The COVID-19 pandemic may have postponed commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2020, but California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) still found a way to celebrate its graduates with a week-long Virtual Graduation Celebration. Given the task of quickly creating a series of online and virtual events to celebrate Toro grads, several departments teamed up and got to work. The effort was led by the CSUDH Office of Ceremonies and Events, with staff from the Office of Student Life (OSL), communications, alumni, the Academic Affairs Division, and DHTV all pitching in. “None of us had ever done anything like this before,” says Marilyn McPoland, director of Ceremonies and ... Read More
Campus News
Angels Nest Foundation Steps Up to Help Toro Guardian Scholars
The unprecedented COVID-19 health crisis has affected everyone in some way, but many already-vulnerable groups have been among the hardest hit. Local non-profit Angels Nest has stepped up to the plate to help one such group at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH)—with a generous $30,000 gift to the Toro Guardian Scholars (TGS) program, dedicated to helping Toro students who have been in the foster care system. Originally, Angels Nest had planned to donate $25,000, specifically earmarked to pay for on-campus housing costs for TGS students. With the outbreak of COVID-19, it quickly became clear that those students would need even more help. That's when Angels Nest stepped up ... Read More
Nine Toros Receive Top Honors During Statewide CSU Student Research Competition
Showcasing the high standards for student research and faculty mentorship at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH), nine students garnered top honors in four categories during the statewide 2020 CSU Student Research Competition, which was hosted via Zoom by CSU East Bay on April 24-25. Studio arts major Jose Espinoza earned first place in the Creative Art and Design category for his art presentation “Illustrating Historical Truth through Visual Research.” Espinoza’s work has its origins in his lifelong fascination with history, and his belief that stories found in history books are often not accurate. His award-winning art reflects the colonization of Mesoamerica ... Read More
Keeping Campus Clean: Facilities Services Shines During Crisis
While the vast majority of California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) staff are working from home, dedicated crews from Facilities Services have continued to perform their vital services to keep the campus clean and safe. Their hard work has enabled other essential campus offices to stay up and running. Under normal circumstances, Facilities has over 110 people on campus, doing everything from fixing locks to landscaping. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, on-campus staff has been cut down to essential positions, according to Jonathan Scheffler, director of Facilities Services. “We've got most of our staff on rotating schedules,” says Scheffler. “At any one time, we now have ... Read More
Two Toros Win Prestigious NSF Fellowships
California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) received a double shot of exciting news recently, when it was announced that two Toro students have been awarded prestigious Graduate Research Fellowships from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Sahara Vilchis and Elijah Arzate will both be able to pursue original graduate research projects thanks to the NSF award. Vilchis, a senior anthropology major, won the award for a research proposal focused on obesity and diabetes in indigenous communities. Having worked in a field school in Guatemala through the CSUDH Study Abroad program, Vilchis found that “there was a lot of distrust between the indigenous people and the scientific ... Read More
