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NEWS RELEASE

Dedicated Volunteers Saluted at Cal State Northridge’s Annual Tribute

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Nov. 28, 2006) -- Cal State Northridge bestowed its highest volunteer honors on philanthropist/civic activist David Fleming and kinesiology professor emeritus Sam Britten at its Volunteer Service Awards ceremony earlier this month.

Co-sponsored by the CSUN Alumni Association and the University Advancement Division, the annual tribute, which took place Nov. 17, also honored 29 dedicated volunteers from all segments of the campus community.

Attorney David Fleming received The Dorothea "Granny" Heitz Award for Outstanding Volunteer Leadership, recognizing volunteers who serve the university as outstanding role models. Ninety-one year-old "Granny" Heitz, the volunteer for whom the award was named, attended in person to honor Fleming.

Fleming joined Cal State Northridge Foundation’s board of directors in September 1995. Vice chairman of the university’s "Imagine the Arts" campaign for a regional performing arts center at CSUN, he is active on numerous important campus panels.

As chairman of the board for the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, Fleming helped create the San Fernando Valley Economic Summit, which is co-sponsored by CSUN’s College of Business and Economics. The busy executive chaired the City of Los Angeles’ recent charter reform effort, and serves on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority and the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission. He is former president of the city’s Board of Fire Commissioners.

Sam Britten, affectionately known as "Dr. Sam," was awarded the 2006 Emeriti Merit Award, reserved for emeriti or retired faculty or staff whose records reflect strong support for the welfare and intellectual progress of CSUN students.

Under Britten’s guidance, CSUN in 2003 opened the $6 million Abbott and Linda Brown Western Center for Adaptive Aquatic Therapy, which provides services for people with chronic physical disabilities in a caring, motivating environment. The center offers adaptive aquatic therapy that improves fitness, range of motion, cardiovascular and muscular strength, and quality of life.

Britten--who taught at CSUN for 44 years--also was founder and director of the Center of Achievement for the Physically Disabled, a renowned teaching facility for university students and a worldwide model for similar programs. The center evolved from a rehabilitation and physical education center, established by Britten in 1959, where he worked with injured athletes and disabled Korean War veterans.

By 2000, Britten was overseeing services to 600 clients at the Center of Achievement, having helped thousands live more independently through transitional exercise therapy.

Honored College, University and Alumni Chapter Volunteers

Colleges:
Arts, Media, and Communication: Jan and Bill Gaines
Business and Economics: Roberta Colmer
Michael D. Eisner College of Education: Thomas Oliver
Engineering and Computer Science: Ed Larson and Herbie Petzold
Tseng College of Extended Learning: Mike Brown and Ronnie Thompson
Health and Human Development: Christine Smith
Science and Mathematics: Dean Skovlin and Werner Horn
Social and Behavioral Sciences: Frank Wein

University:
Governmental Affairs: Francine Oschin
Intercollegiate Athletics: Jim and Mary Gorman
KCSN: Frank Hoppe
Oviatt Library: June Frankenberg
Student Affairs: Dennis DeYoung
University Advancement: John Golisch

Alumni Chapters:
Accounting and Management Info Systems: Toby Reyes
Communication Disorders & Sciences: Denise Middleton
Education: Joyce Osbaldeston
Engineering and Computer Science: Brian Skipper
Entertainment Alumni Network: Mattie Schmidt
Environmental & Occupational Health: Sandra Landau
National Center on Deafness: Scott Selna
Nursing: Ellen McFadden
Physical Therapy: Rick Katz
Recreation: Lisa Finney