Humble, definitely. Maybe even a little bashful.

Those words could describe the attitude of many of the recipients of the California State University, Northridge Alumni Association’s 2015 Volunteer Service Awards about receiving their honors. On, Friday, Oct. 23, CSUN will recognize them for their contributions to the university at the 14th-annual awards event at the Hilton Woodland Hills. Fifteen volunteers will receive university awards, and 22 others will be celebrated for their hard work and dedication to the CSUN Alumni Association’s various chapters.

The two highest honors of the afternoon will go to men who have embodied the spirit of giving and devotion to CSUN — David Malone ’81 (Accounting) and former psychology professor Richard Smith.

Malone, chairman of BBCN Bank (the largest Korean-American bank in the U.S.), is this year’s recipient of the Dorothea “Granny” Heitz Award for Outstanding Volunteer Leadership. Named in honor of the woman whose loyalty and school spirit made her a legendary figure on campus, the award has been presented annually since 2002 to alumni or friends who serve the university as outstanding volunteer role models and leaders.

Smith, who taught at CSUN from 1965 to 2003, is this year’s Dean Ed Peckham Award honoree. The Peckham Award is named in honor of the beloved former dean of students and vice president of student affairs, and is given to an emeritus/emerita or retired member of the faculty or staff who is loyal to and supportive of the university.

Malone, a Topanga Canyon resident, began mentoring CSUN students shortly after graduating in 1981 and has continued to be an influential figure to students, speaking in CSUN classrooms and events about his real-world experience as a Matador-turned-leader in the financial industry. Since 2009, he has served on the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics Advisory Board, currently serving as its chair. He recently served as executive-in-residence for the Nazarian College. David and his wife, Cindi, are also donors to the Nazarian College. He has served on the CSUN Foundation Board since 2013 and actively participates
in the board’s development committee.

Always a strong advocate for planned giving, Malone recently became chair of the university’s Heritage Society Steering Committee. Through this role, he has been instrumental in vocalizing the importance of planned giving — by setting an example with a significant planned gift, as well as advocating that other volunteer leaders do the same.

Malone said he has remained loyal to CSUN because of what the school did for him when he was a student. He recalled the care and attention given to him by his professors and how it made him immediately ready for his professional career.

“From my own personal experience, CSUN is where dreams come true,” Malone said. “I remember attending CSUN and walking through the hallways, wondering what life would be like when I graduated. CSUN provided me the best, fundamentally sound accounting education anyone could get.”

Smith first stepped onto the campus 50 years as a psychology professor. He was named CSUN’s 1991–92 Professor of the Year and is a two-time CSUN Distinguished Faculty Award winner. He was nominated twice by his students
 for the biannual book Who’s Who Among American Teachers and was twice the recipient of the CSUN Student Ambassadors’ Polished Apple Award. After suffering a stroke in January 1998, Smith made an inspirational return to teaching for the ’98 fall semester.

Smith underwrites the twice-annual Richard W. Smith Lecture in Cultural Studies in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. His gift enables students, faculty and donors to participate in the event, which features prominent, compelling, timely published scholars who speak on a variety of current topics and address compelling societal phenomena. He also established the Richard W. Smith Endowment for Cultural Studies in the College of
 Social and Behavioral Sciences to expand the study of indigenous cultures. The endowment also includes the Richard W. Smith Professor in Cultural Studies and the Richard W. Smith Student Awards in Cultural Studies.

Smith, 81, a resident of Northridge, said he was surprised when he was told that he would receive the Peckham Award.

“I love CSUN,” he said. “It’s hard to not love it.”

The 2015 University VSA recipients are:

Dorothy “Dotty” Weisinger – Arts Council

Steve Gale – Associated Students

Jill Fager ’63, M.A. ’72 and Dick Fager ’62 – Athletics

Pradip and Rekha Choksi – College of Engineering and Computer Science

Joanie Lebowitz ’75 – College of Health and Human Development

Deane Leavenworth – College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Eric Bossuk ’80 – David Nazarian College of Business and Economics

Rita Streimer – Delmar T. Oviatt Library

Cindy Chernow ’78, M.A. ’91 – Michael D. Eisner College of Education

Ravi K. Sawhney ’78 – Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication

Ronald Clouse ’71, M.A. ’73 – Student Affairs

Ivan Axelrod ’72 – University Advancement

Marla Lefton ’83 – Valley Performing Arts Center

The 2015 Alumni Chapter VSA recipients are:

Adilene Delgado ’15 – Accounting and Management Information Systems (AIS) Chapter

Annette Terzibashyan Kosker ’86 – Alumni and Friends of Armenian Studies Program

David Bobrosky ’95 – Attorney Networking Group

Ani Issaian ’93, M.S. ’95 – Biology Alumni Chapter

Roxanne Jones ’92 – Black Alumni Association

Spencer Bakst ’13 – Business Honors Alumni Chapter

Peri Abel ’93 – Child and Adolescent Development Alumni Chapter

Amalia Hernandez M.S. ’11 and Ursula Hernandez – Communication Disorders & Sciences Alumni Chapter

Doris Chaney ’03, M.S. ’08 – Engineering and Computer Science Alumni Chapter

Nicki Katz ’11 – Entertainment Alumni Network

Angelo Bellomo M.S. ’81 – Environmental and Occupational Health Alumni Chapter

Ben Gary ’06 – Finance, Insurance and Real Estate (F.I.R.E.) Alumni Chapter

Joseph Nessim ’05, M.S. ’10 – Health Administration Alumni Chapter

Rochelle Shapiro Kanoff ’80 – Journalism Alumni Association

Christina Ayala-Alcantar – La Raza Alumni Chapter

Semee Park M.P.A. ’13 – Masters in Public Administration (M.P.A.) Alumni Chapter

Jennifer Monjack M.S.W. ’07 – Masters in Social Work (M.S.W.) Alumni Chapter

Robert Sidansky M.A. ’80 – National Center on Deafness (NCOD) Alumni Chapter

George Higgins ’06, ’13 – Nursing Alumni Chapter

Carla Valdez M.P.H. ’08 – Public Health Alumni Chapter

Doris Abrishami ’97, M.A. ’13 – Radiologic Sciences Alumni Chapter

Alumni, CSUN Alumni Association, David Malone, Dean Ed Peckham, Dorothea "Granny" Heitz, Featured, Richard Smith, Volunteer Service Awards