ITU Journal Volume IV, Issue III, 2014

ITUJournal

Teamwork and collaborative learning By Richard Riehle, PhD Is the classroom lecture dead? Learn how one ITU Professor is ditching the classiclecture format for a project-based learning approach. Dr. Richard Riehle examines how teamwork, the buddy system, and project-based assignments are redefining how students study in the classroom.

Why we Value Values Getting Linked in

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Volume IV, Issue III, 2014International Technological UniversityA WASC Accredited Graduate School

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By Daniel Keenan

Social networking has changed the job hunting game, allowing applicants to apply for jobs efficiently, while still remaining personable. Daniel Keenan examines the changes, and talks to an ITU student who recently got a job at Symantec through LinkedIn.

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Building values“ Your actions become your habits,Your habits become your values,Your values become your destiny.”― Mahatma Gandhi

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A WASC Accredited Graduate SchoolInternational Technological University

Openness, Innovation, Teamwork, Responsibility, and Learning, do you know what these are? ITU’s Values...

Since its inception, ITU has provided education that produces excellent professionals and leaders. By gearing for high performance, students gain knowledge and skills essential for success.

ITU encourages open communication of ideas between all stakeholders. All faculty and students have access to the EMS and curriculum, which are data driven, practical and research-based. We seek feedback from our diverse students to improve all our learning environments.

ITU believes in innovation by fostering positive change. Our new degree design is aimed at combining theoretical and industry knowledge, advanced problem solving, and skill performance for overall student success.

ITU is committed to teamwork and responsibility, building and maintaining good relationships. We strive for competence, communication, and leadership that includes accountability and responsibility.

Of course learning is the foundation. All departments and programs value students’ achievement. Our courses include valuable industry perspectives. The university’s values and learning expectations are reflected in ITU’s culture, curriculum, teaching and learning methodology as well as assessment.

Amal Mougharbel, PhD Business Administration Department Chair Editor in Chief, ITU Journal

What’s Inside

Pg 3 ● Degree Program Changes

Pg 4 ● Learn. Connect. Empower.

Pg 6 ● Teamwork and Collaborative Learning at ITU

Pg 8 ● Why Do Values Matter?

Pg 8 ● 5 Stories on ITU’s Values

Pg 10 ● Doctoral Students Published

● ITU Faculty Speak

Pg 11 ● Getting Linked In

Pg 12 ● Did You Know? ● Mirrors: Beautiful City of Fez

Pg 13 ● ITU’s Summer of Giving

TEAM

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www.itu.edu

“Global Development through Silicon Valley Education”

International Technological University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universi-ties of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges,

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TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ITU, VISIT WWW.ITU.EDU.

Editor-in-Chief:Amal Mougharbel, PhD

Editorial Board:Barbara ArnoldussenPatricia WigginJames Dohnert Daniel Keenan

Coordinator:James Dohnert

Designer: Kathia Rubi Nicole Liu

Staff Photographer: Raghu Ram Setty

ITU Journal cannot be held liable for its content. The views expressed are those of the writers only. The Editorial Board reserves the right to edit submissions.

Please remember to recycle!

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Volume IV, Issue III, 2014

Degree Program Changes

ITU’s academic leadership decided to collectively undertake university-wide program changes across all Master’s degree programs. With the new program structures in place, all students will share a number of common touchstone experiences throughout their course of study that are distinct to ITU, such as its signature internship program as well as the newly introduced ITU Presents.

In addition, the University will be able to better track development of student learning from the beginning of their first trimester to the point of graduation as courses are laid out to give students more structured opportunities to reach mastery of program learning outcomes.

