CSUDH Jumpstart Site Manager Jessica Ramirez has been named the inaugural winner of their national Site Manager of the Year Award. The award recognizes Ramirez' work in guiding the office at CSUDH in their partnerships with local schools, providing language, literacy, and social-emotional programming for preschool children in the local community. Jumpstart is a national early education organization with branches in 15 states and Washington, DC. The CSUDH office partners with Compton Headstart, offering assistance and programming in eight classrooms in three local preschools. “We bring in language and literacy development tools, curriculum, and activities that we work with or provide to ... Read More
Staff Spotlight: Sharrae Evans
Sharrae Evans, administrative support coordinator for the Art & Design and Theatre & Dance departments, didn't just happen to land a job on the CSUDH campus. “I'm a Toro!” she proudly proclaims. Indeed, Evans is a Toro alumna who has made the university her home away from home for the past 15 years. She started as an undergraduate student, attaining her BA in Business Administration (Management and Human Resources) in 2007. She returned to CSUDH for her master's degree in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peace Building, which she earned in 2012. She started her career at CSUDH by working as a student assistant on campus during her undergraduate years. Evans spent time in ... Read More
Award Program Helps Students Continue Research Through Summer
The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) selected 21 Toro students for its Summer 2022 Research Award program. Undergraduate applicants who were conducting research with CSUDH faculty and maintained a 2.7 or higher GPA were eligible for the program, which has been held since 2020. Each of the students received up to $2,500 to help sustain their research through summer. The selected student researchers represent a wide range of disciplines, from chemistry and biology to English and dance. “During the academic year, student research is usually limited by hefty academic obligations. But during the summer, they can devote a greater amount of time to fully engage in faculty-mentored ... Read More
Jonathon Grasse’s New Book Explores Brazilian Music History
When ethnomusicologist, composer, and CSUDH Professor of Music Jonathon Grasse first started traveling to Brazil 30 years ago, he had no intention of becoming a historian of the country's music–he was simply exploring the country with his Brazilian wife. Before long, though, he became fascinated by the nation's diverse regional musical heritages, adapting his research and writing to teach a course on Brazilian music at UCLA, where he earned his doctorate. Eventually, his focus narrowed to the region that his wife hails from: Minas Gerais, a state in southeastern Brazil that is deeply connected to the nation's slave past and home to many traditions related to the African diaspora. Grasse's ... Read More
Staff Spotlight: Morgan Kirk
For Morgan Kirk, serving as coordinator of the CSUDH Basic Needs Program is the best job on campus. “I love what I do!” she declares. “It gives me joy that our services are helping students in need. I enjoy knowing that I am making a difference in their lives.” Kirk's position at CSUDH involves supporting students who face food and/or housing insecurities on campus. She provides case management for housing insecure students, and supports students with temporary emergency housing. Kirk also manages and facilitates monthly food distribution events, partnering with EveryTable and the CSUDH farmers' market to provide fresh, nutritious meals for Toro students in need. “I am really proud of ... Read More