At California State University, Northridge’s Educational Opportunity Programs (EOP), mentoring comes with the job — literally.

Every staff member, faculty and student who works there is given the title of “mentor”: The office manager is called the office manager mentor, the staff photographer is called the media arts mentor and the students are called peer mentors. Students can’t leave the program without having been mentored by several, if not dozens, of individuals — some of whom have been there for decades.

EOP celebrated this rich culture of mentoring by honoring five CSUN leaders at the 2016 Don Dorsey Excellence in Mentoring Awards ceremony, Nov. 16.

The Don Dorsey awards were established in 1998 by the CSUN Faculty Mentor Program and EOP, and named after educational psychology and counseling professor Don Dorsey, who helped develop CSUN’s first mentor training program. The annual awards recognize faculty and staff who have made exceptional contributions to mentoring of past and current students. This includes a holistic approach to mentoring, including academic and personal support, as well as proactive involvement in the university’s commitment to the success of students from diverse backgrounds and communities.

This year’s awardees are child and adolescent development professor Virginia Huynh, English and linguistics professor Sharon Klein, EOP Student Support Services Program Director Frank Muñiz, Executive Director of the CSUN Mentoring to Overcome Struggles and Inspire Courage (MOSAIC) program Alex Ojeda, and EOP Resilient Scholars Program Coordinator Jina Gonzalez.

Each honoree was nominated by a student, staff or faculty member — and this year’s awards saw a record 27 nominations submitted for consideration.

“To be nominated is an honor in itself,” said Glenn Omatsu, EOP Faculty Mentor Program Coordinator. “A lot of the time, the [nominees] are surprised when they find out that someone would take the time to say something nice about them. To be nominated is a special occasion.”

The five awardees exemplified the Faculty Mentoring Program’s three guiding principles — to make every moment a mentoring moment, or “mentoring on the run”; to build a community of mentors; and promote a culture of mentoring on campus. Becoming a part of a circle of mentoring and “paying it forward” was a theme that emerged throughout all of the speeches.

Each was introduced by those who submitted the nomination, and other peers or students familiar with the honorees.

Virginia Hyunh

Professor Huynh was introduced by CSUN child and adolescent development professor Angie Guan.

“As a minority and first-generation college student, I dealt with discrimination issues and struggled with countless obstacles in my college years,” Guan said. “However, I was lucky enough to rely on Dr. Huynh for her supporting guidance. She has always made herself available, gone the extra mile, helped me overcome some of my deepest fears.”

Hyunh is a daughter of Vietnamese refugees and shared her own difficulties as a first-generation college student, and the importance of mentors in her own life.

“I applied to college all by myself and I did the FAFSA [Free Application for Federal Student Aid] all by myself,” Hyunh said. “I actively sought out mentors because I was determined to make education my No. 1 priority. My mentors pushed me, they made me realize I could achieve. To me, giving back is natural, because [of what] everyone has given me. I’m nobody without my mentors.”

Sharon Klein

After playing a video of Klein’s students expressing their gratitude for her support, the English and linguistics professor was introduced by her colleague, CSUN English professor Cheryl Spector.

“She’s inimitable — there’s nobody like Sharon,” Spector said. “She’s besieged by friends and people who want advice. She’s always available and she’s never offline, you can call her anytime. She’s always there for students, at her office at [late hours], asking [other faculty] for extra chairs. Her mentoring is even edible, she’s got food in her office. She’s just someone who nourishes everybody.” 

Klein thanked her students and the community of mentors for the award.

“This all makes me feel incredible,” Klein said. “I’ve learned from the best … Mentoring is a [liberating] process — teaching, advising, tutoring, general support can all occur. [Tonight] we celebrate together what others have done.”

Alex Ojeda

Sociology and Chicana and Chicano studies double major David “Chino” Contreras introduced Ojeda, director of CSUN MOSAIC, a program that has sociology students mentoring at-risk youth who attend continuation high schools in the San Fernando Valley. Contreras is a student mentor in the program and talked about how Ojeda has served as a role model.

“His presence alone and organic mentorship was enough to guide this once-labeled ‘at risk youth’ to look beyond and paint a picture that many at-risk youth do not see,” Contreras said. “Alex has a soul of a leader, creating leaders in the souls of others. Thank you for your open hands and open-door policy.”

Ojeda, an alumnus who earned his bachelor’s degree in liberal studies in 2009 and a master’s degree in Chicana and Chicano studies in 2013, said he was once an at-risk youth who was not expected to succeed. Ojeda said he was kicked out of three different high schools, was involved in gangs and was incarcerated as a teenager. His 10th grade guidance counselor told him that he did not need to go to college, Ojeda said. After realizing he needed education, he enrolled in community college and discovered his passion for learning and teaching. He transferred to CSUN with two associate’s degrees and a 3.8 grade point average (GPA) and graduated with high GPAs for his two degrees from CSUN.

Ojeda said mentoring is about community activism on behalf of his community.

“Much of my mentoring efforts are directly impacted by some of the injustices we witness in the world every day,” Ojeda said. “Those struggles that we experience as a community every day that jeopardize our human rights, our dignity and our willingness to continue moving forward, such as our undocumented brothers and sisters who are out there fighting for what’s right.”

