Alumni – CSUN Today https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu California State University, Northridge Thu, 28 Mar 2024 16:52:29 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.30 CSUN to Unveil Celebratory Mural Honoring Long History of Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/university-news/csun-to-unveil-celebratory-mural-honoring-long-history-of-fernandeno-tataviam-band-of-mission-indians/ Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:36:44 +0000 https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/?p=55288

mural concept

“The Continuum of Time” art mural dedicated to the Tataviam tribe. The mural will sit in the CSUN University Library. (Photo courtesy of Lindsay Carron)


When you enter the main floor of the west wing of the California State University Northridge library, you’ll soon notice a new mural blending art, nature and the Indigenous history that the campus sits on.

As a tribute to the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians (FTBMI), the celebratory mural, titled “The Continuum of Time”, will honor the historic tribe of northern Los Angeles County.

The CSUN Tataviam Mural Project is a collaborative artistic endeavor between artist Lindsay Carron — the winner of a selective mural competition— Tataviam tribal leadership, and the university to create a lasting mural legacy in the University Library. The mural is aligned with the University Library’s commitment to honor the land upon which it stands. The land, known as the Sesevenga, is the historic and unceded territory of the Sesevitam. The descendants of the first inhabitants of this land continue to live in the area as citizens of the FTBMI.

The art installation is part of the official land acknowledgement action plan for the University Library, developed by the library’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee and approved by the Executive Group (EG). The CSUN American Indian Studies program and its former Director, Scott Andrews, an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation, also played a pivotal role to make this project possible.

“The winner of the CSUN University Library Tataviam Mural Competition is Lindsay Carron. Many thanks go to the selection jury, made up of Samantha Fields (chair of the art department); Alesha Claveria (American Indian studies); and Mario Ontiveros (art history),” said Mark Stover, dean of the University Library, in a statement. “I’m also grateful to Mark Villasenor from the Fernandeño Band of Mission Indians, who spent time with each of the finalists and who, along with Rudy Ortega and others from the Tataviam leadership team, also gave important feedback on both the semifinalists’ submissions and the finalists’ compositions and sketches.”

The mural will be installed on an existing curved wall near the Creative Maker Studio Learning Commons, located on the first floor of the west wing of the library. The mural’s size will be about 10 feet high by 25 feet long and will include a commemorative plaque with a brief description of the art and artist’s attribution.

The design will be printed on polytab and then adhered to the wall in a two-layer polytab process that will be guided by professionals at Social and Public Art Resource Center (SPARC). Carron will be painting the mural on top of the printed polytab.

“This mural not only depicts the important history of the tribe,” said Carron, who has been a part of public art projects throughout the U.S and consulted with the FTBMI in presenting her final design. “But how the tribal members continue to celebrate their culture, land, and ways of life – time immemorial to present and future – through symbols of hope, resilience, strength and harmony with the natural environment of northern Los Angeles County.”

The mural is expected to be partially completed by mid-April, which will coincide with a mural talk — the first of three planned public events to celebrate the artwork in the next year — with Carron and Tataviam Tribe Members in the Gohstand Leisure Reading Room in the library on Tuesday, April 16, from 5– 6:30 p.m. The public will be able to meet Carron and learn about her practice working in collaboration with communities and in the wilderness and listen to Tataviam leaders share their perspectives.

The mural is expected to be fully completed by mid-May this year.

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Javier Rojas
Nowruz Mobarak! Persian New Year Celebrates Spring and New Life https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/arts-and-culture/nowruz-mobarak-persian-new-year-celebrates-spring-and-new-life/ Mon, 18 Mar 2024 22:40:45 +0000 https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/?p=55446

Nowruz, which means “new day,” is the Persian New Year. It’s celebrated at the Spring Equinox (Vernal Equinox) — which happens around March 20-21 annually. This year, the equinox occurs at 8:06 p.m. PDT on March 19. Nowruz is celebrated all over the world, particularly in countries with significant Persian cultural influence, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Turkey. The holiday, which celebrates spring and new life, is observed by some as a religious event while for others, it’s secular. The traditions include a good “spring cleaning” of homes and donning new clothing and shoes. A Haft-Seen table is set with an arrangement of symbolic items, all beginning with the letter “S” and all having to do with nature.

