CEIS Bids Farewell to Retiring Faculty and Staff

The College of Education and Integrative Studies said goodbye this year to three faculty members and one staff member. The retirees include Professor Gilbert Cadena, Professor Barbara Bromley, lecturer Kenneth Stahl and staff member Geri Hunt.   

After 27 years of teaching and service at Cal Poly Pomona, Cadena officially retired on Friday, Aug. 19. During his tenure at CPP, his most notable achievements have been working with EWS faculty to develop the gender, ethnicity, and multicultural studies major; co-founding and co-coordinating the annual Dia de los Muertos celebration; and incorporating service-learning in his courses, which amounted to over 2,300 students contributing over 62,000 hours of service throughout Southern California.  

As an educator, some of Cadena’s favorite classes to teach have been EWS 4310: Ethnicity, Gender and Religion/Spirituality; EWS 2800: Service Learning and Community Engagement; and EWS 4020: Chicana/o-Latina/o Contemporary Issues. He published numerous articles on Latinos and religion, Dia de los Muertos, liberation theology and service-learning pedagogy. He also co-edited, “Old Masks, New Faces: Religion and Latino Identities.” 

“Dr. Cadena will be greatly missed but we are also happy to celebrate his well-deserved retirement,” said Professor Jocelyn Pacleb, chair of the Department of Ethnic and Women’s Studies. “He’s been central in building EWS and the various partnerships across the campus, such as the Cultural Centers and especially with the Cesar E. Chavez Center for Higher Education, MASA and MEChA. His legacy at Cal Poly Pomona is the annual Dia de los Muertos celebration that brings the campus community together to both learn and celebrate with each other.”  

Bromley, who is known for her advocacy on behalf of people with disabilities, joined the Department of Education in 1988. She served as the program coordinator for the Education Specialist Credential Program from 2006 to 2018. Her scholarly work focused on assistive technology for individuals with moderate to severe disabilities. As a disability advocate, she served for many years on local and state developmental disability advisory boards. During her time at CPP, she taught courses in positive behavior supports, curriculum and instruction for students with moderate to severe disabilities and inclusive practices for general education. She also developed, coordinated and taught courses for the Added Authorization in Autism Spectrum Disorders.

“Dr. Barbara Bromley worked for 30 years in the Education Department,” said Professor Jann Pataray-Ching, chair of the Department of Education. “She held numerous leadership positions in the department, university, and profession, but most notably served as the department’s interim chairperson and the education specialist program coordinator. She spent the bulk of her career empowering teachers to be conscientious advocates for teachers of children and adults with complex disabilities and health care needs. Dr. Bromley was well respected by her students and colleagues. Everything she did was well-organized, well-thought out, and completed with care for her colleagues, her students and their students. Dr. Bromley leaves a legacy of hard work, dedication and commitment.”  

Hunt, a longtime staff member who is known for her dedication to student success, served as the credential analyst for the Education Specialist and Administrative Services credential programs. Prior to joining CEIS, she was a records specialist in the Registrar’s Office at Cal Poly Pomona and a human resources clerk and district substitute coordinator at the Ontario-Montclair School District. In addition to her duties, she was also a photographer and volunteered with department events including the annual Credential Celebration, doctoral program events, career fairs and commencement ceremonies.  

“It has been a great pleasure working with Geri,” said Interim Dean Hend Gilli-Elewy. “She is so knowledgeable, has such a deep understanding of all aspects related to credentialing, and has taught me so much. I greatly appreciate the support she has provided to the Credential Office and her dedication to our students' success. She will be very missed! I wish her and her family the very best.”  

Stahl, a longtime lecturer, was hired in the spring of 1993 to teach an IGE course, and he became a full-time lecturer in 2000. He earned his doctorate and master’s degree in English and American literature from Claremont Graduate School and previously taught at several local universities, including Harvey Mudd College, Pomona College, Chaffey College and California State University, San Bernardino.  

During his time at CPP, he played a key role in constructing and reconstructing IGE’s curriculum by following important developments in the humanities and social sciences and translating those developments into a general education curriculum taken by students from many different majors. He was also very instrumental in transitioning IGE’s curriculum to the semester system.

Outside of the classroom, he served on several university and college-level committees including the CEIS Curriculum Committee, the First Year Experience Committee and the Academic Senate’s Academic Programs Committee. Stahl also worked with many student leaders as the longtime advisor of the IGE Student Organization (IGESO), a club that seeks to promote IGE and provide an environment for IGE students to meet and work together.  

“Ken has always been the heart and soul of IGE,” said Dennis Quinn, IGE program coordinator. “He has been a fantastic mentor to me and just about everyone in the program. He was always someone I could depend on whenever I needed help with a class or coming up with meaningful assignments in my classes. He has also been a leader in curriculum development, having had his hand in helping make every single class in the program better.”  

To celebrate the accomplishments of these individuals, virtual and in-person celebrations were held during the spring and summer semesters.