When Gayle Elliott, lecturer of interdisciplinary studies at California State University, Dominguez Hills, shows a film to her students, she doesn't just screen it, she invites one of the film's stars to speak to her class. A Martinez starred in the 1989 “Pow Wow Highway,” the story of the struggles of Native Americans living on a modern-day reservation. The Emmy-winning actor is a regular visitor to Elliott's classes when she shows “Pow Wow Highway,” and addressed students from her “Power of Myth” and Native American and Chicana/o literature classes again last month about his journey as the film's protagonist and as an actor. Elliott says that while an instructor can help students ... Read More
College of Arts and Humanities
Niecy Nash: Alumna Takes the Stage to Talk About Her Journey to Fame
On Nov. 3, California State University, Dominguez Hills welcomed actress/comedienne and theatre arts alumna Niecy Nash back to campus, where she spoke to students, faculty and the community at the Loker Student Union. Until last August, she has been the original host and producer of the Style Network's number one-rated program, “Clean House.” Nash is also well-known for her role as Officer Raineesha Williams in Comedy Central's “Reno 911!,” which aired from 2003 to 2009. She is currently a celebrity host on CBS Entertainment's “The Insider,” for which she won a Daytime Emmy Award last summer. Nash addressed her audience at CSU Dominguez Hills with the story of her journey to a successful ... Read More
Digital Media Arts Alumnus a Winner at CSU Media Arts Festival
California State University, Dominguez Hills alumnus Todd Smaretsky (Class of '10, B.A., digital media arts, television option) wasn't going to enter the 2010 CSU Media Arts Festival film, video and interactive media competition. But now he's glad he listened to the encouraging words of his professor, Dr. George Vinovich, coordinator of the Digital Media Arts Program. Smaretsky took home first place in the television category at the festival's awards ceremony held at CSU Fullerton on Saturday, Nov. 6, for his public service announcement (PSA), “Letting Go of Anger.” He received a monetary prize of $500 and a Rosebud Award. The DMA program also received $250. “I'm honored and ... Read More
Shonni Johnson-Albritton: Alumna Wins 2010 NAACP Theatre Award
Shonni Johnson-Albritton (Class of '06, B.A., theatre arts) was recognized as “Best Supporting Actress” at the NAACP Theatre Awards, which was held in August at the Director's Guild of America in Hollywood. The theatre arts alumna received the award for her role in the 2009 university production of August Wilson's “Jitney.” Her most recent work is in the short, “Pearl,” directed by Zac Petrillo. A veteran of the university stage with roles in CSU Dominguez Hills' productions of “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf,” “Lend Me a Tenor,” “A Doll's House,” and “The Vagina Monologues,” Johnson-Albritton began her studies in the MFA program in theatre arts at ... Read More
Guerilla Art Project Takes to LaCorte Hall
California State University, Dominguez Hills graphic design major Paul Whisenhunt put some of his talents up against the wall–a wall on the first floor inside LaCorte Hall, to be precise. As part of the Art and Design Department's Art 342-Conceptualization class, associate professor of art design Michele Bury assigned 11 groups of students a “guerilla design” project, which exercised a form of art that utilizes public spaces and is commonly known as “street guerilla art.” The assignment was for students to install their guerilla art projects in various locations on campus. The installations were displayed from Oct. 26 to Nov. 2. Whisenhunt and his project partners, Christine ... Read More