At CSUN Today, we celebrated a little early with alumna Nazanin Keynejad ’95, M.A. ’16 (English). Keynejad serves as the communications associate for the Alumni Association and as adjunct lecturer in the Department of English. She set a traditional Haft-Seen table to show us how it’s done. Check out the photos for the explanation of the items.

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Jenny Omara-Steinbeck
CSUN CTVA Alumna Wins Oscar for ’20 Days in Mariupol’ Documentary https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/arts-and-culture/csun-ctva-alumna-wins-oscar-for-20-days-in-mariupol-documentary/ Mon, 11 Mar 2024 23:57:49 +0000 https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/?p=55346

CSUN alumna Michelle Mizner ’07 (Cinema and Television Arts) is now an Oscar winner, after the film she produced and edited won “Best Documentary Feature” at the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday, March 10, 2024.

20 Days in Mariupol” is an account of the first days of war after Russia invaded the Ukrainian city. It documents the experiences of Associated Press video journalist Mstyslav Chernov and a team of journalists who arrived in Mariupol hours before Russian troops landed.

Mizner, along with her colleagues, accepted their awards on stage at the glittering awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Chernov gave an emotional speech about his homeland and the war that began in February, 2022.

Mizner, a producer and editor on the film, is a senior documentary editor and producer at the PBS series “Frontline” in Boston. She has produced numerous projects for the series including podcasts and interactive documentaries, of which three have been News and Documentary Emmy award winners.

The film was a joint production of the Associated Press and PBS.

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Jenny Omara-Steinbeck
Belonging on Campus: Why It’s Important and How to Get Involved https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/community/belonging-on-campus-why-its-important-and-how-to-get-involved/ Fri, 08 Mar 2024 19:35:24 +0000 https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/?p=55325

This far into the school year, you’re probably all dialed into a routine: take the quickest route to campus from home or work, slide into your preferred parking garage and stop at your favorite coffee or snack spot (with or without squirrels) before heading to class.

So, what’s missing? It might be a sense of belonging on campus — and that’s a crucial element to achieving your goals.

Studies show that a greater sense of belonging and connection on campus can lead to better academic outcomes including higher grades and ultimately, making it to graduation day.

Cultivating a sense of belonging can take place at any point in your academic journey— and there are many ways to go about it at CSUN. Many of the sources quoted in this article are not only staff and faculty members — they’re also alumni. They know what it’s like to show up, on their own, to this large campus. They figured out how to make it a home and now they help the Matadors who have followed them do the same. Read on for their reflections on campus life and what helped them gain a sense of belonging.

There is this beautiful, gratifying moment when you come to campus and you cannot walk 15 feet without saying hello to somebody that you know or that somebody who knows you.”  Christopher Aston ’02 (Communication Studies), M.A. ’04, director of Student Development and Transitional Programs, on his involvement as a student in Associated Students and New Student Orientation.

First, What Does it Mean to Belong?

Here’s a general definition — belonging is a feeling of being happy or comfortable as part of a particular group, in which you feel welcome and accepted.

Ryan Mason ’11 (Sociology), M.A. ’15 (Education) is the senior coordinator of the Black House and student support services. He defines belonging this way: “It’s creating long-term relationships with individuals that will support you through the good and the bad, and make sure that you can develop in some way — and that can be a peer, that can be faculty or staff,” Mason said.

Debbi Mercado ’09 (Linguistics), M.A. ’12 (Linguistics-TESL) is the program coordinator for the academic first -year experience course and community-based learning programs. These are the “University 100” or “U-100” classes available to freshmen, to help them gain a sense of community on campus.

“Belonging is achieved through shared experiences with one or more people,” said Mercado. “It’s connection, affiliation and the sense that you matter.”

“Something that helped me get involved was New Student Orientation. Being an orientation leader, it’s how I made all of my friends that I still have to this day.”  Gabrielle Danis ’16 (Journalism) assistant director, New Student and Family Programs

Starting Out — Personal Experiences

It’s more than just about making friends or joining clubs — but those are worthwhile pursuits! Sierra Snodgrass, 21, is from Carson, and moved to campus last year. She’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a minor in psychology. She took Mercado’s U-100 class, where many of the assignments require students to explore the campus and write about those experiences.