Frank Muñiz

Muñiz, director of the EOP Student Support Services Program, was described as “one of the kindest and [most] giving people” at CSUN by Vanessa Morales, program advisor for the EOP/Trio Student Support Services Program.

Muñiz received his bachelor’s degree in Chicana and Chicano studies at CSUN in 1980, and he has served as an advocate in EOP for four decades. In 1986, Muñiz helped developed a mentoring curriculum for a previous program called Student Affirmative Action, and his mentoring curriculum was used as a model to spread to other CSUs.

Muñiz talked about his love for his students and what he has gained from interacting with them.

“As a professional, I always thought I had the best job possible,” Muñiz said. “It is truly a rewarding experience to work with students and see them develop from being incoming freshmen and transfer students into successful CSUN alumni, who are making positive contributions to their community and truly making a difference in people’s lives.”

Muñiz noted he was honored to share the award with EOP Resilient Scholars Program Coordinator Jina Gonzalez, who was his EOP mentee decades ago. Gonzalez, who earned her bachelor’s degree in Chicana and Chicano studies in 2007, received a special mentoring award in honor of the late EOP Director José Luis Vargas.

Jina Gonzalez

Gonzalez was introduced by EOP Resilient Scholars Program Assistant Orlando Roybal. A former foster youth, Roybal thanked Gonzalez for supporting him in many different ways, from providing a listening ear and helping him succeed as a student to making sure he had access to health insurance and a doctor when he lost his MediCal coverage.

“Jina goes far beyond the scope of her job position,” Roybal said. “She is the type of person who can be drowned in her work, but if a student comes into her office needing help, she’ll make the time.”

Gonzalez, a daughter of immigrant farmworkers who enrolled as a freshman in the EOP Summer Bridge Program in 1986, thanked her students and expressed her joy about the award.

“These 30 years have gone by so fast, and I think it’s because I really love what I do,” Gonzalez said. “I love the program, the people I work with and the students that give me the opportunity to be in their lives. Thank you for sharing your life experiences with me. Your mentoring has made me a better person and mentor for others. Without our students, this award would not be possible.”

Gonzalez — echoing the sentiment of the other speakers — gave special thanks to José Luis Vargas, who was the first person to receive the Don Dorsey award in 1999.

“Receiving the Don Dorsey Excellence in Mentoring Award is special. Receiving it in memory of Jose Luis Vargas makes it even more,” Gonzalez said. “Jose Luis was my mentor and friend. He was extremely patient with me and never gave up on me.  He helped me develop my tactfulness and patience to better help our students and program.  He kept on reminding me not to shoot from the hip — and to be a little nicer in my emails.”

Mental health, depression and suicide are clear and present dangers among college students — but they are rarely discussed. California State University, Northridge has been making efforts to bring an end to the negative stigma around mental health, as well as raising awareness about depression and suicide prevention with the BLUES Project, a peer education volunteer program.

In collaboration with University Counseling Services, Joint Advocates on Disordered Eating (JADE), Project D.A.T.E. (Discovering Alternatives for Today’s Encounters), Men CARE (Creating Attitudes for Rape-Free Environments), Associated Students and the University Student Union (USU), the BLUES Project organized the 10th annual Beat the Blues Week, Nov. 14-17.

This year’s Beat the Blues Week featured speakers, relaxation workshops, film screenings and a mental health awareness parade at the Delmar T. Oviatt Library Lawn, as well as free depression screenings and a resource fair at the Plaza del Sol. The week concluded with a candlelight vigil at the Oviatt Lawn. Some of the highlights of the weeklong event included:

Dear Stress, Let’s Break Up
Steve Silver, a staff psychologist at University Counseling Services, spoke about coping with stress on the college level, Nov. 14 at the USU Lake Balboa room.

“It’s all about balance and to keep an eye on yourself,” Silver said.

Even though Silver mentioned that some stress is positive in terms of staying motivated, he talked about the impact of too much stress and the importance of what he called a healthy “mind platter” — a healthy balance between stress, sleep, exercise, focus time, play time, downtime and socialization.

Coping with Grief and Loss
Psychotherapist Beth Jakubanis, from SoCal Child Therapy, and family therapist Debi Frankle, from the Calabasas Counseling and Grief Recovery Center, talked about coping with grief and loss, particularly the loss of suicide victims, Nov. 14 at the Lake Balboa room.

“There is a fear of talking about it,” Frankle said. “We’re afraid of it [to say suicide], so we don’t talk about it and perpetuate the stigma not to talk about it.”

Yet, Jakubanis added that talking about suicide and grief is important — not only to eliminate the stigma, but also to prevent grief from taking over externally or internally.

“We keep getting told to move on, but the world is just not the same anymore if the person you go to for stability is not there anymore,” Frankle said. “It is important to tell the truth and talk about what is happening.”

LGBTQ Students and D.A.R.K.N.E.S.S.
Amy Rosenblatt, a staff psychologist at University Counseling Services who focuses on CSUN’s LGBTQ community, talked about the different challenges facing LGBTQ students, Nov. 15 in the Lake Balboa room.

The acronym D.A.R.K.N.E.S.S. (Discovering, Alone, Reaching out, Kin, Network, Environments, Social Media and Suicide) highlighted the different challenges and referred to solutions on how young people can overcome them.

“Sometimes, it is like going through adolescence again,” Rosenblatt said.

