In Memoriam: Linda Clingerman
- Linda Clingerman
August 21, 2009 9:56 AM
Linda Jeane Clingerman, former director of policy development and communication, died of a heart attack at her home in San Gabriel on Aug. 9.
Clingerman was born in Colby, Kansas. After completing a bachelor’s degree in art history at California State University, Northridge, she obtained her first graphic arts job at a small manufacturing company by creating a portfolio of fine drawings of pipe sensor valves. From there, she worked in graphic design, production layout, typesetting, photography, advertising copy and design, and editorial work for daily and weekly newspapers.
Her first broader communications position came about when she was asked to join the start-up of one of the nation’s early tax-deferred retirement plans in Washington, D.C., in an administrative position. That job grew into developing and managing their communications program during their rapid growth over the next five years. After a three-year break to be a full-time mother and relocation to California, she restarted her career at Pasadena City College as publications editor.
Clingerman spent her last 24 years at USC in publications and communications. She came here as director of university publications, where her first job was to create the academic catalogue for the university. She then moved into development communications and to various communications positions in admissions, which grew to include online publishing. She became the director of policy development and communications in August 2000.
Though her professional life focused on the verbal (writing, editing and publishing), the visual arts were Clingerman’s lifelong avocation. She began studying botanical watercolor in 2002 in a course at the Huntington Botanical Gardens.
“I love the completely absorbing, meditative quality of botanical painting. It is the antidote for me to the busy, noisy world I live in,” she said. “Studying, drawing and painting plants nourishes my joy and wonder in the beauty and complexity of the created world.”
Clingerman is survived by Jerry, her husband of 39 years; daughter Elizabeth; mother Jeane Cornelius Miller and sister Brenda Thompson, both of Kansas; brother Tack Cornelius of Gainesville, Ga.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial donations can be sent to The Huntington c/o Kimberly Valentine, 1151 Oxford Road, San Marino, CA 91108. All gifts support botanical education.
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The Wall Street Journal highlighted the $200 million naming gift from USC Trustee and alumnus David Dornsife and wife Dana Dornsife to the USC Dornsife College, and the $110 million gift from USC Trustee and USC Viterbi School alumnus John Mork and wife Julie to create the USC Mork Family Scholars Program.
KPCC-FM reported that this fall USC will offer Persian language courses for the first time. A $250,000 grant from the Farhang Foundation helped to establish the program. Bruce Zuckerman of the USC Dornsife College said he has many students interested in the Persian language, culture and region. “The Iranian region is one that has great impact on our lives today and has had great impact going back into ancient times,” he said. The story noted that USC and the Farhang Foundation hope to raise more money to create an Iranian studies minor. Payvand also featured the new courses.
American Songwriter ran a Q&A with Christopher Sampson of the USC Thornton School about the school’s Popular Music program, which Sampson founded. He noted that the program has been available as a major in Songwriting since 2009, and has incorporated a diverse range of musical genres. “We have now established a consistent track record of students having professional success to know that the program gets results,” Sampson said. He also highlighted the achievements of Songwriting faculty members Lamont Dozier, Andrea Stolpe and David Poe of the Thornton School.
The Economist featured research by Valter Longo of the USC Davis School finding that short periods of fasting could help cancer patients better tolerate chemotherapy, and may even make treatment more effective. The Globe and Mail (Canada) reported that cancerous tumors are essentially energy hogs. “They need to burn lots of energy just to stay alive,” Longo said. The study was also covered by Irish Independent (Ireland), Magyar Tavirati Iroda (Hungary), Anadolu Ajansi (Turkey), Son Haber (Netherlands), Vietnam+ (Vietnam), Turkish Radio and Television (Turkey) and Romania Libera (Romania).
L.A. Weekly featured research by USC’s Institute for Creative Technologies, which has developed video games based around physical movement for people recovering from strokes or other injuries. The games develop strength in specific body parts. Traditional video games weren’t right for these patients, said the institute’s Belinda Lange. “Often, the fun parts of the game would only be unlocked after a series of other levels, which our patients often couldn’t achieve,” she said. The games are now being tested with physical therapists in three major clinics.
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