“I think I tend to, in most environments, feel like an outsider,” said Snodgrass. “So, I needed a push to get out there,” she said.

Snodgrass ended up exploring “Meet the Clubs,” a huge club fair that’s held on the Library and Sierra quads twice per year, at the beginning of each fall and spring semester. Then, a trip to Alaska with Associated Students’ Outdoor Adventures program inspired her to pursue a job with the organization.

“Now, with Outdoor Adventures, I see a lot more [familiar] people around campus… to say ‘hi’ to people doesn’t feel as uncomfortable,” Snodgrass said.

I transferred here. It never occurred to me that I would have a friend. I was older, my kids were already practically in college. And my first week, I was approached by this freshman who had noticed that we had two classes together and he had his rollerblades around his neck and he said, ‘Do you want to have lunch?’ Which took a great deal of courage for him. He didn’t know anyone. We had lunch for the next four years.” Debbi Mercado ’09 (Linguistics) M.A. ’12 (Linguistics-TESL)

The Payoff

In a study by Maithreyi Gopalan and Shannon T. Brady, the authors note: “At four-year schools, belonging predicts better persistence, engagement and mental health” among students.

Christopher Aston, 02 (Communication Studies), M.A. ’04, who now oversees New Student Orientation and graduation ceremonies at CSUN, said getting involved builds overall confidence and empowerment.

“You’re doing more, but you’re doing better,” he said. “Not just your well-being, but your classwork is also improved, so everything is kind of tied together.”

Mercado noted that belonging promotes an overall sense of well-being.

“If you belong, it can have an impact on your emotional wellness, your social wellness,” Mercado said. “And all of these things add up to a balance and harmony.”

A Way In (or Many Ways): A (Partial) List of Resources and Ideas to Cultivate a Sense of Belonging

For first-time freshmen and transfer students, check out the University 100 classes.

Cultural and identity centers and departments on campus are great places to find a sense of community. They include:

Black House

Chicana and Chicano Studies and Chicano House

American Indian Studies Program

Central American and Transborder Studies

Dream Center

Pride Center

Veterans Resource Center

Women’s Research and Resource Center

Asian American and Asian Studies and Glenn Omatsu House

Academic Departments — Check with your department for upcoming events and opportunities to meet others in your major. Also check in with your professors at their office hours.

Clubs and Greek Life (Fraternities and Sororities): Visit the Matador Involvement Center and Matasync.

Events: Take in a movie, a lecture or a concert. Bookmark the Associated Students and the University Student Union event pages. See some world-class shows at The Soraya.

Athletics: Meet other sports fans at a game. Students always get in free with a valid student I.D.!

Need to work out? There are classes and games galore happening at the Student Recreation Center (SRC). Plus: countless Sports Clubs (intramurals).

There is so much going on at  The University Library. Check it out!

No time to mingle? How about combining efforts and getting a job on campus. Handshake and the Career Center are some resources for campus employment.

Show off some Matador pride and become a University Ambassador or New Student Orientation Leader.

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Jenny Omara-Steinbeck
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photographer, Ringo Chiu, Joins CSUN Staff https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/arts-and-culture/pulitzer-prize-winning-photographer-ringo-chiu-joins-csun-staff/ Fri, 01 Mar 2024 20:32:52 +0000 https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/?p=55251

For more than 30 years, photojournalist and alumnus Ringo Chiu’s photos of historic events and breaking news have graced the front pages of newspapers around the world. In a new chapter in his career, Chiu has returned to CSUN as senior photographer and has turned his lens to document the life, events and people at his alma mater.

Chiu ’01 (Special Major-Journalism) assumed his new role at CSUN in November 2023, taking over from longtime senior photographer Lee Choo M.F.A. ’10 (Visual Communication) who retired after 32 years on campus. Chiu works with assistant photographer David J. Hawkins ’16 (Journalism) as well as student assistants. Chiu said he enjoys mentoring students who want to become photojournalists — and he would also like to teach.

