One might expect the atmosphere of a late-afternoon class in public policy on a Thursday toward the end of the semester to be sleepy and routine. Former Governor of Hawaii Linda Lingle’s Political Science 471A class at California State University, Northridge is anything but.

Fifteen minutes before class begins, vibrant conversations between classmates, cheerful greetings and smiling faces fill the room. Lingle enters and joins the banter. The camaraderie is genuine and lively. It feels more like a social gathering than a lecture. Then the clock hits 4 p.m. and it’s all business.

The students are seated seminar-style, everyone facing one another, with nameplates in front of their seats, reminiscent of a U.N. Council meeting. All attention is focused on Lingle and her guest for the afternoon, former Maui Police Chief Gary Yabuta.

Lingle has utilized her 30 years’ experience in the public service sector and her many valuable contacts to give her students a one-of-a-kind look at the practical applications in the creation of public policy.

Lingle’s political science pro-seminar class on public policy is untraditional in that there are no examinations. Instead, Lingle asks her students to design three public policy proposals from any perspective – one local, one state and one federal issue – and present them to the class. This, Lingle said, provides her students with practical experience for the real world.

“I designed the course to prepare the students to be able to walk out after graduation – to enter into a public policy setting – and to be positive contributors from the first day, wherever they go,” Lingle said.

“The most challenging part of Gov. Lingle’s class is the public policy projects, but they are also the most beneficial,” said political science junior Eliana Amundson. “You learn about the real world and that’s something you’re going to use for the rest of your life.”

Shantay Shabaz, political science junior, agrees. “You actually practice what it’s like to be in the real world and you pick up skills that you carry with you outside of the classroom. That’s way more meaningful than just a lecture,” she said.

Also unusual is the high interest outside of the political science department in the class. “We had far more interest in her class than we could accommodate and I’m especially pleased that a good number of the students in the class are from outside the major,” said Lawrence Becker, chair of CSUN’s Department of Political Science.

“It’s a class that’s very open to discussion, opinion, a lot of different ideas. You don’t just sit back in here,” said Gabby Sanchez, a political science senior.

High-profile guest speakers also brought practical knowledge and actual public policy experience to the students. Guests this semester included Yusef Robb, director of communications for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti; Linda Smith, former chief accounting officer under Presidents Carter and Reagan, and senior policy advisor to Gov. Lingle; Dillon Hosier, senior political advisor to the Los Angeles Consulate General of Israel; and Yabuta, who recently became the director of the Hawaii High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), a federally funded program that advises President Obama and Congress.

“Gov. Lingle has brought a series of guest speakers to the classroom from different areas that have given students a sense of the variety of pathways from where they are sitting into public service,” said Becker. “I can’t express how fortunate we have been to have had Gov. Lingle teaching for us.”

The sentiment is one that is shared by her students as well. “One of my favorite aspects of this class is having the speakers here,” said Randall Ramos, political science senior. “You have the opportunity to find out what it’s really like.”

Ramos was a student in Lingle’s 471A seminar the previous spring. He enjoyed the class, and Lingle, so much that he came back to assist in the Spring 2015 class.

Lingle graduated cum laude from CSUN with a degree in journalism in 1975, changing her major from political science. She founded the Moloka’i Free Press in 1976 and was elected as a member of the Maui City Council in 1980, where she served until elected as Maui County Mayor.

As Maui mayor, she was the first woman and youngest person elected to office. In 2002, she broke more barriers when elected as the sixth governor of Hawaii, distinguishing herself as the  first woman and first person of Jewish ancestry to lead the state as well as the first Republican in more than 40 years.

Lingle will be leaving CSUN at the end of the current semester. She has been appointed chief operating officer for the state of Illinois under new Governor Bruce Rauner, who has referred to Lingle as a “superstar.” Lingle said she hopes to use her eight years of experience as the Governor of Hawaii to help Rauner, who is serving in public office for the first time.

Lingle, who would rather remain out of the spotlight after so many years on the public scene, shifted focus back to her students. “My experience at CSUN, keeping me in touch with young people, is very important. Knowing how this generation is seeing things is important for anyone who is working in public policy,” Lingle said. “Most of the people that I work with [in Illinois] are quite a bit younger than me. [CSUN] has given me an up-to-date perspective on what young people are facing.”

What Lingle has gained from her students is a reciprocation of the dedication that she inspired in them. “It’s a privilege to be a part of this class. She doesn’t disengage when class is over,” said Shabaz.

“The best part of the class is office hours. [Lingle] will talk to you about any issue. She’s very supportive,” said Ramos.

“She answers your emails at 4 o’clock in the morning!” said Amundson. “At the beginning of the course, she said, ‘You guys are going to be my life.’”

Lingle’s prudent teaching style and inclination to give back to her alma mater is testament to the commitment she has given in her years as a public servant.

“I try to mix my classes – not just political science and not just public policy. It’s life lessons. [I’ve] got a chance to stand in front of young people and share that it’s not a straight line for anyone,” Lingle professed. “You’ve got to work hard. You’ve got to be prepared when opportunities come along, and you can’t give up. You just can’t, can’t give up.”

KCSN-FM News Director Keith Goldstein was recently honored by Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists with a Distinguished Journalist Award. Photo by Lee Choo.

For nearly 30 years, Keith S. Goldstein has stood in the wings like a proud parent cheering on his students at KCSN-FM as they racked up hundreds of professional local, regional, state and national awards. His students finally got the chance recently to reciprocate when the parent-instructor-news director was thrust into the limelight himself.

Goldstein was honored by the Greater Los Angeles Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ-LA) with its prestigious Distinguished Journalist Award. The award recognized his lifelong work as news director of KCSN-FM and his years instructing and mentoring students at California State University, Northridge.

“CSUN is fortunate to have Keith Goldstein, someone dedicated to radio instruction, for so many years,” said Navid Nonahal, SPJ-LA president. She said Goldstein has been lauded by members of the SPJ board and his students for his dedication and mentorship.

Goldstein and four others were recognized in March by SPJ-LA at its 39th annual Distinguished Journalists Awards at the Hilton Universal City in Los Angeles.

“SPJ-LA presents the Distinguished Journalists Award to members of the profession who have achieved a record of career accomplishments, as Keith Goldstein has in his 33-year professional career in radio news,” Nonahal said.

Goldstein has spent his entire professional career in radio news. He joined the staff at CSUN in 1987 as news director of KCSN-FM. Since coming on board, the students who make up most of his staff have won more than 450 professional local, regional, state and national awards. These have included 50 Golden Mike Awards in Division B from the Radio Television News Association of Southern California. Many of these honors have been in the categories of “Best Newscast—Over 15 Minutes” and “Best Newscast Writing—Over 15 Minutes” for the 30-minute program The Evening Update. KCSN News also has been recognized in the categories of “Best Serious Feature,” “Best Business and Consumer Reporting,” “Best Political and Governmental Reporting,” “Best Medical and Science Reporting,” “Best Entertainment Reporting” and “Best News Series.”

His staff has also won 34 regional Edward R. Murrow awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association, including recognition four times for “Overall Excellence.”

