From an early age, CSUDH alumna Gracie Ann Dinkins ('87, BA, Chemistry) was taught the value of giving back to the community. “My mother instilled the importance of service and sacrifice very early in all of her children,” she says. These days, Dinkins is living out those lessons, working as a trauma and acute care surgeon at a pair of Southern California hospitals while also helping rescue an elementary school in Liberia. Dinkins, who grew up in Liberia, was attending the University of Liberia in 1984 when political and social upheaval that would devolve into a 14-year civil war in the country disrupted her educational journey “The country experienced serious civil unrest and student-led ... Read More
Archives for March 2021
Student Research Conference Elevates Student Achievement Despite Challenges
While COVID-19 altered the format and dynamics of the 16th Annual Student Research Conference (SRC) at California State University, Dominguez Hills, the important things remained the same - the need for rigorous research to enter, vigorous dedication to be competitive, and steadfast mentorship to win. Showcasing the high standards for student research and faculty mentorship at CSUDH, 29 students garnered top honors in 17 categories during SRC on March 1-5. This year, the annual conference was retooled to a well-orchestrated virtual event. From pre-recorded oral presentations and digital research posters, to live Q&A sessions filled with dozens of student researchers for judges to ... Read More
During Super Sunday, CSUDH Offers Messages of College’s Transformative Opportunities
To prevent the pandemic from stifling one of the California State University's (CSU) most empowering outreach programs, CSU Dominguez Hills President Thomas A. Parham and other leaders recorded videos for churches across the state for the annual CSU Super Sunday. Played during virtual services at predominantly Black churches on Feb. 28, their messages pressed the importance and accessibility of a college education for young students of color. For more than a decade, the CSU's top leaders have delivered Super Sunday messages in person during services, reaching more than 100,000 churchgoers annually. The event is produced by the CSU African American Initiative - a partnership between ... Read More
Alumna Julie DeVaney Helps Lead Frontline Fight Against COVID-19
As a member of the San Diego-based Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), part of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), California State University, Dominguez Hills alumna Julie DeVaney ('05, MS, Nursing) has traveled across the country, assisting local health care workers in emergency situations. She has helped deal with the aftermath of everything from hurricanes to terrorism (her first deployment was in 2001, after the World Trade Center attacks). So it is no surprise to see DeVaney on the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19. In 2020, DeVaney spent time at rural hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients, working with or replacing overwhelmed staff and ... Read More
New Latinx Center Up and Running–Virtually
Responding to calls from students, California State University, Dominguez Hills officially opened the Latinx Cultural Resource Center (LCRC) in January, joining other campus affinity centers such as the Rose Black Resource Center and the Queer Culture & Resource Center. “We're here to build community, hear the needs of our students, and connect with them,” says the center's interim director, Rony Castellanos Raymundo. Chicano/a Studies major Janneth Najera was the driving force behind the push to establish a Latinx Center on campus. Janneth worked with faculty, staff, and community members to make sure the center came to life,” according to Castellanos Raymundo. “It's thanks to her ... Read More