Physics professor Karen Kolehmainen has been named Cal State San Bernardino’s 2017 Outstanding Service Award winner for faculty for her consistent record of dedication and commitment to serve the university, its students and the Inland Empire for more than 25 years.
Kolehmainen, who joined CSUSB in 1988, was surprised with the announcement by university president Tomás D. Morales prior to the start of a meeting of the university’s Faculty Senate, where she serves as chair and as a member of the faculty senate executive committee.
“Service is a key tenet of our university’s educational mission and Professor Kolehmainen stands as an exemplary role model, embodying the importance and satisfaction that comes from a commitment to service,” Morales said earlier. “She is devoted to helping our students succeed, enhancing her profession, heightening CSUSB’s reputation as a world-class institution and making a difference within the community. She is an excellent choice for this year’s Outstanding Service Award.”
Kolehmainen, who was presented with a bouquet of flowers and a bouquet of balloons during the announcement, thanked her fellow faculty members for the award.
“Thank you very much. I appreciate being recognized by my colleagues. It really means a lot to me,” Kolehmainen said. “I can’t thank you enough.”
Kirsty Fleming, dean of the College of Natural Sciences, where the physics department is housed, said Kolehmainen is an excellent advocate for the faculty and at the same time understands the university as a whole.
“One of the things that I really appreciate about Karen is that the balance that she brings to advocating for the faculty, but understanding the bigger picture,” Fleming said. “She certainly does many, many service jobs. She’s made a real difference, but what I think is key to service is are you serving the greater good? I think Karen, in multiple roles, has, in that she listens, she pays attention and she always tries to do the right thing. That’s what I really appreciate. Thank you, Karen.”
In its selection announcement, the outstanding faculty nominating committee stated, “Dr. Kolehmainen exemplifies what a true public servant is. She is a great asset and ambassador of Cal State San Bernardino as she works tirelessly and selflessly to ensure our campus and local communities are properly educated and their needs adequately met.”
The committee praised Kolehmainen for her work with students at all levels, from advising and mentoring students at the high school level to helping them select a major, and then make the transition from high school to the university. Once they are on the CSUSB campus, she continues supporting them as an academic advisor and writing letters of recommendation.
Within the physics department Kolehmainen has served as department chair, leading the daunting task of the multi-year self-study, coordinating the department's physical expansion and renovation, and serving on numerous faculty search committees as well as departmental committees.
At the College of Natural Sciences level, Kolehmainen has served on a variety of committees such as the RPT, curriculum, space allocation and renovation, radiation safety, Science Day, Center for Educational Equity in the Sciences, professional advisory, dean search, PSSI Award and college election committees. In addition, she was Bearer of the Mace for the College of Natural Science at several commencement ceremonies, and has also held the position of election officer. The college has already recognized “her tremendous contribution and deservingly awarded her the Outstanding Professor of the Year Award in the category of Service.”
At the university level, Kolehmainen has served in the Faculty Senate in many capacities, including being its current chair, former vice-chair, representative-at-large, statewide senate rep, and secretary. She also sat on many of its committees such as the WASC steering, executive, conversion, collegiality and respect, student-fee advisory, faculty workload, herbicide and pesticide usage, curriculum and election committees.
Kolehmainen is well known for her concern and utmost care for faculty rights. She has served the California Faculty Association for nearly 20 years in a number of roles representing her department, including joining the executive board to serve as the union's secretary to chair its faculty rights committee and now serve as senate chair. She sat on the health and safety committee, contributed to its publications, helped in collective bargaining, advocated for the CSU at the chancellor’s and board of trustees offices, organized RPT workshops, and participated in many critical activities such as phone banking and lobby days.
In addition, she has served on additional important and relevant campus committees, among them the instructional quality, library, superior student, calendar, Peace and Justice Coalition, semester conversion investigation, and Wang award selection committees. She also helped with the PSSI Appeals Panel and the Women Studies Program.
And with all her commitments on campus, Kolehmainen has made time to serve in the community. She has given more than 50 speeches at neighboring institutions, been interviewed by numerous radio shows, reached out to K-12 schools, advocated for science education, inspired hundreds of youths, and judged several science-based competitions.
Kolehmainen earned a bachelor’s degree in astrophysics with highest honors from Michigan State University and a Ph.D. in physics from Stony Brook University (N.Y.).
For more information on Cal State San Bernardino, contact the university’s Office of Strategic Communication at (909) 537-5007 and visit news.csusb.edu.