When Layla Sewell is out in the community and she hears someone say, “Look! It's Ms. Sewell!” it warms her heart –as it should having worked to warm the hearts of entire families for over 20 years. Sewell is executive director of the Awaken the Greatness Foundation (ATG), which she founded in late 2011. The Los Angeles-based non-profit facilitates, organizes and moderates workshops, classes and events that “enrich and improve the lives of African-American parents and youth.” “Working with young people just seems to come naturally to me. It's truly a joy,” said Sewell. “It's been a major part of my life for so long.” Along with her work for ATG, Sewell has been balancing her role as ... Read More
Archive
David Garza Battles Back from Car Accident to Become Army Officer, Olympian
David Garza has a lot of fight in him. He fought his way out of a coma in 2012 after a devastating car accident left the then 19-year-old California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) freshman with a traumatic brain injury. “I was in a coma for about five weeks in the hospital after the car accident. I broke my jaw–I have a metal plate in there–and my left knee was cut wide open [by a metal fuse box under his steering wheel],” said Garza, who also had his left eyebrow completely torn off, and had to breathe and eat through a tube in his neck while in the hospital. After six operations and ongoing rehabilitation, Garza was back at CSUDH fighting through his injuries for four ... Read More
Thomas Philo Honored with ‘2016 Excellence in Service Award’
For Thomas Philo, an archivist in California State University, Dominguez Hills' (CSUDH) University Library, an “exceptional sense of service” requires one to persistently look for ways to serve on campus and for “opportunities to serve that were not there before.” For his eagerness and skill in applying his vision of service for the entire CSUDH campus community, Philo was honored with the 2016 “Excellence in Service Award.” Philo will carry the University Mace, an honor reserved for highly distinguished faculty members, at the College of Business Administration and Public Policy Commencement Ceremony at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 20. The Excellence in Service Award recognizes “contributions ... Read More
Occupational Therapy Students Take 1st at CSU Student Research Competition
For their ground-breaking research on incorporating a proven, yet emerging, wellness methodology into occupational therapy (OT), California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) OT students Lisa Faust and Vanessa Dougherty took 1st Place at the statewide 30th Annual CSU Student Research Competition, held this year at CSU Bakersfield. Dougherty and Faust won in the “Health, Nutrition and Clinical Sciences” category for their presentation “Occupational Therapy Trauma-Informed Practice Using the Community Resiliency Model [CRM]: Narrative and Photo Voice with Veterans.” The overall goal of their research was to explore the benefits of OT professionals' use of CRM with trauma-exposed ... Read More
Marisela Chávez Honored with ‘2016 Lyle E. Gibson Dominguez Hills Distinguished Teaching Award’
For her reputation as an engaging and inspirational educator, and as a champion for high-impact practices (HIPs) at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), Marisela Chávez, associate professor and chair of Chicana and Chicano Studies, was honored with the 2016 Lyle E. Gibson Dominguez Hills Distinguished Teaching Award. Chavez will carry the University Mace, an honor reserved for highly distinguished faculty members, along with fellow honoree associate professor and chair of the Department of Modern Languages Ivonne Heinz Balcazar, at the College of Arts and Humanities Commencement Ceremony at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 21. Named for CSUDH's founding university vice ... Read More
Keisha Paxton Honored with ‘2016 Presidential Outstanding Professor Award’
With an engaging personality that enables her to “work effectively” with “anyone,” and an innate talent for nurturing students as fellow researchers, Keisha Paxton, professor of psychology and director of California State University, Dominguez Hills' (CSUDH) Faculty Development Center (FDC), was honored with the 2016 Presidential Outstanding Professor Award. Paxton will carry the University Mace, an honor reserved for highly distinguished faculty members, at the College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Commencement Ceremony at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 20. The Presidential Outstanding Professor Award recognizes “excellence in teaching and overall contributions in research and service as a ... Read More
Jeff Sapp Honored with ‘2016 Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Award’
As a gifted curriculum writer, researcher and educator, Jeff Sapp, professor of teacher education, has garnered high respect from his colleagues, his students, and California State University, Dominguez Hills' (CSUDH) 2016 Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity Award. Sapp will carry the University Mace, an honor reserved for highly distinguished faculty members, at the College of Education and College of Extended and International Education Commencement Ceremony at 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 21. The faculty award acknowledges that “research, scholarship and creative activities that are essential components of the mission of CSUDH, and recognizes a professor's professional ... Read More
Ivonne Heinze Balcazar Honored with ‘2016 Excellence in Service Award’
In the past five years alone, Ivonne Heinze Balcazar, associate professor and chair of the Department of Modern Languages, has made major contributions to her department in the form of new Spanish programs and courses, adding to her multitude of accomplishments since arriving at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) 13 years ago. For the entire body of her work and service to the university community, Heinze Balcazar was honored with the 2016 Excellence in Service Award, which recognizes “contributions to university governance and development, and acknowledges that service is an essential component of CSUDH's mission.” Heinze Balcazar will carry the University Mace, an ... Read More
Internships Enable Students to Exceed Their ‘Gooooals!’
Hanging around professional soccer players, preparing commemorative shirts for the LA Galaxy's season opener, helping coordinate children on the field before a game, and getting paid to boot–it's all in a day's work for Jason Loyola, a marketing major at California State University Dominguez Hills (CSUDH). Well, at least during the spring 2016 semester. Loyola and fellow CSUDH marking student Victor McGinnis have been working at the StubHub Center located on campus as this year's LA Galaxy/StubHub Center sales and marketing interns. “I love meeting and walking alongside world-class soccer players like [the LA Galaxy's] Steven Gerrard and Giovanni Dos Santos,” said Loyola, a 25-year-old ... Read More
Toro Forensics Team Grabs Top Honors at PSCFA Conference
Shrewd persuasiveness, incisive interpretation, and keen critical thinking helped California State University, Dominguez Hills' (CSUDH) Toro Forensics Team achieve two top honors during the 2016 Pacific Southwest Collegiate Forensics Association Cool-Off Tournament on April 23-24 at Saddleback College. More than 150 students from 25 colleges across California and Arizona competed in the conference, including such regional campuses as CSU Long Beach, CSU Northridge, and Biola University. “The Saddleback College Forensics tournament is one of many over the last decade where our Toros have earned top public speaking and acting awards,” said Donis Leonard, professor of theatre and speech, ... Read More
