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Susan Taylor will speak about her rise to chief editorial executive vice president and editor-in-chief of Essence magazine, at 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at Fresno State’s Satellite Student Union.

Her presentation is part of the university’s African Peoples History Month, whose theme is “Black Women in American Culture and History.”

Taylor, once lauded as “the most influential black woman in journalism today” by American Libraries, will discuss her journey and success in entrepreneurship. She began that journey when she created Nequai Cosmetics, one of the first companies to create beauty products for African-American women.

In 1970, she joined Essence, whose audience is predominantly African-American women, as beauty editor and later fashion editor. In 1981, Taylor was promoted to editor-in-chief, a post she held until retirement in 2000. She was elected vice president of Essence Communication Inc. in 1986 and became senior vice president in 1993.

Taylor was the host and executive producer of “Essence,” the country’s first nationally syndicated African-American oriented TV magazine, and of the Essence Awards show and the Essence Music Festival.

She retired from Essence in 2008.

She has written “In the Spirit: The Inspirational Writings of Susan L. Taylor” and “Lessons in Living.” Taylor co-authored a third book with her husband, Khepra Burns, “Confirmations: The Spiritual Wisdom That Has Shaped Our Lives.”

Taylor’s presentation is free and open to the public.

The same day as Taylor’s talk, Fresno State will conclude its participation in the annual California State University Super Sunday program of visits by university officials to African-American churches throughout the state. The officials tell students and their families the advantages of earning a degree through Fresno State or one of the 22 other CSU campuses.

Fresno State’s final visit this year is at 9 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 26, at New Beginnings Community Baptist Church, 5151 N. Fresno St., where the speaker will be Tawanda Kitchen, a counselor in the Educational Opportunity Program.

Other African Peoples History Month events:

• “Obama Revisited,” panel discussion 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, at the Alice Peter’s Auditorium in the University Business Center.
• “What They Invented! Black History Exhibit,” 7:08-9:08 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, hosted by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and Alpha Nu at the University Student Union Pavilion.
•  “Africana Culture Night,” 6-10 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, at the African American Historical and Cultural Museum (1857 Fulton St., downtown Fresno).
• “Black Voter Registration,” 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, in the Free Speech Area.
• “Rosa Parks Awards,” 5:30-7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, at the Smittcamp Alumni House.
•  “Back of the Bus Panel Discussion,” 7:13-9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, hosted by Delta Sigma Theta Inc. Location to be determined.
• “Honoring ‘The Help’: A Tribute to Black Domestic Workers” panel discussion among former domestic workers and local historians 3:30 p.m. March 4 at the Henry Madden Library, Room 2206.

For more information about African Peoples History Month events held on campus, contact the Africana Studies Program at 559.278.2832.

(Copy by University Communications student news assistant Reganie Smith-Love)

Fresno State’s Maddy Institute has published its 2012 list of elected officials in Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Merced, San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tulare counties. The comprehensive list includes phone numbers and addresses of offices along with a listing of water, county school and community college districts. INFO: www.maddyinstitute.org or 559.278.1133. See list.

Tino Rossi, a Fresno State freshman from Bakersfield, won the American Farm Bureau Federation Collegiate Discussion meet. Rossi is majoring in agricultural business. MORE INFO: Californian wins National Collegiate Discussion Meet

Robert N. Ward, principal horn of the San Francisco Symphony, will lead the Fresno State Horn Workshop 1-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, in the Music Building Concert Hall. Horn players of all levels are encouraged to bring their horns to participate in hands-on learning. Registration is $10 at the workshop. INFO: Dr. Thomas Hiebert at tomh@csufresno.edu or 559.278.4096.

The Viticulture and Enology Career Fair is scheduled 9  a.m.-12:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at Fresno State. Students can meet with employer representatives and learn about internships and career opportunities in the San Joaquin Valley, and Central and North Coast regions. The event will be in the second floor conference room of the Viticulture & Enology Resource Center (2360 E. Barstow Ave.)

A free, public panel discussion of “Obama Revisited” 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, at Fresno State’s Alice Peters Auditorium ( in the University Business Center) will be presented as part of the university’s African Peoples History Month. INFO: Africana Studies Program at 559.278.2832.

