California State University, Dominguez Hills’ Class of 2020 has a lot to offer. The students featured below are a small sample of the 4,633 graduates who will become the next generation of nurses, business professionals, researchers, artists, and leaders. Each graduate shared one of their favorite faculty mentors, a few memorable experiences since joining the Toro Nation, and some trepidation about an uncertain future.
Sahara Vilchis, B.S., Anthropology/Biological Concentration, Minor in Geography
Sahara Vilchis is a McNair Scholar who serves as president of the Anthropology Club, works on campus as a writing/content tutor in the Toro Learning and Testing Center, and is a volunteer in CSUDH’s Queer Culture and Resource Center. This fall, the single mother will begin a Ph.D. program in anthropology at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Who has been your most inspiring faculty mentor?
Dr. Sarah Lacy [assistant professor of anthropology]. She was my first anthropology professor at CSUDH and has really inspired me to pursue graduate studies. I also love her energy and how she incorporates important topics into her lectures. This is important to me because I think it helps students think critically of the world around them. She does an amazing job of doing that.
What did you enjoy the most about your CSUDH experience?
I enjoyed meeting other students and faculty around campus with similar values. I was able to find a community at DH with similar backgrounds as me, and who have a shared interest in social and environmental justice. The people who I have encountered here have inspired me in many ways, and I am excited to see them thrive and continue to inspire others along their journeys.
In what memorable ways did CSUDH prepare you for the future?
The university’s study abroad program is what best prepared me for my career. I studied in Guatemala for the summer and have made significant connections with the indigenous community around Lake Atitlan. This has given me the language and interpersonal skills to connect with communities that are distrustful of science and scientists.
What concerns you the most about COVID-19 and the current state of the economy?
Though I am excited for this journey, I am also really nervous to be moving so far from the rest of my family. While obtaining a Ph.D. is a great accomplishment, I am not sure what it can mean in the future. COVID-19 has made it especially difficult for me to do well in my courses as my children are still in their formative years and require a lot of my attention. This takes time away from my academic priorities, and I am worried about how well I will do if courses continue online.
Leslie Postelle, M.S., Nursing/Nurse Educator Option
Leslie Postelle is a Compton resident and a registered nurse for Los Angeles County who currently performs registry work to assist COVID-19 patients. She earned both her BSN and MSN in CSUDH’s online nursing program and has been inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing. Postelle plans to pursue a doctorate after more time working in the field, and to eventually teach at a community college that predominantly serves students of color.
Who has been your most inspiring faculty mentor?
I have adopted Dr. Hernani L. Ledesma Jr. [assistant professor of nursing] as my mentor since being in the BSN program. He has assisted me in achieving my ultimate goal of becoming a nurse educator. He guided me in becoming a good writer. He has seen my potential and has nominated me for different activities and scholarships, and he has listened and given great advice, never telling me what to do, but allowing me to make my own choices. I look up to him in many ways.
What did you enjoy the most about your CSUDH experience?
As a nursing student, I have only interacted with individuals via computer, but I have made some serious friendships on there, and have actually enjoyed that all my courses were online. I was also part of the alumni-student banner campaign on campus. To me, that was a great achievement and an honor.
In what memorable ways did CSUDH prepare you for the future?
I learned to interact with the different cultures without being biased. I know that with my CSUDH education I will be a great educator, because the university has instilled in me the knowledge I need to guide the next generation of nurses with confidence.
What concerns you the most about COVID-19 and the current state of the economy?
As a healthcare practitioner, my concern is that it will not get better until after it gets extremely worse, and I worry that people of color will be seriously affected. I also worry about my elderly parents. That is why I try my best to be as safe as possible and continue with my faith. Overall, I have experienced both a wave of solitude, and a feeling of solidarity with my co-workers on the frontline.
Patrick Ingram, B.A., Music/Classical Music Performance (guitar)
Patrick Ingram is a Bellflower resident who has been involved with the CSU Summer Arts Festival. He plans to pursue a master’s degree in music after taking some time to prepare for the program’s audition process. He is also a member of a guitar quartet that plans to begin recording music and booking live gigs as soon as possible.
Who has been your most inspiring faculty mentor?
Although the music department is blessed with some of the finest teachers I have ever had the pleasure to know, and it feels a little like being asked to pick a favorite child, I would have to say that my favorite faculty member is the Dr. Rik Noyce [CSUDH music instructor].
What did you enjoy the most about your CSUDH experience?
Hands down the best part of my experience was the friendships that I formed with so many of my fellow music students. The bond we share of having pushed ourselves so hard and watching each other grow has been one of the most special things in my life. I find constant encouragement and inspiration from my amazing peers at DH.
In what memorable ways did CSUDH prepare you for the future?
A musician’s workshop hosted by Dr. Noyce called ‘The Whole Musician’ was quite memorable. He and three of his brilliant and hilarious colleagues spent a three-day weekend with us in the Marvin Laser Recital Hall. They taught us so much, from proper exercise, yoga, and meditation practices for musicians, to what it was like to play in a major city symphony orchestra. It gave me a very realistic look at life as a working musician and a hopeful outlook on my chances of success that I am grateful for every day.
