Eleven distinguished SDSU alumni and friends of the university were honored September 14 at the 45th SDSU Alumni Awards of Distinction held at Coasterra. The Awards are given by SDSU Alumni to Aztec alumni and other individuals associated with SDSU who have made significant contributions to the university, the San Diego community or California, nationally or internationally.
SDSU Alumni Awards of Distinction are symbols of achievement and success presented this year to distinguished alumni from each of SDSU's seven academic colleges, the Imperial Valley Campus, and Library and Information Access. Distinguished service awards also are given to an exceptional alumni volunteer and an outstanding university employee.
Emcee for the 2018 awards was broadcast journalist Audra Stafford (’01), a morning news reporter for San Diego’s NBC television affiliate, KNSD. She shares the stories of the 2018 SDSU Alumni Awards of Distinction recipients:
College of Arts and Letters Victor Bianchini
Victor Bianchini (’60, political science), retired Superior Court judge and U.S. Magistrate judge currently recalled to the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, is also a private mediator, arbitrator and discovery referee. Retired as a colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps with 24 military decorations, he has gained notoriety as a national fencing champion and now volunteers for numerous civic and veterans organizations while serving on the College of Arts and Letters Alumni Chapter Board.
College of Education Julianna Barnes, Ed.D.
Julianna Barnes, Ed.D. (’91 counseling education, ’10 educational leadership), Cuyamaca College president, was a member of the inaugural student cohort of the College of Education’s Educational Leadership doctoral program. Holder of a black belt in karate, she is known as a tireless advocate of student success and as a positive role model of thoughtful and inclusive leadership who offers mentorship to SDSU students and graduates through her involvement with Ed.D. Alumni.
College of Engineering Alan Dulgeroff
Alan Dulgeroff (’92, electrical engineering), Director of Electric System Planning for San Diego Gas and Electric, is known for his passion for education and community service. Currently a Campanile Foundation Board member and an executive committee member and past president of the SDSU Alumni Board of Advisors, he is a mentor of both students and professionals, serving on the National Leadership Council and Electrical and Computer Engineering and Career Services Advisory Boards.
College of Health and Human Services Diane Takvorian, M.S.W.
Diane Takvorian, M.S.W. (’74, psychology, ’76, social work), California Air Resources Board member and co-founder and executive director of the San Diego/Tijuana Region’s Environmental Health Coalition (EHC), has significantly impacted the areas of social and environmental justice across California. Her commitment, leadership and vision have influenced public policy, municipal ordinances and state laws reducing health risks to positively affect the environment and improve the quality of life throughout the state.
College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts Diane Gage Lofgren
Diane Gage Lofgren (’76, journalism, ’81, pre-major journalism), a journalist, author and public relations professional, recently retired as chief marketing officer and senior vice president for Sharp HealthCare. A fellow of the Public Relations Society of America and member of the Arthur W. Page Society, she has served for many years as a guest lecturer at SDSU where she has established an endowed scholarship to benefit students in the School of Journalism and Media Studies.
College of Sciences Jo Ann Lane, Ph.D.
Jo Ann Lane, Ph.D. (’74, mathematics, ’77, computer science), professor emerita, spent more than 20 years at government contractor SAIC before becoming an instructor at SDSU where she has shared her knowledge and experience with students. A member of the Computer Science Advisory Board, she created an endowed scholarship for computer science majors and supports international students from Africa and the Caribbean studying in the College of Sciences, Engineering and Health and Human Services.
Fowler College of Business Greg Fowler
Greg Fowler (’83, business administration, finance) is managing partner and founder of real estate investment firm FPA Multifamily, where he is responsible for the overall direction of the firm and leads the acquisitions and investor relations teams. A member of The Campanile Foundation Board Executive Committee, he also serves on the board of directors of the National Multifamily Housing Council and the Investment Committee of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
Library and Information Access Jackie Estrada
Jackie Estrada (’68, journalism), has divided her career between textbook editing and working for San Diego’s Comic-Con International. One of the handful of people who have attended every Comic-Con, she has served as publications editor and, since 1990, as administrator of the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards, the “Oscars” of comics. She also taught copyediting at UCSD Extension for many years and co-founded the San Diego Professional Editors’ Network (SD/PEN).
SDSU Imperial Valley Helina Hoyt
Helina Hoyt (’01 community health nursing) pioneered the San Diego State University Imperial Valley Campus RN-BS program that uniquely offers community college nursing students the opportunity to concurrently pursue and finish a bachelor’s degree. To help meet the need for master’s-trained nurses in Imperial County and to enhance the professional development of local nurses, she has been instrumental in bringing the SDSU master of science in nursing program to Imperial Valley beginning fall semester 2018.
Distinguished Alumni Service Award Mary Allis Curran
Mary Allis Curran (’82, business administration) is a financial services industry executive and an independent director with Hunter Industries and Banc of California as well as a longtime volunteer in the San Diego community. Currently the Chair of the Campanile Foundation Board and Executive Committee who helped bring the university’s historic Campaign for SDSU to a record-setting $815-million conclusion, she is a past chairman of the California Bankers Association and the San Diego Sports Commission.
Distinguished University Service Award James Kitchen, Ed.D.
James Kitchen, Ed.D. (vice president emeritus), SDSU Vice President for Student Affairs from 2000-2014, is a university leader who has served as a mentor and an inspiration to many SDSU students and staff. As a volunteer, he continues to advise committees, staff members, and campus leaders while remaining a tireless advocate for students and a philanthropic supporter of several different areas of the university including student success, scholarship, athletics and veterans.