ITU’S NEW PROGRAMS STRUCTURE

CORE 1 Overview course3 Fundamental courses

ELECTIVES Targeted industry-relevant courses focused on skills building

INTERNSHIPS Full Time/Part Time

CAPSTONE Final project or thesis to consolidate learning

Non-credit enrichment

Students attend 12 guest lectures during course of study

Keeps students connected to trends and leaders in industry

FACULTY APPOINTMENTS

Core Course Instructors: Full-time & Core Faculty

Internship Advisors:All Faculty

Elective Course Instructors:Part-time Faculty who are also Industry Practitioners

Capstone Advisors:Full-time & Core Faculty

ITU Presents:Visiting Industry Experts

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ITU has focused on developing its Educational Management System (EMS) over the past 9 months, which we see as the driving force behind growth and education going forward. In order to efficiently cater to our growing student population, the college needs a top of

the range EMS system.

In May, EMS 3.0 was launched, with a rebuilt user interface, making the system much easier to use. Currently in development are fea-tures to add improved social network functionality and mobile-ready offerings, in the hope of making the EMS one of the most signifi-

cant educational software developments in the last few years. To develop the EMS, ITU has acquired some of the best talent from Silicon Valley, with experts coming in from companies like Google and Linkedin.

Our students come from all corners of the world to attend ITU, and we know they will do all they can to succeed here, so it is up to us to provide them with the high-level of teaching and industry relevant experience that they expect from ITU.

In the past few months, we have introduced an extracurricular workshop to supplement student learning. We are encouraging ITU professors to start workshops in their field, outside of class time, and have had success in a mobile app development workshop by Pro-fessor Barbara Hecker, as well as career training workshops, with more planned in the coming months. Engagement with the college is also key to student success, and the ITU student government is working on several projects aimed at fostering a good community spirit

among students.

With the huge strides that we’ve taken forward in the last few years, we’ve launched initiatives to get these successes recognized on both a regional and national level. To bolster our local and national reputation, we’ve been busy on social media and writing blog posts, to promote upcoming events and highlighting our successes. In addition to this, we launched our own version of TED Talks in May, called

ITU Presents. As well as being an invaluable resource for students, we believe it will further bolster the reputation of ITU in the Bay Area and further afield.

The more that we can push the ITU brand throughout the Bay Area, the easier it will be for us to attract stellar faculty, create strategic partnerships, and place students in prized industry positions.

By Daniel Keenan, Internal Communications Writer

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ITU’s student populace is now 100 times bigger than it was in 2005. With this exponential growth comes the chance to grow the facili-ties for our student body. We have increased the size of the Student Information Desk team, added new faculty to our programs, and expanded the Student Success Center staff. We are also continuing to grow strategic partnerships with Peking University in China, and technology companies in Hong Kong, which will allow our students to engage in international joint research projects, as well as bring more industry relevant subject matter to their learning.

We also hope to build stronger ties with our alumni, past and future, as a strongly linked alumni network allows students to expand on contacts and career opportunities, and will hold the college in better stead going forward.

Improving our organizational effectiveness involves sharpening the efficiency of all the goings on behind the scenes. From Institutional Research (IR) to EMS automization, organizational effectiveness encompasses the aspects of college life that you won’t see day to day, but is nonetheless vital to running a successful university.

Our IR department collects vital data, including statistics from each department, enrollment numbers and retention rates, which we can then use to gauge course efficiency. Over the next two years, we hope to increase the kind of data we collect, and use it to make effec-tive decisions throughout the organization. In the long run, we believe our ability to gather and parse data will be a major part of what makes ITU a success.

ITU recognizes that the drive to improve the college comes directly from the hard work of our employees. In the last few months, our staff has grown to meet the demand of our expanding university, and we want to see this growth translate to further successes. We will give staff the tools they want to succeed, not just the ones they need, because we know that a staff who are motivated to succeed will reflect our college ideology.

Additionally, we are giving our employees the chance to give back to the greater community with a blood drive in June and a bone marrow registry drive in September, with further philanthropic efforts events planned every month. This shows that despite the rise in employee numbers, everyone can feel a part of the ITU community. The food drive in May, set up by staff, collected 500lb of food, and is a great example of our employees taking their own initiative towards improving ITU.

