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Two USC Davis School Doctoral Alums Get Tenure at California State University Schools

By Athan Bezaitis
                       
Debra Sheets, Ph.D., class of 1999 and Carl Renold, Ph.D., class of 1995, both received tenure from California State University, Northridge and California State University, Fullerton respectively this May.

Dr. Renold is an Assistant Professor of Human Services at Cal State Fullerton, where he received an Outstanding Faculty Award for the 2001-2002 school year.  He held a previous faculty position as the Endowed Assistant Professor of Gerontology at the University of Louisiana, Monroe and still maintains close ties with former faculty and colleagues at the USC Davis School. 

His areas of expertise include end of life care, technology and aging, health and fitness, age discrimination and assisted suicide.

“Carl Renold is a great innovator and an inspirational instructor, and I am delighted that CSU Fullerton has offered him tenure,” said Edward Schneider, USC Davis School Dean Emeritus.

Debra Sheets is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Gerontology Program in the Department of Health Sciences at CSU Northridge. 

“I oversee all aspects of the gerontology program including program development, curriculum, student recruitment and advisement,” Dr. Sheets said.

Sheets came to USC after 15 years of clinical practice as a registered nurse.  While in graduate school, she was awarded an American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Policy Intern Fellowship, which she served with the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Aging.  She was also an active member of the Society for Disability Studies and the American Public Health Association.

“Receiving a doctorate from the USC Davis School provided me with an incomparable education in gerontology and public policy as well as significant experience in applied research.  Both have served me well in my position, which emphasizes teaching and community partnerships,” Dr. Sheets said.

Her specialties include care for elderly with disabilities, assistive technology, and aging policies and programs.  Her current research concerns the prevention of secondary conditions among persons with long-term disabilities such as spinal cord injury, rheumatoid arthritis and stroke.

“She was a constant ball of energy around the school,” said Dr. Phoebe Liebig, her former faculty mentor at USC.  “She had an enormous capacity for doing large amounts of work.” 

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“Carl Renold is a great innovator and an inspirational instructor, and I am delighted that CSU Fullerton has offered him tenure,” said Edward Schneider, USC Davis School Dean Emeritus.

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