Improve your Mood with Food
Ellen Bauersfeld, a registered dietitian at the Klotz Student Health Center, talked about improving mood by maintaining a healthy diet, Nov. 16 in the Lake Balboa room.

She stressed the importance of sugar, caffeine and alcohol reduction and drew attention to the consumption of a variety of fruits and vegetables.

“Color matters,” she said. “I want you to think about a traffic light on your plate, every day.”

A healthy diet fosters microbes in the gastrointestinal tract, which produce 90 percent of serotonin in the human body, which enhances mood, she said.

Mental Health and Latino Students
Abraham Ambriz, a student counselor at University Counseling Services, shared his own experiences as a Latino student with a mental health disorder, Nov. 16 at the USU Flintridge Room.

He addressed the issue of masculinity in Chicana/o culture, and the negative stigma that goes along with mental health issues.

“In Latino culture, mental health and depression is taboo,” he said. “I didn’t want to ask for help, call anyone or tell anyone.”

Ambriz, who suffered from anxiety, said he was particularly scared to tell his uncle and father about his issue — but eventually reached out to available resources that helped him handle his anxiety.

Middle Eastern Students and Mental Health
Jennifer Esfandi, a doctoral intern at University Counseling Services with a Persian background, spoke about mental health in Middle Eastern culture on Nov. 17 in the USU Granada Hills room.

She mentioned the significance of family and the notion of bringing shame to the family if one’s mental health is different.

“Family is an important value in Middle Eastern culture — nobody wants to disgrace their family,” Esfandi said. “But mental health issues don’t mean you’re crazy or something is wrong with you. These barriers to seek help just perpetuate the stigma.”

Esfandi shared her experiences with coping with stress in college, as well as some Middle Eastern relaxation techniques that help calm the body and mind — such as drinking tea, burning incense and socializing with loved ones.

For more information on the BLUES Project, visit http://www.csun.edu/counseling/blues-project.

What:             Fifty California State University, Northridge business students will receive free laptops from the Y&S Nazarian Family Foundation, which was founded by Younes and Soraya Nazarian. Younes Nazarian is co-founder of Qualcomm and a pioneer of the global wireless revolution.

The Nazarians’ son, entrepreneur, philanthropist and CSUN alumnus David Nazarian, founder and CEO of Nimes Capital, will also attend the special luncheon and presentation of the laptops. Many of CSUN’s students cannot afford to purchase laptops and must rely on computer labs and other public computer resources to complete their school work. These laptops will make college life a little easier for deserving CSUN business students, who were selected based on need.

The Nazarian family recently helped CSUN’s David Nazarian College of Business and Economics successfully conclude a $25 million campaign after only two years. The campaign launched in March 2014 when Nazarian, who received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from CSUN in 1982, donated $10 million of his own money and pledged to help raise an additional $15 million for the college. The college was renamed in his honor.

The campaign’s goals included providing substantive support for the college’s programs. The gift of the laptops is intended to have an immediate impact on the success of current students. The laptop distribution is a pilot program, and officials hope to expand it in the future.

When:            Noon to 1 p.m., Monday, Dec. 5, 2106
12 p.m. – brief ceremony and distribution of laptops
12:30 p.m. –  luncheon

Where:          Room 4117 of Juniper Hall
(located on the west side of the CSUN campus, just south of Plummer Street)
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff St.
Northridge, CA 91330

Who:             
Younes and Soraya Navarian
David Nazarian
Kenneth Lord, dean of the Nazarian College of Business and Economics
Robert Gunsalus, vice president for University Advancement and President of the CSUN Foundation
CSUN business students

Media Contact: Carmen Ramos Chandler, CSUN Media Relations, (818) 677-2130 or carmen.chandler@csun.edu, or Jeff Noblitt, CSUN AVP for Marketing and Communications, at the event.

California faces a looming teacher shortage, and, in particular, a deficit in the number of men interested in working in elementary education.

Hoping to help alleviate the problem, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has awarded California State University, Northridge a $385,651, three-year grant for a teacher-preparation project aimed at increasing the number of men — particularly African-Americans, Asians and Latinos — who want to work in elementary education.

CSUN elementary education professors Shartriya Collier-Stewart and David Kretschmer are leading the Future Minority Male Teachers of California Project, which will eventually involve five other CSU campuses in urban settings — Los Angeles, Dominguez Hills, San Diego, San Jose and East Bay — across the state. The goal is to improve the pipeline for male teachers of color throughout the California State University system, at the same time increasing the number of male mentors and role models for elementary school-aged children of color — and perhaps having a positive impact on the effort to close the achievement gap between white students and students of color.

“Who is teaching in their classrooms can have a profound effect on the thinking and the future of our young people, particularly for males in elementary school,” Kretschmer said. “Every classroom is about half female and half male. Yet, only one of every 10 teachers is a male, and the numbers get even more stark when you talk about elementary school teachers. What we are trying to do is right that imbalance as much as we can. Not only do we want to recruit more males into the teaching profession, but really provide them support once they get there.”

During the first two years of the grant, the project will work with local high schools, community colleges and nonprofit organizations that work with young men — including Men Teach, a national nonprofit with a goal of increasing gender and racial equality in the teaching force; Troops to Teachers, a U.S. Department of Defense program that helps eligible military personnel begin new careers as teachers in public schools; National Compadres Network, a national organization that encourages the positive involvement of Latino males in the lives of their families, communities and society; and the Breakthrough Collaborative, a national effort to develop the next generation of diverse teachers — to encourage men to consider careers in teaching.

