California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) enrolls and graduates the largest number of African American students of any California State University campus. As Black History Month puts a spotlight on the achievements and accomplishments of African Americans throughout this nation, CSUDH pauses to share the great successes and insights of its alumni. Towalame Austin ('04, B.A., Interdisciplinary Studies) has forged a path in the non-profit sector that one might call a quintessential Los Angeles success story. In 1998 she began her career as a receptionist with the Magic Johnson Foundation, often being “the first to arrive and last to leave” both then and seven years later ... Read More
Archive
A Sense of Justice
Maria Villa was “born with a strong sense of justice,” but it wasn't until she witnessed unfair actions against her parents' family business that she decided to follow her convictions. Villa was in her senior year at CSUDH at the time, working in her parents' stretched canvas manufacturing business in Torrance and contemplating graduate school to earn an MBA: “Seeing how my parents were taken advantage of at times by customers and vendors who knew how to work the system made me want to become an attorney so I could help small business owners stand up for and learn about their rights,” says Villa, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from CSUDH in 1982 and a Juris ... Read More
Student Research Day Showcases Scholarship and Mentorship
Now in its 13th year, Student Research Day (SRD) has become an institution at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), and a widely-anticipated showcase of the analytical and creative vigor demonstrated each year by the university's budding researchers. Close to 220 oral and poster presentations were delivered during SRD on Feb. 14 and 15, covering a wide range of academic disciplines at the university, from history to health, business to biology, Chicana/o studies to computer science. Nearly 50 student investigators emerged with top honors. From that winning pool, 10 projects will be selected to represent CSUDH at the statewide CSU Research Competition May 4 and 5 at CSU ... Read More
CSUDH Awarded $445K from Mellon Foundation to Support Students’ Doctoral Pursuits in Humanities
California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) has been awarded a $444,832 subgrant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to encourage more undergraduate students from underrepresented minority groups (URM), including African American, Latino/a, Native American, and other students committed to diversity, to pursue Ph.D.s in the humanities. The subgrant is part of a larger $2,211,000 award to the CSU Foundation to establish Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship (MMUF) programs at five CSU Southern California campuses–Dominguez Hills, Fullerton, Long Beach, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles. The Mellon Foundation's centerpiece program, MMUF, aims to address the lack of diversity among ... Read More
Four Marital and Family Therapy Students Awarded Highly Competitive Stipends
Four California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) Marital and Family Therapy (MFT) students have been awarded highly competitive California MFT stipends, which provide financial support for their continuing educational pursuits as well as one-year paid employment and training. Funded by California's Mental Health Services Act and administered by the MFT Consortium of California and Greater Los Angeles, the program awards 118 stipends statewide, and only 70 in Los Angeles County. CSUDH MFT students Daniel Lopez, Natashia Leonard, Jasmine Henry-Ala, and Gabriela Rubio will each receive a stipend of $18,500 and full-time positions at mental health agencies operated or contracted by ... Read More
1st African-American Female LAPD Captain Continues to Serve Community
There is no denying that African-Americans have had a complex relationship with the Los Angeles Police Department throughout its 149-year existence. Retired captain Ann Young knows that history, which is why the LAPD pioneer now serves and connects with others after succeeding in the black and blue. Today, she connects with "future police" by teaching criminal justice at Cal State Dominguez Hills and two other colleges. In April 2000, the New York native became the first African-American female captain of the LAPD. She said her career choice was inspired by her positive experiences with Brooklyn cops when she was a child. "Foot beat officers in New York were so warm. They knew ... Read More
Junot Díaz Guest Lectures at CSUDH; Discusses Student Activism, Arts, African Diaspora
With his assertive and authentic style, Junot Díaz, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,” addressed a nearly packed University Theatre on Feb.1 as the guest lecturer for the 2018 Patricia Eliet Memorial Lecture. Díaz's stream of topics invigorated the audience. He shared some personal history to exhibit the power of student activism, defined the prevalence of leadership among student artists in the past, and imparted his thoughts about what he called his “continual engagement in dialogue” related to the African Diaspora. The lecture coincided with “¡Adelante! Latinx Activism in California,” a spring 2018 campus-wide series of events ... Read More
Faculty Highlights: January 2018
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 and more in this section. College of Arts and Humanities Ellie Zenhari, assistant professor of design, had her image “Toxic House” selected to be featured in the LensCulture Exposure Awards 2018 Competition Gallery. Lens Culture is a prestigious international photography magazine. A. Marco Turk, professor emeritus of the Negotiation, Conflict Resolution & Peace Building program, and an attorney and columnist for the Daily Journal, penned the column “The ... Read More
Beverly Palmer’s New Book Offers ‘Love Demystified’ for Would-Be Valentines
Valentine's Day is just around the corner. For the very young, it's a curious yet cheerful day when often illegible sentiments scribbled on adoring cards, accompanied by pastel-colored candy hearts, pile by the dozens on their school desks. As adults, love becomes much more challenging, and often as hard to decipher as a note from a 2nd grader. Many turn to the web for advice, only to become more frustrated, according to psychologist Beverly Palmer, emeritus professor of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills. She noticed that much of the information about love and relationships on the Internet is misleading opinions, so she decided to write “Love Demystified: ... Read More
President Hagan Joins the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration
California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) President Willie J. Hagan has joined the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, a collective of more than 150 higher education leaders dedicated to improving how colleges and universities address immigration-related matters affecting their campuses. Launched in December 2017, the alliance, which includes California State University Chancellor Timothy White, also supports the development of federal and state policies that create a welcoming environment for immigrant, undocumented, and international students on college campuses, while increasing public understanding of how such policies and practices impact students and ... Read More
