Glenn W. Arnett Scholarship Award for Graduate Studies in Physical Education
Scholar: Kristina Burch
Year awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Kinesiology (graduated Spring 2021)
About the Scholarship: The Glenn W. Arnett Scholarship was made possible due to a generous contribution from Mr. and Mrs. Elwood C. Davis in honor of Dr. Glenn Arnett, who was a faculty member and department chair in kinesiology. He served as CSUN’s first athletic director in 1958 and taught at CSUN until his retirement. The purpose of the scholarship is to provide support to a student in the kinesiology program who aspires to have a career in the area of kinesiology and physical activity.
Laurence and Ethel Young Scholarship in Kinesiology
Scholar: Elsy Jermanos
Year awarded: 2021
Working toward degrees: Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology; Exercise Science
About scholarship recipient: Elsy was born in the heart of Beirut, Lebanon in 1997 just as the rates of bombings had begun to decline. Despite living through bombings and assassinations in an unstable country, she and her parents’ saw Lebanon as a beautiful haven. Elsy and her family spent their summers in the United States. In 2005 her mother chose for Elsy and her brother to stay in America for them to have a safer future; a decision Elsy says laid the foundation for who she is today.
Elsy is now pursuing exercise science in kinesiology and chose to study at CSUN because of the positive reputation of the program and the professors. Receiving the scholarship was exciting and uplifting for Elsy. Between juggling the workload of full-time school and two jobs in the absence of her parents, she finds little time to reflect upon her hard-work and achievements. She is thankful to Laurence and Ethel Young for their investment in students like her. In the future, Elsy be working toward her Doctor of Physical Therapy and building a team of passionate and dedicated colleagues to help her open her own clinic.
About the Scholarship: The late Dr. Laurence Young was a professor of Kinesiology in the physical education option at CSUN for many years. He and his wife Ethel established a planned gift that will enable many students in the future, to be rewarded for their time, leadership and the hard work they put into their academic major.
Leslie and Terry Cutler Kinesiology Scholarship
Scholar: Jessica Harrison
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology; Exercise Science (graduated spring 2021)
About the Scholarship: Leslie “Les” and Terry Cutler are long time contributors to CSUN and this scholarship expands their giving to the university in their area of interest in healthcare. Les attended CSUN in 1963, although he did not graduate from the university, he went on to become a dentist, receive a PhD and become the Chancellor and Provost of Health Affairs at the University of Connecticut. It is the intention of the donors that this scholarship be awarded to Kinesiology students with outstanding potential to become a leader in the field of health, fitness and rehabilitation as they proceed through the adapted physical activity graduate program. The student must also be working in the Center of Achievement.
Marian Cutler and Lucille Grubman Outstanding Graduate Research Award in Kinesiology
Scholar: Ryan Drantch
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Kinesiology
About the Scholarship: Leslie “Les” and Terry Cutler are long time contributors to CSUN. This award expands their giving to the university and it is in their area of interest, healthcare. Les attended CSUN in 1963, although he did not graduate from the university, he went on to become a dentist, receive a PhD and become the chancellor and provost of health affairs at the University of Connecticut. Les and Terry created this outstanding graduate research award in honor of their mothers, Marian Cutler and Lucille Grubman. It is the intention of the donors that this award be given to kinesiology students with outstanding clinical potential as they proceed through the adapted physical activity program. The student must also be working in the Center of Achievement through Adapted Physical Activity.
Norman Cutler Outstanding Graduate Leadership Award
Scholar: Ngozichukwu Nnoli (Deborah)
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Kinesiology; Adapted Physical Activity
About the Scholarship: Leslie “Les” and Terry Cutler are long time contributors to CSUN and this award expands their giving to the university. This gift is in their area of interest, healthcare. Les attended CSUN in 1963, although he did not graduate from the university, he went on to become a dentist, receive a PhD and become the chancellor and provost of health affairs at the University of Connecticut. Les and Terry created this outstanding graduate leadership award in honor of Les’ father Norman Cutler, who was a champion of excellence and showed a strong commitment to helping others achieve greatness in their career and calling.
The Ruth Shiffrar Scholarship in Physical Education
Scholar: Melisa Olmos
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Kinesiology; Adapted Physical Activity
About scholarship recipient: Melisa received her bachelor’s degree from California State University, San Marcos in kinesiology with an emphasis in physical education. She went on to teach physical education when unfortunately, the program was cut. She then decided to pursue her graduate degree and landed on CSUN’s program in adapted physical activity. Melisa is grateful for the scholarship and feels it is a privilege to be recognized. After graduating with her master’s degree, she would like to teach people living with disabilities, either in a school or clinical setting. She wants to make a positive impact on people and feels the most rewarding thing she can do is teach individuals with disabilities a skill or technique to better their everyday lives.
About the Scholarship: This scholarship was made possible by a generous gift from Dr. Margaret Shiffrar, a professor of psychology and the former assistant vice president of graduate studies at CSUN, in memory of her mother, Ruth Shiffrar. Ruth was a CSU graduate and champion of physical education for school children. She was a proud fourth generation Californian whose childhood was happily spent playing in the outdoors of the Central Coast. Ruth was a high school physical education teacher in Northern California for many years. When California public schools began to systematically de-fund physical education courses, her concern for the future health of Californians grew. The goal of this scholarship is to help right the health related wrongs that resulted from de-funding programs by supporting a CSUN student with outstanding potential to become a leader in the field of physical education.
The Susan and Raymond Tartakoff Scholarship
Scholar: Diego Rodriguez
Year Awarded: 2020
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology
About the Scholarship: Susan Tartakoff ‘71 and her husband, Raymond, are members of the community with a long-history and devotion to CSUN. Susan is an alum and has been a client and volunteer at the Center of Achievement for over 15 years. She became a client at the Center after she was involved in a horrific car accident that left her paralyzed from the chest down. When Susan started using the Center, only the land-based programs existed. She helped raise funds for the Brown Center for Adaptive Aquatic Therapeutic Exercise through the volunteer group, “FOCAS” (Friends of the Center of Achievement and Sponsors). Susan and Raymond created this scholarship to further their support of the Center. The scholarship is for Kinesiology graduate students that work in the Center and aspire to have a career in adapted physical activity or physical rehabilitation.
