After almost a decade studying and researching the evolution of snakes, CSUDH Biology Professor Sonal Singhal has come to one undeniable conclusion. “Snakes are so cool!” Since 2014, Singhal has been one of the leaders of a project attempting to discover why snakes have been so successful in evolving traits that allow them to survive and thrive almost anywhere in the world. Their findings were published as the cover story of the February 24 issue of Science magazine. “Snakes are actually lizards if you use a technical definition,” says Singhal. “But if you look at them from an evolutionary perspective and how aspects of their biology are changing —what they eat, what they look like, ... Read More
Features
Toros Advocate in Sacramento
In February, a CSUDH delegation traveled to the California State Capitol to discuss the critical need for investment in the CSU with government officials and policymakers. This year’s visit included meetings with Secretary of State Shirley Weber, State Senators Steve Bradford and Lena Gonzalez, and Assemblymember Mia Bonta, and also marked the first time that CSUDH brought a corporate partner to advocate for higher education. The delegation included CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham, administrators, Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) President Edgar Mejia-Alezano, ASI Director of Legislative Affairs Adilene Tinoco, and Glenn Choe from Toyota Regulatory Affairs. Throughout their ... Read More
Toro Men’s Basketball Earns NCAA Tournament Berth
For the first time since the 2010-2011 season, the CSUDH men’s basketball team is headed to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The team’s strong 22-7 overall record and 17-5 California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) conference record earned them an at-large berth in the tournament. The Toros will start their quest for a national championship on Friday, March 15, against Central Washington University at 7:30 p.m. Their first- and second-round games will be played at Cal State L.A., the number one seed in the eight-team regional round. CSUDH is the fourth seed in the regional. The weekend brought more exciting news for the Toros when the CCAA announced its awards for the 2023-2024 ... Read More
CSU Young Males of Color Consortium Receives $3.2 Million to Improve Higher Education Access, Support, and Retention
The California State University (CSU) Young Males of Color (YMOC) Consortium, a collaboration spearheaded by and housed at CSUDH, has received $3,235,000 to support its goal of creating systemic change leading to increased retention and graduation of male students of color. The new funding will enable YMOC to expand its reach by developing institutional partnerships between 16 CSU campuses and their affiliated community colleges. Together, the institutions will create effective intersegmental program models and strategy recommendations for supporting male students of color that can be replicated across the state. “Community college is often the primary pathway for men of color to enter ... Read More
Frequent Flyer: Toro Commutes From DC to Complete His Degree
CSUDH graduate student Esmond Epuna isn’t someone who lets obstacles or challenges stand in his way – whether it’s a school abruptly closing its doors or the daunting task of a cross-country commute. Currently pursuing a master’s in cybersecurity, Epuna hasn’t let anything distract him from his dreams. Epuna graduated from high school in 2013, then started taking courses at El Camino College. He soon transferred to the for-profit technical college ITT Technical Institute. Within a few years, his studies were almost complete – but then ITT went out of business with no warning in 2016. “Right before I finished, I lost all my credits,” recalls Epuna. “ITT had to close down. I ended up ... Read More