Over the past nine months, ITU has been focusing on six different areas of the university to innovate and revitalize. These 6 strategic goals are not just about improving the college’s resources, but about bettering the tools and options available to both staff and stu-dents. Through this plan, we have begun on a journey to develop ITU into the college at the summit of Silicon Valley education.

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One of the more effective approaches to education in nearly any kind of environment is collaborative learning, sometimes called “peer learning.” With this approach, the students are interacting with each other to accomplish tasks associated with the prescribed course learning objectives (CLO’s).

This kind of learning is especially effective at the graduate school level where students are already prepared with the basics of the course topics, and are learning to expand and improve their practical knowledge and skills in their specialized area of study.

There are multiple approaches to collaborative learning. Two of the more common approaches are 1) the buddy system, and 2) the team system. In the buddy system, students are allowed to pair-up with a partner (usually one buddy only), and solutions to assignments are developed by the pair. The buddy system allows the two students to talk with each other about the problem, try a variety of solutions, critique each other during the development process, and come to a consensus regarding the solution they intend to submit for the assignment. In a

part-time graduate program where students are employed at full-time jobs, the buddy system also works well when one member of the pair is occasionally unable to attend a class session due to changes in the work schedule.

The other approach, the team project, is focused on solving larger projects, sometimes a problem such as designing an entire system or process. In theteam approach, the instructor uses some scheme to organize three or more (usually no more than six) students. The goal of the team is to complete a project of some complexity and difficulty using the skills and knowledge they are learning in the course. A project may require an entire semester; or there may be multiple projects during the semester. When there are multiple projects in a semester, teams may choose to reconstitute themselves, exchanging members with other teams to improve their team-building skills.

There is a lot of current research published that demonstrates the benefits of collaborative learning over the more traditional kinds of learning. It is now well-established that, with the exception of the especially talented lecturer, classroom lecture is the least effective

of any approach, and peer learning is extraordinarily effective. In a 2012 Harvard Magazine article titled, “The Twilight of The Lecture”, by Craig Lambert, the case for peer learning is shown to be waning as a sound approach, even though many professors still prefer it. In a 21st Century graduate school program, the instructor who relies mainly on classroom lecture as a teaching approach is not serving the students as well as s/he could be.

Of course, every student is a little different, so working in a group, on a team, or with a partner may not be appropriate for some students. Also, some lecture is still important, especially when that lecture can be more of a classroom discussion than a single person, the professor, droning-on from a set of bullet-points using computer-based presentation software. Still, it is becoming increasingly evident that the modern student is impatient to get to work on the solutions rather than be talked-at in a lecture hall.

Other ITU professors are also discovering that team/group/peer learning is the right approach for the 21st Century graduate student. They are also exploring how to use this as a tool for preparing our students with the skills they will need to work in industry.

This prepares students – future professionals – with the confidence that comes from the practice of having to be both a team leader and a team member. Although I am not the only professor at ITU to use collaborative learning, I will focus the rest on this paper on my own approach to making this work in the classroom.

Teamwork and Collaborative Learning at ITUBy Richard Riehle, PhD, Core Professor of Computer Science

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Nearly every class I teach involves a team-based capstone project that must be completed by the end of the semester. We create the teams by choosing, at random, five or six temporary team leaders, bring them to front of the classroom, and let them choose their own team members. Once the team is formed, the team members may choose a different leader. Consequently, well known processes of group dynamics will come into play from the start. For example, the team will go through the typical phases of a hastily-formed, leaderless group: inclusion, control, and affection [Guzzo]. At the beginning of the group formation, at various points along the way during its existence, there will be some members who will need to resolve issues related to “inclusion, then “control”, and eventually, “affection”. This is typical of any kind of group like this. I cover this process in class at the beginning of the semester, and we then review how it worked during their own group interactions as a hastily formed team.