Under his leadership, the student reporters and writers have received the SPJ-LA’s “Mark of Excellence” national first-place award 12 times. In the Associated Press Television Radio Association, the KCSN News staff has received six Mark Twain awards for “Best Newscast.”

Goldstein’s six-part series on Domestic Violence—The Cycle of Abuse received first-place awards from the Los Angeles Press Club and the Associated Press. He has also earned three statewide Associated Press awards in the category of “Investigative Reporting,” including in-depth stories on “Staged Accidents—Insurance Fraud,” “The Mental Health Funding Crisis in Los Angeles County” and “The Van Nuys Townkeepers: The Fight Against Prostitution and Drugs.” He won a regional Edward R. Murrow award in the category of “Best Use of Sound” for his report “Model Airplanes.”

“Keith really was a true inspiration to me,” said Debra Mark ’90 (Journalism), a co-host of a morning drive show called Mornings with Graham and Debra on KKGO-105.1 FM. “He’s very serious about his job and supporting students.”

Mark, who has worked at numerous radio stations during her career, including KPCC, KABC and KFI, said as a student she won several awards thanks to Goldstein’s leadership.

“I credit him with a lot of my success,” Mark said.

A native of Philadelphia, Goldstein is a graduate of Temple University, where he began working in radio news at the campus station WRTI-FM. He was an aggressive “self-starter,” and worked for one of the top-rated radio stations in Philadelphia. He worked for nine years in commercial radio in Central Pennsylvania, serving as news director, reporter and afternoon anchor. While in graduate school at Penn State University, he discovered his love for teaching while working as manager of that university’s student radio station.

“I found the combination of working professionally and academia the perfect combination,” Goldstein said. Ultimately, he was offered a job at a university in New York and at CSUN.

“I had never heard of the San Fernando Valley before I got here,” he recalled. But his choice was easy after enjoying the sunshine and palm tree-lined streets.

Goldstein also serves as a classroom instructor in the Department of Journalism, teaching an advanced radio news class. While he never expected to be at CSUN for three decades, he has no plans of retiring anytime soon.

“I still enjoy what I do,” Goldstein said. “There is a new group of students each semester. Not everybody is going to be the most talented, but each one has something to contribute.”

California State University, Northridge President Dianne F. Harrison announced today the appointment of Dr. Yi Li as CSUN’s provost and vice president for academic affairs beginning July 20, 2015. Li brings more than three decades of higher education leadership, including award-winning research, scholarship and a particular specialty in increasing gender and ethnic diversity of STEM programs.

Li comes to CSUN from Wright State University, where he has served as dean of the College of Science and Mathematics since 2011. He previously served as professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Iowa, associate professor of mathematics at the University of Rochester, and instructor at the University of Chicago. As provost, Li will be CSUN’s chief academic officer.

“Dr. Li possesses a great passion for higher education and overall student success,” Harrison said. “He is a consummate academician and scholar, with a proven track record of high-impact research. He is an analytical thinker, data driven and shares CSUN’s strong commitment to diversity. His experience and leadership will enrich our campus community.”

A leader in innovative practices to increase diversity in the STEM student pipeline, Li’s work has been recognized with multiple awards, including the departmental 2005 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring, the departmental 2006 Programs that Make a Difference Award by the American Mathematical Society, a 2008 Sloan Foundation Special Recognition and the departmental 2008 Exemplary Program Award from the American Mathematical Society.

Li has dedicated more than two decades of research to the study of nonlinear problems involving elliptic and parabolic equations/systems and their application in mathematical physics, geometry, biomedical engineering, and medical research. He has published more than 80 peer-reviewed papers with more than 1,200 Science Citation Index citations by more than 500 authors. His research has received more than $4.8 million in research and education grant funding, and he regularly speaks nationally and internationally at conferences. Li holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree from Xi’an Jiaotong University.

“CSUN has a well-deserved international reputation for excellence,” Li said. “I am honored to join together with CSUN’s outstanding faculty and staff to continue to equip students for future success. Higher education has changed my life, and that drives me to provide the same life-changing opportunities for others.”

Li succeeds Harry Hellenbrand, who is returning to the classroom after 11 years as CSUN’s provost and vice president for academic affairs. Hellenbrand also will teach and take on special projects for the president in his new role.

California State University, Northridge honored more than 500 staff members for their years of service and outstanding contributions to the university at the 49th annual Staff Service and Recognition of Excellence Awards on June 2.

“It’s a pleasure to be here today to recognize colleagues who have reached milestones with the university and to celebrate with those who have distinguished themselves by their outstanding contributions,” said President Dianne F. Harrison to attendees. “Today we are here to celebrate sustained, loyal dedication to our university.”

Harrison recognized Barbara Hlinka, associate director of the Office of Institutional Research, with the Presidential Award. The award honors an individual who has left an “indelible positive mark” on the university, contributes to improved processes and demonstrates alignment with the mission, vision, values and goals of the university.

Hlinka has been the “unsung hero” of the Office of Institutional Research since the late 1990s. She works collaboratively with a wide array of departments to provide accurate and timely data that informs the campus of “where we have been and how we should move forward,” said Harrison. Although never in the spotlight, Hlinka’s nominators say she makes a positive difference on campus every day.

The Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award went to Franklin Ellis, coordinator of residential student success and leadership in the Department of Residential Life, who has been applauded for demonstrating respect for all people. The award is reserved for employees who practice, promote and value efforts to support diversity, inclusion and respect for everyone’s values and opinions.

The CSUN Merit Award recipients were Ken Rappe, executive assistant to the dean of the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics; Kathleen Pohl, the dean’s assistant in the College of Engineering and Computer Science; Griselda Corona ’09 (Liberal Studies) the administrative coordinator in the Department of Chicana/o Studies; Ryan Conlogue, help center lead in the Division of Information Technology; Michelle Kilmnick ’99 (Communication Studies) academic personnel and compensation analyst in the Office of Faculty Affairs; and Emil Henry’97 (Computer Science) manager of technical services in the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

The CSUN Alumni Relations Award went to Daniela Cross ’08 (Recreation and Tourism Management), M.S. ’10 (Recreation and Tourism Management)

assistant to the general manager of Associated Students, who has helped build bridges with former student government officers. This award is given to an employee who develops initiatives and or enhances existing programs that encourage successful collaborative relationships with alumni and a greater alumni connectedness that results in achievement of university goals and objectives.

The Jolene Koester Team Award, which recognizes outstanding team achievements and is presented annually to a team that has collaborated effectively on a project, process or other significant initiative that has brought positive changes, was awarded to the MyCSUNtablet Initiative. It was launched in fall 2013 as a partnership between the Divisions of Academic Affairs and Information Technology with the intent of increasing student engagement and learning and decreasing the cost of instructional materials. Since adoption, the tablets have transformed classrooms into active learning spaces.

Harrison also presented certificates to the 20 participants in the inaugural CSUN Shine from Within Program. A highlight of the awards celebration was the recognition of employees who have served CSUN for 40 years.

