and educational services through contracts with the Superior Court of California and for individuals through her private practice.

"I met with Clare Roby of Continuing Education and discussed CSU, Chico's efforts already underway with the In Service to Families, Children, and the Courts conference series. I agreed to join the new advisory board created to address the regional need for professional development programming for people who serve the courts and the children and families who find themselves in tragic situations. I was very impressed with Clare's positive vision that together we could develop appropriate educational opportunities for professionals seeking continuing education in association with their license renewal and career development," continued Marlene.

As a result of the collaboration between Marlene, Butte County Superior Court Family & Children's Division, and other concerned professionals who serve on the advisory board, Continuing Education has expanded its professional development and conference offerings. Marlene's vision for a multi-day conference focused on issues faced by children who experience trauma was the inspiration for the In Service program's signature event, the annual Children in Trauma conference held each January. First presented in 2003, the Children in Trauma conference has attracted more than 750 participants from across California.

Marlene added, "When people ask me what to expect from our conferences, I tell them: ‘Come prepared for a day to remember, knowing you will return to your office exhilarated from the learning, with knowledge that is directly transferable to practice.'"

To date, the In Service program has hosted more than 25 one- and two-day conferences, providing continuing education for more than a thousand professionals throughout California. In 2003, the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) recognized the In Service program for excellence and presented Continuing Education the Western Region Innovative Non Credit Programming Award.