Twists and turns in life, a 10-year age difference, and differing academic and career interests may have sent siblings Tené Green and Rhyan Williams on separate paths as they grew up, but going to college has brought them closer. “When we were younger, we weren't as close because of the age difference between us. But now we are able to do something together,” said Williams, 22, of being a student at California State University, Dominguez Hills with her sister. However, concurrently attending the university–let alone college in general–wasn't something the sisters set out to do. Green was already working as a certified Licensed Vocational Nurse and looking to become a registered ... Read More
Archive
Student Highlights: May 2013
In this section we recognize the honors and activities that our students accomplish outside the classroom. College of Arts and Humanities Amy Blair and Laura Murphy, students majoring in negotiation, conflict resolution and peacebuilding, developed a folk dance and yoga class as a way of teaching conflict resolution skills to middle school students at the Watts United Youth Peacebuilders Project. Laura chronicles the project in her blog. College of Extended and International Education Randall Weaver, who recently graduated with his Master of Arts in Humanities through the Humanities Master of Arts External Degree (HUX) program, received the university's 2013 Outstanding Thesis ... Read More
Pedro Valles: Sky’s the Limit for Air Force Veteran and University Graduate
Sometimes it's dramatic and heroic measures that go into saving a life, but sometimes it's simply the choices one makes. For Pedro Valles, it was his decision to alter the path he was on and join the military that saved his life and led to him graduating from California State University, Dominguez Hills with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Technology with an emphasis in homeland security this past weekend. While a student at San Pedro High School, Valles fell into a bad crowd and was slipping in school. Aware that his behavior was destructive, he sought help from his parents. “I told my parents, 'Look, I'm getting in a bad mix. I need some help,'” Valles recalled. They enrolled ... Read More
Class of 2013: Just the Beginning
For thousands of Toros, the end of the spring 2013 semester marked the completion of their degree from CSU Dominguez Hills. Many will now enter the workforce for the first time, or seek to change their careers thanks to their newly minted degrees. For still others, the academic road continues. Below is a listing of students who have been accepted into post graduate programs throughout the state, country, and world. The list reflects their choice at time of publication. In some cases, when a decision had not been made yet, we posted where they have been accepted We wish them and the entire Class of 2013 the best in their future endeavors. College of Arts and ... Read More
Faculty Highlights: May 2013
Our faculty members participate in conferences around the world, conduct groundbreaking research, and publish books and journal papers that contribute to their field and highlight their expertise. We feature those accomplishments in this section. College of Arts and Humanities Nancy Cheever, chair and associate professor of communication co-wrote with Mark Carrier, chair and professor of psychology, Larry Rosen, professor of psychology, “Facebook and Texting Made Me Do It: Media-induced Task-switching While Studying” which was published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, 29, no. 3 (May 2013). The article is based on their research of students as they studied. Jonathon Grasse, ... Read More
Heidi DeLeon: Looking Forward to a Bright Future
Life has changed dramatically for Heidi DeLeon since she grew up on a Michigan farm in Pinconning, a small town where at 10 p.m. the major traffic signal switches to a blinking red light and the police station closes. In a flash of violence in 1995, a series of events were set into motion that would send DeLeon's life spiraling out of control and eventually lead to her doing a five-year stint in Chowchilla's Valley State Prison for Women in central California years before she would become a Ronald E. McNair Scholar and a Class of 2013 graduate of California State University, Dominguez Hills with a degree in Africana studies. DeLeon was only 14 when her father fatally stabbed her ... Read More
MSA Summit: Young Men of Color Challenged to Make Meaningful Changes
With a dynamic line-up that included a keynote address, workshops, panels and hosted discussions aimed at building their self-worth and empowering them to strive toward success through education, nearly 800 middle- and high-school Latino and African American male students from local Los Angeles and Long Beach Unified school districts, and from California State University, Dominguez Hills were brought together for the Fourth Annual Male Success Alliance (MSA) Summit, a day-long event hosted on May 9 in the Loker Student Union at the university in partnership with Inglewood-based nonprofit Social Justice Learning Institute (SJLI). Kicking off the event was an inspirational and edgy ... Read More
Students Share Research and Creative Work and Gain Editorial Experience through Scholarly Publications
In addition to their classroom assignments and myriad other commitments many students at California State University, Dominguez Hills are also intellectually and creatively engaged scholars who have taken to sharing their research and creative projects by contributing to scholarly publications. The English department's literary journal, Enjambed, the Electronic Student Journal of Anthropology (ESJOA), the Chicana and Chicano studies e-newsletter Adelante, and the Electronic Journal of Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding (NCRP) feature student work, and to some degree or another are edited by students. Enjambed editor Raul Martinez, who is finishing his thesis for a ... Read More
Academic Excellence, Service, and Perseverance Honored with Presidential Awards
For some students, the college experience reaches far beyond average classroom engagement and instead is a golden opportunity for them to give it their all in ways that help to secure a better future, not only for themselves, but for the university, the community, and society. In its third year, the President's Student Leadership and Service Awards celebration at California State University, Dominguez Hills honored just such exemplary students, as well as student organizations and faculty advisors in front of nearly 200 university faculty, staff, students and family members in the Loker Student Union on May 2. “When I say 'extraordinary' and 'outstanding' to describe these students ... Read More
David C. Turner III: 2013 Presidential Outstanding Student
David C. Turner, III, a senior Africana studies major was honored with a 2013 Presidential Outstanding Student Award for his extensive research, presentation, and lecture experience, as well as the leadership he has shown as a student at CSU Dominguez Hills. “It is really a testament to what I have done over the years [at CSU Dominguez Hills].” Turner said of receiving the award. “When they began to read my description [at the awards celebration], I started reminiscing about a meeting I had with Dr. Munashe Furusa [professor of Africana studies and newly appointed dean of the College of Arts and Humanities] during my freshman year. After I turned in a sub-par assignment, he met with me ... Read More
