Is California's education system addressing the needs of boys and men of color? That was the topic proposed during a California Assembly hearing on July 29 at the California African American Museum, located in Los Angeles' Exposition Park. Organized by the California assemblymembers Reggie Jones-Sawyer (District 59) and Rob Bonta (District 18), and moderated by Bonta and Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction, the hearing brought together three panels of leaders from education and organizations that work to directly influence and create positive change for students of color. Matthew Smith, director of educational partnerships for the Male Success Alliance (MSA) at ... Read More
Service Learning
Project Reach Empowers Compton Students to Improve Academic Performance
California State University, Dominguez Hills College of Education's Project Reach is increasingly being recognized for its work helping to improve the test scores and academic performance of students in Compton Unified School District. The comprehensive K-12 tutoring initiative that utilizing college students to provide academic support services to schools in Compton Unified School District was touted by the national publication District Administration in its naming of Compton Unified as a "District of Distinction." The joint partnership with Compton Unified was established in fall 2015 and pairs 50 college students with students at all 22 Compton elementary schools. Tutors are recruited ... Read More
‘Promise Zone’ Designation Opens Door for CSUDH to Help Reduce Poverty in South L.A.
California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) is one of the higher education partners in the recent designation of South Los Angeles as a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development “Promise Zone,” which opens the door for communities to work more closely with the federal government to help improve educational and economic opportunities and reduce poverty. South L.A. is now one of 13 urban Promise Zones in the nation, and Los Angeles is the only city to have two designations within its boundaries. The new zone's boundaries include approximately 198,000 residents living in parts of Crenshaw, Leimert Park, Exposition Park, University Park, Historic South-Central, ... Read More
MSA Spring Summit Strengthens Brotherhood Among 1,000 Young Men of Color
When Jeff Duncan-Andrade saw an African-American and a Latino student straightening each other's ties before the opening ceremony of the Male Success Alliance (MSA) 7th Annual Spring Summit “Reclaiming Our Legacy: Achievement, Advancement and Advocacy,” he was reaffirmed of how “legit” the event and the university's commitment to helping young men of color is. For Duncan-Andrade, an associate professor of Raza studies and education administration and interdisciplinary studies at San Francisco State University, it was his fourth time speaking at the day-long summit. Hosted by the MSA at California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) on Feb. 4, the summit featured workshops, ... Read More
Occupational Thearapy Master’s Students Conduct Fieldwork in Mazatlán
Laurelin Hefter was uneasy around children, an admission she shared with her fellow California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) Master of Science Occupational Therapy (MSOT) students during their recent fieldwork trip to Mazatlán, Mexico, to help provide care and wheelchairs to children and adults with disabilities. Adding to her apprehension was that the team would also be working with kids suffering from severe Cerebral Palsy. She was unsure how to interact with them or if she could temper her reaction to their body movements or drooling, which is often associated with the disorder. But those concerns proved fleeting after she began holding their bodies close to hers. “I ... Read More