Dr. llan Pappé, a history professor at England’s University of Exeter and author of “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine,” will speak at Fresno State at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23.

Pappé’s topic for the free, public event is “Arab Spring and Palestine-Israel ‘Peace Process.’” His presentation at the Leon S. and Pete P. Peters Educational Center (inside the Student Recreation Center at Shaw and Woodrow avenues) is part of the College and of Art and Humanities’ Middle East Lecture Series.

It is co-sponsored by the Middle East Studies Program, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Reedley Peace Group and the Fresno Center for Nonviolence.

Pappé, who studied at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and earned his doctorate from the University of Oxford, is director of the European Centre for Palestine Studies and co-director of the Exeter Centre for Ethno-Political Studies at the University of Exeter.

He founded the Academic Institute for Peace in Givat Haviva, Israel, and directed it from 1992 to 2000. Pappé chaired the Emil Tuma Institute for Palestine Studies in Haifa, Israel from 2000 to 2006.

The Israeli historian’s research focuses on the modern Middle East, particularly the history of Israel and Palestine. Pappé also has written on multiculturalism, critical discourse analysis and on power and knowledge in general.

Pappé advocates the “One State Solution” with Palestinians and Israelis sharing one nation encompassing current Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Prior to “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine” (Oneworld, 2006), Pappé wrote “A History of Modern Palestine: One Land, Two Peoples” (Cambridge University Press, 2004).

Other events in the Middle East Lecture Series have not been scheduled.

For more information contact the College of Arts and Humanities at 559.278.3056.

(Copy by University Communications student news assistant Reganie Smith-Love).

Pappe Joint Statement

Related links:

• Middle East Studies Program
• Pappé

Fresno State’s Contemporary Dance Ensemble will perform “This is NOT the Tony Bennett Concert” beginning at 8 p.m. today, Feb. 17, at the John Wright Theater. Additional performances are scheduled at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, and Tuesday-Saturday, Feb. 21-25, and at 2 p.m. Feb. 19. Tickets $17 general; $15 for Fresno State faculty, staff and alumni; $10 students. Tickets:

Tickets are $17 for general admission, $15 for Fresno State faculty, staff and alumni and $10 for students. MORE INFO:  559.278.2216 or  Theatre Arts.

The 54th Peach Blossom Festival of Oral Interpretation will attract about 6,000 elementary pupils from nearly 200 central San Joaquin Valley schools to Fresno State to participate in the program founded to instill an appreciation for reading and interpretation in youngsters. MORE INFO: www.peachblossom.net.

Dr. Ilan Pappé, a history professor at the University of Essex in England, will discuss issues involving the Middle East in a free, public lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Leon S. and Pete P. Peters Educational Center in the Student Recreation Center. CONTACT: Dean Vida Samiian, College of Arts and Humanities, 559.278.3056.

The Geosciences METRO (for Mentoring, Education, Teaching, Research and Outreach) Center of Fresno State’s College of Science and Mathematics plans an open house and student presentations 4-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22. The free event, which is open to the public, will be at the Alice Peters Auditorium in the University Business Center. CONTACT: Ronna Crews at 559.278.6076. MORE INFO: Geocience Metro Center

Fresno State President John D. Welty and other top administrators and staff will participate in the California State University’s annual Super Sunday program Sunday, Feb. 19, telling African American Fresno church congregations about the importance of college. Welty will speak during the 11 a.m. service at Bethesda Apostolic Church, 3723 E. Dakota Ave. MORE INFO: Fresno State leaders proclaim university message in churches

The Fresno State campus will be closed Monday, Feb. 20, in observance of the Presidents Day national holiday. No classes will meet and the Henry Madden Library will be closed. The library is open, however, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, and 2-10 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19. The Gibson Farm Market (Chestnut and Barstow avenues) will be open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 18, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 19 and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 20.The University Police Department is on duty to handle emergencies: 559.278.8400.

The Save Mart Center at Fresno State was the top-ranked collegiate arena in the world in 2011, as reported by Fresno-based Pollstar Magazine, which tracks the concert industry worldwide.

