Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all! Enjoy this special holiday with your loved ones, and be sure to thank those who have touched your life and made a difference.

SOE Alumni Association - Final Call for Nominations

The SOE Alumni Association is accepting final nominations of officers, namely President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer Publicity, and Webmaster. The call for nominations will close Tuesday, December 10, 2013. The alumni election will be held on Saturday, December 14, 2011 from 1:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. during the IRA Community Book Fair at Agana Shopping Center.

Exercise your right to vote for your favorite candidate at the SOE alumni table on December 14, 2013. Please note that only active SOE alumni members can cast their votes. SOE Alumni membership forms will also be available for membership. For more information, you may e-mail soe.alumni@gmail.com or contegriffin@gmail.com.

The current SOE Alumni Officers include the following:

President: Graziella "Grace" Griffin

Vice President: Margaret Beem

Recording Secretary: Martha Sudo

Treasurer: Rose Marie Cruz Castro

Publicity:  Lois Taitano Gumataotao

Webmaster:  Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera

*Dr. Lourdes Palomo Klitzkie, Professor Emerita, is the Advisor for the SOE Alumni Association.

26th Language Arts Conference Engaging!

The 26th Annual Regional Language Arts Conference held November 15 and 16, 2013 at UOG's Tan Lam Pek Kim English and Communication Building was engaging! The conference theme was Interweaving Tradition, Innovation, and Core Curriculum Standards in Literacy. The literacy-filled presentations and keynote speech by former Guam Department of Education Superintendent, Dr. Nerissa Bretania Underwood, was insightful. Drs. George Kallingal and Margaruite Smith also served as plenary speakers with inspirational messages.  Enjoy the following snapshots!

IRA & SOE Alumni Association Officers present their workshop titled Using Journals to Connect Reading and Writing. Pictured L-R:  Grace Griffin, SOE Alumni President & IRA Webmaster; Margaret Beem, SOE Alumni Vice President & IRA Member; Martha Sudo, SOE Alumni & IRA Secretary; Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, SOE Alumni & IRA Webmaster/LAC Chair; and Lois Gumataotao, SOE Alumni PIO & IRA Member.

IRA members enjoying the 26th Annual Regional Language Arts Conference.
Pictured L-R:  Charleena Yanger, IRA Historian; Lois T. Gumataotao, IRA member; Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, IRA/SOE Alumni/LAC Webmaster; and Amanda Quan. 

LAC Presentation:  Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera and Lois T. Gumataotao get ready for their presentation Differentiated Instruction for English Language Arts.  Pictured L-R:  Dr. Rivera; Gumataotao; and Martha Sudo, IRA/SOE Alumni Secretary. 

The presentation, Differentiated Instruction for English Language Arts, was well attended. 

More participants from the Differentiated Instruction for English Language Arts presentation.

UOG Distinguished Alumni Awards Unforgettable

The UOG Distinguished Alumni Award Ceremony held November 14, 2013 at the Guam Hilton Resort and Spa was memorable. I am deeply grateful for the honor, love, and support shared during this special event. Thank you for this award and all you do for UOG - the Natural Choice. I can only hope that the instrumental examples set by this year's award recipients inspire other alumni to do what they can for this great institution and the rest of the community.
-Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, SOE Alumni Association Webmaster

Si Yu'os Ma'ase'! Salamat! Kalangan! Kommool tata! Mesulang! Kammagar! Xie Xie! Domo Arigato! Thank you once again! BIBA UOG!

UOG Distinguished Alumni Awards:  Pictured L-R:  Norman Analista, Director for Development & Alumni Affairs; Eileen Agahan, UOG Alumni Association President; Dr. Robert Underwood, UOG President; Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, UOG Distinguished Alumni award recipient for School of Education; Dr. John Sanchez, Interim SOE Dean; Dr. Anita Enriquez, Interim SVP; and Grace Griffin, SOE Alumni Association President.

A total of five awards were given to individuals deserving of the distinction at the UOG Alumni Distinguished Awards ceremony.  The winners are listed below along with their thoughts on how their education at UOG shaped them into who they are today.

Awardees:

Annparo Rios
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner,
Guam Behavioral Health & Wellness Center
B.S, Nursing, 2003
School of Nursing and Health Sciences

“My education from the University of Guam has helped to shape me into the person I am today by allowing me to reconnect with my island home after spending my childhood and early adult life away from Guam. I didn’t have a sense of where “home” was. My goal was to pursue a nursing degree and have a career as a nurse. It wasn’t an easy one and would not have been possible without the support of my loved ones and instructors who knew and understood my history and experiences and encouraged me every step of the way to achieve my goal. My experience at UOG allowed me to accomplish my goals, forge friendships with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds, and be comfortable calling Guam “home” once again.”

Darlene Moore
Founder & President,
Micronesian Archaeological Research Services
B.A. Anthropology, 1979, MA Behavioral Science, 1984
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

“The education I received at the University of Guam during the years from 1976 to 1983 in pursuit of BA and MA degrees in Anthropology and Behavioral Science with a focus on Archaeology provided the background, training, and experience that were required in order for me to meet the federal qualification standards for directing and participating in Historic Preservation projects. After graduation, I worked on several UOG archaeological research projects which provided additional training opportunities. Then I formed a sole proprietorship and hired other qualified people as needed to complete Cultural Resource Management projects in the Mariana Islands. As the number and size of our projects grew, we (two other women with BA degrees and one with a PhD degree in Anthropology) formed Micronesian Archaeological Research Services (MARS), Inc. Incorporated in 1992, we are still operating, although two of our four original people have since retired. The past 25 years would not have been possible if UOG had not been there to offer the classes and guidance needed to qualify me for work in this fascinating field.”