In addition to the intensive recruitment efforts, the project will identify mentors and advisors for the future teachers who can appreciate the unique situations that male elementary teachers may encounter.

“The research has demonstrated that people are suspicious of men who work with elementary school-aged children,” Collier-Stewart said. “Men and women often communicate differently, and many male teachers interact with families differently than female teachers do. If we can provide mentors and ways for male teachers to share their experiences and learn from each other, I know we can tear down the obstacles that hold men back from entering the profession.”

During the first two years of the project, CSUN educators will be working with colleagues at CSU Dominguez Hills and Los Angeles to identify as many effective resources as they can to encourage men to enter the teaching profession and then to stay. The effort will then expand to include CSU East Bay, San Jose and San Diego State during the third year of the grant.

“If we’re successful, we’d like to see our model spread to the rest of the CSUs, and then perhaps the nation,” Collier-Stewart said. “Male teachers can be amazing role models for their students — male and female.”

Kretschmer said that society has to confront its stereotypes in assigning gender to certain jobs, include that of being an elementary school teacher.

“It we put more men of color in as teachers at the elementary school level, that changes the perspectives of the male students, including their perspective of what they think they are capable of in the classroom,” Kretschmer said. “The teacher serves as a role model that they can look up to — and for male students, an educated, articulate male teacher just opens the possibilities of the power that an education can help you become.”

The D.C. team after they represented Angola.
Photo courtesy of CSUN Model UN Team.

California State University, Northridge’s Model United Nations team took top honors in competitions against some of the world’s best teams last month. This marks the fourth year in a row for the accomplishment.

Twenty-four CSUN student delegates competed in two conferences, one in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 18-20 and the other in Seattle on Nov. 11-13. The teams participated in committees to discuss topics such as global security, human rights and atomic energy. In Washington, D.C., CSUN represented the country of Angola against teams from around the world, taking first place for three committees. Ten students in Seattle won in three more committee competitions, representing various countries.

The students were required to write position papers about their topic, make speeches and then work together to draft a solution to a set problem.

“The level of student prep work for this is hard,” said CSUN political science professor Jennifer De Maio. “Students work for five hours in class, and also spent time outside of class prepping speeches and developing strategies.”

Senior political science majors Jennifer Veitia and Brooke Cichosz joined the Model UN team in fall 2015. This year, they served as the head delegates. In that role, they advised and supported other students, ensuring that they were prepared for every aspect of the competitions.

“I feel accomplished. It is something we wanted to do, and we worked hard to continue the legacy,” said Veitia.

The CSUN Model UN team’s longstanding reputation for success stems from that work ethic.

“The Model UN team is a life-changing experience,” said De Maio, noting the demand on students’ time. “But the tradeoff is worth it. Students are able to apply the skills they learn in their graduate studies and their careers after they leave CSUN.”

The next conference will take place in New York in April 2017.

California State University, Northridge Chicana and Chicano Studies professor Theresa Montaño has a pen collection she never intended to cultivate. As vice president of the California Teachers Association (CTA), Montaño has stayed at countless hotels while traveling the country advocating for public education, picking up a pen at every stop — unlikely tokens to prove her tenacious dedication to improving the state of learning.

With almost 40 years of professional education and advocacy experience, Montaño is a seasoned K-12 classroom teacher and co-author of two books. And on top of her commitments, she still finds time to teach and mentor students at CSUN. What fuels her voracious appetite for all that work?

“I don’t know!” Montaño said, laughing. “Sometimes I get overwhelmed by it. But once you actually develop your thirst for activism and education, you just get things done. I just tell myself, I’ll get it done — I don’t know how I’m going to do it, but I’ll get it done. You merge the things you care about and you find the time to do it. I mean, as a woman of color — get used to it.”

Her passion for education began during her childhood, when she realized that she wanted to be a teacher. The first in her family to go to college, she volunteered for a community service project at CSU Los Angeles — where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Chicana and Chicano studies and her teaching credential — called the Educational Participation in Communications (EPIC). Through EPIC’s Asian, Black and Chicano Pride program, she got her first experience making lesson plans and teaching ethnic studies to elementary school students.

“It was my involvement in that program that really convinced me I wanted to be a teacher,” Montaño said. “That’s why I have such an interest in teacher ‘pipeline’ projects, because the sooner that you’re introduced to it, the more likely you are to go into the profession.”

Her Career Begins 

Montaño began her career as a substitute teacher in 1979 and became a full-time social studies teacher in 1982, teaching in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) at Stevenson Middle School in East Los Angeles, Lincoln High School and Virgil Middle School. She also spent a period of time teaching in Denver, Colo.

Early in her career, Montaño was identified as an innovator, not only in the classroom, but also by helping provide professional development for others. At UTLA and LAUSD, she worked on projects such as “Dial-a-Teacher,” Multilingual Teacher  Academies and the New Teacher Academy. Montaño also advocates on behalf of teachers — she helped establish a program for teachers interested in securing their National Board certification and protect their stipend and retirement benefits. She served on the staff of UTLA and was the first coordinator of the Helen Bernstein Professional Development Center.

