Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Toros have sought innovative ways to help frontline workers, promote health and safety, and assist those struggling with basic needs. Now, CSUDH nursing students have stepped up to help the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) with the mammoth task of vaccinating Angelenos. The 12 participating students are working toward their Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Normally, they would complete community-based clinical hours at designated sites as part of their course requirements. However, those sites all but shuttered last year due to COVID-19 restrictions. Associate Professor of Nursing Nop Ratanasiripong, decided to pivot her BSN 423 Community-Based ... Read More
Alumni
Comic Jesus Trejo Speaks To Fellow Toros at Dolores Huerta Grad Celebration
When CSUDH alum Jesus Trejo first saw his invitation to speak at this year’s Dolores Huerta Graduation Celebration, he thought he was in trouble. “To be completely honest, I was freaking out,” he laughs. “I thought they were reaching out because of some parking ticket I forgot to pay when I was going to Dominguez Hills, or maybe an overdue book that I never returned back in 2010.” Then the up-and-coming comedian opened the letter and discovered it was an invitation to speak at the annual event. “I was genuinely at a loss for words,” says Trejo. “I’m truly honored and humbled by this opportunity to be able to come back to my home turf and be able to speak at the Dolores Huerta Graduation ... Read More
Professor for a Day Aces the Virtual Format
While it is hard to compete with in-person instruction, the lectures delivered by CSUDH alumni during the annual Professor for a Day event on March 15-18 offered a unique glimpse at how faculty can work with guest lecturers to elevate engagement in the virtual classroom. Organized by CSUDH’s Office of Alumni Relations, Professor for a Day (PFAD) pairs each alumna/us with classes that match their fields. Since its launch eight years ago, and despite the challenges of navigating the virtual space during COVID-19, the popularity of PFAD has continued to grow. This year, a large pool of alumni from diverse industries served as honorary professors over several days, including several ... Read More
CSUDH Alumna Gracie Ann Dinkins Impacts Lives at Home and Abroad
From an early age, CSUDH alumna Gracie Ann Dinkins (’87, BA, Chemistry) was taught the value of giving back to the community. “My mother instilled the importance of service and sacrifice very early in all of her children,” she says. These days, Dinkins is living out those lessons, working as a trauma and acute care surgeon at a pair of Southern California hospitals while also helping rescue an elementary school in Liberia. Dinkins, who grew up in Liberia, was attending the University of Liberia in 1984 when political and social upheaval that would devolve into a 14-year civil war in the country disrupted her educational journey “The country experienced serious civil unrest and student-led ... Read More
Alumna Julie DeVaney Helps Lead Frontline Fight Against COVID-19
As a member of the San Diego-based Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT), part of the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), California State University, Dominguez Hills alumna Julie DeVaney (’05, MS, Nursing) has traveled across the country, assisting local health care workers in emergency situations. She has helped deal with the aftermath of everything from hurricanes to terrorism (her first deployment was in 2001, after the World Trade Center attacks). So it is no surprise to see DeVaney on the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19. In 2020, DeVaney spent time at rural hospitals caring for COVID-19 patients, working with or replacing overwhelmed staff and ... Read More
