Connecting with Alumni:
Clinical Laboratory Sciences Program
College of Science Newsletter, "The Scientist", Fall 2002, Vol. 8 No. 2.
The Department of Biological Sciences would like to reconnect with the alumni of
its clinical Laboratory Sciences (Medical Technology) Program. Please let us know
where you are, what you are doing, and if you would like us to do a brief profile
on you that we can publish on our website (www.sjsu.edu/depts/Biology). We hope
that profiles will update and bring together those who have lost touch with one
another. Please use the form
(click here for PDF form) on the back of this newletter to send your information
to us and to request and additional information.
We also need a volunteer alumnus to serve on the Advisory Committee for new Clinical
Laboratory Sciences Program. Please let us know if you would like to volunteer for
the Advisor Committee or for other activities in support of the program. To provide
contact information, to volunteer to serve on the Advisory Committee, or to support
the program or its students in other ways, please email Sally Veregge, Chair, Biological
Science Department at sveregge@email.sjsu.edu
or use the form
in this newsletter.
Klitia(Kit) Vanags, CLS Alum Remembers SJSU
Klitia L. Vanags was born in Riga, Latvia. She attended grade school, secondary
school and the university in Riga before World War II. At the university, she studied
medical laboratory science. The German army occupied Latvia at the beginning of
the war. As the war progressed, the Russian army advanced into Latvia and the Germans
retreated. This presented a grave problem to Kit and her parents as they had no
love for the German army but had a greater fear of the Russians due to a history
of previous Russin occupations of Latvia. One night the Vanags left their home with
what they could carry and traveled to Austria where they had friends.
During the war Kit worked in Austria in the medical laboratory of a family friend,
often performing test when bombs were falling nearby. Following the war, she and
her family immigrated to the United States and settled in San Jose with the help
of a local church. Kit, who spoke no English, initially worked as a housekeeper.
The family who employed her helped her learn English and encouraged her to enroll
at San Jose State University, and after four years, she earned her bachelor's degree
in Medical Laboratory Science. Kit worked for several hospitals in the San Jose
area before retiring from O'Conner Hospital in 1986. She enjoyed life to the fullest.
She Loved her adopted country, her family and her profession. We are very thankful
that she remembered the Medical (Clinical) Laboratory Sciences Program at San Jose
State University with a generous donation.
Thanks to Fred Struve for the biographical information.
CoS Alumni:We Want
to Hear From You!(pdf)