“These four people were hired in 1975 and have provided loyal, dedicated and continuous service for the last four decades,” said Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Harry Hellenbrand, who presented framed Matadors jerseys with their name and number “40” to the recipients. The honorees were Cynthia Demuth, admissions and records; Selma Mayhew, admissions and records; Georgia Reed, office of human resources; and Cindy Trigg’04 (Chicana/o Studies) the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics.

CSUN staff also received recognition for five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service. For a complete list of the honorees, please visit the Office of Human Resources.

California State University, Northridge kinesiology professor emeritus Sam Britten, founding director of CSUN’s Center of Achievement through Adapted Physical Activity and Abbott and Linda Brown Western Center for Adaptive Aquatic Therapy (Brown Center), received the 2015 John K. William Jr. Adaptive Aquatics Award for establishing the Brown center.

Sam Britten helps lower client into one of the pools in the brown center. -Photo provided by the College of HHD

The award will be presented to Britten, on Friday, June 19 during the International Hall of Fame’s 51st Annual Honoree Weekend in Santa Clara, California.

Britten said credit for the honor goes in part to Charles Lowman, the “father” adaptive aquatic therapy.

“I had the good fortune of meeting and working with Dr. Charles Lowman, a famous orthopedic surgeon, who was a great proponent of the use of water exercise for rehabilitation purposes,” said Britten. “In 1952, the Los Angeles Unified School District opened the Lowman School Special Education Center, named in honor of Dr. Lowman. The center was dedicated to serving children with severe disabilities, and it included the first adapted aquatic facility in the L.A. School system. Because of my swimming background, Dr. Lowman asked me to teach the Adapted PE instructors how to work with the children in this wonderful new aquatic facility.

“To see and experience how effective water exercise was for these children was truly life changing for me,” Britten said. “In my heart and mind, I was determined that if the opportunity ever developed in my future professional life, I would endeavor to build an adaptive aquatic facility that would serve all people with physical disabilities.”

Established in the early 1990’s by the Adaptive Aquatics Committee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, award honors an individual who has made significant and substantial contributions to the field of adaptive aquatics (aquatics for persons with disabilities) as a participant, athlete, teacher, instructor, coach, organizer, administrator or media representative.

“S. R. Smith –a world leading manufacturer of commercial and residential pools, as well as ADA compliant pool lifts providing disabled people safe access to aquatic activities– is honored to recognize the life contributions of Dr. Sam Britten, for his outstanding work and commitment to the aquatic health of persons with disabilities,” said Dan Jorgensen, an Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer and vice president of sales at S.R. Smith, in a press release from the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

After becoming a kinesiology professor, in 1958 at what was then San Fernando Valley State College, Britten created an adapted physical education program, which later became the Center of Achievement for the Physically Disabled. There, he worked with injured athletes as head trainer and worked with students with disabilities who were enrolled in his adapted classes.

In 1971, Lillian Bixby, a woman paralyzed with cerebral palsy, was the first student with a severe disability to approach Britten with a request that he develop exercises that would help her to gain movement and control of her arms. Excited about the challenge and fueled by the hope of making Bixby’s life better, Britten started her on the long, hard and sometimes painful journey.

By the time Bixby left in 1977 she had achieved her goal of being able to live independently and drive a van. Her success in Britten’s care was a turning point for him and the center.

“Over the years, in his work with students and clients in land-based adaptive therapeutic exercise programs, Britten came to see that exercise in aquatic environments could bring even greater progress to people with disabilities,” said Sylvia Alva, dean of CSUN’s College of Health and Human Development. “In the late 1990s, he drew up plans and began rigorous advocacy and fundraising efforts to make this vision a reality.”

In 2003, the 18,400-square-foot Abbott and Linda Brown Western Center for Adaptive Aquatic Therapy opened its doors. Four pools, each designed to meet specific needs, bring clients the buoyancy of water and reduced risk of pain. The aquatic facility established new educational training opportunities for CSUN students and made physical activity available to even more community members with physical disabilities, including small children and infants.

“You wouldn’t know how big it is from the outside,” said Becky O’Brien, client coordinator for the Center of Achievement’s Brown Center, motioning to the center’s four state-of-the art pools. “Clients are always amazed when they walk through our doors for the first time and realize this is all for them, and this is all because of Sam. This whole center is here because he dreamed it, and it’s truly wonderful that he got to see his dream come full circle, and be recognized for it.”

“Dr. Sam Britten exemplifies the ideals of the highest quality of adapted aquatics exercise programs,” said Alva. “A trustworthy, reliable, honorable and earnest person in his academic and community pursuits, Sam is also caring and compassionate, driven by a desire to see others not only achieve their health and fitness goals, but to find happiness. His history and reputation across campus reflect these same characteristics.”

Britten said the addition of the aquatic component has completed the offerings of the Center of Achievement and provides an excellent model for colleges and universities of the future to emulate.

Taeyou Jung, director of CSUN’s Center of Achievement through Adapted Physical Activity and and a professor in the Department of Kinesiology in the College of Health and Human Development, said he and his colleagues were thrilled to learn Britten was getting the honor. “I believe this is a token of appreciation and acknowledgement of Dr. Sam’s lifelong dedication and contribution to developing adapted aquatics programs for helping people with disabilities,” said Jung.

Britten himself was humble about receiving the honor. “CSUN allowed me to develop this unique program and area of special expertise in the field of adaptive aquatics and aquatic therapy,” said Britten. “I am so grateful to all the people that supported me and believed in this project. This award is truly a great honor.

“Since the Brown Center opened in 2003, it has provided restoration and relief for thousands of additional people traumatized through accident or disease, to rebuild their lives and be mainstreamed back into society,” he said. “The tremendous success of the center has resulted in an increasing local, national and international recognition. I believe the work that we have accomplished in therapeutic and adaptive exercise and aquatics is just beginning, and the future for this field is very promising. The Brown Center is a dream come true.”

After retiring from the University, Dr. Britten founded the Western Independent Living Foundation, Inc. A non-profit organization that seeks to improve home safety for elderly and disabled individuals. For more information on the Brown aquatic center and Britten, please visit http://www.csun.edu/hhd/kin/capd.html.

California State University, Northridge President Dianne F. Harrison has been reappointed to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE).

Harrison, who was first appointed to the commission by California Gov. Jerry Brown in 2011, is the immediate past chair of the commission. The nonprofit organization facilitates collaboration between state governments, undergraduate and graduate student interstate exchange agreements and provides data and policy analysis for educators, policymakers and governors in 15 Western states and the U.S. Pacific territories.

“It’s an honor to be reappointed to WICHE and represent California,” Harrison said. “WICHE’s focus on student access and success is in alignment with CSUN’s mission and priorities. I look forward to continued service with an organization that plays such a vital role in higher education in the western United States.”

The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education and its members work collaboratively to expand educational opportunity and excellence. By promoting innovation, cooperation, resource sharing and sound public policy among states and institutions, WICHE strengthens higher education’s contributions to the region’s social, economic and civic life. WICHE’s 16 members include Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and the U.S. Pacific territories and freely associated states (the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands is the first of the group to participate).