Her involvement in UTLA opened up opportunities to become an education policy advocate at the state and national levels. As a child of a working-class father who participated in a union for baker and confectionary workers, as well as working as a gardener, Montaño said she understood the critical role unions played in labor protections — and she joined UTLA immediately after she became a full-time teacher.

“I was so excited — I remember, I called my dad and told him I got my first teaching job,” she said. “He told me, ‘That’s good mija, now you can join the union.’ He was very strong on unions and was my first exposure to what a union does. We lived in a very poor community in the Florence/South Central area, but my father used to tell us that we were better off than others because he had a union job. We had a home, we had health insurance and he had retirement because of the union.”

Looking to the Future of Education 

Montaño offers a unique perspective on education in the current political climate. Public education advocates have been fighting the push toward privatization of schools, she said — particularly the rise of for-profit charter schools.

“Before this election, I felt we were going to be able to concentrate on real issues of substantive reform, and less on fending off attacks on public education and public-sector unions,” she said. “But the results of this election were kind of a wake-up call. We have to reset our organizing button and really think more about working with parents and community, and creating an equitable education system — that is the only [thing] that is going to save public education.”

Though California is facing a major teacher shortage, the accomplished education leader said she is hopeful, however, for future teachers. Montaño said she is encouraged by college students today, who are the most social justice-minded generation she has seen in a long time.

“I’m inspired by some of the things our students have done,” Montaño said “I honestly believe that young people today go into professions not to just go into them, but because they believe it leads to a better world. They are teaching not just a content area, but are teaching for social justice — that’s the only thing that’s going to save us.”

Montaño wants young people to know that she and people in her generation will provide support and guidance, but that they need to take the lead in education and in broader society.

“They need to lead in the struggle to create a society based on racial equity and economic justice,” she said. “Whether or not it’s under [Trump’s] administration or another, they have to take the helm — it’s going to take an educated young people to do that.”

California State University, Northridge will host back-to-back events next month that will explore the potential of exceptional learners.

Temple Grandin

On Monday, Feb. 6, world-renowned author and autism spokesperson Temple Grandin will discuss how different kinds of minds contribute to society as part of CSUN’s Education on the Edge lecture series – an event that already has sold out. The following day, on Tuesday, Feb. 7, the university will host a daylong conference to explore “What Really Works with Exceptional Learners.” Speakers will discuss strategies for working with students who have disabilities, are English-language learners, gifted, struggling with identity or mental health issues, or are typical learners with other special needs.

“Having Temple Grandin here is a real boon for CSUN,” said Wendy W. Murawski, executive director and Eisner Endowed Chair of the university’s Center for Teaching and Learning. “We genuinely hope that the 700 people who are expected to come to hear her speak about her experiences with autism will then attend the next day’s conference in order to learn concrete strategies for working with friends, siblings, students, children, colleagues and others who are exceptional learners as well.

“Everyone interacts with exceptional learners daily — from those with learning disabilities or ADHD to those who are gifted or struggle with mental health issues, or are English-language learners,” Murawski continued. “This conference is designed to help us all gain strategies for collaborating, teaching, interacting and/or working with these individuals. I am so excited about the level of expertise we have coming in from all over the world to teach us more about what really works with these exceptional learners — and what we can do to be better educators, parents, friends and colleagues to these individuals.”

Grandin’s Education on the Edge lecture is scheduled to take place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 6 in the Northridge Center of the University Student Union, on the east side of the campus, located at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge. The free event already has reached its registration capacity. Interested individuals can get on a waiting list by emailing ctl@csun.edu.

Grandin, a professor of animal science at Colorado State University and a consultant to the livestock industry on animal behavior, is widely celebrated as one of the first individuals on the autism spectrum to publicly share insights from her personal experience with autism. She was portrayed by Claire Danes in the acclaimed film, “Temple Grandin.”

During her CSUN presentation, Grandin will discuss how individuals with autism spectrum disorder have different ways of thinking. Some are photorealistic visual thinkers, others are pattern thinkers who view things spatially, and still others think verbally. Grandin argues that society needs all these different kinds of minds engaged in solving problems, and that people with unique ways of thinking can successfully work together.

The What Really Works with Exceptional Learners conference is scheduled to take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Northridge Center on Feb. 7. The conference fee is $149. CSUN students and faculty can receive a discounted rate of $99. Registration and conference information are available at www.csun.edu/center-teaching-learning/registration.

The day will feature a wide range of workshops on working with exceptional learners. Parents will get a chance to learn practical strategies to use at home with their early childhood to adult-age children. Teachers will share evidence-based techniques that help with academics and behavior in the classroom for a wide range of learners. Administrators can learn from experts and peers about how to create school-wide, systemic practices that work. Students can discover tricks of the trade to use as they enter inclusive, diverse classrooms.

The day’s keynote speakers will be Daniel Jocz, a social studies teacher at Downtown Magnets High School in Los Angeles and 2016 California Teacher of the Year, and alumnus Erica Rood, a part-time faculty member in CSUN’s Department of Elementary Education and a third-grade teacher at the CHIME Institute’s K-8 public charter school who was given the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching in 2016 by President Barack Obama.

