For CSUDH Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Eric McCurdy, intercollegiate athletics are more than just an entertaining diversion—they’re a way for universities to spread the good news about what they’re doing everywhere on campus. “Athletics are the front porch of any university,” says McCurdy. “There’s an entire section of the newspaper dedicated to what we do. Any time we get a chance to highlight our athletic success, it gives people an opportunity to look deeper and see the university through a wider lens.” McCurdy sees the athletic department as an extension of the CSUDH mission. Successful teams bring alumni and the community onto campus, maybe for the first time ... Read More
Academic Affairs
Staff Spotlight: Miguel Terán López
Miguel Terán López, assistant to the dean and college communications lead for the College of Education (COE), isn’t just a CSUDH staffer – he’s also a proud alumnus of the university, having graduated with a double bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Chicana/o Studies. “As an alumnus of CSUDH, what I enjoy the most about my job is knowing that I am giving back to this campus and contributing to our students' success, especially to first-generation students who come from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, just like I did,” he says. Terán López has been at CSUDH for almost 13 years, landing a part-time staff position in the Department of Modern Languages soon after graduating. From ... Read More
From Skid Row to College Graduate
Kevin Jones never expected to graduate from college. In fact, after graduating from high school in 1988, he made the conscious decision not to pursue higher education – even though his three sisters had all gone on to university studies. “School and I were not friends,” recalls Jones. “All the way through elementary school, then in high school, I just wasn't the typical kid. I was the nerdy type that wasn't accepted. So by the time 1988 came around, I had made up my mind. I was done with school.” Jones went so far as to hold a mock funeral in the backyard of his mother’s house, digging a hole and burying his textbooks in it. He had decided that the blue collar lifestyle suited him ... Read More
Toro Softball Wins CCAA Tournament, Advances to NCAA West Regional
The CSUDH women’s softball team advanced to the NCAA Division II West Regional Championship for the second consecutive year, defeating Chico State 4-1 in a dramatic, extra-innings final of the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) tournament. It was the Toros’ first time winning the conference tournament and earned the team an automatic berth in the regionals. Junior infielder Nayah Pola slammed a 3-run home run in the bottom of the tenth inning to secure the victory for the Toros. Her first home run of the season couldn’t have come at a more important time. The Toros forced the decisive one-game final by beating Chico State 8-5 in an earlier game on Saturday. The loss was ... Read More
Toro Esports Academy Opens with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
The new Toro Esports Academy officially opened with a flourish on Monday, April 24, with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by students, university officials, community partners, and a cohort of local gamers from Compton Unified School District. In front of a crowd of Toros and local media, President Thomas A. Parham, with assistance from Wenda Fong, chair of the California State University (CSU) Board of Trustees, and Franky Saldana, president of the CSUDH Esports Association, cut the ribbon to signify the official opening of the venue. Located on the second floor of the Leo F. Cain University Library, the Toro Esports Academy features a competitive arena for students with 38 gaming ... Read More