In addition to her service on WICHE, Harrison has served on more than 80 boards and committees of national, state and local organizations. She currently serves on the Steering Committee of the American College and University President’s Climate Commitment and is a commissioner on the Western Association of Schools and Colleges’ Senior College and University Commission.

Steven Stepanek

California State University, Northridge faculty member Steven Stepanek has been reappointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to the California State University Board of Trustees.

Stepanek originally was appointed in 2013 and will serve the CSU for another two years.

“I am honored to be reappointed to the board,” Stepanek said. “I am very excited and am looking forward to continuing my work on behalf of the CSU.”

Stepanek, a CSUN alumnus, has been an active member of the campus since 1972. He came to the university as a student and then worked as an academic consultant, operating systems analyst and finally as a professor. He has been a professor of computer science since 1981. Before his appointment to the CSU board, Stepanek served as the chair of the Department of Computer Science and as the CSUN faculty president.

As a veteran of the CSU Board of Trustees, Stepanek participated in numerous special task forces and committees. He recently served on a task force that focused on developing a sustainable financial model for CSU. The existing CSU financial model is based on an antiquated system that no longer meets current needs, he said. Stepanek also has engaged with the greater Los Angeles community through presentations about the CSU.

Stepanek has visited many of the CSU’s 23 campuses during his tenure on the board. He said he has enjoyed the opportunity to sit down and talk to faculty, administrators and student leaders at each of the campuses he has visited. He asked campus representatives to identify two or three things they are doing that truly make the campus outstanding. As an expert in technology, he also said he learned how each campus makes creative use of technology in various capacities.

Stepanek noted that the campuses serve the surrounding communities by identifying regional needs. For example, campuses in the wine country have programs relating to the wine industry. The California Maritime Academy trains people for the maritime industry across all academic disciplines. And at Humboldt, the campus provides forestry programs.

“We are a collective system and yet, each campus has a very distinctive identity — it’s very exciting,” Stepanek said.

Though he represents all of the CSU, he is also very proud to be from CSUN.

“My many different sets of experiences as student, staff and faculty member — both in lecturer and tenure-track positions — give me a background to contribute to and better things,” Stepanek said.

During the next two years, Stepanek will be involved with the next steps after the recommendations from the financial model task force are released later this summer.

He also has been appointed as the CSU board’s chair of the standing committee on institutional advancement and the vice chair of the committee on board organization and rules. He called the appointments a distinct honor because faculty trustees are rarely asked to chair standing committees, due to their relatively short terms.

“That’s going to give me a few more tasks to do,” Stepanek said. “And I’m looking forward to it.”

California State University, Northridge gender and women’s studies professor R. Dianne Bartlow has won a regional Emmy Award for directing a piece spotlighting an organization that serves the homeless in Santa Monica.

The three-segment special, “Santa Monica Cares,” aired Dec. 31, 2014, on CityTV of Santa Monica and was a joint effort by members of the Women’s Steering Committee of the Directors Guild of America, of which Bartlow is a member. The program won an Emmy in the Public, Municipal and Operator-Produced Cable category, competing against four other programs. The winner was announced at the 67th Los Angeles-area Emmy Awards presentation Saturday, July 25, at the Skirball Cultural Center.

CSUN professor R. Dianne Bartlow received her 3rd Emmy for her segment of “Santa Monica Cares,” highlighting organizations that help the homeless.

Bartlow, an accomplished television director, writer and producer, said she was thrilled her team’s program won the award.

“It was just so exciting,” Bartlow said. “It was a project we all worked on pro bono that came together really nicely. People were stepping up and making original music compositions on our segments. It was pretty phenomenal.”

Bartlow directed a four-minute feature on the Bread and Roses Café at the St. Joseph’s Center, a diner-style eatery providing free, healthy gourmet meals for Santa Monica’s homeless community. The kitchen is run by “Hero Chef” Derek Walker — 2013 winner of the Food Network show “Chopped” — and an all-volunteer wait staff.

Bartlow said the cafe is special because it is not a soup kitchen, but a real fine-dining experience, due to the quality of the food and the respectful service.

“What Walker was doing on ‘Chopped’ is exactly what he is doing at Bread and Roses,” she said. “It’s a place where the homeless can go to eat really good food, and maybe for an hour they don’t feel homeless.”

Beyond the award, Bartlow said, her segment also helped generate public interest in St. Joseph’s Center — which offers other resources such as intervention and culinary education programs. Her feature was shown at a St. Joseph’s fundraiser, and afterward, anonymous donors contributed $65,000, Bartlow said. Within a short time, that sum was matched by more donations.

“It feels amazing to know it made an impact,” Bartlow said. “We’ve got really good citizens out there who are privileged and have the means, who put their money where their mouth is by helping this very vulnerable population.”

Sharing the Emmy award with Bartlow are fellow directors/producers Jerri Sher and Melanie Wagor, executive producers Mary Lou Belli and Robin Gee, and associate producers Al Johnson and Evan Zissimopulos. The team produced three segments featuring Santa Monica-based organizations that work with the homeless: Bread and Roses Café, Step Up on Second and the Ocean Park Community Center (OPCC).

“The main directors and producers were all women, and it shows that when you give us a chance to showcase our talents, we deliver the goods,” Bartlow said. “We are still on cloud nine about it, still just reeling.”

Bartlow, chair of CSUN’s Department of Gender and Women’s Studies, has been teaching at CSUN since 2002. She started her career as a magazine, TV and production secretary, and she worked her way up to segment producer. She spent more than a decade in the broadcast journalism arena, garnering a number of Emmy Award nominations along the way.

In 1993, she won an Emmy for a segment called “Pioneer Women,” and another in 1997 for “A Community of Caring.” She worked on the “Two on the Town” magazine show for KCBS through the 1980s.

When the show ended, she worked as a freelance producer for a number of years before returning to school to earn a doctorate in communications, with an emphasis on critical cultural/media studies, gender, race and discourse, cognition and human interaction. Her research focuses on representations of African-American women in popular music, culture and film; 19th-century black feminism; pedagogy and diversity; mothering; and violence against women.

She is currently developing two documentaries: “Justice Denied: Mothers Who Lose Custody” and “New Agenda: African-American Women and Music.”

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Aug. 4, 2015) California State University, Northridge is one of more than 100 universities nationwide who are lauded for their efforts in diversity in engineering education in an American Society for Engineering Education letter released today during the White House’s inaugural Demo Day.

The ASEE letter lists the deans from all 102 universities nationwide, including CSUN’s College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean S.K. Ramesh, and the document calls out the gains in participation in engineering by women, Latinos, African-Americans and Native Americans throughout the most recent decades, but that there is more work to be done.

Ramesh has long sought increased inclusion for underrepresented groups into the STEM fields since he came to CSUN in 2006, and touts the university’s previous involvement in the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program, and the Minority Engineering Program model that was established at CSUN in 1968 before it spread nationally. One recent success story is the Teaching to Increase Diversity in STEM initiative, funded by the Helmsley Trust under the auspices of the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and the California Career Pathways Trust grant to introduce K-14 students to high-wage, high-growth career fields. Another triumph comes from a partnership with Glendale Community College and College of the Canyons in the Attract, Inspire, Mentor and Support Students program that is a part of a $5.5 million Hispanic Serving Institution STEM grant from the U.S. Department of Education. AIMS² features faculty and peer mentoring, tutoring and advisement, along with social activities and participation in summer research projects.

