When Layla Sewell is out in the community and she hears someone say, “Look! It's Ms. Sewell!” it warms her heart –as it should having worked to warm the hearts of entire families for over 20 years. Sewell is executive director of the Awaken the Greatness Foundation (ATG), which she founded in late 2011. The Los Angeles-based non-profit facilitates, organizes and moderates workshops, classes and events that “enrich and improve the lives of African-American parents and youth.” “Working with young people just seems to come naturally to me. It's truly a joy,” said Sewell. “It's been a major part of my life for so long.” Along with her work for ATG, Sewell has been balancing her role as ... Read More
Features
David Garza Battles Back from Car Accident to Become Army Officer, Olympian
David Garza has a lot of fight in him. He fought his way out of a coma in 2012 after a devastating car accident left the then 19-year-old California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) freshman with a traumatic brain injury. “I was in a coma for about five weeks in the hospital after the car accident. I broke my jaw–I have a metal plate in there–and my left knee was cut wide open [by a metal fuse box under his steering wheel],” said Garza, who also had his left eyebrow completely torn off, and had to breathe and eat through a tube in his neck while in the hospital. After six operations and ongoing rehabilitation, Garza was back at CSUDH fighting through his injuries for four ... Read More
Thomas Philo Honored with ‘2016 Excellence in Service Award’
For Thomas Philo, an archivist in California State University, Dominguez Hills' (CSUDH) University Library, an “exceptional sense of service” requires one to persistently look for ways to serve on campus and for “opportunities to serve that were not there before.” For his eagerness and skill in applying his vision of service for the entire CSUDH campus community, Philo was honored with the 2016 “Excellence in Service Award.” Philo will carry the University Mace, an honor reserved for highly distinguished faculty members, at the College of Business Administration and Public Policy Commencement Ceremony at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, May 20. The Excellence in Service Award recognizes “contributions ... Read More
Marisela Chávez Honored with ‘2016 Lyle E. Gibson Dominguez Hills Distinguished Teaching Award’
For her reputation as an engaging and inspirational educator, and as a champion for high-impact practices (HIPs) at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), Marisela Chávez, associate professor and chair of Chicana and Chicano Studies, was honored with the 2016 Lyle E. Gibson Dominguez Hills Distinguished Teaching Award. Chavez will carry the University Mace, an honor reserved for highly distinguished faculty members, along with fellow honoree associate professor and chair of the Department of Modern Languages Ivonne Heinz Balcazar, at the College of Arts and Humanities Commencement Ceremony at 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 21. Named for CSUDH's founding university vice ... Read More
Keisha Paxton Honored with ‘2016 Presidential Outstanding Professor Award’
With an engaging personality that enables her to “work effectively” with “anyone,” and an innate talent for nurturing students as fellow researchers, Keisha Paxton, professor of psychology and director of California State University, Dominguez Hills' (CSUDH) Faculty Development Center (FDC), was honored with the 2016 Presidential Outstanding Professor Award. Paxton will carry the University Mace, an honor reserved for highly distinguished faculty members, at the College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Commencement Ceremony at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 20. The Presidential Outstanding Professor Award recognizes “excellence in teaching and overall contributions in research and service as a ... Read More