Dr. Kathleen Rindahl, department chair of the School of Nursing and U.S. Navy veteran, served as the keynote speaker at Fresno City College’s 2025 Veterans Day Ceremony on Nov. 5.

Rindahl was chosen as this year’s keynote speaker in recognition of her outstanding service to both her country and her community, embodying the spirit of this year’s tribute to veterans in healthcare.

Lilia De La Cerda, director of the Health Careers Opportunity Program, and Marc Boswell, a lecturer in the Department of Public Health, are among eight alumni recognized as College of Health and Human Services Heroes. The annual Hero Awards honor CHHS alumni who are making a difference in the fields of health and human services through their work, service and advocacy on behalf of individuals and communities in the Central Valley and beyond.

Under De La Cerda's leadership, students are provided with vital academic support, mentorship and resources that help them overcome barriers to entering health care fields. Through Boswell's support and mentorship, he ensures public health students have the tools to become successful environmental health and safety professionals.

The Hero Awards will be held virtually at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, via Zoom. Visit Fresno State Today to learn more.

Dr. Jenelle Gilbert, chair and professor, Department of Kinesiology, presented in a roundtable discussion at the annual conference of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada from Oct. 15 to 18. The presentation was about navigating the playing time dilemma with athletes, teams and coaches.

Dr. Nupur Hajela, associate professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, Fresno state was selected for the 2025–26 APTA Academy of Education Fellowship in Higher Education Leadership.

This prestigious and competitive one-year fellowship, accredited by the American Board of Physical Therapy Residency and Fellowship Education, recognizes and trains 15 outstanding health care leaders in physical therapy education nationwide. Hajela attended the immersive session during the Oct. 14 to 18 ACAPT Education Leadership Conference in Kansas City, MO and will continue advanced leadership training that will conclude in July 2026 in Portland, OR. Her selection reflects her commitment to advancing physical therapy education, research and advocacy for technological innovation and healthcare access.

Dr. Thomas Holyoke, professor in the Department of Political Science, has published an article on the London School of Economics and Political Science blog, a prestigious platform for political science research and commentary.

Dr. Sonet Van Zyl, chair, Department of Viticulture and Enology, published a research article in the Beverages journal entitled, “The Grape Health Index: Validation of a Chemometric Model for Quantifying the Wine Grape Infection Status.”

The research, published with alumnus Craig Ebersole and former Viticulture and Research Center director Dr. Stephan Sommer, developed an analytical system using infrared-spectroscopy equipment already used in larger wineries to measure complex microbial spoilage in wine grapes. Accurately evaluating and quantifying their microbial spoilage is a major challenge when the grapes arrive at the winery and cannot be visually inspected, so the short test and index can help winemakers make quality and blending decisions at an early stage of the winemaking process.

The Kremen School of Education and Human Development hosted the education deans from across the California State University system at Fresno State on Nov. 6 and 7. The gathering, in person and virtual, brought together education leaders from across the California State University system for discussions on critical issues facing educator preparation programs, including updates from the Chancellor's Office and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

The two-day agenda included small group sessions on timely topics such as implementing Proposition 28 arts education funding, building support for graduate and doctoral programs, integrating artificial intelligence into educator preparation and developing workforce-ready stackable degrees and certificates.

The meeting included a walking tour of Fresno State, along with a virtual tour for remote participants and a reception at the Fresno State Winery.

Researchers and faculty from the Central Valley Health Policy Institute (CVHPI) and the Department of Public Health presented their research at the American Public Health Association Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., Nov. 2 to 5, including Dr. Tania Pacheco-Werner, CVHPI executive director; Dr. Emanuel Alcala, CVHPI assistant director; and Dr. Tanisha Garcia, associate professor of public health.

The research topics included "Latino Community Health Worker Training: A New approach to Combat Social Determinants of Health;" "Exploring the Impact on Academic Motivation, Career Readiness, and Reduced Incarceration Risk of Culturally Relevant Curriculum and Mentorship Among Young Hispanic/Latino Men," and "Barriers Associated with Cardiovascular Disease and the Impact of Primary Care Leading to Necessary Emergency Department Visits in the Central Valley."