When ethnomusicologist, composer, and CSUDH Professor of Music Jonathon Grasse first started traveling to Brazil 30 years ago, he had no intention of becoming a historian of the country’s music—he was simply exploring the country with his Brazilian wife. Before long, though, he became fascinated by the nation’s diverse regional musical heritages, adapting his research and writing to teach a course on Brazilian music at UCLA, where he earned his doctorate. Eventually, his focus narrowed to the region that his wife hails from: Minas Gerais, a state in southeastern Brazil that is deeply connected to the nation’s slave past and home to many traditions related to the African diaspora. Grasse’s ... Read More
Staff
Staff Spotlight: Morgan Kirk
For Morgan Kirk, serving as coordinator of the CSUDH Basic Needs Program is the best job on campus. “I love what I do!” she declares. “It gives me joy that our services are helping students in need. I enjoy knowing that I am making a difference in their lives.” Kirk’s position at CSUDH involves supporting students who face food and/or housing insecurities on campus. She provides case management for housing insecure students, and supports students with temporary emergency housing. Kirk also manages and facilitates monthly food distribution events, partnering with EveryTable and the CSUDH farmers’ market to provide fresh, nutritious meals for Toro students in need. “I am really proud of ... Read More
Anthropology Graduate Brings Personal Perspective to Research
The CSUDH Class of 2022 has had many obstacles to overcome to reach graduation—and graduating senior Lukas Daniels (BA, Anthropology) is no different. He transferred from El Camino College to CSUDH in the spring of 2020, just in time for the campus to “go virtual” due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As he and his fellow students were navigating the transition to online learning, Daniels was dealing with his own unique challenges. He lives with Hyper Mobile Joint Disorder, which causes chronic pain in his joints, fingers, and limbs. “My joints kind of move in place when they're not supposed to,” he explains. His hypermobility issues can make typing painful and difficult—an obvious problem ... Read More
CSUDH Mental Health Resources Expand and Adapt
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic and its ensuing hardships, college students were not immune to the nation’s widespread rise in mental health issues. Studies from the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) found that pre-COVID, one in four young adults between the ages of 18 and 24 had a diagnosable mental illness. Among college students nationally, a recent Mayo Clinic study found that 30 percent reported experiencing depression in the past year, while 50 percent said they had felt “overwhelming anxiety” during the same time frame. Paradoxically, the restrictions placed on in-person meetings and counseling have made receiving mental health services more difficult. Creative ... Read More
Staff Spotlight: Mario Villegas, Custodian, Facilities Services
Custodian Mario Villegas has been with CSUDH Facilities Services for almost seven years, contributing to keeping the campus looking great on a daily basis. As someone who says he “loves to learn something new every day,” Villegas is proud to work on campus and “be part of a community where people are encouraged to get an education.” In his position at CSUDH, Villegas is responsible for keeping his assigned area of the campus ship-shape. Whether he’s cleaning classrooms or restrooms, or making sure the carpets are cleaned and vacuumed and trash is picked up, Villegas knows that he’s making vital contributions toward creating a safe and healthy environment for the Toro community. “I do the ... Read More
