Source: Los Angeles Times IONE, Calif. — Decades ago as a little boy growing up in Santa Rosa, Luke Scott made a pledge to his mom that he would graduate from college one day. Despite being sentenced to life in prison for murder without the possibility of parole in 1988, Scott kept his promise. Scott, 60, earned his first of eight associate’s degrees from Coastline Community College in 2010 while at Salinas Valley State Prison. His mother kept a copy of his first degree hanging on the wall so she could boast of her son’s accomplishments. Twelve years later, long after his mother died in 2011, Scott went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in communications from Sacramento State while ... Read More
master's
Occupational Therapy Student Wins 2023 CSU Trustees’ Award
Krystal Lopez is pursuing an advanced degree in occupational therapy (OT) for one simple reason. "I want to help people," she says. "A lot of us don't realize how much we take the things that we're able to do for granted, until we're no longer able to do them," Lopez continues. "Being able to help people regain their independence, become happier, and have a better life overall—that's what really inspires me." Born and raised in Santa Ana, Calif., Lopez is an OT graduate student at CSUDH. After graduating from the University of California, Irvine (UCI) in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and social behavior, she decided to transition over to OT studies for her graduate work. ... Read More
Aspiring Prosthetist Grads Specialize in Empathy
For Martha Bretado and Rachel Kroener, the field of prosthetics is about much more than creating new artificial limbs for patients. As people who have physical disabilities themselves, the two students understand the importance of fostering community with their patients, building up their confidence, and showing them life's full range of possibilities. Bretado and Kroener became close friends during their graduate studies in CSUDH's Orthotics and Prosthetics program, having bonded over their shared experiences and passion for the disability community. This semester, they graduate from CSUDH's Orthotics and Prosthetics program with their master's degrees in health sciences with the ... Read More