“People helped me to achieve my goal. I really want to do something [for the] younger generation, to help them achieve theirs,” he said.

Chiu started his career with newspapers in his hometown, Hong Kong. After immigrating to the United States and studying photojournalism at CSUN, he worked as a freelance photographer for a number of wire services and publications including the Associated Press, Reuters and the Los Angeles Times. He was also the chief editorial photographer for the Los Angeles Business Journal.

In 2021, Chiu was part of the Associated Press photography staff awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography. Chiu and his colleagues were honored for a collection of photographs taken all over the country that captured reactions to the death of George Floyd. Chiu was also a 2019 finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Breaking News Photography for photos of the 2018 California wildfires.

Before coming to Los Angeles and to Cal State Northridge, Chiu studied mass communication in Hong Kong, including television production and radio, but said he’s enjoyed photography since he was a young child. He said he was encouraged by others, including professors at CSUN, who pushed him to develop his own signature as a photographer.

“In the last 20 years, I’ve worked hard and then I have my own style. You need to [have a] vision different from other photographers,” Chiu said.

In addition to his Pulitzer Prize, Chiu has also been honored by numerous organizations, including the Los Angeles Press Club, who named him the “Southern California Photojournalist of the Year” in 2014, 2017 and 2021. He also received the “Photojournalist of the Year” award from the Press Photographers Association of Greater Los Angeles in 2018 and 2021 and the National Press Photographers Association “Best of Photojournalism” award in 2021 for first place, sports feature.

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Jenny Omara-Steinbeck
CSUN Vocal Jazz Director Captures Grammy Award https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/university-news/csun-vocal-jazz-director-captures-grammy-award/ Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:48:51 +0000 https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/?p=55156

California State University, Northridge Vocal Jazz Director Erin Bentlage reached a huge milestone in her career when she took home a Grammy Award at the 66th annual show in Los Angeles on Feb. 4.

CSUN Vocal Jazz Director Erin Bentlage won her first Grammy on Feb. 4 2024. Credit: Erin Bentlage/ Instagram

CSUN Vocal Jazz Director Erin Bentlage won her first Grammy on Feb. 4 2024. Credit: Erin Bentlage/ Instagram

The accolade, under the category of “Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals,” was given to Bentlage for her part in the song “In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning.” The award-winning piece is a part of the debut album of her all-female vocal super-group, säje, formed in collaboration with Sara Gazarek, Amanda Taylor, and Johnaye Kendrick.

“Grateful beyond measure to these people and tiny slivers of time for everything they’ve taught me, grateful for the opportunity to pause and reflect on our dreams coming true in the music that we are lucky enough to make and the life that we are lucky enough to pour into that music,” Bentlage said in a social media post. “I take none of it for granted, no matter how courageously joyful or sickeningly devastating the moment and might not be able to digest one bit of it without music…”

The Grammy victory isn’t her first brush with recognition. In 2020, Bentlage was nominated in the same category for the debut original song “Desert Song” by her group.

“The music department is very proud of Erin Bentlage for the fantastic work she has done with her group säje, and especially for her well-deserved Grammy win in collaboration with Jacob Collier,” said CSUN music department chair John Roscigno. “Erin joined our faculty just two years ago to re-vamp our jazz vocal program and has been a fabulous addition to our faculty.”

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Jonas Brothers Bring 2 CSUN Music Alums on World Tour https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/university-news/jonas-brothers-bring-2-csun-music-alums-on-world-tour/ Thu, 15 Feb 2024 22:52:24 +0000 https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/?p=55138

Bright lights, thousands of screaming fans — dream job. For CSUN alumni Fabian Chavez ’15 (Saxophone Performance/Jazz) and Danica Pinner ’14 (Cello Performance), this isn’t some distant fantasy. It’s right now, as the pair of early 30somethings tour with the Jonas Brothers.

“My work is my life, music is my life,” Chavez said.

The alumni, who met as classmates in the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication, toured North America on the Jonas Brothers’ “The Tour” in 2023 — and, starting this summer, will criss-cross the globe on the pop-rock band’s upcoming “Five Albums. One Night. The World Tour,” experiencing different cultures and doing what they love. Chavez accompanies the band on the tenor saxophone, and Pinner plays the cello.

