#57 Jane Close Conoley

This month Mary had the opportunity to meet up with Dr. Jane Close Conoley, who, since January of 2014 was the first woman appointed as permanent president of California State University Long Beach. After nearly 50 years in higher education, we caught Jane on the cusp of her retirement.Just prior to coming to Cal State Long Beach, Jane served as dean of the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at the University of California Santa Barbara. Along with serving as dean, she was professor of counseling, clinical and school psychology.Before Santa Barbara, Jane served as dean and professor of educational psychology at Texas A&M University (1996-2005) and associate dean for research at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Teachers College (1989-94). In addition, she held faculty positions at Texas Woman's University and Syracuse University. Jane is the author or editor of 22 books and has written more than 100 chapters, refereed journal articles and technical reports. Her areas of primary interest are interventions with families, and with children with disabilities - especially children with serious emotional disturbance and aggressive children and youth. Her most recent work investigates the application of the science of positive psychology in educational settings.By the time you're the president of a major University, you've got plenty of credibility. Jane is at the same time a person of great integrity, creativity and heart. You'll hear all of that in their conversation.[Note from MMC - This was an especially gratifying episode for me. Back when I was in my early 20's, Jane recognized me as someone she could mentor. Because of her confidence in and encouragement of me, I've moved through my own academic career and into the work I do now, here on this good Earth, with all of you. I am forever grateful to and for Jane Conoley.]You can learn more about Jane by checking out the Cal State University Long Beach website. Especially this link focused on her generous service to CSULB. And here's a link to a pdf on positive psychology in educational settings that Jane co-authored with her husband, Collie W. Conoley.And make sure to consider how you can identify approach goals for your own action in support of climate repair. The initiatives of Jane’s University and the city of Long Beach are inspiring. Acting locally - even as locally as our home and family, makes a difference. Thanks to each of you for refusing to give up. Our choices to do what we can where we can come together with those of people around the globe to truly matter.MUSICRolled Ankles. Music by Nicholas Panek from PixabayJazz Background 333352. Music by Ievgen Poltavskyi from PixabayRomantic Jazz. Music by Soundore from Pixabay