HUNTINGTON BEACH : College to Honor 5 of Its Alumni

Golden West College has picked five distinguished former students for induction into this year’s Pillar of Achievement.

The pillar, similar in concept to a hall of fame, is a permanent monument honoring outstanding alumni of the community college. This year’s induction ceremony for the Pillar of Achievement will be held on campus Nov. 4 at 2 p.m.

The five to be honored this year are:

* Michael P. Caligiuri, a neuroscientist who is the Motor Function Laboratory director at San Diego’s Veterans Administration Medical Center. He is also an assistant adjunct professor of psychiatry at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.

* Sam N. Duran, an environmental engineer in Central California for Texaco Exploration and Production, Inc. He assisted in the development of the historic human-powered aircraft called the Gossamer Condor in the 1970s.

* Joanne Gass, an educator who teaches comparative literature and English literature at Cal State Fullerton and is a member of the university’s Faculty Mentoring Program. She has received several fellowships, including a grant to conduct research at the Biblioteca Nacional in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

* Bruce D. Praet, a lawyer and former policeman who specializes in defense counseling for police officers. In 1979, Praet was awarded the Medal of Valor from the Orange Police Department. He teaches police-related law courses at Cal State Long Beach and Chapman University.

* Robert H. Sims, a marine botanist who is a specialist on the staff of the National Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D. C. He formerly was a biologist for the Environmental Research Branch of the U.S. Army Engineering District in Los Angeles.