Staff Spotlight

Staff Spotlight: Klarissa Garcia

September 29, 2022 By Kandis Newman

Klarissa Garcia is a Toro through and through. She not only serves as department operations specialist for the CSUDH Police Department (DHPD), but is a Dominguez Hills alumna, having graduated with a BS in criminal justice in 2008. “I’ve been a Toro since 2003!” she says proudly.

In her position with DHPD, Garcia says “Every day can be a bit different, depending on what’s going on at the department or on campus. I’m like the jack of all trades. My day can range from handling evidence or filing records to coordinating with a vendor regarding equipment issues or jumping into dispatch and helping with a call for service. I also work the front counter, helping the campus community with any questions or requests they may have.”

“I strive to give every single person I interact with the best customer service I can,” she adds. “If I cannot answer your question, I will always find someone who can. I am proud to say that I come to work every day and give 110% of my blood, sweat, and tears to my department and to this campus.”

Born in Puerto Rico, Garcia moved to Los Angeles with her family as a toddler due to health issues. “I needed to have open-heart surgery to repair a valve in my heart that wasn’t growing. I had the surgery at UCLA Medical Center when I was 3 years old. I’ve only had one minor heart procedure since then. Aside from that I’ve had no issues and have been blessed to live a healthy life.”

“Plus, I have a bad-ass scar on my chest that I wear like a badge of honor,” she says.

Garcia got into police work during her senior year at CSUDH. “I had to complete an internship and got word that I could do it at the police department on campus,” she recalls. “So I did that, and after I graduated, I was offered a job doing Live Scan for the department.” When a dispatch position opened a few years later, she moved into that job, where she spent the next eight years. She’s been a department operations specialist for the past three years.

“I love what I do,” says Garcia. “I feel like I was meant to do this. You just have to tell me that you need some help and I’m there to lend a hand in any way I possibly can.”

“What I enjoy most is when we can all come together to really make a difference for our Toro Nation,” she continues. “I feel like Dominguez Hills is such a wonderful institution. It really does take a village to come together to collaborate on all the moving parts that truly make DH come alive and properly work.”

“It’s going to sound clichÃ© to say, but the people are what make working at DH so special,” says Garcia. “I work and get to collaborate with some really wonderful individuals on a daily basis.”

When she’s not working, Garcia most enjoys spending time with her family. “I’ve been married to my husband for 11 years, but we’ve been together for 21 years. We have two healthy, strong-willed daughters, and in our down time we try and spend time together by going on hikes, going to the beach, or just having good old-fashioned dance parties at home in our pajamas!”

Fun Facts About Klarissa Garcia

Favorite movie:
The Usual Suspects

Favorite song:
Marc Anthony, “Preciosa”

First concert/last concert/best concert:
Drake/El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico/Bad Bunny

Favorite food:
My mom’s arroz con gandules (rice with chickpeas)

Least favorite food:
Just about anything with meat. I’m about 96% vegetarian.

What is a place you’ve never been that you’d like to travel to?
Italy

What is one thing you could not live without?
Music

If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play you?
Jennifer Lopez

Favorite childhood memory:
Whenever Halloween came around! My mom is an extraordinary woman and would make costumes for my brother and me every year, from the time we were born until we stopped dressing up as teenagers. I believe she’s the person I get my creativity from.

What superpower would you want to have?
To be able to mimic any other superpower!

Describe yourself in three words:
Strong. Hard-working. Energetic.

Staff Spotlight: Catherine “Cat” Jermany

August 26, 2022 By Kandis Newman

Catherine “Cat” Jermany Program director, Rose Black Resource Center

The program director of CSUDH’s Rose Black Resource Center (RBRC), Catherine “Cat” Jermany is dedicated to helping Toro students succeed. When the center opened in 2017, it was the only space of its kind on campus, and its success has paved the way for the Queer Culture & Resource Center, Latinx Cultural Resource Center, and more.

Located on the first floor of the Loker Student Union, the RBRC provides a network of academic, personal, and professional support services for Black students at CSUDH. After coming on board as a program coordinator in 2019, Jermany was named the center’s first program director in July 2020.

