When Brandilynn Villarreal (Class of '09, M.A., clinical psychology) took a job as a grad assistant for the McNair Scholars Program at California State University, Dominguez Hills, she had thought the responsibility of helping underrepresented, first-generation college students prepare for advanced degrees was interesting. So much so, that as a doctoral candidate in social and personality psychology at the University of California, Irvine she decided to analyze how that same student population copes with graduate school. “I had to come here and see that I was really interested in doing that,” says Villarreal, who had earned her bachelor's degree in psychology at UCLA with a focus on ... Read More
Alumni
John Tracy: Senior Vice President Gives Boeing Technology its Wings
The 50th anniversary of California State University, Dominguez Hills also coincides with the centennial of the 1910 Air Meet, the first aviation exhibition to take place on the West Coast. Among the attendees of that historic event was William Boeing, who went on to create his own aviation company six years later. Today, a CSU Dominguez Hills alumnus is leading the technology efforts at The Boeing Company, the world's largest aerospace manufacturer. As senior vice president of engineering, operations and technology and the chief technology officer for Boeing, John Tracy (Class of '76, B.S., physics) is responsible for the strategic direction of more than 100,000 employees ... Read More
Unveiling of “Manifest Diversity” Celebrates Mural of Diverse American History
On Sept. 9, students, faculty and staff, alumni, and other community supporters gathered near the Loker Student Union at California State University, Dominguez Hills for the unveiling of “Manifest Diversity,” a mural that was created under the guidance of muralist Eliseo Art Silva. The large-scale work with its depiction of a multiethnic view of American history as painted by students and volunteers from the university community is now on view in the Multicultural Center. “Manifest Diversity,” which was inspired largely by the writings of historian and social activist Howard Zinn, features approximately 95 images of individuals and iconic scenes in American history, from Pre-Columbian ... Read More
Pete Van Hamersveld: Fight Against Cancer Won at Marathon Finish Line
In December, 2007, Pete Van Hamersveld (Class of '92, M.A., sociology) was told on his 50th birthday that he had colon cancer. It had been discovered during a routine colonoscopy, and the resulting surgery revealed that the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes. Van Hamersveld had Stage 3C colon cancer, which is one level before a terminal diagnosis. That was in January 2008, and throughout more than a year's worth of chemotherapy, radiation, and a second surgery, he decided to take on a regimen of physical conditioning that included running–thus entering a race to save his life literally and figuratively. “When I was going through chemo, I was given a lot of material by the American ... Read More
Monika Martinez: Life’s Work is a Sustainable Journey
As Lomita's assistant city clerk, Monika Martinez (Class of '00, B.A., public administration) is proud to be part of a local government that has always operated lean enough to ensure that getting through the state's economic crisis would not be as dire as the circumstances other communities are facing. As a fiber artist whose knitted and felted creations will be featured in the prestigious Contemporary Crafts Market in November, her personal philosophies of green living and sustainable practices are interwoven through both her personal and professional life. “I'm very much into the green lifestyle,” she says. “When I wash my dishes, I'll use the [leftover] water to water my garden. ... Read More