Part of every class session is devoted to team meetings. In the early part of the semester, I let them have one hour out of a three hour class period. As the semester progresses, I give them a larger block of time. As they approach the end of the semester, they typically need less classroom discussion and lecture, and more team meeting and project development.

There is the concern about how the professor with evaluate the team. Some members will contribute more than others. There may even be someone on the team whose contribution is miniscule. To deal with this, I create a peer evaluation form that I distribute to every person in the class on the last day of the semester. On that form, I list some critical issues related to the project and ask the members to evaluate the contribution of their colleagues on the team on a scale of zero through ten. Also, I personally meet with each team during the team meeting time. This gives me a chance to observe the interactions, make recommendations, and, sometimes, invite a specific student to meet privately with me to discuss his or her issues before those issues become serious for a student who may be struggling.

By providing a careful balance between lecture and hands-on development, we find that the students are able to better understand the material they need for their future as working professionals.

The combined challenge of using their technical knowledge on an actual project, and learning to work as a productive member of a team enables them to build the kind of confidence they need when they graduate and pursue a career in their chosen field.

I grade the capstone project using a checklist of deliverables with a pre-assigned number of points for every item on the checklist. Some deliverables are worth more points than others. I later adjust the points earned for each student using the peer evaluations. If the team unanimously scores a given member below five on a scale of 0 through ten., I deduct points for that student. If only one member of the team gives another member a low score, I ignore that single score.

At the end of the semester, the team is required to present their project to the rest of the class. Every member of the team is required to participate in that presentation. I keep a score sheet for the presentation, and grade each student and the team for the quality of their presentation. During the presentation, I make comments about specific items I might notice that would require correction or adjustment. Then, the students are given an extra week to make those corrections before submitting the final copy of their project (hard copy and electronic).

The most time-consuming part of the grading process is reading the capstone projects in enough detail to determine that it meets my expectations. I need to ensure that, if they used material from other sources, they gave adequate attribution. I examine the charts, graphs, modeling diagrams, and every other element of the project to make sure they have done their work at a professional level. Although this requires me to burn a little bit of midnight oil so I can get the course grades submitted on time, it is worth it. Using the collaborative learning techniques students create practical, yet high quality team projects.

[Guzzo] Richard Guzzo & Gregory Shea, “Group Performance of Intergroup Relations in Organizations”, Handbook of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Consulting Psychologists Press, c1990-1994

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At any graduate school institution, case studies are foundational to learning. The generations of leaders who have gone before call to us as spectral figures. Their stories inform and are the basis for how to lead. Case studies apply theory to complex problems.

But at the heart of every leader is a life of individual choices and decisions. According to Bill George, author of True North

(Jossey-Bass, 2007), no one can succeed by simply emulating other leaders. Effective leaders work hard at integrating their life experiences (the ups and downs) in order to forge their own moral compass.

This is what True North means. It represents your internal compass, which always points north to your values and life principles. It is the set of inner beliefs, convictions, and judgment; it is forged through experiences to cast one’s basic character. It establishes the boundaries of what one will or will not do.

By understanding and making sense of experiences and what could be called the “why” of one’s life, a person crystallizes into an authentic “self”.

According to Bill George, recent US leadership and organizational failures represent what is at the heart of an effective leader, good or bad. “Leaders are highly complex human beings, people who have distinctive qualities that cannot be sufficiently described by lists of traits or characteristics.” Authentic leaders emerge from individual experiences to discover their unique passions and intentions.

The process includes thinking about what is called the ideal self. What is the one activity in life that would truly energize you and become a great passion? This beginning step motivates one to do the hard work: to develop and become authentic, true to yourself, doing what you were meant to do.

Bill George’s method includes five steps: Pursuing with passion, practicing solid values, leading with heart, establishing enduring relationships, and demonstrating self-discipline.

Patty Wiggin will teach a fall 2014 Business Communications (MGTN 951) weekend course featuring principles from True North.