“I’m proud of the fact that I have been able to contribute to the growth of the center and its community,” says Jermany. To that end, Jermany spends her days interacting with the students who come into the center, building bonds of community and friendship that help connect them to the university and one another.

She can usually be found in the center “facilitating open conversations and discussions about topics related to Black students’ interests and experiences,” and says that watching students grow and develop personally and professionally is the best part of her job.

Born and raised in Santa Rosa, Calif., Jermany’s nickname may have been pre-determined: her birthday is October 29 – National Cat Day. Her first job was as a hostess at IHOP, where she started working at just 14 years old.

Her favorite childhood memories are of trips down to Los Angeles with her mother, who had moved to Northern California from South Central L.A. when she found out she was pregnant in order to get away from the dangers of the inner city. “Every summer, my mom and I would travel to L.A. to visit family and close friends,” recalls Jermany.

“My mother thought it was important for me to know my dad’s side of the family. I am my mother’s only child, but my father has six other children. He is also one of nine brothers and sisters, so I have many aunts, uncles, and cousins. It seemed like every time I visited L.A., I would be introduced to another new cousin or family member,” she laughs.

The summertime treks also contributed to Jermany’s current position and mission. “My mother also thought it was important to expose me to Black culture,” says Jermany. “Santa Rosa is a predominantly white, middle-class town, so vacationing in L.A. was very important for my Black identity development growing up, as well.”

Although her job involves talking with people all day long, Jermany says she’s an introvert at heart. She prefers relaxing at home to spending her time out on the town. “Also, rent in L.A. is super-high, so I have to make sure I’m getting my money’s worth!” she adds.

Fun Facts About Catherine “Cat” Jermany

Favorite movie:
“Currently, it’s Top Gun: Maverick”

Favorite book:
Zora Neale Hurston, Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo”

Favorite song:
The Internet, “Hold On”

Favorite food:
Bacon cheeseburger

Least favorite food:
Fruit. I absolutely cannot stand fruit!

Place you’d most like to travel to:
The Bahamas

Cats or dogs?
Cats (for obvious reasons, lol)

If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play you?
Storm Reid

One thing you could not live without:
Definitely my cell phone

If you could switch jobs with anyone on campus, who would it be?
“Teddy the Toro. I’d get to randomly pop up at campus events, be super-animated, and live a double life!”

What do you enjoy doing when you’re not working?
“Taking mid-day naps is probably one of my most favorite things to do! That, and going to brunch with friends.”

What superpower would you want to have?
Telepathic abilities

Describe yourself in three words:
Smart, funny, driven.

Staff Spotlight: Fernando Goncalves

August 1, 2022 By Kandis Newman

Long before most Toros are even awake, CSUDH grounds worker Fernando Goncalves is hard at work making the campus look great. For 11 years, he has arrived on campus at 5:30 a.m. every weekday to maintain and improve the landscape. “I really enjoy beautifying the campus for everyone to enjoy,” he says.

Goncalves is responsible for maintenance of the grounds around Welch Hall, Extended Education, and the North Lawn. His regular “beat” includes one of the most engaging landscape features on campus: the Little Village located in between the Student Health Center and University Theatre. In fact, Goncalves helped design and create the tiny village in 2014, which he says is his proudest contribution to the campus.

His family immigrated to the U.S. from Portugal in 1966, when Goncalves was an infant. He still counts a fun-filled vacation in Portugal as his favorite childhood memory, and maintains a connection to his heritage by singing in a Portuguese folk music group based in his hometown of Artesia, Calif. The group performs at events throughout the state.

Before working at CSUDH, Goncalves worked for a company that produced automotive fasteners forAmerican auto companies.He then took a job for a Santa Ana aerospace company that manufactured similar products for companies such as Boeing and Airbus, serving as a mechanic and lead person in the tapping and metal stamping operations.

When he’s not at work, he enjoys spending time with his family and hanging out on the beach. He’s also a soccer aficionado who played semi-professionally for a year, although he admits his competitive playing days are behind him.

