Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist named Cal State L.A.’s ‘Alumna of the Year’

Sept. 27, 2012 - PRLog -- California State University, Los Angeles announces Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Olga Shalygin Orloff (’77) as the recipient of the University’s 2012 Alumna of the Year.

Orloff (Berkeley, CA resident)—a critical care registered nurse and documentary filmmaker—was the Associated Press picture editor in Moscow and was part of the 1992 Pulitzer Prize-winning team that covered the fall of communism. She and her husband, Cliff Orloff, operate Red Door Productions, which concentrates on telling stories of rapidly changing indigenous cultures.

Orloff is one of eight outstanding CSULA alumni and two students who will be recognized during the 38th annual Alumni Awards Gala Thursday, Oct. 11, at the Luckman Fine Arts Complex, on the Cal State L.A. campus.

2012 University Service Award
Guillermo Zuñiga (’86), president and chief executive officer of Grifols Biologicals Inc., which is located in Los Angeles and near the CSULA campus.

Distinguished Faculty Alumnus
Fred Daneshgaran (’84, ’85) is a professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is a La Crescenta resident.

Distinguished Alumni Awards
Cynthia Kawa (’79, ’82), chief executive officer, New Horizons located in North Hills
America Tang (’79), chief executive officer, Ace Fence Company and founder/chief executive officer, Lending Hope Foundation (Monterey Park resident)
Nancy J. Lavelle (’71, ’77), president/chief executive officer, Total Education Solutions, Inc. and founder/president, Institute for the Redesign of Learning (Santa Monica resident)
Alan Davidner (’73), former president, endOclear®, LLC (Claremont resident)
Pamela Wiley-Wells (’75), president, Los Angeles Speech and Language Therapy Center, Inc. (Marina Del Rey resident)
Marx L. Cazenave II (’62), cofounder and former chief executive officer, Progress Investment Management Company (Kentfield resident)

Outstanding Senior
Wayne A. Warner  (B.S., Biochemistry and Microbiology ’13), Los Angeles resident

Outstanding Graduate Student
Mario Giron-Abrego (M.A., Anthropology ’10, ’13), Los Angeles resident

Organized by the CSULA Alumni Association, the event opens with a VIP reception at 5:30 p.m. in the Luckman Gallery. The dinner festivity begins at 6:30 p.m. on the campus’ Luckman Street of the Arts, followed by an Academy Awards-style ceremony and multimedia video presentation at 7:30 p.m. in the Luckman Theatre. For tickets or more info, call (323) 343-2586 or visit http://alumni.calstatela.edu/awardsgala/index.htm.  


What:               Cal State L.A. presents its 38th Annual Alumni Awards Gala.

When:              Thursday, Oct. 11, 5:30 p.m.-VIP reception; 6:30 p.m.-dinner program; awards presentation-7:30 p.m.

Where:             Luckman Fine Arts Complex, on the CSULA campus. The University is located at the Eastern Avenue exit, San Bernardino (I-10) Freeway, at the interchange of 10 and 710 freeways. Public permit dispenser parking is available in Lot 7 or upper level Parking Structure C.

Info:                 Call the Alumni Association at (323) 343-2586.