Pinner began playing with the brothers at the Hollywood Bowl shows on their reunion tour, “Happiness Begins,” in 2019. She had worked with Nick Jonas previously and received a call from the band’s music director, who asked her to join “The Tour.” Chavez was tapped to join the group’s backing musicians in July 2023 by a mutual friend, the group’s pianist.

CSUN helped give Chavez and Pinner a world-class music education, they said, but the university also developed them as well-rounded individuals.

“What I took with me [from CSUN] is how to keep good relationships with people … and music is highly collaborative,” Pinner said. She learned how to connect her instrument to her voice in a jazz improv course, and she credited CSUN professors with teaching her responsibility and how to work with others — something for which she remains grateful.

Chavez looked back at his time with CSUN faculty, including Gary Pratt — professor emeritus of music and former co-director of the university’s renowned Jazz Studies Program — as inspiring, motivating and reassuring. Pratt frequently told students to “be the person [they] are and be confident in that,” Chavez recalled.

Transitioning from their time as students to life on the road as touring musicians was a drastic change. Adjusting to the travel schedule was challenging. Their routine typically consists of playing a show, and then getting on a tour bus and waking up in a new city every day — while sometimes going months without seeing their families.

“But the moment we step on stage, it’s time to party,” Pinner said. They genuinely love the music they’re performing, making their job that much more thrilling, both musicians agreed. Chavez described the shows as a “party, [a] spectacle — and memorable.”

Both musicians already have racked up a long list of credits with some of pop’s biggest names. Pinner has played cello live at the Greek Theatre for Avril Lavigne, for Christina Aguilera at the 2021 People’s Choice Awards, for Lewis Capaldi live on “The Ellen Degeneres Show” and many more. Chavez has played flute for six songs on Tyler, the Creator’s recent album, “Call Me If You Get Lost,” and saxophone on the song “Ladders” by Mac Miller, among others.

Both offered advice to aspiring musicians — especially those who want to work in Hollywood and beyond: Say ‘yes’ to every opportunity, support other musicians and, “aside from being a good musician,” be a good colleague.

As working musicians on the world’s biggest stages, they understand that they’re creating memories and evoking emotions.

“Any opportunity I get to make people feel something, makes me happy and full,” Chavez said.

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Ruby Durant
Giving Day Invites You to Share Your Love for CSUN https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/university-news/giving-day-invites-you-to-share-your-love-for-csun/ Mon, 05 Feb 2024 21:35:53 +0000 https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/?p=55022

Donate to, Raise Money for, Your Favorite Matador Program 

Secondary_logo_giving_day_final_1103223_V1- Returning after a successful 2023 debut that raised more than $236,000 for CSUN, Giving Day is back March 6-7. The 36-hour, Matador-powered campaign invites students, alumni, parents, faculty, staff, friends and neighbors to raise funds for, and give money to, their favorite CSUN colleges, programs and causes.

“Giving Day provides a platform for people who love CSUN to tell their friends and neighbors about all the ways our programs changed their lives for the better,” said CSUN President Erika D. Beck. “By sharing inspiring stories from CSUN with people across the country and around the world, we provide the opportunity for them to make further impact towards a brighter and more equitable future for us all.”

Supporters can take their love for CSUN to the next level by signing up now to be a Giving Day Ambassador at givingday.csun.edu.

Ambassadors receive an online dashboard where they can select their favorite CSUN cause and access tools to help engage their networks via email and social media. They can also participate in a new “You+2” campaign, and receive fun swag when they donate, and get two friends to give as well.

“The beauty of Giving Day is that our generous donors can sponsor matching gift opportunities or donor-count challenges to raise money for the programs they love most,” said Nichole Ipach, Vice President for CSUN University Relations and Advancement. “Or as Ambassadors, they can share personal stories about their time at CSUN or the ways the university made a difference in their community. Giving is personal on Giving Day, because people donate to the CSUN programs nearest and dearest to their hearts, whether that is the CSUN Food Pantry, the Pride Center or one of our scholarship funds, to name just a few.”

