Cal U faculty, retirees receive awards
Current and retired members of the faculty at California University of Pennsylvania received special awards at the 2002 Presidential Gala held June 1 at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh. Three Presidential Faculty Awards were presented to Max Gonano (teaching), Dr. Audrey-Beth Fitch (research), and Dr. Mark L. Nowak (service).
Gonano began his career at Cal U in 1982, since teaching thousands of students a variety of music courses.
He is guest conductor of various bands, last year conducting the Washington and Beaver counties honors bands, the Mon Valley Knights of Columbus and the Diocesan Elementary honors bands. He is also in demand as an adjudicator for instrumental ensembles from elementary through senior high school.
Gonano, professor of music, earned a bachelor of fine arts in music and trumpet and a master of fine arts in music education from Carnegie-Mellon University.
Fitch is a graduate of the University of Toronto where she earned a bachelor of education degree in history and environmental science. She received her doctorate degree from the University of Glasgow (Scotland).
She is the recipient of numerous fellowships and awards, including a research fellowship in the history department at the University of Guelph, Ontario. She has just finished a monograph, “The Search for Salvation in Late Medieval Scotland,” that will be part of the “Scottish Historical Review” Monograph Series, published by Tuckwell Press.
Among other activities, Fitch regularly presents at international and supervises a number of internships, serves on various honors committees and regularly advises students in that program on their honors theses.
Fitch, an assistant professor of history and political science, chairs the Sabbatical Leave Committee and serves on the Faculty Professional Development Center Research Subcommittee.
Nowak is a professor in the applied engineering and technology department.
Active in the California Cub Scout program as a den leader, he also coaches youth soccer, Pony League baseball and youth basketball. He is a member of the California Area PTA, and has been awarded an Honorary State Life Membership by the Pennsylvania Congress of Parents and Teachers Inc., a branch of the national PTA. He serves on the executive committee of the California Public Library.
He is active in many professional associations such as the International Technology Education Association, the Technology Education Association on both the state and regional level, and the Council on Technology Teacher Education.
Included in his service to professional and community organizations is judging events for various groups and organizations, from the Science Olympiad to the Pennsylvania Technology Student Association State Leadership Conference.
Nowak earned an undergraduate degree in industrial education from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and a masters of science in engineering technology and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction at Texas A&M University. He began his career at Cal U in 1985.
Two Presidential Emeriti Faculty Awards were presented to Ethel Davis and Dr. Allen Welsh at the 2002 Presidential Gala.
Davis began her career at California in 1969. She was hired as a reference librarian and ended her career with an additional title, public services coordinator.
When she retired in January 1991, she concluded a 21.5- year career at Cal U.
She earned an undergraduate degree from Virginia Union and a master in library science degree from the University of Pittsburgh.
She served as the chair of the library faculty. She was on many university-wide committees and was a devoted member of Phi Delta Kappa.
She lives in California and remains active in the community. Among her activities, Davis served on the Center in the Woods board of directors and was as devoted in her work for them as she was to her work at Cal U.
Welsh distinguished himself academically and athletically.
He received a state senatorial scholarship and attended Cal U where he earned his degree with honors in 1955. On the tennis court, Welsh was a member of Cal’s 1954 undefeated squad.
He earned his master of arts degree with high honors in 1958 and doctorate in higher education administration in 1980, both from West Virginia University.
Welsh began his career at California in 1959 and worked at Cal U for nearly 33 years, serving in a number of administrative positions. For 21 years, Welsh also taught courses in world culture, public administration and sociology. He was elected to the Faculty Senate twice and served as a senator for seven years. In addition, he was elected to represent college administrators on the statewide collective bargaining team in 1972, served as the team chairman in 1974, and continued to represent administrators for eight years.
Welsh coached men’s tennis team for 20 years from 1963 through 1982. He retired from his administrative and teaching duties in December 1991. In 2000, he was elected to Cal U’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Welsh and his wife, the former Mary C. Sesler, reside in Uniontown. The couple started an academic scholarship in 1994 that is awarded to a senior majoring in teacher education. In 2001, Dr. and Mrs. Welsh both received the Dixonian Award for their service to Cal U.