“The AIMS² program received national recognition from Excelencia in Education in 2014 and has served a total of 187 students to date in five cohorts (approximately 67 percent Latina/o),” Ramesh said. “This includes 100 first-time transfer students at CSUN, 45 students at GCC and 42 students at COC. Students in this program are supported with stipends to motivate and inspire them to succeed and have access to special mentoring and advisement by faculty, tutoring and peer mentoring, social activities, field trips and opportunities to take part in undergraduate research projects. Students in the cohorts have recorded higher per-term units completed, per-term and cumulative GPAs and next-term persistence rates compared to their non-participant student counterparts. As a result program completion rates continue to improve and have exceeded targets for every year of the grant.

“I am confident that CSUN’s efforts through these collaborative programs will lead to larger, more inclusive pool of STEM graduates.”

For more information, please visit about the White House Demo Day.

Pictured are the 2014-2015 members of the Five Gears Faculty Learning Community. Standing from left: Heidi Schumacher (Liberal Studies) Rachel Mackelprang (Biology), Theresa White (Africana Studies), Matthew d’Alessio (FLC co-facilitator, Geological Sciences), Cynthia Desrochers (FLC co-facilitator, College of Education, Special Projects), and Nanci Carr (Business Law). Seated from left: Ellen Stohl (Educational Psychology and Counseling), Leigh Bradberry (Political Science), Yoko Mimura (Family and Consumer Sciences), and Stefanie Drew (Psychology).

“Everything we teach has some component that students are familiar with that we can highlight to give students a starting place for new learning.”

That’s just one of five principles California State University, Northridge’s Teaching Learning Group plans to share this academic year with faculty in the Five Gears for Activating Learning project. Cynthia G. Desrochers, professor of education and head of the project, said connecting prior knowledge to new concepts — one of the five gears —gives students a starting place to build new learning.

Combining neuroscience research, best teaching practices and cutting-edge research from across disciplines, Desrochers’ group has developed a shared language for talking about how learning happens. The Five Gears for Activating Learning are:

• Motivating learning
• Organizing knowledge
• Connecting prior knowledge
• Practicing with feedback
• Developing mastery

“The Five Gears condenses 100 years of research into a common vocabulary that CSUN teachers can use in the classroom to improve learning and make teaching more enjoyable,” said Desrochers. With money from CSUN’s Judge Julian Beck Learning-Centered Instructional Project grant and a donation from Michael D. Eisner College of Education Dean Michael Spagna, Desrochers and co-facilitator Matthew d’Alessio of the Department of Geology plan to expand the project in 2015-16.

They are organizing a multidisciplinary faculty learning community to apply the Five Gears to student learning challenges and obstacles.

“We share the vision that faculty teaching and our classroom impact on student learning should now be our focus for increasing student success at CSUN,” Desrochers said.

CSUN faculty can apply online to participate in the yearlong Beck Grant Five Gears Faculty Learning Community for 2015-16. The deadline is noon on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

Desrochers, who has worked in education for more than 45 years, including as the founder of CSUN’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning and former director of the CSU Institute for Teaching and Learning at the Chancellor’s Office, initiated the project in 2012 with participation from a small group of faculty leaders from various disciplines.

The group read How Learning Works: Seven Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching, a book that brings together much of the relevant research by cognitive psychologists, neuroscientists, and others over the past 100 years, particularly in the last few decades. The group’s work has been supported by the Office of the Provost and the Michael D. Eisner College of Education.

“Every teacher, from the novice to the expert, can incorporate the five gears into their classroom teaching,” said Michael Neubauer, vice provost and one of the original members of the team involved in developing the gears.

Heidi Schumacher, a professor in the Liberal Studies program who participated in a test study of the principles last spring, said the strategies have helped her become a better teacher.

“I wanted to make what had been intuitive in my teaching more intentional and explicit,” Schumacher said. “I learned over the course of the Faculty Learning Community that I had been using many of the gears without knowing it — one of the very valuable aspects of this FLC was learning a common language with which to think/talk about effective learning and teaching.”

New Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Yi Li, who joined CSUN in July 2015, met with university leaders at the department chairs and deans retreat, Aug. 17, 2015. Photo by Luis Garcia.

California State University, Northridge academic and administrative leaders convened Monday to prepare for the 2015–16 academic year — and to equip themselves to welcome the largest student body in the university’s history. More than 100 leaders, including department chairs, deans of CSUN’s nine colleges and library, and administrators, met in the Noski Auditorium and Juniper Hall for their annual retreat.

“Welcome back, and welcome to those of you who are new,” said CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison, kicking off the Aug. 17 retreat. “We have a number of opportunities this year. One has to do with our enrollment. We’re looking at approximately 42,000 students this fall.

“You may be thinking, as I was, what happened to impaction?” the president told the audience, referring to the CSU-mandated restrictions limiting applications from students outside of CSUN’s service area and in certain crowded majors. Those rules, for the most part, do not take effect until the 2016–17 academic year.

“We had no tool available regarding transfer students,” she said. “We also have improved our freshman retention. That’s a great thing. Our persistence increased our [numbers of students matriculating from] freshman to sophomore years by over 1,000 students. We thank you for that.”

Harrison reiterated that CSUN is “entering the impaction world very reluctantly. We will keep you alerted and involved along the way.”

Preparing schedules, faculty staffing and classes for the fall semester (which begins Aug. 23), department chairs were urged by the president to consider scheduling classes more than once per day or during more than one time slot. Doing otherwise “blocks students from making progress when they can’t get a class,” she said. “To the extent that you can, please offer choices.”

The retreat’s sessions included breakout groups focusing on academic coaching, counseling, scholarship and research. Faculty members from across the university also had the opportunity to meet new Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Yi Li, interim deans from the College of Health and Human Development (Tami Abourezk) and the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media and Communication (Dan Hosken), as well as a number of new department chairs.

“New this year, we hope to schedule a series of workshops covering topics of concern to chairs,” said Jon Stahl, chair of CSUN’s Council of Chairs and chair of the Department of Cinema and Television Arts. “These are meant to be free and open sessions — a chance for you to, perhaps, bring issues that you’ve grappled with in the past year, and hear how others have dealt with it.”

Planned sessions may include topics such as wellness for faculty, academic dishonesty from students, behavioral problems and other student issues, Stahl said.

Chief Anne Glavin of CSUN’s Department of Police Services helped prepare participants for emergencies by bursting in during Stahl’s welcoming remarks, along with a K-9 dog and K-9 officer, who discovered a “suspicious object” under the seat of Michael Spagna, dean of the Michael D. Eisner College of Education.

“Do you know when it’s a 911 moment, or do you know when it’s bad behavior?” Glavin asked the crowd. “Do you know what to do? Do you know what not to do? How to present a calmness for your staff so they don’t overreact? They will turn to you.”