In 2023, shared social media posts about CSUN’s Project Rebound on Giving Day helped raise more than $20,000 for the program that helps formerly incarcerated students earn their college degrees, Ipach said.

“That’s just one example of someone sharing their passion for a CSUN program on social media and helping to magnify our fundraiser,” she added.

Ipach stressed that small gifts are especially meaningful on Giving Day. In 2023, 64 percent of all donations to Giving Day were $50 or less, indicating that gifts of any size can make a real impact on CSUN programs, she said. Last year, the Africana Studies department was extremely successful, raising 73 percent of its overall Giving Day total from gifts $50 and under.

Visit givingday.csun.edu to read about all the Giving Day giving opportunities across the campus, including ways to support Matador Athletics, The Soraya, and student basic needs. Just like last year, donors will be invited throughout Giving Day to take part in special matching gift opportunities and donor count challenges established by generous donors, as a way to multiply their gifts.

Watch for Giving Day updates March 6-7 on the Giving Day website and on CSUN’s social media channels.

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Jenny Omara-Steinbeck
CSUN Explores the Power of African American Arts for Black History Month https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/arts-and-culture/csun-explores-the-power-of-african-american-arts-for-black-history-month/ Wed, 31 Jan 2024 19:51:46 +0000 https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/?p=54965

Curtis Byrd led the crowd in a drumming session at a Black History Month celebration last year. Photo by Sonia Gurrola.

Curtis Byrd led the crowd in a drumming session at a Black History Month celebration last year. Photo by Sonia Gurrola.


Art has the power to inspire, to provoke, to celebrate and empower. It also can tell the story of a people, a culture, a country, a continent or an individual.

The Department of Africana Studies and Black House at California State University, Northridge will be exploring the rich and complex realm of African American art during the month of February, Black History Month.

“African American art and culture have influenced the global aesthetic for centuries,” said Marquita Gammage, chair of the Africana Studies department in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences. “We have used our aesthetic ideals to transform public perceptions, advocate for justice and highlight the beauty and strength of our people. African American artistic expressions continue to expand the human imagination in music, art, fashion, literature, film and media. Even in the face of cultural appropriation and the growth of AI, the African and Black aesthetic continues to thrive, creating revolutionary brilliance in our world.

“This year’s Black History Month celebrates African, Africana and Black arts and Africana people’s creative impact on the world,” she said.

CSUN’s Black History Month celebration, “The African Diaspora and the Arts,” includes “Becoming Jabari Ali: A Conversation on Arts and Activism” from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7, in the West Valley Room of the University Student Union (USU); “Game Changers Unleashed: Black Student Athlete Exchange” on Monday, Feb. 12, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the USU’s Grand Salon; and a creatives panel discussion led by CSUN alumnus Tynisha Lewis from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 19, in the Northridge Center of the USU.

“Art and culture are mosaics that blend the elements of African, Caribbean and Black American experiences,” said Africana Studies professor Cedric Hackett, one of the organizers of CSUN’s Black History Month celebration. “African Americans have had a significant influence on how culture is expressed. African American artists have used their skills to leave a lasting legacy in a range of domains, spanning music, dance, literature, athletics, community empowerment and the preservation of history. We pay tribute to the tenacity, inventiveness and impact of African Americans who have profoundly shaped global culture.”

The monthlong celebration includes the second annual Q-Bids Recognition Ceremony on Wednesday, Feb. 14, from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Whitsett Room of Sierra Hall to honor the supporters of CSUN’s DuBois-Hamer Institute for Academic Achievement. This year’s honorees are retired Africana studies professor Barbara Rhodes, founder of the institute; CSUN’s Division of Student Affairs and Educational Opportunity Program (EOP); Local District North-West of the Los Angeles Unified School District and the California Wellness Foundation.

The institute’s mission is to promote student success through community and campus partnerships. It cultivates active and collaborative partnerships with faculty, staff and students across the CSUN campus community; works with local groups and organizations in Los Angeles County; and provides service to cultural and educational institutions in the community.