Kiana Lucero ’16 (Marine Biology) knows how to use kilowatt meters to determine energy use, install water aerators to reduce water consumption and how to do waste audits — highly useful skills for any profession and in personal lives, but rare for today’s college graduates. Lucero is one of the nearly 100 students who graduated from California State University, Northridge with a minor in sustainability, which she said has been serving her well personally as well as professionally.

“You have an edge up on your competition when you’re applying for jobs,” she said. “When you have a minor [in addition to] a major, it shows that you were putting more effort into your education while you [attended college].”

Sustainability refers to maintaining an ecological balance that refrains from depleting natural resources. The goal is to meet the needs of the present, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainable standards in professional and personal lives benefit not only the environment but also help the economy to conserve resources. CSUN has offered the sustainability minor since 2011, and the program has blossomed in terms of popularity since its launch.

“It has definitely grown a lot,” said Sarah Johnson, coordinator of CSUN’s Institute for Sustainability. “When it was first offered, there was one section of each class per semester. Some of the classes weren’t even offered every semester. And now there are two to three sections each semester, and they’re always full.”

The Institute for Sustainability worked with faculty across campus to determine the curriculum and course content for the minor, but the Department of Liberal Studies in CSUN’s College of Humanities hosts the program since the institute is not an academic department in itself. The minor consists of three core courses in sustainability and a choice of three electives in various disciplines. Many of those electives can overlap with students’ major requirements or general education courses.

“It complements pretty much any major,” Johnson said. “Sustainability is a growing field, and if students can add the minor to their resume and bring the knowledge and experience they’ve learned from those classes to their jobs in whatever field they are going into, it makes them more marketable.”

Two of the three core courses are hands-on classes in which students gain experience in real-life sustainability issues, go on field trips and explore volunteer opportunities.

In Best Practices in Sustainability (SUST 310), students are involved in a variety of community service projects, often in partnership with organizations and institutions serving environmental sustainability within the community.

Those organizations include companies such as GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit initiative that installs free solar panels for low-income homeowners, or Greywater Corps, which installs greywater systems to recycle used water in the greater Los Angeles area.

“Sustainability deals with some of the most important issues that we’re going to be facing,” said Loraine Lundquist, an instructor for the two hands-on courses. “[The] issues relate to fundamental questions of how our society is going to sustain itself, and how our society is going to survive. In some cases, there are sustainability issues that are threatening human civilization and the human species.”

The Applied Sustainability (SUST 401) class is a capstone course, in which students apply their knowledge on their own projects. Lundquist said that previous student projects have worked on projects such as installations of recycling methods like greywater systems or  the organization of alternative food sources. Last semester, a student introduced crickets as an alternative protein source, since the insects contain significantly more protein than steak, chicken breast, eggs, or salmon ­– farming insects demonstrates a more sustainable method than farming livestock.

Lucero, who took a sustainability class as a general education course for her marine biology major, wasn’t considering a sustainability minor at first — but the class sparked her interest.

“I loved it,” she said. “It’s a team-taught class and teaches you about different disciplines relating to sustainability. It opened my eyes to many things that I hadn’t really thought about before.”

For more information about the sustainability minor, visit http://www.csun.edu/sustainability/sustainability-minor

Three-time Oscar nominee and Golden Globe-winning actress Viola Davis will lend her voice to California State University, Northridge’s Black History Month celebration this year.

Davis, whose role in the 2016 film “Fences” earned her the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and her third Academy Award nomination — the most ever for an African-American actress — will speak to CSUN students, faculty and staff at CSUN’s Associated Students Productions Big Lecture at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8, in the Valley Performing Arts Center.

CSUN’s Black History Month festivities will officially begin on Wednesday, Feb. 1, with a reading and discussion led by Cedric Hackett, a professor in CSUN’s Africana Studies department, at 11 a.m. in the University Student Union (USU) Flintridge Room. The lecture will be followed by a dance performance at 12:30 p.m. at the USU Plaza del Sol. The performance will feature dance instructor Jeffrey Larosa-Adams, Africana studies chair Theresa White, and the dancers with the Black Diaspora student team. Also on Feb. 1, there will be a meet-and-greet with various CSUN black student organizations at 5 p.m. in the USU Lake View Terrace Room.

This year’s celebration, themed “Africana Studies 360: Black Synergy,” will highlight the similarities that unite black people — while also focusing on what makes them distinct as individuals. Organizers aim to highlight the synergistic aspect of this theme and the cooperation it entails, throughout the month.

“‘Synergy’ connotes that the combined power of a group of things, when they are working together, is greater than the total power achieved by working separately,” White said. “When one thing magnifies the effect of another, our efforts and results are richer, more substantial and engaging.”

“Exploring the diversity of our culture is one of our main goals,” said Hackett, who, along with White, served as co-producer of the department’s organizing committee. “Our culture is infused with a plethora of differences and similarities that makes it very unique.

“We’re trying to explore not just our cognitive identities, but our aesthetic identities as well — through dance, fashion, literary works and art,” he said. “It’s important to have that, because the authenticity of the black culture is aesthetic.”

In addition to the Department of Africana Studies, the Black Student Union (BSU), the CSUN chapter of the NAACP, the National Association of Black Journalists-Student Association of Black Communicators, the Black Alumni Association and the Sistahood Group will participate in the events.