While Glavin spoke, CSUN officers staged an active-shooter situation with false weapons, and an actor portrayed a CSUN student threatening Spagna over a bad grade.

“We have a host of training resources for emergency preparedness,” Glavin said. “We do see faculty members at our trainings. I encourage you to set an example for your colleagues.”

In the late afternoon, Provost Li, who assumed his new post in July, wrapped up the all-day retreat with a brief, informal discussion with the faculty members and leadership. He punctuated the meeting of minds with a fitting note about the value of a liberal arts university education.

“I believe we owe our students, as a public good, a liberal arts education,” said Li, who came to CSUN from Wright State University, where he had served as dean of the College of Science and Mathematics since 2011. He previously served as professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Iowa, associate professor of mathematics at the University of Rochester, and instructor at the University of Chicago.

“I am a mathematician. If all you needed in life were math, life would be so simple!” said Li, eliciting laughter from his audience. He holds a Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor’s degree from Xi’an Jiaotong University in China. “I think a liberal arts education is key.”

President Dianne F. Harrison welcomes back department chairs, deans and other CSUN leaders for the 2015-16 academic year, at their annual retreat, Aug. 17, 2015. Photo by David Hawkins.

CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison greets new staff and welcomes thousands of returning staff in her annual fall welcome-back address, Aug. 20, 2015. Photo by Lee Choo.

In what’s become the university’s own State of the Union, California State University, Northridge President Dianne F. Harrison this week greeted hundreds of new faculty members and staff — and welcomed back thousands of those returning to campus — at her annual fall welcome address, which took place Aug. 20 at CSUN’s Valley Performing Arts Center.

Harrison, one of just seven women presidents in the 23-campus CSU system, struck an optimistic and proud tone for the 2015–16 academic year that begins Aug. 23, naming a host of CSUN accomplishments and milestones during the past academic year.

“My vision for CSUN is to be a campus that is known nationally, statewide and regionally for being an outstanding educational institution with highly ranked and high-quality academic programs,” Harrison said, “and for having faculty who give students the opportunity to engage in research, internships, learning communities and cutting-edge technology. As a campus that reflects the demographics of California and the future demographics of the entire United States, we nurture and prepare this future potential for our state and our nation.”

Following on the heels of a record May 2015 graduating class of 10,658, Harrison noted the impending arrival and start of fall classes for the largest student body in the university’s history — and one of the largest in the nation — expected to top 42,000.

“Part of our increased enrollment is due to the attraction CSUN has become as a destination campus, and we should all be proud of that,” she continued. “Our students should be the central focus of why we arrive on campus each and every day, filled with enthusiasm for our teaching, our research and scholarship, and service in our offices, classrooms and out on the campus grounds.”

Harrison’s speech, titled 40,000+ Reasons to Excel at CSUN, outlined the university’s seven stated priorities — from student success listed No. 1 to No. 7: using athletics as a tool for student, community and regional engagement — and several recent accomplishments in each priority area.

“Having priorities and a campus-wide shared understanding of them makes all of our jobs easier because we are all working toward the same common good. We can move forward in significant ways if we act in concert.”

In just one of myriad examples, she cited plans for a new minor in entrepreneurship in the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics, as well as the development of an interdisciplinary master’s degree in innovation and “design thinking.”

“[The master’s degree] will give students the kinds of skills for creativity and innovation that is desired by employers and crucial to an advanced economy like ours,” Harrison said. “It represents the kind of entrepreneurship and innovation skills I hope we are putting into place in all of our majors, so that students can be competitive in a global marketplace.”

Harrison’s address also recognized CSUN’s long history of championing social justice and its importance in society today.

“There is a general unease and unrest that is going on in our country right now,” she said. “I am saddened that we have lived through the tragedies related to the discrimination and profiling of African-Americans in Charleston, Ferguson and right here in Los Angeles. Our students are still learning about themselves, about the world and how they fit into that world, and they expect social justice.

“We have an obligation to provide a welcoming environment that allows people to share their perspectives and teaches them to listen and hear others as well,” she continued. “It is imperative to model social discourse. We must ourselves be courageous and not tolerate those around us that discriminate against others.”

Harrison highlighted gains made around another institutional priority — increasing research activity and sponsored programs. The past academic year saw CSUN increase its research activity by 4.5 percent to $32.2 million in research awards.

“One of the most exciting and significant of these projects is the BUILD-PODER grant, a $22 million grant from the National Institutes of Health which is the biggest so far in CSUN’s history,” she said. “This grant not only advanced our goal to expand research, it also supports the priority for student success, our commitment to social justice and to inclusion.”

At the start of her address, Harrison welcomed new faculty members, staff and leadership, including new Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Yi Li, who assumed his post in July. He previously served as dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at Wright State University, professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics at the University of Iowa, associate professor of mathematics at the University of Rochester, and instructor at the University of Chicago.

Philosophy professor Adam Swenson, acting president of the Faculty Senate, opened and concluded the program, and Jorge Reyes, president of Associated Students, provided greetings from CSUN’s students.

“You’re the spark that keeps us moving forward when we want to give up,” Reyes said. “I always return feeling fortunate to be surrounded by our campus diversity. On behalf of the 42,000 students and Associated Students, I thank you for the memorable year we are about to begin — and the knowledge you are about to give us.”

For the full text or to watch a video of President Harrison’s address, go to http://www.csun.edu/president/2015-annual-fall-welcome .

In life, it’s interesting how a twist of fate can have a profound impact on one’s path, especially if that twist is a teenage diagnosis that points toward an unexpected, and not so colorful, road.

Take the case of Yi Li, who has just begun his tenure as provost for California State University, Northridge. Li succeeds Harry Hellenbrand, who served as CSUN’s provost for 11 years before stepping down June 30 to return to the classroom.

Li was born in Shanghai, China, and grew up in the remote northwest part of the country during the nation’s Cultural Revolution, when education was for the most part dysfunctional — with students learning some recitations, but not much else.

“To me, that was happiness. No more studying,” Li recalled, a slight smile playing across his face. “We learned a few things, then the rest of the time was play.”

Continuing to look back, Li lamented, “I had a mostly wasted K-12 education.”

He was barely in his teens when the Cultural Revolution ended, and Li was left with the quandary: how to make up for so many years without much “real” education? In 1977, he took the national college entrance exam to determine if he might be ready for higher education.

Li did well enough to be accepted to one of the top five universities in China, Xi’an Jiaotong University. When it came time to choose a major, he consulted his father, who had a degree in civil engineering, and chose engineering — but fate had another plan.

Li was found to be color blind. He could seek a college education, but his major would have to be mathematics, not engineering.

“At that time, it was believed that you needed to tell the red wire from the other wires to be able to do electrical engineering,” Li said. “When my family and I received the admission letter, I remember telling my parents I was not going to do it. I was going to refuse and try again the next year.”

His parents intervened after visiting the university to learn why their son had been redirected to mathematics from what he thought would be his true calling. What they found was a need for university professors, because during the Cultural Revolution the influx of educators had stagnated.

