Newsroom – California State University, Northridge

Cal State Northridge Pays Tribute to Its Volunteers, Special Honors Go to David Honda, Donald Cameron

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Nov. 16th, 2010) ―

Cal State Northridge’s top volunteer honors were awarded to Northridge business owner and former CSUN Foundation Board Chairman David Honda and emeritus speech communications professor Donald Cameron at the university’s annual Volunteer Service Awards ceremony on Nov. 5.

President Jolene Koester, Vice President for University Advancement Vance T. Peterson and Alumni Association President Tammy Tolgo MBA ’02 saluted Honda, Cameron and 31 other dedicated volunteers.

“Thank you for your support, thank you for listening, thank you for being attentive, thank you for being part of this university,” said President Koester to the more than 350 alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the university at the luncheon event. “We need your support now more than ever. We need your ideas, your input, your advice. Yes, we need your financial support if and when you choose to give it. …we need you to be proud of your university and talk about the impact that Cal State Northridge has had when you meet other people.”

The Dorothea “Granny” Heitz Award for Outstanding Volunteer Leadership, honoring alumni or friends of the university who serve CSUN as outstanding volunteer role models, was presented to Honda

Honda has served the community for nearly four decades as president and chief executive officer of D.S. Honda Construction Inc. in Northridge, which specializes in high-rise tenant planning and construction. He has served the university in a range of responsibilities, including as a member of the CSUN Foundation Board of Directors since 1998. As a member of the board of directors of the North Campus Development Corp., he is involved in the nonprofit auxiliary’s mission for the prudent and integrated development of the 65-acres that constitute the university’s north campus.

He was instrumental in creating the College of Engineering and Computer Sciences’ Construction Management Technology degree program, which received accreditation in July 2010. He is a member of the CMT advisory board. In addition, he has funded the David S. Honda Construction Management Technology Endowment to support the program through scholarships, faculty development and other activities to benefit the curriculum.

Honda has been an advocate for change and improvements for the disadvantaged and disabled. He has contributed to the Center of Achievement for the Physically Disabled in the Department of Kinesiology. The center and the Abbott and Linda Brown Western Center for Adaptive Aquatic Therapy serve the community through therapeutic exercise programs.

Cameron was awarded the Dean Ed Peckham Award (formerly know as the Emeriti Merit Award). Every year, the Alumni Association presents the award to an emeritus/emerita or retired member of the faculty or staff, who is loyal to and supportive of the university. Recipients of the award have maintained close ties to the university and continue to contribute to the university’s mission in many ways.

Since beginning his career at San Fernando Valley State College in 1960, Cameron has served the university in many capacities as a faculty member and after retirement as a dedicated volunteer. He began his tenure at Valley State as the debate coach and assistant professor of speech communication. He helped establish the debate team and by 1962 the campus was hosting 80 campuses and 600 students for the Western States Speech Association tournament. He spent time as chair of the Department of Speech Communication and president of the Faculty Senate

For 21 years until his retirement in 1998, he served as a university administrator with responsibilities for faculty personnel matters. His titles included assistant vice president for faculty affairs, vice provost and, at the time of his retirement, associate vice president for faculty affairs.

Well known to many on campus as the “institutional memory” of Cal State Northridge, after retirement Cameron was honored with emeritus faculty status and continues to serve the university in a variety of roles, including his continued support of the Donald Cameron Award which is given annually to a non-communications studies undergrad who demonstrates excellence in forensics. In addition, he has served as chair of the university’s 40th anniversary committee. More recently, he served as co-chair of the 2010 Founders Day, which welcomed more than 550 individuals to campus. Since his retirement he has been a university consultant on various faculty personnel issues.

An advocate for retired faculty, Cameron has served on the executive committee of the CSUN Association of Retired Faculty and since 2007 he has facilitated the statewide CSU Emeritus and Retired Faculty Association as executive director. For many years, he has been tournament director for the Cal State Northridge Professors Golf Association, which holds tournaments annually at local golf courses. He also is a founding member of the University. At the 2009 Founders Day, Cameron was inducted as a member of the 50 Year Club, which recognizes alumni, faculty and staff from the Valley State era.

COLLEGE RECIPIENTS

Donald Petrie, ’76, Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication

David P. Malone, ’81, College of Business and Economics

Munir Sindir, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Audrey Clark, MA ’71, College of Health and Human Development

Ruth Harris, College of Health and Human Development

Daniel Zeke Zeidler, ’87, College of Humanities

Henry I. Abrash, College of Science and Mathematics

Randy Rhodes, ’82, College of Social and Behavioral Science

Dean Logan, The Tseng College

UNIVERSITY RECIPIENTS

Marilyn Ehlers, Arts Council

William “Bill” Courtland, ’80, Athletics

Helen de Gyarfas, Botanic Garden

John “The Cooch” Minicucci, KCSN

Joseph Moore, MA ’86, Oviatt LibraryBryan Green, ’94, Student Affairs

Debra Bergman, ’83, University Advancement

Helen Etting, Valley Performing Arts Center/Plaza del Sol Performance Hall

Leonard Roth, Valley Performing Arts Center Campaign

ALUMNI CHAPTER RECIPIENTS

Maria Patron, ’93, Accounting and Information Systems Alumni Chapter

Ara Injejikian, ’85, Alumni and Friends of the Armenian Studies Program

Houri Keshishian, ’98, MS ’01, Child and Adolescent Development Alumni Chapter

Helen Sherman Wade, MA ’76, Communication Disorders and Sciences Alumni Chapter

Laura Drew, ’87, MS ’96, Environmental and Occupational Health Alumni Chapter

Antonio Machado, ’93, MS ’94, Environmental and Occupational Health Alumni Chapter

Karin Durán, ’70, La Raza Alumni Association (In Memoriam)

Sheryl Low, ’86, MPH ’91, Physical Therapy Alumni Chapter

James Syms, ’87, Physical Therapy Alumni Chapter

Christine Soderlund, ’93, MBA ’99, Alumni Association

Howard Hammer, ’65, Alumni Association

Jacqueline Young, ’79, MA ’93, Alumni Association

Annette Nickell, ’79, Alumni Association

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