Other planned programs for the month include the Second Annual Black Youth Guidance Forum, hosted by the W.E.B. DuBois-Fannie Lou Hamer Institute for Academic Achievement, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 4 in the USU Northridge Center. And on Feb. 23, “#RememberHerName: Excavating the Black Female Victims of Police Terror” — a discussion with freelance journalist Thandisizwe Chimurenga about the implications of police violence against black women — will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. in the USU Flintridge Room.

The Delmar T. Oviatt Library will present events celebrating Black History Month as well, including a discussion with author Robert Lee Johnson about his most recent book, “Notable Southern Californians in Black History,” from 2 to 4 p.m. on Feb. 23 in the Jack & Florence Ferman Presentation Room. A full list of the library’s events can be found on its Exhibitions and Events webpage.

Other events scheduled for Black History Month at CSUN include:

•     5 p.m. on Feb. 3 at the Oviatt Library Lawn – A screening of the Jackie Robinson biographical film “42,” featuring jazz performances and food trucks. The screening will be moved to the Jack & Florence Ferman Presentation Room in the event of rain.
•     4 p.m. on Feb. 8 at Redwood Hall room 292 – GROOV3 Hip-Hop Dance Class with Benjamin Allen and DJ Black Rabbit.
•     3:30 p.m. on Feb. 15 at the USU Lake View Terrace Room – The African Diaspora Hair Show.
•     5 p.m. on Feb. 15 at the Santa Susana Patio mezzanine – BSU art gallery.
•     noon on Feb. 16 at the Oviatt Library Learning Commons – Vocal ARTillery and Open Mic.
• 16 at 4:45 p.m. in the USU Lake Balboa Room – Open Mic/Poetry Night/Karaoke.
• 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the Jack & Florence Ferman Presentation Room – A screening and discussion of the film “Blaxicans: The Afro-Latino Experience in the US and Mexico.”
• 21 at 4 p.m. in the USU Grand Salon – Black Wall Street: Business and Job Fair.
• 22 at 1 p.m. at the Jack & Florence Ferman Presentation Room – A screening of Ava DuVernay’s film “13th.”
• 22 at 4 p.m. in the USU Pasadena Room – “College Athlete, Black and Gay Growing Up in South Central LA” – featured speaker Terrence Clemens.
• 24 at 8:30 a.m. in the USU Northridge Center – Harambee High School Conference.

For more information about CSUN’s Black History Month celebrations, contact the Department of Africana Studies at (818) 677-3311.

Math professor Mark Schilling in the classroom. Photo courtesy of Mark Schilling.

It might seem reasonable to believe a random event is always, by its very nature, unpredictable. However, mathematics would beg to differ.

Mark Schilling, a professor of mathematics at California State University, Northridge, has won the Mathematical Association of America’s (MAA) 2017 Chauvenet Prize for an article he wrote on the subject of probability. His central tenet challenges the very notion of unpredictability.

The article, titled “The Surprising Predictability of Long Runs” and published in Mathematics Magazine in 2012, focuses on how certain patterns and repeating sequences virtually always appear within an extended series of events, and how these seemingly arbitrary occurrences often can be predicted reliably.

“When people think of random things, they think it means the same as unpredictable, but it doesn’t mean that,” Schilling said. “This article is about how, when you consider the longest streaks that could happen, there are likely going to be some very predictable patterns that emerge.”

Schilling received a Ph.D. in statistics from the University of California, Berkeley and has taught math at CSUN since 1985. He said he believes that statistics and probability “go hand-in-hand.” The tendency for people — his students included — to view patterns and repetition as anomalies contributed to his interest in the article’s topic, Schilling said.

“People generally don’t expect specific outcomes to happen many times in a row in random phenomena. Therefore, we tend to give patterns meanings when they don’t really need special explanations,” he said.

In his article, Schilling used a wide range of examples to illustrate the concepts and formulas he introduced, including Joe DiMaggio’s famed 1941 Major League Baseball hitting streak, the tendencies of roulette results and the number sequences that occur within Pi’s infinite continuum of digits.

“When you start searching through Pi, you’d be surprised at how predictable its repetitive patterns are. You can bet good money that the sequence ‘2-0-1-7’ will repeat exactly three times in a row somewhere within the known 10 trillion digits of Pi. While it could repeat four or more times, or less than three times, the chance that the longest streak of repeats is exactly three is about 99.99 percent,” he said.

Since 1925, the MAA has awarded the Chauvenet Prize annually to one or more authors of outstanding expository articles. Many renowned mathematicians have won the prize, which includes a certificate and $1,000. Schilling said the award surprised him, as the MAA selects a recipient without authors submitting their works for consideration.

He also received the Pólya Award from the MAA in 1991 for an article he wrote about probability as it relates to coin tosses.

Schilling said his interest in math stretches back to his childhood. He recalled doing well in the subject and when it came time to pick a path in higher education, he said the choice came naturally.

“It was always something I was good at and enjoyed, and I knew I wouldn’t have to write a lot of term papers,” he said.

Though Schilling said he isn’t sure if or when he will write another article about probability, he won’t rule out the possibility completely — so long as he remains interested in the topic.

“I don’t have any plans to at the moment, but you never know when the motivation might hit you,” he said. “A lot of the best ideas in math come from just thinking about one thing for a long time.”

An excited, optimistic energy filled California State University, Northridge’s Orange Grove Bistro on Feb. 3 for the Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Pathways to the Professoriate kick-off event.