George Chiu
Executive Vice President,
Tan Holdings Corporation
B.A. Accounting, 1987
School of Business and Public Administration

“I’d experienced stateside campus life, but it was at the University of Guam that my commitment to education was fortified. Professors and facilitators opened opportunities through learning not in just my primary fields of study – but other supportive and relevant areas that provided well-rounded and thoughtful opportunities that contributed to my success. Attending classes with students from the islands who also became leaders and professionals has developed a collegiate fraternity. I often meet individuals who also attended UOG; we share experiences, college courses, personalities and knowledge that contributes to a valuable basis of friendship and spirit of cooperation in mutually rewarding and beneficial collaborations and endeavors.”

Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera
Assistant Professor, University of Guam
B.A. Early Childhood Elementary, 1997, M.ED. Language and Literacy 2000
School of Education

“I am proud to be an alumna of the University of Guam. Without the guidance and inspiration of my brilliant professors at UOG’s School of Education, I would not have made it this far in my career. Thank you UOG for helping me to grow and gain the wisdom to excel in all that I do. Like my father always says, “Winning starts in the mind. Whatever the mind can conceive, it will achieve.“ Let us all think like winners! BIBA UOG!”

Shiela Concepcion
Quality Manager, DZSP 21 LLC
B.A. Computer Science, 2002.
College of Natural and Applied Sciences

“My education at the University of Guam has been instrumental in shaping both my professional and personal life. It helped expand my creativity, enhance my project management skills, build my self-confidence and foster my passion for technology – all of which has transformed my life and propelled my career from being the lead Computer Programmer to the Manager of Quality on the largest Base Operations Support Services Contract in the Department of Defense. The experiences I gained from the University served as the ultimate foundation for my dreams coming true, but this is only the beginning….”

Nominees were judged by a committee composed of the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, the respective dean or director of the school or college, a faculty member from the respective school or college, a representative of the UOG Alumni Association and an at-large judge from the community based on the following criteria:

• Professional accomplishment in the field: has the nominee attained a high level of distinction and achievement through scholarship, research, teaching, creative contributions to the arts (comprising Humanities, Performing and Fine Arts, Social Sciences and Business) or sciences (comprising Science, Engineering and Health Sciences) and/or service to society?
• Candidate exhibits a high degree of character and integrity.
• Civic and University involvement, awareness and concern.
• Do the nominee's achievements have local, national and/or international significance?

For more information, please contact Norman Analista, Director, Development and Alumni Affairs, University of Guam at 735-2586 or 797-3333.

SOE Alumni Association Sponsors Author Visit with Dr. Almira Astudillo-Gilles

The SOE Alumni Association sponsored the Saturday Story Hour at the Hagatna Public Library with visiting author Dr. Almira Astudillo-Gilles on October 26, 2013. The children were captivated with the Read Aloud conducted by Dr. Gilles. They were treated with additional Halloween activities and a special alkansiya (coconut bank) arts and crafts activity to tie in with Dr. Gilles' story. A small Halloween parade took place, and the children walked away with a treat of eventful memories and Halloween candies. Enjoy the following pictures taken during this special event!

SOE Alumni Officers prepare for Dr. Almira-Astudillo Gilles' author visit.  Pictured L-R:  Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, SOE Alumni Webmaster; Grace Griffin, SOE Alumni President; and Margaret Beem, SOE Alumni Vice President.

  

Visiting author Dr. Almira Astudillo-Gilles takes a pose with SOE Alumni officers, UOG CLASS faculty, and GPLS staff.  Pictured L-R:  Leonora Santos, GPLS Saturday Story Hour Coordinator; Dr. Matilda Naputi Rivera, SOE Alumni Webmaster and UOG CLASS faculty; Grace Griffin, SOE Alumni President; Dr. Gilles; Dr. Beth Somera, UOG CLASS faculty; and Margaret Beem, SOE Alumni Vice President. 

Dr. Almira Astudillo-Gilles conducts a Read Aloud with her award-winning children's book titled, "Willie Wins."

Dr. Almira Astudillo-Gilles asks questions from her audience regarding scenes from her book.

Dr. Almira Astudillo-Gilles poses with the Saturday Story Hour children, parents, SOE Alumni, and GPLS staff.  

UOG Distinguished Alumni Awards - Nov. 14

SOE Alumni Association to sponsor special author’s visit with Filipina Author Dr. Gilles

The SOE Alumni Association will sponsor a special author’s visit with Dr. Almira Astudillo-Gilles on October 26, 2013 during the Saturday Story Hour, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.  at the Hagatna Public Library.  Dr. Gilles’ will conduct a Read Aloud with activities.  She is based in Chicago and is one of the Pamana Awardees for 2012 (Literature) - awards for overseas Pinoys in different categories.  See link below.

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/59677/aquino-awards-29-overseas-filipinos-and-friends

Her children's book, Willie Wins, has won several awards, and has been one of the most popular books for Filipino-American kids in recent years.

http://www.leeandlow.com/p/williewins_tg.mhtml

Here's the link to her website http://almiragilles.com/, as well as one about a launch of her novel.

http://www.gov.ph/2013/04/16/the-fire-beneath-tales-of-gold-by-filipina-author-almira-astudillo-gilles-launched-in-san-francisco/

She is also scheduled to deliver a lecture on October 25, Friday, 2:00 p.m. at the IT&E Lecture Hall in the University of Guam’s SBPA building.   Copies of her novel will be available for sale.