“I was attracted to becoming a professor because for years, the pursuit of knowledge had been really cast aside,” Li said. “It was becoming a new attraction.”

Newly inspired by the wonder of analysis and the holistic approach to mathematics, Li more than made up for lost time. He poured himself into mathematics, excelling alongside people who were nearly twice his age but had not been able to pursue an education because there was none to be had. By spring 1982, he had received his bachelor’s degree in mathematics and found a job as a teaching assistant.

Li had planned to switch his focus to physics during his graduate work, until he reached another crossroads.

“The leader of the department told me, ‘Yi, you are a very good student. If you switch back to studying mathematics, we’re going to nominate you to study in America, provided you pass the minimum passing score in English,’” he said.

Li’s English was poor, he recalled. Undeterred, he switched back to mathematics and worked hard for an entire year to better his English. Eventually, he took the proficiency exam and passed — but he noted that his score at the time would have been insufficient to get into CSUN today.

So where did Li end up in his “coming to America” journey to pursue a doctoral education? The University of Minnesota. While Minneapolis was hardly a bastion of cultural diversity for a young man from China, the university gave him room for growth after a very bumpy start.

Li pointed to his first qualifying exam, where he amassed 36 points out of a possible 200. The memory prompted him recently to search for his old test score, “to show our students here, ‘Maybe it doesn’t matter. It’s how you use your determination,’” the provost said.

He used that determination and thirst for knowledge throughout his Minnesota years, maneuvering through campus on a bicycle, even during the frigid, snow-packed winters. He took a practical approach to his still-developing grasp of English.

“I was shameless. I was fearless,” Li said. “I didn’t much mind speaking out, even though I knew 80 percent of what I said didn’t make much sense to people.”

After earning his doctorate in mathematics, Li climbed the higher education ladder, making stops at the University of Chicago and University of Rochester as an instructor, and then as a professor. At the University of Iowa, he began to establish himself as a respected voice for diversity in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Li recalled a time at Iowa when he counseled a doctoral candidate who joined him on a trip to recruit graduate students from Savannah State University in Georgia. At a restaurant, Li asked the doctoral candidate what his plans were for after completing his degree.

“When he told me his plan, it didn’t include a post-doctorate experience,” Li said. “At that time, and even now, if you don’t have a post-doctorate experience, your chance to work at a top research university is zero.”

Because the young man did not have anyone in his life who could be a guiding light for his academic career, he did not know how far his education could take him. Li said people like himself need to fill that void.

“This is our responsibility, to help students who have a desire,” Li said. “My only requirement is to work with us, to sweat with us. That’s the only requirement. Then, we’ll help them with everything else.”

By the time Li reached Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, in 2011 as the dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, he was determined to help more minorities achieve a STEM education.

As CSUN’s provost, he is embracing the university’s top-notch academics, combined with its mission to serve so many underserved, first-generation college students — many of whom mirror the young doctoral candidate at that Georgia restaurant.

“What attracted me the most was the overarching value of CSUN, which is access, access and access — to the population in the region that we serve, and largely California,” Li said. “This region is economically very diverse. CSUN has a tradition of tailoring to students of different colors, different paths and different socioeconomic backgrounds. Once they’re here, CSUN develops programs and initiatives to actually ensure their success.

“Doing well will serve us for years to come, because this nation is going to become even more diverse. A university that can actually be a leader in serving the diverse student population is going to be a leader in the nation. I’m motivated to be that.”

Li approaches his first semester as provost at CSUN with the same passion he had when he first became enthralled with mathematics. He wants to engage CSUN students, to learn more about their motivations and help them achieve their dreams. He wants to see President Dianne F. Harrison’s “Seven Presidential Priorities” continue to grow and evolve. He wants to see CSUN continue to thrive as a force in the region for sending graduates into the workforce, prepared to make an impact on their organizations and the economy at large.

It has been a long time since those moments when he thought of turning his back on studying mathematics. It’s now his goal to have CSUN students find strength in what some might consider weakness.

“Color blindness can be a handicap, but you never know what the bigger plan is,” Li said. “For people who have disadvantages, through their struggles because of these disadvantages, I think people overlook the experience and the insight gained through their struggles. And that’s an advantage.”

New CSUN Alumni Association President Carlos Fuentes ’82 (Political Science) has clear objectives for the future of the organization.

Fuentes, a former student government leader and student-athlete at CSUN who for nearly three decades has been successful in the financial industry, sees a need for different voices in the organization who could influence more pride from CSUN Alumni.

“First and foremost (the goal) is to get some new blood involved,” Fuentes said. “I think we’ve hit an area where he have the same people doing more work. We need to get new people involved. We’ve had many graduates (recently) and people who have grown into leadership positions. I want to identify where our graduates are.”

Fuentes wants to grow CSUN’s profile in Southern California. He said he sees too many CSUN graduates who wear their alma mater’s T-shirt under their shirt and tie and another Southern California university’s sweater over that professional attire. Fuentes said he wants to reach out and find employers who are hiring CSUN grads and celebrate them.

He also wants to better educate the community about CSUN’s accomplishments.

“For us to be an effective fundraising school to compete with the big boys in Westwood and L.A., I’m trying to overcome the know ‘K-N-O-W,’ so I can really overcome the ‘N-O,’ Fuentes said.

The resume
Fuentes is the 30th president in Alumni Association history. He succeeds Francine Oschin, who has been a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors since 1997 and served as president from 2013 until July of this year, when her two-year term ended.

“I can tell you I was very pleased to pass the torch to him,” Oschin said. “As a former AS president, he understands so many things about the balance between faculty, staff and students. He’ll be a real asset to all of us.”

Funetes was active in campus politics while a student in the late 1970s, early ’80s.

From 1978–79, Fuentes served as Associated Students president at CSUN. He recalled one standout accomplishment during his tenure: As student-body president, Fuentes reacted to news stories about campus assaults rising at other Los Angeles-area colleges. The reports inspired him to establish an escort program for students in CSUN parking lots — a campus program that persists today through Matador Patrol. He also helped produce a concert on campus with jazz guitarist George Benson at the height of the Grammy winner’s career. Stevie Wonder, Fuentes recalled, joined Benson on stage during part of the performance after actually paying for his ticket.

Prior to his involvement with student government, he was an outfielder on the Matador Baseball team. Fuentes has another important CSUN Athletics link.

He is married to 2001 CSUN Athletics Hall of Fame inductee Dr. Patricia De La Riva ’84 (Health Science). The former basketball star is the Assistant Area Medical Director at Kaiser Permanente in Woodland Hills and a lifetime member of the CSUN Alumni Association. They have two sons, Christian (23) and Alex (20).

“Carlos’ passion and commitment is consistent. He has shared his enthusiasm with past university presidents, marketing leaders, coaches, alumni, friends and family members,” De La Riva said.

Since 1998, Fuentes has been an active member of the Alumni Association and has served the past five years on its executive council.

After graduation, Fuentes spent 20 years as a stockbroker and five in retail banking. Then, he established his own investment consulting company Solrac, where he raises private-equity capital to invest mostly in start-up companies. He also has coached high school sports for two of the premier prep programs in Southern California — Harvard-Westlake and now, Oaks Christian.