The University Student Union and University Counseling Services are also hosting a presentation of “Beloved Community” by Martin Luther King, Jr. with speaker and CSUN alum Ekemini Uwan, a public theologian, international human rights activist and co-author of the 2023 NAACP Image Award-nominated book “Truth’s Table: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation.”

For a list of Black History Month activities at CSUN, visit the Department of Africana Studies website at https://www.csun.edu/social-behavioral-sciences/africana-studies.

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carmen
30 Years Later: Remembering the Northridge Earthquake https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/university-news/30-years-later-remembering-the-northridge-earthquake/ Wed, 17 Jan 2024 11:31:30 +0000 https://csunshinetoday.csun.edu/?p=54801

Monday, January 17, 1994

4:31 a.m.

 

The 6.7-magnitude Northridge earthquake and subsequent aftershocks caused destruction throughout the San Fernando Valley and across the region. “When the dust settled, 57 people had died — including 33 from fallen buildings. Of those, 16 were killed when the 164-unit Northridge Meadows apartments collapsed atop its downstairs parking garage,” reporter Dana Bartholomew wrote in the Los Angeles Daily News, in a 20-year retrospective article. Two of the victims were CSUN students living in Northridge Meadows.

Numerous buildings and parking structures on CSUN’s campus sustained severe damage, including the iconic University Library, whose east and west wings were badly damaged.

Later this spring, through new interviews, a review of the recorded oral histories of numerous CSUN leaders and by highlighting some gems of CSUN’s digital archives, CSUN Magazine will look back over three decades — offering a glimpse at how the university responded to, recovered from and, ultimately, thrived after the 1994 earthquake. To commemorate Jan. 17, 1994, here are a few highlights:

A closeup of the catastrophic damage to the University Library, immediately after the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

Numerous buildings and parking structures on CSUN’s campus sustained severe damage, including the iconic University Library, whose east and west wings were badly damaged. Photo courtesy of University Library, Special Collections & Archives.

Recalling her initial survey of the damages, former CSUN President Blenda Wilson expressed relief that the quake took place during Winter Break. “The timing — for the school calendar, and the time of the morning, and that it was a holiday weekend (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) — was a real blessing. It would have been a horrible scene otherwise,” Wilson recalled in an 2013 oral-history interview.

Vice President Al Gore visited the campus in 1994, immediately after the earthquake, promising federal aid. One year later, President Bill Clinton spoke on campus, praising CSUN staff and faculty for demonstrating the strength to move forward after the devastating earthquake.

Commemorating the one-year anniversary, Clinton held up the university as a model in disaster recovery — campus reopened and classes resumed after just two weeks — and he praised federal, state and local agencies for their recovery efforts on campus and throughout the area devastated by the quake. Clinton spoke on campus in front of a large black-and-white photograph of CSUN’s former Parking Structure C, which had partially collapsed during the early-morning temblor.

“[We] said that we wouldn’t let you pick up the pieces alone, that we would stay on until the job is done,” Clinton told the crowd at CSUN. “Twenty-seven federal agencies worked with state and local officials in unprecedented ways, and this was the most efficient and effective disaster operation in American history. [CSUN] is a symbol of the ability of the people of this state to keep coming back, adversity after adversity.”

 


 

‘The Power of Community’

Alumnus Steven Parker, then Associated Students President, stands at a microphone, introducing Vice President Al Gore. CSUN President speaks to Gore in the background.

Associated Students President Steven Parker ’94 (Political Science, at microphone), introduces VP Al Gore, while President Blenda Wilson stands with Gore on the makeshift stage.

As chief innovation officer for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Steven Parker ’94 (Political Science) frequently calls on his skills as a former corporate lawyer, political campaign director and survivor of the Northridge earthquake. “CSUN was my training ground for all things leadership development,” said Parker, who was president of Associated Students at the time of the quake.

In the aftermath of the temblor, which he likened to a “living horror movie,” Parker worked closely with then-President Blenda Wilson on recovery and communications efforts, becoming a spokesperson for the student body. “Dr. Wilson allowed me to do TV spots and news interviews,” he said. Parker also helped Wilson greet visiting elected officials as they toured the quake-damaged campus, using the opportunity to pass out his resume.