What concerns you the most about COVID-19 and the current state of the economy?
I am not overly concerned about the future, because I have faith in the indomitable American spirit. I think that we will pull through this and emerge as a stronger and more tightly bonded nation, especially here in Southern California. My roommates and I are all looking forward to the day when we can celebrate and share our music in public, and we are all just as ready to party as the rest of our Class of 2020.
Alondra Pena, B.S., Cellular and Molecular Biology
At CSUDH, Alondra Pena participated in the Center for Innovation in STEM Education’s (CISE) STEM Scholars, RISE, and LSAMP programs. Pena is currently working through the RISE program as a student research assistant at Charles Drew University. After graduation, she will attend the Lundquist Institute’s Translational Sciences Ph.D. program in Torrance.
Who has been your most inspiring faculty mentor?
I have a few favorite faculty members, but Sonal Singhal [assistant professor of biology] has been one of the most supportive and engaging professors I have ever had.
What did you enjoy the most about your CSUDH experience?
My experience at the university has been a great one. It was here, through the help of some programs on campus, that I decided to pursue a graduate degree. The RISE and STEM Scholars programs are the resources that best prepared me to become a competitive applicant for biomedical science Ph.D. programs. This community is one that allows people to thrive.
What concerns you the most about COVID-19 and the current state of the economy?
As of now, I do not know how the pandemic will affect my Ph.D. program, but I am confident everything will work out. It is a difficult time right now, and I am focusing on what I can control and how I can do my part to help stop the spread of the virus.
Michael Aguilera, B.S., Business Administration/Finance
Michael Aguilera is a member of CSUDH’s Accounting Society, the Latino Student Business Association, ALPFA, and serves as vice president of the Finance Student Society and as a student research fellow at the South Bay Economics Institute. Aguilera has completed internships at LPL Financial, Sony, and Kaiser Permanente. He is applying for the Master of Applied Economics program at UCLA, Business Analytics at UCI, as well as deferred enrollment MBA programs and full-time positions in the workforce.
Who has been your most inspiring faculty mentor?
That’s a tough one! I have met a lot of great faculty at CSUDH. I would have to say Dr. Rama Malladi [associate professor of finance] for his phenomenal courses and professional development insights.
What did you enjoy the most about your CSUDH experience?
The people. I have had the pleasure of meeting kind, down to earth, and motivated individuals on campus. These are people who share a similar background to me and are trailblazers in their communities and families.
In what memorable ways did CSUDH prepare you for the future?
The student organizations have really helped me prepare for a career. Like many students at CSUDH, I am a first-generation college student with little to no connection to the business world. Having a community to ask questions, listening to guest speakers, and taking up leadership roles has helped immensely. The coursework taught by faculty members like Jose Martinez [professor of economics], Jennifer Brodmann [assistant professor of finance], and Rama Malladi have also given me real hands-on and practical applications for finance. I have also been able to utilize the skills I have learned in the classroom during my internships.
What concerns you the most about COVID-19 and the current state of the economy?
Unfortunately, we’re seeing a lot of parallels to the 2008 recession in the job market right now. I have peers who have had job offers rescinded, and I have had a lot of important events cancelled. However, I am quite hopeful about the future. School admission rates are expected to be high this fall, and many companies posting jobs right now are aware of the current circumstances related to COVID-19. Next year will be tough for the Class of 2020, but we will make it through!
Jonathan Smart, B.S., Computer Science/Mathematics Minor
Jonathan Smart has participated in the STEM Scholars, STEM Advantage, and Pathways Academy programs. Smart has been offered a job by Northrop Grumman as an associate software engineer and plans to move to Utah in September to start his career. In the future, he plans to return to college and earn a master’s degree in either software engineering or cyber security.
Who has been your most inspiring faculty mentor?
Dr. Kamal Hamdan [Annenberg-endowed professor and director of CISE]. His programs have helped me to succeed. The STEM Scholars Program has provided me personal and academic advising, tutoring, and conference opportunities. The Pathways Academy Program helped me transfer from West Los Angeles College to CSUDH. I would not have been at CSUDH if it wasn’t for Pathways Academy.
What did you enjoy the most about your CSUDH experience?
Definitely the people – from fellow classmates to staff and professors. I have met so many amazing individuals who have helped me on my journey. We all suffered and risen together through all these courses, and now that we are graduating, those long hours studying together are paying off. I know we will all make it to the top wherever we end up. I look forward to seeing that.
In what memorable ways did CSUDH prepare you for the future?
CSUDH has taught me patience and perseverance. It’s been a long journey for me to get this far, but I have learned there will be times when you are super productive, and then those moments filled with setbacks – when you will go back three steps and move forward one. That is exactly what happens in the industry I am heading to. You must be able to keep pushing forward and find your own solutions, just like in certain classes where you must do your own research and find your own way to solve a problem.
What concerns you the most about COVID-19 and the current state of the economy?
Due to COVID-19, I was laid off a few weeks ago and I was genuinely concerned at first, but Northrop Grumman assured me that my job offer still stands once I graduate. I feel incredibly lucky to be in the position that I am. Northrop is committed to hiring good, talented individuals even during these trying times.