As a child growing up in Mexico City, Tamara Romo dreamed about Hollywood. She went to the movies three times a week to see American-made movies with Spanish subtitles.

Romo’s dream came true this summer as one of 24 students from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), enrolled in California State University, Northridge’s first UNAM Film Producers Workshop. The 21-year-old business management major said she jumped at the opportunity to participate in CSUN’s three-week course on business management for motion picture production.

“This was a dream come true,” said Romo, who had never been to the United States prior to the program. “We got an inside view at how U.S. cinema operates that was really unique and exciting.”

Professor Nate Thomas lectures. Photo by Lee Choo.

Led by CSUN Department of Cinema and Television Arts professor Nate Thomas, an award-winning producer and director, UNAM students were introduced to basic business procedures of the American motion picture industry. The class included film screenings, studio tours and lectures by film experts, including CSUN alumnus Donald Petrie, director of Hollywood feature films like Grumpy Old Men and Miss Congeniality; and Robert Mitas, producer and executive vice president of Academy Award-winning actor Michael Douglas’ Further Films.

The course included discussions on the management of both independent and major studio projects; financing for film projects; budgeting, distribution and legal matters as they relate to film production.

“Everybody is interested in how films are produced in the United States,” Thomas said. “It was great working with this group of students, hungry to learn all they could about the U.S. film industry.”

Jon Stahl, professor and chair of the cinema and television arts department, said the UNAM students received a “full immersion in American approaches to filmmaking.”

He said it was a “cross-cultural” exchange that benefitted both the UNAM students and the American faculty and students who had an opportunity to meet the visiting students.

The film producers workshop is the latest student exchange with UNAM, one of the oldest and highest-ranked academic institutions in Latin America, since signing a partnership agreement last year. The agreement created a Los Angeles-based center that is housed in CSUN’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and open to faculty and students in all disciplines across the campus interested in the study of Mexico and Latin America.

“This agreement benefits both universities because of the education, cultural exchange and international internships,” said Paula de Gortari, director of UNAM’s Los Angeles office. “Both UNAM and CSUN have a great cinema school.”

Gortari said with the film workshop and similar programs reaffirm UNAM Los Angeles and CSUN’s “ongoing and clear commitment to the educational development of bright young minds, expecting in return an equal commitment to making the best of these opportunities.”

CSUN is considered one of the top film schools in the world. UNAM has an outstanding reputation as well — Gravity director Alfonso Cuarón and multi-Oscar-nominated cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki are both alumni of the Mexico-based film school.

“I learned a lot about the business side of filmmaking,” said Itzel Dekovic Bravo, a law/intellectual property major. “I’m going back to Mexico with new ideas.”

Freshmen should not let others define who they are, urged author David Levithan, the keynote speaker on Sept. 10 at California State University, Northridge’s Freshman Convocation, an annual event that formally welcomes first-year students to the university.

Levithan, author of the Freshman Common Reading book, Every Day, spoke to one of the largest gatherings of freshmen ever at this annual event. His remarks were inspired by the plot of Every Day, the story of “A,” who wakes up in a different body at the beginning of each day.

Levithan used this premise to explore the idea of identity and the labels that others attach to a person’s physical appearance. He spoke about how people should try to overcome these stereotypes.

“You have to choose how to define yourself,” Levithan said. “It is too easy to fall back on how everybody sees you, or how you think everybody sees the way you look. You have every right to be the human being that you want to be. You have every right to be in whatever body you choose, to identify as whatever gender you choose, to love whomever you choose — and don’t let anybody ever tell you differently.”

Approximately 2,600 students made their way to the Oviatt Lawn to attend the convocation, an event that welcomes students as Matadors and sets the stage for future success. CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison emphasized that students hold the keys to their futures.

“The university’s first priority is your success,” Harrison said. “The faculty, staff and administrators of CSUN are focused on providing programs, resources and services to support you. But this effort must also be a partnership with you, our students, and depends greatly on your commitment to your education and personal success. Have confidence in yourself, but understand the work may not be easy. You are the future. You will innovate. You will do the research. You will solve the problems of our world. I know you can succeed because you are now part of the CSUN family — but to succeed and achieve excellence, you will need to plan well for the journey. And we will be here to help you.”

Former CSU Student Trustee and Associated Students Vice President Talar Alexanian, a 2015 outstanding senior graduate, urged students to take advantage of the wealth of resources the campus has to offer.

“There are endless possibilities, as long as your eyes are open to finding them,” Alexanian said.

President Harrison also presented the 2015 Dianne Harrison Leadership Award to Kenia Lopez, a sophomore majoring in journalism with a 3.51 GPA.

Founders of the Educational Opportunity Programs at California State University, Northridge urged students to continue to advocate for access for traditionally underrepresented groups, at the unveiling of a memorial plaque honoring those trailblazers.

“We may have been here at the beginning, but we need others to follow up and keep that door open,” said Everto “Veto” Ruiz, professor emeritus in the Department of Chicana/o Studies and one of the students who called for the creation of EOP and campus’ ethnic studies programs. “You make sure that this public-serving institution serves all the people, all the taxpayers who invest in this facility.”

As faculty at CSUN in the 1960s, Warren Furumoto, emeritus faculty in the Department of Biology, said he applauded the bravery of the African-American and Latino students who demanded the university provide relevant classes and resources for their communities.

“This place was so racist,” Furumoto said. “I hope that future students take this as a directive to examine the university and the policies of the university. If it is not serving the people that are paying for the university, then it should be changed.”

EOP celebrated its 46-year history on Sept. 30 with the unveiling of the memorial plaque and a series of teach-ins led by faculty from the Departments of Africana Studies, Chicana/o Studies and Asian American Studies. The plaque unveiling, which was held at the Ralph Prator Sundial Fountain near Bayramian Hall, was dedicated to the students, faculty and staff who fought in the 1960s for social justice and equality at CSUN.

Glenn Omatsu, coordinator of EOP’s Faculty Mentor Program and faculty in the Department of Asian American Studies, said he donated the money to create the plaque to “preserve the history” and recognize the students, faculty and staff who sacrificed to establish EOP and CSUN’s ethnic studies departments. Many of the demonstrators were beaten and arrested by police or threatened with other disciplinary actions by campus administration.

“EOP and ethnic studies exists because of students, not because of administrators,” Omatsu said. He encouraged those in attendance to learn the “history of liberation.”

EOP was founded at CSUN in 1969 and aims to serve historically low-income, underrepresented, first-generation college students by providing them with access to the university and holistic academic services and support. The students’ efforts not only gave birth to the creation of EOP, but also resulted in the establishment of the Department of Africana Studies (formerly Pan African Studies) and the Department of Chicana/o Studies, two of the oldest and largest degree-granting programs of their kind in the nation.

“EOP has survived and has had a significant impact on CSUN,” said EOP Director José Luis Vargas. “Those of us here must strive for excellence in everything we do and maintain a vigilance to ensure the future for our communities.”