Why Do Values Matter? What is Your True North?By Patty Wiggin, Professor of Business Administration, Program Manager for Language Development Program

By James Dohnert, External Communications Writer

5 Stories on ITU’s ValuesA Brief Story on ITU and Innovation…The first time I met ITU CEO Yau Gene-Chan he offered everybody in our meeting tea and went on to pour it himself. It was a telling moment of his character and the values of ITU as a whole.

It demonstrated a sense of equality that I quickly realized permeated through the entire University. At ITU, everyone has a chance to lead and follow somebody else’s lead. No matter who you are, you’ll have a chance to take on new challenges.

A major part of the University’s hiring process is finding a cultural fit – a fit that pours the tea. While ITU has staffers who’ve lived impressive professional lives, what truly connects each of them are their core values.

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What I learned from that original meeting with ITU’s CEO is that his character is revealed in his actions and the culture of ITU. His core beliefs permeate throughout ITU.

A Short Example on ITU and Openness…Openness. It sometimes leads to arguments, criticism, and even, grudges. Yet, it’s a key to any successful business. That is why being open and sharing your thoughts is absolutely imperative at ITU.

As a whole, the University knows it’s not perfect. Acknowledging its flaws is why each staffer works to do better. To best display that, check out ITU’s Institutional Research Department. Led by Kevin Monroe and Lei Gong, the department builds out surveys to gauge how students feel about the University and shares that information with leadership.

Their work is a valuable litmus test for ITU and a clear demonstration of the openness at the University’s core. Not all the feedback is positive, but even the negative surveys are important for making the University a better place.

A Quick Take on ITU and Responsibility… There is a saying at ITU, “‘Mistakes of the mind’ are readily forgiven, but ‘mistakes of the heart’ will not be tolerated.” This mantra plays a big part in the responsibility aspect of ITU’s cultural values.

Everyone at ITU is asked to put forth his or her best effort. At the University, everyone has the choice to work on whatever they find interesting (there’s that word again). Even if you’ve never worked on anything like it before, you’re given the chance to try new things and learn along the way.

Nothing demonstrates that idea better than the University’s media intern team. Members of the team come from different backgrounds, majors, and skill levels. The one thing that combines them is their love for video production.

Team members may have never even touched a camera before, but as an intern they are given the chance to gain real-world experience and learn new things while doing. Some might not pick it up immediately, but with time – and hard work – they’ll hone their skills and take on the added responsibility of being part of the media team.

Something Different for ITU and Teamwork…Teamwork can be seen everywhere at ITU. From multiple offices working on a project to student team projects, the University strives when everyone works together on a common goal.

A great example of ITU’s team-first approach is a recent project by Professor Barbara Olden’s Managerial Accounting class. Students in the class worked together to create an imaginary business for their mock business convention. Members of the class teamed up to create their fake company complete with accounting books, a mission statement, and business plan.

The team-ups were a great opportunity for each student to learn valuable skills for their career. Teamwork initiatives teach each member of the class key traits like communication and responsibility.

Let Me Tell You About ITU and After LearningEven ITU’s staffers are students. University staff can take classes and are even encouraged to take part in career-enrichment workshops. Earlier this year, ITU staff went to San Francisco for the IFC International Private Education conference. The conference was a great learning experience for everyone involved.

The global consortium gave those in attendance a valuable lesson in what’s going on at the cutting-edge of education. The event was an insightful education in ways that ITU can learn from members of the larger education community.

James Dohnert is an External Communications Writer at ITU. His work has previously appeared in publications like V3, The Commonwealth Club, Clickz, GamenGuide, CachedTech, Mashable, and Shonen Jump Magazine. He studied Journalism at Weber State University.

Professor Barbara Olden with Managerial Accounting students

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Doctoral Students PublishedWhen Hard Work Pays Off

In late May 2014, one week after the end of Professor Magdy Hussein’s course DBA 840 Organizational Behavior and Human Resources, ITU doctoral students received approval for publication of their articles, written during the trimester. Congratulations to the students!

