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
Alumni
Daily Breeze: Long Beach Mayor Richardson to Deliver Keynote Speech at CSUDH Commencement
Source: Daily Breeze Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson is set to return to his alma matter, Cal State Dominguez Hills, to deliver the one of the university's 2023 commencement keynote speeches. More than 3,000 graduates will receive their diplomas this year at the Dignity Sports Health Park Tennis Stadium in a series of six ceremonies slated for Friday and Saturday, May 19-20. Richardson will deliver his address during the first set of graduations on Friday morning to the College or Arts and Humanities and the College of Education. “It is a full circle moment to come home and be able to impart some words of wisdom to this new graduating class,” Richardson said in a Tuesday, May 16, ... Read More
Male Success Alliance Spring Summit Brings Local Youth to Campus
The CSUDH Male Success Alliance (MSA) held its annual Spring Summit on campus, returning to full strength for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. The event brought hundreds of middle- and high-school students of color to CSUDH on Friday, May 5, for a day of workshops and activities aimed at introducing them to higher education. The theme of the 2023 summit was “UNSHAKEN,” an acronym for “Understanding Need, Struggles, Hopes, and Kinfolk, Excluding No one,” a phrase created by MSA Program Coordinator Gerardo Cuevas. “The committee was moved by the theme's uniqueness and its relevancy to the male of color experience, not only in higher education, but in society as a whole,” said MSA ... 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
