Alan Llavore | Office of Marketing and Communications | CSUSB | (909) 537-5007 | allavore@csusb.edu
In a surprise announcement, Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies Jennifer Alford was named the winner of Cal State San Bernardino’s 2024-25 Golden Apple Award for her exceptional and vast teaching record. This is the second year in a row that a professor in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences has achieved this honor.
Alford was overcome with emotion upon receiving the award.
“I had no idea this was going to happen, and it’s such an incredible honor, so thank you,” she said. “I am constantly promoting Cal State San Bernardino because I truly not only think that we have the best students, the brightest students in the Inland Empire, but we provide such knowledge and passion to the community that we have endless opportunities.”
The Golden Apple Award recognizes outstanding teachers who excel in the profession of teaching and who have a significant impact on students’ lives. Alford received the award for her dedication to teaching and mentorship of CSUSB students.
She was in a meeting the morning of April 21 when Rafik Mohamed, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, accompanied by colleagues, fellow faculty members, staff and administrators, barged into the Faculty Center for Excellence in the Pfau Library to make the announcement.
It is a university tradition to present these outstanding faculty awards through a surprise declaration, where a CSUSB administrator and fellow faculty members come right into and interrupt a classroom, lab, lecture or meeting to make the proclamation.
To draw out the surprise even longer, Mohamed did not immediately announce the award to Alford. Instead, he showed Alford the cover of his binder, which stated that she was the recipient of the Golden Apple Award. There was a dramatic pause as attendees eagerly waited for Alford to read the binder and realize the significance of the occasion. Her reaction did not disappoint as she yelled out in excitement upon the realization.
The award includes a $2,000 Faculty Professional Development Grant, recognition at the college’s commencement ceremony, and being honored at the Faculty Recognition Luncheon.
After sharing highlights of Alford’s accomplishments, Mohamed concluded with the reasons for her selection, sharing excerpts from the University Awards Committee’s letter to CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales.
“Dr. Alford exemplifies the highest standards of this prestigious recognition in her roles as a faculty member with the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies and director of the Institute for Watershed Resiliency,” said Mohamed. “This letter highlights how her commitment to student success and providing meaningful opportunities for community engagement empower CSUSB students to play a role in water shed conservation.”
Andrea Schoepfer, associate dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, agreed with the sentiment and shared with attendees Alford’s positive impact on CSUSB students.
“Dr. Alford brings exceptional dedication, creativity and passion into the classroom. Her commitment to student success and her ability to inspire curiosity have made lasting impacts on numerous students and community members.
“The Golden Apple Award highlights the caliber of teaching and mentorship that defines who we are and who we strive to be, so we are incredibly proud of you, and you represent our values at the highest level,” she added.
Bo Xu, Department of Geography and Environmental Studies chair and professor of geography, has seen first-hand how Alford prepares students for successful futures by providing real-world experiences through internships, field work and community outreach.
“On behalf of the department, I would like to congratulate Dr. Alford on receiving the Golden Apple Award,” said Xu. “This award is an acknowledgment of her excellence in teaching and the impact she has on student success.”
“In her classes, learning goes beyond the classroom. She really cares about the students’ learning and also about students’ future career paths,” she added.
Alford’s B.A. in political science is from North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Her M.A. in Liberal Studies and her Ph.D. in geography are from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
Since joining CSUSB’s Department of Geography and Environmental Studies in 2017, Alford has been heavily involved with the California State University (CSU) Water Resources and Policy Initiative and then its successor, the CSU Water affinity group. In 2022, she established the CSUSB Institute for Watershed Resiliency and serves as its director. From 2022-23, she served as interim chair of her department. She has also developed and taught 12 different courses (30-plus class sessions) to date.
The 2024-25 Awards Committee, composed of Alford’s faculty peers, said that she “is greatly committed to generating high-impact learning opportunities to advance student success.”
The Committee is headed up by chair Gisela Bichler (Department of Criminal Justice). Other members include Sara Callori (representing the College of Natural Sciences), Ying Cheng (representing the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration), Yawen Li (representing the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences), Shafiq Rahman (representing the College of Arts and Letters), and Viktor Wang (representing the James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education).
“Dr. Alford has exponentially impacted on the lives of students through several multi-year transformative contributions,” they wrote. “Reflecting on her teaching philosophy, her courses provide students with diverse field experiences that assist them in gaining a deeper understanding of course concepts by applying evidence-based, service learning, experiential and inquiry centered teaching strategies that support high-impact practices.”
Alford’s teaching activities routinely extend beyond the formal classroom. She has supervised 15 independent study students, 14 master’s theses and a study abroad experience to Perú. In addition, as internship coordinator, she has supervised numerous community-based opportunities for students to engage in research for course credit.
Her student evaluations are consistently positive and underscore her teaching distinctiveness. One student wrote, “Dr. Alford was very helpful with the internship program at the Morongo Band of Mission Indians. This gave me an opportunity to gain experience in many different aspects of environmental science, including water quality, hazmat, solid waste, water treatment, invasive species, restoration, GIS mapping. The internship program allowed me to gain valuable skills and further improve in obtaining a career opportunity.”
In addition to co-leading a major effort to redesign the entire Environmental Studies Program, Alford plays an instrumental role as the director of the Institute for Watershed Resiliency. The Institute is a key regional platform that integrates learning, research and community service to address the environmental and societal needs of our community at large.
The Institute offers interdisciplinary programs supporting workforce development, certifications, research opportunities and networking experiences. The accessibility of the opportunities it provides particularly benefits first-generation students from disadvantaged communities.
Notably, she has also co-directed a field-based learning, outreach and workforce scholarship field school with another colleague from Cal State Northridge. This is the first cross-campus environmental field school established in the CSU system.
To date, Alford has had a further game-changing effect on regional K-12 education. She developed and offered the Water Quality Monitoring Training and K-12 education programs, including Trout in the Classroom, which reaches students, teachers and government staff in the Inland Empire and broader region.
As the Awards Committee concluded, “Dr. Alford’s teaching activities have impacted hundreds of students and will continue to do so for years to come.”