University Club programs are open to the public and are held Tuesdays in the Padua Room of the Hughes Community Center, 1700 Danbury Road, Claremont, Cali fornia. Meetings start at 11:30 AM. The $20 meeting fee includes a buffet lunch. Membership applications are available at each meeting. Map to Hughes Community Center
January Program Chair: Art Sutton

January 2 – No meeting due to the holiday

Jan. 9  – “The Cassini Project”
Speaker – Jo Eliza Pitesky, PhD, Cassini Project Science System Engineering Technical Group Supervisor

On September 15, 2017, the Cassini spacecraft entered the atmosphere of Saturn, bringing to a close an astounding 13 years of discovery and exploration of the Saturn system, including the planet, its menagerie of moons, the showstopper rings, and an enormous magnetosphere. Dr. Pitesky, a long-time member of Cassini’s flight team and project science office, will present highlights of the mission’s final six months, a science-rich “Grand Finale” that sent the spacecraft into areas never before visited.  Dr. Pitesky received her bachelor’s degree in Physics and Astronomy from UC Berkeley, and her Masters and PhD in Astronomy from UCLA.

Introduction: Roya Ardelan
Fellowship: Pat Kelly
Greeters: Pat Kelly, Art Parker

Jan. 16  – “Solving California’s Water Crisis”
Speaker – Luis Cetina, Principal Government and Regional Affairs Representative, Metropolitan Water District

Even with the end of the five-year drought, California continues to face severe water challenges.  California’s water system needs a more modern, flexible and environmental friendly means of conveying water from reservoirs and tributaries in the North. In his 30-year tenure at MWD, Luis has worked in an array of departments including Survey, Substructure, Civil Design and Water Supply.  In his current capacity, Luis promotes water policy among members of the San Gabriel Valley Council of Governments, chambers of commerce, economic partnerships and elected officials within the San Gabriel Valley and Gateway Region. Fluent in Spanish, he serves as MWD’s representative before the Spanish-language media and has been interviewed on CNN Español, Telemundo, Univision and other local media outlets.  He is an elected official on the board of the Cucamonga Valley Water District, a direct water purveyor to more than 200,000 residents in four cities.  Luis has a BS in Civil Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona.

Introduction: Peter Boniface
Fellowship: Anne Sonner
Greeters: Milt Wilson, Peter Boniface

Jan. 23 – “Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center”
Speaker – Chris Aldworth, Vice President of Planning, Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center

In 2014 Pomona Valley Hospital was asked to join the Los Angeles County Trauma Center network, which greatly increases survival in severe emergencies.  Chris will discuss the reasons why, the work needed to be done to become qualified, and the results we have seen since going live in the spring of this year. Chris led the hospital’s efforts to form a Trauma Center and rejoin the Los Angeles County Trauma Network, which began operations on March 1, 2017. A graduate of the University of La Verne, Chris has administrative responsibility for the hospital’s Strategic and Master Planning activities.  Chris also serves as President of the Board of Directors for the ParkTree Community Health Center, a local Federally Qualified Health Center with offices in Pomona and Ontario. He has also served on the boards of a number of local health organizations such as Inland Hospice, Project SISTER and Chair of Strategic Planning for Pilgrim Place Continuing Care Retirement Community.

Introduction: Jim Martin
Fellowship: Mel Boynton
Greeters: Sam Mansour and Bob Knell

Jan. 30  – From Entrepreneur to President: The Remarkable Career of Donald J. Trump
Speaker – Ivan Light, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology, Emeritus, UCLA

Using conventional social science tools and publicly available information, Prof. Ivan Light introduces, develops and tries to explain some of the puzzling features of Donald Trump’s transition from business tycoon to President of the United States. The presentation is analytical, and not an evaluation of Trump’s politics, but the man himself.  Ivan Light is professor emeritus of sociology from UCLA. He has degrees from UC Berkeley in Sociology and Harvard University in European History. His research long focused around the entrepreneurship of immigrants and ethnic minorities. He wrote four academic books on this topic, and has also published extensively in both the business journals and social science journals, introducing a social science perspective into graduate-level business education. A member of the University Club, Ivan recently gave a presentation to the club on his book Deadly Secret of the Lusitania.

Introduction: Pat Kelly
Fellowship: Julia Arias
Greeter: Anne Sonner
Birthdays: Ivan Light