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
Academic Affairs
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
CSUDH Alumna Kristin McGuire Honored as Guardian of Democracy
For CSUDH alumna Kristin McGuire, executive director/CEO of political advocacy group Young Invincibles, the desire to help change society for the better is more than a passing fancy. “It's in my family's DNA,” she says. McGuire's great-grandfather attempted to build the first Black-owned store in his Southern community–until the Ku Klux Klan burned it down. Her grandmother was the first Black radio DJ in their area, and her mother was one of the first Black students to integrate her Alabama school system, at the age of seven years old. “You hear the story of Ruby Bridges, but there were a lot of Ruby Bridges out there, and my mom was one of those,” says McGuire. “To this day in her ... Read More
2023 Faculty Awards Recipients
On April 18, CSUDH honored five faculty members during the 2023 Faculty Awards Reception. They were recognized for their excellence in teaching and research, their contributions to university governance and development, and for the role non-tenure track faculty play in student achievement. Presidential Outstanding Professor AwardLaura TalamanteHistoryRead Dr. Talamante's Story Lyle E. Gibson Dominguez Hills Distinguished Teacher AwardHorace CrogmanPhysicsRead Dr. Crogman's Story Catherine H. Jacobs Outstanding Faculty Lecturer AwardBarbara BelmontChemistry and BiochemistryRead Ms. Belmont's Story Excellence in Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity ... Read More