Goncalves loves working at CSUDH because of its “great atmosphere and friendly campus community.”His daily contributions to that atmosphere are visible to everyone walking through campus, even when they might not realize it. The behind-the-scenes efforts of Goncalves and his colleagues are a crucial part of CSUDH being such a welcoming space for students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors.

Fun Facts About Fernando Goncalves

Favorite movie:
The Ten Commandments

Favorite song:
Elvis Presley, “It’s Now or Never”

First concert/last concert/best concert:
First: Sheena Easton; Last and Best: Tom Jones

Cats or dogs?
Dogs

If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play you?
Mark Ruffalo

Favorite food:
Portuguese food

Place you’d most like to travel to:
Japan

One thing you could not live without:
Family

Describe yourself in three words:
Curious, kind, loving

Staff Spotlight: Sharrae Evans

July 5, 2022 By Kandis Newman

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 both the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and University Advisement Center before transitioning to her current position. “My background as a former student worker helps me relate to the students and serve as a role model to them,” says Evans. “I understand the nature of being a student and an employee.”

Evans spends her days working with faculty in Theatre & Dance and Art & Design, making sure the departments run smoothly and everyone has the resources they need. She also works closely with students, “helping them with their day-to-day trials and challenges”–which includes everything from connecting with faculty to simply getting directions. From her office on the first floor of LaCorte Hall, Evans gets to see and interact with everyone coming and going from the busy building.

Her interactions with other Toros are Evans’ favorite part of her job. “I’m fortunate to work on one of the most diverse campuses in the CSU system–from students to staff to faculty.”

As both an employee and an alumna, Evans feels a strong connection with the university’s mission. “CSUDH stands for personal and professional success, as well as economic and social mobility,” she says. “This is something I try to remind our students of daily: the value of higher education.”

When she’s not on campus, Evans enjoys her other full-time job–parenting her two sons. She says she finds inspiration in “setting an example for my children and the students at CSUDH. Achieving a degree in higher education is a goal that can be reached, regardless of your background or circumstances.”

Fun Facts About Sharrae Evans

Favorite movie:
Friday
Favorite song:
Marvin Sapp, The Best in Me”
What is a place you’d most like to travel to?
London
Cats or dogs?
Dogs

Favorite food:
Chicken & waffles
Least favorite:
Brussels sprouts
If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play you?
Gabrielle Union
What is one thing you could not live without?
Smarties

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Staff Spotlight: Morgan Kirk

June 7, 2022 By Kandis Newman

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 the food distribution events,” says Kirk. “We’ve been hosting them since March, 2020, and have supported over 3,500 students so far. It feels great to see students’ smiles!”

Kirk graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and human communications from Utah’s Dixie State University, then attained a master’s degree in higher education from CSU Fullerton in 2018. She has always wanted to work in a field in which she could be a part of students’ personal and educational journeys.

“I connect with the transformational educational experiences that take place on our campus,” she says. “Basic Needs has a huge impact on students. As a department, we try to provide educational workshops that teach students skills like cooking that will benefit them when they leave DH.”

When she’s not working, Kirk says she’s a “homebody” who likes hanging out at home with family and friends, going to the movies, or watching sports–especially NFL games featuring her brother, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Christian Kirk.

Overall, Kirk finds working at CSUDH to be uniquely rewarding. “The students and staff I have encountered on campus make working here special,” she says. “I can honestly say that I’ve built a real sense of community and support on campus that goes a long way!”

Fun Facts About Morgan Kirk

Favorite movie:
Just Wright

Favorite book:
All About Love, by bell hooks

Favorite song:
Dear Silas, “I Ain’t Stressin’ Today”

First concert/last concert/best concert:
Marsha Ambrosius/H.E.R./Xavier Omar

Cats or dogs?
Dogs

If a movie was made about your life, who would you want to play you?
Morgan Freeman

Favorite food:
Seafood

Least favorite:
Anything with coconut

Favorite childhood memory:
Getting my first dog

One thing you could not live without:
My family and friends

Describe yourself in three words:
Funny, Charismatic, Supportive

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