ITU doctoral students Angela Chapa and Sara Javid co-authored “When Money is not a Motivating Force in the Work Place” which was published in the Global Journal of Human Social Sciences: Arts & Humanities—Psychology, Volume 14, Issue 10, 2014. This is the abstract:

Each individual has a driving force that encourages his or her efforts to perform in the workplace. It can be anything: supporting their family, saving up for vacationing, achievement--even to survive. What we do know is that one has to ask what will happen if they perform well in the work place and if it’s enough to keep them motived to work. Employees ask themselves: “if I go the extra mile will I be noticed?” Motivation is a critical factor that needs to be highlighted as one of the key focal points in an organization to achieve efficiency in the workplace. The individual will be productive in the workplace if the individual believes that their desirable goal or need can be reached. Some would argue that underneath that motivation, money plays a primary role for employees in the work place. To some degree, money can be one incentive; however it is not the defining reason for motivation. Non-monetary incentives can be just as effective to motivate an individual. Giving an employee a raise or offering a better salary does not guarantee job satisfaction.

Doctoral students Patty Wiggin and Aida Smailagic co-authored “Do I Matter? How Organizations can Motivate & Retain Employees” which was published in the Global Journal of Management and Business Research: Administration and Management, Volume 14, Issue 4. This is the abstract:

Organizations should adopt Mattering Theory constructs into mental models, as a basis for employee motivation and individual development plans. Mattering as a mental model motivates employees through direct attention and conveyed importance. Mattering constructs become tangible in the use of an individual development plan (IDP). With employee input, the IDP fosters employee internal commitment, followed by manager feedback and follow through, which fosters external commitment. Both stem from intentional discourse, mental models and behavior that is rooted in mattering. If successfully implemented, the end result is a simple, practical approach, which brings value and motivation to the individual, and supports the principles and goals of the organization.

ITU Faculty Speak at San Francisco ConferenceBusiness department professors Magdy Hussein, PhD, Hiram Willis, PhD and Professor Patty Wiggin attended the Clute Conference in San Francisco on August 4th, 2014.

Dr. Hussein and Patty Wiggin presented their paper, “Would Affirmative Action Stand for Another Century?” This is the abstract:

As the twentieth century begins, a legitimate question emerges of whether or not Affirmative Action and its application are still effective and compulsory. The historical background, legal ground and current social changes introduce many challenges to the half-a century-old civil rights policy. The paper argues the context of the legislation and the gaps, which could have been avoided when it was written. A reading from an academic perspective presents a trial to understand the past, the present and the future for Affirmative Action. It also advocates a restored approach of handling our current diverse population mosaic to establish a healthier academic environment.

(L-R) Magdy Hussein, Patty Wiggin and Hiram Willis.

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Social media is no longer just the domain of the bored and the home of the embattled keyboard warrior, it’s a source of jobs. Profiting from social media is nothing new: people start Twitter a page to get a book deal, and then get a movie deal, so that they can start another Twitter page.

Social media was once a bulwark against employment. The web was awash with horror stories of perspective employees whose controversial Twitter page, or embarrassing Facebook profile, ruled them out of a job. Several years ago, it would have been near farcical to say that an organized and well written social media page could see you take your first steps on the ladder of your chosen career. Not anymore.

LinkedIn has been around for over 12 years, but its true advent in the last few years has led to massive changes in the job application process. It has grown exponentially recently, once only used as a networking tool, it has evolved into a recruiter’s and job applicant’s dream.

As email applications became the norm, it created a huge distance between job hunters and employers, but LinkedIn creates a much more personal service. Applicants are no longer just names in an inbox: they

are a person, they have a picture and visible connections and endorsed skills.

