Overcoming fierce competition, the CSUDH Esports Overwatch 2 Team claimed first place in the second annual Cal State Cup, a one-day bracket exclusive to CSU campuses. For the second year in a row, the tournament was also broadcasted from the Toro Esports Academy, which features a state-of-the-art broadcast booth. Joined by the CSUDH administration, officials from the CSU Chancellor’s Office presented the CSUDH Esports team with their winning plaque on May 6 in the Toro Esports Academy. “Beyond getting students involved in competition, esports teaches functional skills around coding, writing, math, and science,” said CSUDH President Thomas Parham. “Students are learning those hard ... Read More
Campus News
Metro CEO, Apple Executive Among Keynote Speakers at CSUDH Commencement
The CEOs of Metro and First 5 LA, along with leaders from Apple, Toyota, the entertainment industry, and philanthropic activism will keynote the six Commencement ceremonies for the CSUDH community on May 17 and 18. The 2024 CSUDH Commencement keynote speakers: More than 4,000 graduates will receive their degrees at CSUDH’s Commencement ceremonies, which will take place at Dignity Health Sports Park Tennis Stadium, adjacent to the university’s campus in Carson. More details can be found on the CSUDH Commencement website. ... Read More
2024 Faculty Awards Honor Six Outstanding Educators
2024 Faculty Awards Recognize Six Outstanding Educators The 2024 Faculty Awards Reception was held on April 30, with six members of the CSUDH faculty receiving honors for their contributions to the university. The awards are presented each year to selected faculty members for outstanding achievement in a variety of areas—from research and scholarship to lecturing and service to the community. The 2024 CSUDH Faculty Award recipients are: Jenn BrandtLyle E. Gibson Distinguished Teacher Award The founding faculty member in the Department of Women’s Studies, Jenn Brandt has been teaching at CSUDH since 2018. She has been one of the driving forces behind the program, developing the ... Read More
Famed Writer Delivers a Lesson in Courage, Calls for New Voices to Rise
J. Michael Straczynski doesn’t much care for rules. As a student at San Diego State University, he risked expulsion by bluffing his way into two writing courses taught by celebrated writer and educator Norman Corwin. Straczynski didn’t get expelled, and Corwin became a lifelong friend and cherished mentor. But he understood the risks, and therein lies an important lesson. “In order to be any kind of creative person, you have to be willing to push outward and engage with the world in ways that sometimes break the system,” Straczynski told students and faculty during his 2024 Patricia Eliet Memorial Lecture at the LSU ballroom on April 11. “When you do that, strange and wonderful things ... Read More
CSUDH Alum Performs with Her Students at Carnegie Hall
Toro alumna and high school music teacher Amanda Chavez never imagined that someday she’d be conducting on the stage of Carnegie Hall. But on March 12, that’s exactly what she did, marking her and her students’ debut in the illustrious New York City venue. Chavez and 55 of her students had been invited to perform as a featured ensemble for the "I Choose Love" festival organized by National Concerts. Chavez, who earned her degree in music education and minor in Asian Pacific Studies in 2013, is the Director of Instrumental Music and Department Chair of Performing Arts at Jordan High School (JHS) in Long Beach, where she also directs multiple ensembles. When she received the invitation to ... Read More