The on-campus center ranked 48th in the United States in ticket sales with 147,004 from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2011. Those sales put the Save Mart Center at No. 87 among arena venues worldwide ranked by Pollstar.

“To be included in the Pollstar rankings is a testament to San Joaquin Valley residents who support Save Mart Center through ticket sales, especially in these tough economic times,” said Steve Tadlock, regional general manager for Save Mart Center operator SMG.

While the Save Mart Center is the region’s premier region for concerts and a variety of other entertainment, it also serves as the home of Fresno State men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball and also hosts the university’s Commencement ceremony each May.

The Save Mart Center is a privately financed sports, concert and events venue that opened in 2003.

The Fresno State Armenian Studies Program observes its 35th anniversary beginning at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, at the Henry Madden Library, Room 2206 with a reading by Lory Bedikian, winner of the 2010 Philip Levine Prize in Poetry.

It’s the first in a series of spring events that are free and open to the public.

Bedikian, a University of California, Los Angeles alumnus twice nominated for the Ina Coolbrith Memorial Prize in Poetry, will read from her “The Book of Lamenting,” which was published in October by Anhinga Press

The Book of Lamenting

Publication of a first book is part of the Levine Prize, which is administered through Fresno State’s Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program to encourage unpublished poets. The prize program is named for Levine, a professor emeritus of English, Pulitzer Prize winner and the Library of Congress’ poet laureate for 2011-12.

Bedikian’s reading is co-sponsored by the Fresno Poets Association and Fresno State MFA Program in Creative Writing.

The Armenian Studies spring series continues with the 13th annual Armenian Film Festival at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, in the Industrial Technology Building, Room 101. The program begins with short films “The Armenian and the Armenian” (2010), “Le Piano” (2011) and “Bolis” (2011), whose director, Eric Nazarian, will attend. The feature is “Sunrise Over Lake Van” (2011).

The Knight and Daughters of the Vartan and Armenian Students Organization are co-sponsors.

Other events:

• 7-8 p.m., March 2, Alice Peters Auditorium (University Business Center), a talk by former Assemblymember Walter Karabian, about 19th century Armenian artist Hovhannes (Aivazian) Aivazovsky.
• 5 p.m. March 11, Fort Washington Golf and Country Club. This 24th annual banquet celebrates the program’s 35th anniversary and recognizes Dr. Richard Hovannisian, professor emeritus of modern Armenian history at UCLA. Tickets: $50 per person and should be purchased by March 2.

For more information, contact Barlow Der Mugrdechian, Armenian Studies coordinator 559.278.2669 or barlowd@csufresno.edu.

(Copy by student news assistant Reganie Smith-Love)

Related link:

• Armenian Studies Program

The 2012 Comp-X Summer Camp at Fresno state will teach teens about 3-D graphics, basic topics on Android application development and advanced Lego robotic software. The Department of Computer Science is accepting applications from students in Grades 7-12 for the June 18-29 program. Enrollment costs $300, with a 10 percent discount for returning students. INFO: Dr. Alex Liu at shliu@csufresno.edu or 559.278.4789 and https://sites.google.com/site/summercampapplication/.

The annual MESA Day, a hands-on math, engineering and science competition at Fresno State that attracts more than 300 local students from central San Joaquin Valley middle and high schools, will be March 10. Sponsored by the Fresno State Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Program and students from Fresno State’s Lyles College of Engineering, MESA Day showcases students’ math and science know-how.

Fresno State is one of 121 universities across the United States participating in the National Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative to train substantially more, high-quality science and math teachers. Read more by going to The Collegian.

Fresno State student volunteers are partnering with community groups and the city of Fresno to help improve neighborhoods south and west of campus. Read more at The Collegian.

At 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, in the Henry Madden Library’s Room 2206, poet Lory Bedikian will read from her manuscript, “The Book of Lamenting,” which won the 2010 Philip Levine Prize in Poetry. Bedikian’s free reading is open to the public and is part of the spring 2012 series sponsored by the Fresno Poets Association and Fresno State’s Master of Fine Arts Program in Creative Writing. The Levine Prize, named for a Pulitzer Prize-winning emeritus professor, is awarded annually to a poet who hasn’t yet published a book. INFO: 559.278.2403 or email ciwathen@csufresno.edu.