Recruiters can now just check the seemingly infinite database of LinkedIn when looking for employees, and people getting jobs based purely on the strength of their LinkedIn profile is becoming more and more

common. Swati Vijaywargi, an ITU Masters of Science in Engineering Management student, landed her internship at Symantec through LinkedIn. Symantec, a Fortune 500 company specializing in security software, is one of the most desirable companies to work for in Silicon Valley.Swati says the application process is, for the most part, similar to the regular process, but it gives perspective applicants the chance to network with relative people before applying: “I was searching for internships through LinkedIn and saw the opening,” says Swati. “I connected with the University relations here (at ITU) and Symantec, and shared my resume with them, and then the interview was scheduled.”

She believes that LinkedIn is no longer just a résumé booster, but a necessity, and has some tips on getting a job through LinkedIn: “It is a strong and very useful platform. The most important thing is having contacts: that really makes things happen. Students should connect with the human resources department through groups that exist on LinkedIn, and try to have that connection with them, which will help get the interview call.”

Swati adds that despite the new process, some old traditions cannot be beaten: “We as students should take the guidance from our professors and make the most of it. I had met Professor Tom Tafolla, and he advised me about the basic skills that recruiters look for, and I had all those on my résumé and LinkedIn profile, which helped me in getting this job.”

Daniel Keenan is an Irish graduate with a BA in English Literature from University College Dublin, where he spent 2 years as an editor for the UCD newspaper. He has written a play and directed a production of it; he is currently working for ITU as a communications writer.

GETTING LINKED INBy Daniel Keenan, Internal Communications Writer

Swati Vijaywargi, Engineering Managment Student

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Did You Know?

ITU Orientations and MeetingsOrientations and meetings emphasize openness, teamwork and values . These activities are important to make faculty, staff and students familiar with ITU academic environment, teaching/learning methods, policies, rules, and ITU’s values.

Faculty OrientationEvery trimester, ITU organizes a faculty orientation. On August 13, ITU had the Fall 2014 faculty orientation. The purpose of the orientation was to introduce the new faculty to one another, to present the new changes, revised policies, new practices, syllabus standards, and new requirements of the programs. Additionally, topics such as how to request TAs, report plagarism, proctor exams, student support services, online faculty training, classroom observations, course learning outcomes, EMS training, and use of the EMS, credit hours, and others were discussed.

Student OrientationThe student orientation will be on Saturday, September 6th from 9am to 5pm. The orientation is the start of a successful student’s journey. The event includes activities and information that will help students in their move to ITU. The activities include program presentations which give an overview of the curriculum, information on the skills/knowledge students will get from courses, an explanation of faculty skills and their work in the real world, job fields related to the students’ study specializations. There will also be a social event for the students directly following the Orientation from 5pm to 7pm.

Staff MeetingsThe staff had their orientation meeting on August 22nd and will have another one on September 26th. Seven Departments had their presentation in August, and eight Departments will have it in September. Each department should identify its mission and its functions, and the core purpose of the department, discuss the department goals and objectives, and share their success stories.

Mirrors: beautiful city of Fez By Mohamed Amin Belhajii, Electrical Engineering Student

Fez is a wonderful, flourishing city. It taught me the language of belonging. It embodies the culture of Morocco, the originality of its industry and the hospitality of its community. Fez was created during the first period of Morocco’s Islamization; it is a medieval city with traditional architecture.

If a tourist visits Morocco and explores Fez, he or she will come to love its narrow streets, decoration, copper trades, traditional leather and handcrafted specialties. The old Medina of Fez is a wonderful place to shop, and see beautiful sculptures, as well as wood paintings, wrought iron, carved copper, jewelry, silk weaving and embroidery. Fez represents the cultural and the spiritual capital of Morocco. UNESCO chose the Medina as a heritage site.

The construction of al-Qarawiyyîn or the al-Karaouine Mosque and University in the year 857 makes it the oldest university in the world, before Paris and Oxford. This place of learning is experiencing unprecedented intellectual and artistic life. Fez has gradually transformed into a place of cultural reference that attracts scholars and writers, such as Ibn Khaldun, Ibn Battuta, and Ibn Khatib.

