In her new book, Instruments of Empire: Filipino Musicians, Black Soldiers, and Military Band Music during U.S. Colonization of the Philippines, CSUDH Assistant Professor of Asian-Pacific Studies Mary Talusan Lacanlale doesn’t just reveal the hidden history of the Philippine Constabulary Band—she uncovers some of her own family history, as well. The Philippine Constabulary Band, a group of Filipino musicians originally formed in 1902, toured the world for several decades to great acclaim, but they also helped to convince audiences that the American colonization of the Philippines was worthwhile and just. The band dissolved at the outset of World War II, and its history was all but ... Read More
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Gerth Archives Obtains L.A. Free Press Collection
The CSUDH Gerth Archives and Special Collections just got a lot “freakier” with the acquisition of the archives of the L.A. Free Press, one of the first and most important underground newspapers of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The collection had belonged to Art Kunkin, the publisher and editor of the Free Press from its inception in 1964 until 1972. When Kunkin passed away in 2019 at the age of 91, his daughter began looking for an archive to house the large collection. She chose the Gerth Archives due to their dedication to archiving alternative voices from the local community. “The L.A. Free Press was really one of the first newspapers for the community during the 1960s,” says ... Read More
CSUDH Alumni Scholarships Awarded to Largest Cohort
The California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) Alumni Association awarded a record 16 students with scholarships for the 2021-22 school year, providing them with funds to help continue their education. The recipients include 7 graduate and 9 undergraduate students—all carefully chosen for the scholarships, which are given annually to students with strong academic records and service to the university and their communities. This marks the most Alumni Scholarships that have ever been awarded in a single year, thanks to increased philanthropic donations to the Alumni Association. The 2021-22 recipients of the CSUDH Alumni Scholarship are: Daisy Aguilar Grade level: ... Read More
Chemistry Student Receives 2021 CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement
California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) undergraduate Berenice Rojas is no stranger to hard work. Its value was instilled in her at a young age, as her Mexican immigrant parents toiled in the Yuma, Arizona sun as farmworkers to provide for Berenice and her two brothers. “They would start working at five or six in the morning,” says Rojas. “They would work all day, then come home at about eight at night.” Today, the third-year Toro student is doing plenty of hard work of her own, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in chemistry at CSUDH. She wants to use the knowledge she gains at the university to help mitigate the effects of climate change in the Arizona fields where her parents ... Read More
President Parham Addresses CSUDH’s Present and Future at Fall Convocation
CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham welcomed the Toro Nation back to campus for the fall semester with a stirring, wide-ranging speech at the 2021 Fall Convocation on Sept. 8. The event was held at the University Theatre, and was livestreamed on YouTube for those unable to attend in person. Provost Michael Spagna opened the proceedings with some light-hearted remarks about reassimilating onto campus after 18 months in COVID-19 seclusion, joking that he never wanted to use the words “unprecedented” or “pivot” again. Spagna introduced CSUDH Senate Executive Team member Terri Ares, an assistant professor in the School of Nursing. Ares noted that this year marks 30 years since she stepped ... Read More