Parker said his quake experience was a lesson in leadership and coalition-building. “The Associated Students knew we had to get money into students’ hands for books and supplies, and we moved quickly to make that happen,” he said. “We learned how to work through conflict with grace and learned how to get things done in unconventional ways.”

Parker said the initial recovery period showed him what elected officials and government leaders can do in the face of adversity. “I believe in the power of community, and I believe in the ability of government to get things done,” he said. “I hate that often, it is a crisis that is the catalyst for getting things done. But I’ve seen it enough times now, and much of it started from my experience of going through that earthquake.”


 

The Resilience of Students

William Watkins, vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students, speaks at the all-university commencement ceremony on May 15, 2021.

William Watkins, now vice president for Student Affairs and dean of students, in 2021. Photo by Lee Choo.

As a freshman at what was then San Fernando Valley State College in 1971, William Watkins ’74 (Urban Studies) lived through the 6.5-magnitude Sylmar earthquake. Decades later, as CSUN’s assistant vice president for Student Life, he survived the 6.7-magnitude Northridge earthquake and helped inform students about the rebuilding process. “One of my primary roles was assembling student leaders and leaders of clubs and organizations to inform students about what was going on,” Watkins said. “We were having these meetings, open forums and town halls out under trees and in very makeshift kinds of ways.”

In the aftermath of the 1994 quake, students faced “a pretty rugged existence,” Watkins said. “It was just a little city of bungalows with rows of asphalt. It was a pretty spartan life. We have always revered the ruggedness and the resilience of the students who made it through that experience.”

Today, Watkins serves as dean of students and vice president for Student Affairs. Reflecting on the Northridge earthquake, he said the rebuilding effort brought students, faculty and administrators together in a common vision for the university. He recalled the special challenges faculty and staff faced at the time. “We were coming here as professionals trying to create a college experience, and we were still filing FEMA claims for our own homes,” he said. “It was personal and professional. We were working on both those fronts and trying to project a level of calm and can-do to provide students with some stability.”

Unlike the recent global pandemic, which forced people to stay apart, Watkins said, a key aspect of CSUN’s successful recovery from the earthquake was the ability to be together. “I’m absolutely confident that part of what permitted us to get through the Northridge earthquake was the fact that we could be in community, as imperfect as it was,” he said. “We could hear from each other. We could encourage each other. We could be in those spaces together. Not so with the pandemic.”


 

In Memoriam: Students Manuel Sandoval and Jamie Reyes

CSUN student Manuel Sandoval, 24, was spending his first night in his new, first-floor apartment at the Northridge Meadows apartment complex — on Reseda Boulevard, one block from the CSUN campus — when the Northridge earthquake struck, according to the Feb. 7, 1994, issue of the Daily Sundial. He was one of two CSUN students — along with 14 other people — killed when the structure collapsed.

Sandoval’s younger brother, Juan DeDios, told the Daily Sundial that Manuel pushed his siblings to get an education. At CSUN, Sandoval developed a passion for teaching, working as a tutor with the Operation Chicano Teacher Recruitment and Support Program and using his math and science knowledge to assist future teachers. “He was always into school, but when he started tutoring, he found he really liked it,” DeDios told the Daily Sundial.

Also killed at the apartment complex was student Jamie Reyes, 19, who loved ones remembered for his commitment to the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) Summer Bridge Program for academically at-risk students. Reyes’ sister-in-law, Marina Reyes, told the Daily Sundial that Jaime loved CSUN. “Oh, how much he wanted to come to school,” Marina said. “He had been told many times that he wasn’t college material. He was determined to prove them wrong.”

CSUN Associated Students established memorial scholarships in Reyes’ and Sandoval’s names. The scholarships “are humanitarian awards from students of this university to future CSU Northridge financially need-based students,” according to My Matador Scholarships.

With 16 of the 57 earthquake-related deaths across Los Angeles occurring at Northridge Meadows, lawmakers and civic leaders called for the retrofit of similar structures and for increased building safety. Months after the earthquake, crews razed the damaged complex to make way for the Parc Ridge Apartments.

 

For more, look for CSUN Magazine in your mailbox, on campus newstands and online in April.

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Olivia Herstein