If there's a committee, task force, or project at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), or within her academic department or professional community, professor of kinesiology and recreation Carole Casten has more than likely been on it, maybe more than once. That happens with 42 years in your profession–35 at CSUDH– but it's also just Casten's way. “I required myself to do it,” Casten said. “I'm self-driven and I really enjoy being involved.” In other words, Casten likes to be active, which is perfect for someone who started out as a physical education and dance teacher and now is an expert in the pedagogy of physical education who has written five textbooks on the ... Read More
Archive
Marie Palladini: 2014 Lyle E. Gibson Dominguez Hills Distinguished Teacher
For 30 years, Marie Palladini was a federal law enforcement officer with the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife Service, working undercover to catch smugglers of endangered species and investigating all kinds of criminal cases involving wildlife, both in the field and as a manager. It was her dream job and she could have easily retired content with having led a successful career. Instead, she found herself starting a whole new career, one she said she equally loves–as associate professor of public administration, and currently acting associate dean of the College of Business Administration and Public Policy at California State University, Dominguez Hills. “I said I'm going to ... Read More
Richard Malamud: 2014 Outstanding Professor
In Hebrew, the surname Malamud translates to English as “teacher,” which makes Richard Malamud, professor of accounting, aptly named. A certified public accountant and tax lawyer, Malamud first got interested in teaching while working for the national accounting firm, Laventhol & Horwath. “I taught about six courses as part of their continuing education and loved every minute of teaching. I also wrote one or two of [the courses],” Malamud recalls. “That is where I got the bug to teach.” When a faculty position in the Department of Accounting and Finance at California State University, Dominguez Hills opened up in 1990, Malamud crunched the numbers, so to speak, and took the ... Read More
Tara Victor: 2014 Excellence in Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity
Associate professor of psychology Tara Victor's interest in the brain was first piqued after taking a neuropsychology course as an undergraduate psychology major at Hanover College. “I began to understand that my interest in basic brain research could turn into an applied clinical specialty. I knew immediately it was the right career path for me to pursue,” said Victor, who graduated from University of Kentucky with her bachelor's in psychology, and went on to get her master's and doctorate in clinical psychology from Michigan State University. While her doctoral emphasis was in the neuropsychology of aging, it would be a research area she first worked on as an undergrad–neurocognitive ... Read More
Thomas Norman: 2014 Outstanding Professor
An example of Thomas Norman's dedication to California State University, Dominguez Hills and its students is where he chose to live–across the street from the campus. Little did Norman know in 2007 that this university would have such an impact on him. All but dissertation (ABD) in his doctoral program in human resources from the University of Minnesota, he had interviewed for a position in the College of Business Administration and Public Policy (CBAPP) on a whim after receiving a call in his hotel room from then-department chair, Roger Berry, at the Academy of Management Conference. His post-Ph.D. plan had been to stay in Minnesota or move back to Silicon Valley, where he had worked for ... Read More
Two CSU Dominguez Hills Professors Awarded Fulbright Scholars Grants
The J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board has announced the selection of two California State University, Dominguez Hills professors–Kate Fawver, professor of history, and Kim Trimble, professor of teacher education–as Fulbright Scholars for the 2014-2015 academic year. With their selection, CSU Dominguez Hills will have three professors in the Fulbright program this year. In March it was announced that Nancy Erbe, professor of negotiation, conflict resolution and peace building, was awarded a prestigious distinguished chair Fulbright at Pontifícia Universidade Católica in Rio de Janeiro. The Fulbright program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and is one of ... Read More
After CSUDH: Class of 2014 Commences Next Journey
“Commencement” is defined as “a beginning or start” and for many Toros, their graduation from California State University, Dominguez Hills is just that. Below is a partial listing of students known to have been accepted into post graduate programs or employment. We wish them and the entire Class of 2014 the best in their future endeavors. College of Arts and Humanities History Jessica Patton (Magnum Cum Laude), master's program in history, CSU Fullerton. Philosophy James Crawford, master's program in education with an option in social and cultural analysis, Department of Advanced Studies in Education and Counseling, CSU Long Beach Spanish Blanca Garcia (Magnum Cum ... Read More
Photos & Quotes: Reflections on 2014 Male Success Alliance Summit
The Male Success Alliance's (MSA) 5th annual spring summit at CSU Dominguez Hills aimed to motivate young African American and Latino male students to pursue academic and professional excellence through mentorship and brotherhood. The May 8 summit brought together elected officials, academics, successful professionals and hundreds of middle school and high school students from L.A. for a one-day event to harbor unity among the community. In line with President Barack Obama's My Brother's Keeper initiative, MSA believes that through brotherhood, integrity and perseverance, they can positively impact every life they encounter. From mesmerizing speakers and breakout sessions to college ... Read More
Class of 2014: A Snapshot of Featured Graduates
California State University, Dominguez Hills' graduating class of 2014 is remarkable. From future business leaders, scientific researchers, artists and academics, the close to 3,000 degree candidates join the Toro family network to succeed and lead their communities. These are just some of the students who will become the next generation of experts and leaders. Kumar Tiger, 23, B.S., molecular and cellular biology Future scientist Kumar Tiger was heavily involved in campus life at CSUDH, participating in the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) and the Minority Biomedical Research Support program (MBRS-RISE). In addition, he was the treasurer of the ... Read More
Amanda Reyes Channels Boundless Energy Into Leadership
Amanda Reyes cannot help peering ahead into the future, fidgeting to catch a glimpse of what's to come. “I was the type of kid–and now the type of adult–who can't sit still or stay put,” says the tenacious, determined, and above all, deeply motivated 23-year-old who graduates this spring with a master's in English. Her passion for learning and teaching is described as infectious by her peers and mentors, and her litany of accomplishments and achievements during her six years at CSU Dominguez Hills (she also received her bachelor's in English in 2012) reflect that: She is the founder of the English Graduate Association (EGA), where she started the campus' first English Language ... Read More