Fez is known worldwide for the events that are scheduled each year: the Festival of World Sacred Music, the Culinary Arts Festival and the Festival of Sufi.

(This “Mirrors” story appears in similar fashion for each ITU Journal issue, and features a student’s hometown or favorite memory.)

Mohamed Amin Belhajji is an Electrical Engineering Master’s student at ITU who grew up in Fez, Morocco. He is an engineer, and has two previous Master’s Degrees, one in Industrial Engineering from Morocco and a second from Bordeaux University in Bordeaux, France. Amin enjoys volunteer work and also likes to study philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus.

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ITU’s Summer of Giving: Establishing a Spirit of Giving BackThis summer was officially proclaimed as ITU’s Summer of Giving. Over the course of the trimester, ITU worked with local partners to create viable opportunities for students to give back and help the community. We’ve featured a Food Drive, a Blood Drive, volunteer events, and even a new scholarship program as part of the program.

Student Government Volunteers at a Holi Event ITU Student Government kicked things off with a volunteer event for a local Holi celebration. Working in conjunction with non-profit Children’s Rights and You (CRY) America, student leadership helped support the annual event that focuses on celebrating the Indian holiday of colors.

We all got the idea that we needed to support children’s rights. [This event] was a great opportunity to work [towards achieving that goal]. All the funds we got from the event will specifically help support [children] towards their career. Geetha Vishlavath, ITU Student Government Vice President.

Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle with the Chinese Student Association

ITU’s Chinese Student Association kept the ball rolling with a volunteer event at the Festival in the Park. The event worked to help promote healthy ways of living in the local community. Chinese Student Association members did their part by managing booths, handling parking, and assisting event goers navigate the festival.

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ITU Grass-Roots Effort Gets Food to Families in NeedThe Food Drive was a passion project for ITU’s Accounting Department. Led by Senior Accountants Leo Fung and Derek Li, the drive brought students and staffers together to help end hunger in the Silicon Valley. They worked with the Second Harvest Food Bank to give families in need the food they need.

These events build a better community within ITU. It gets students, partners, and staff to work together on a common goal. Leo Fung, ITU Senior Accountant

Sorting Food with Colleagues and StudentsITU staffers and students then took it one step further by going to the Second Harvest Food Bank to sort food. Members of the student body, Accounting Department, and Student Success Center joined forces to sort 20,000 pounds of donated food.

Students are looking for volunteer opportunities and, if we let them know about the things we are doing, they’ll be willing to participate.ITU Senior Academic Counselor Alex Peña

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Staffers Give Blood for the Local CommunityITU staff got into the action by hosting a blood drive with the Silicon Valley Red Cross. The event was a grassroots effort developed by ITU Associate Director of Strategic Planning Angie Lo. She credits ITU Founder Dr. Shu-Park Chan as her inspiration for the event.

Dr. Chan’s vision was education-related, but a major part of the vision was giving back to the community. It is why we’ve been pushing for these types of events. Angie Lo, Associate Director of Strategic Planning

Giving Back in Times of Great SuccessTo cap off ITU’s Summer of Giving, the university donated $50,000 to the Shin-Shin educational foundation. This Summer trimester ITU had a record enrollment of over 1,700 students. The donation was a contribution from university leadership to give back, following a succesful year.

Whether you’re an engineer or a president of a company, I don’t care what your position is. I think we all have the ability to make a positive change in society and I think that is something everyone across the spectrum can learn. Rebecca Choi, ITU Chief Operating Officer

ISSN: 2161-8054

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www.itu.edu

International Technological University

ITUJournal

International Technological UniversityA WASC Accredited Graduate School

Volume IV, Issue III, 2014ESTABLISHED

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ITU Journal Volume IV, Issue III, 2014