Ten CSUN juniors, who make up the program’s first cohort, took their first steps toward achieving their goal of earning their doctoral degree and becoming professors in the humanities and related fields.

HSI Pathways is a program that aims to transform the landscape of the professoriate by increasing the presence and visibility of Latino and Latina faculty members, particularly in the field of humanities.

“This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the students,” said Heidi Schumacher, HSI Pathways coordinator and humanities professor. “They will receive an incredible level of support as they strive toward their goal of earning their Ph.D.”

At the event, students were introduced to their mentors — CSUN faculty who earned their doctoral degrees — who will give them insight into the challenges of obtaining a doctoral degree and becoming a professor, as well as personal advice on academics and careers.

Mentors are invaluable to students on their path to a doctorate, participants said.

“I’m very excited for the support I will have and being able to know I can go to my mentor, [history professor John Paul Nuño], for help is really important,” said one of the HSI Pathways students, history major Elizabeth Calzada. “We’re like the guinea pigs, but in a good way. It’s nice to know we have this opportunity that’s never been done before.”

The program will serve 30 CSUN students over the next five years. Throughout their journey, the first cohort will receive financial support for GRE preparation, application fees, trips to academic conferences — including an opportunity to present a research project at the University of Pennsylvania — and potential funding to begin doctoral research the summer after graduation from CSUN.

While some of the 10 mentors were involved in similar mentor/mentee programs when they were undergraduates, many had to learn the ropes on their own.

“I navigated through grad school without a mentor, so when I heard about the Pathways program where we could mentor them early on, I wanted to be involved,” said Linda Alvarez, mentor and Central American studies professor. “There’s so much going on in grad school — applying, writing statements of purpose, research grants — my job is to help with all the technical stuff and get the nuts and bolts down.”

Alvarez’s mentee, Hermes Rocha, who is studying political philosophy, recognizes the importance of this program and said he is optimistic that the HSI program will be a crucial building block toward a career as a professor.

“My parents came here from Mexico and struggled a lot to get me here, so I can have these kinds of opportunities,” Rocha said. “I hope this program gives me the chance to start a legacy in my family and show them the United States is the land of opportunity.”

For more information about the HSI Pathways program, visit here.

California State University, Northridge had the distinct pleasure of welcoming world-renowned autism spokesperson Temple Grandin on Feb. 6 as part of a series of lectures and workshops on modern-day education and accommodating all types of thinkers entitled Education on the Edge. The lecture was open to anyone in the community, and people far and wide, including educators in training and USC students, came to hear Grandin speak.

A well-known figure within the autistic community, Grandin was diagnosed with autism when she was four, and doctors recommended she should be institutionalized. Her parents refused to follow the advice, and helped Grandin to develop her speaking ability. As one of the first people to talk about their own experiences with autism and how it affects them, Grandin was able to develop many innovations to help those with autism, such as the hug box, a deep-pressure device designed to calm hypersensitive people. She was also the subject of the decorated HBO biopic, Temple Grandin, which details how she used her perspective with autism to rise to prominence in the field of animal science.

The lecture was preceded by an introduction from Special Education Professor Wendy Murawski, who was joined on stage by a number of people whose lives had been affected by autism. Among them was Matador alumnus Tom Island, who explained how Grandin’s work had inspired him to step away from his job in corporate America to become an advocate for those with autism.

“Dr. Grandin inspired me to find my voice and start giving speeches to audiences like you,” Island said. It was a huge leap, but it was here on this campus, in Redwood Hall, that I first told my fellow students, ‘You’re at this stage where life no longer comes to you. It’s up to you to come to life. Start making things happen!’”

The lecture focused primarily on the different types of thinkers that the world produces today, and society’s tendency to practice label-locked learning, whereby each student is sorted by what they cannot do, instead on how to build upon their strengths. Grandin spoke about how accommodating every individual through unique, case-by-case education could yield some of the greatest minds of this generation. She used many famous examples, such as Thomas Edison, Elon Musk and Steven Spielberg, all of whom exhibited traits of autism, and did not function well in the traditional education system, to demonstrate how these thinkers go on to achieve great success if they are given the right tools.

“Different kinds of minds can compliment each other,” Grandin said. “For example, Steve Jobs, the artist, made the interface on the iPhone. The mathematical engineers had to make the inside of that phone work. It’s different kinds of minds working together.”

Another key subject of the talk was the lack of focus on the process. Grandin explained many educators become frustrated that students cannot reach the goal set forth, when they should really focus on is a common goal for all students to work toward.

“Do not confuse process with the goal,” Grandin said. “I think sometimes in education we get so caught up with the process, we have forgotten about the goal. On my campus, they’re finishing up construction on a brand-new biology building. One part of it has a concrete frame, and the other has a steel frame. But it doesn’t matter what their foundations look like. They’re going to create a super nice building. That’s what really matters!”

Jennifer Keresztes, who joined Murawski on stage before the lecture to discuss her son’s journey with autism, left inspired by the talk and how it could help with her son’s development, and commended CSUN for hosting such an event.

“Dr. Grandin was amazing, and really inspiring to listen to,” Keresztes said. “Being the mother of an autistic child, I took a lot from her viewpoint and will take it back to my family and my son as he figures out his journey. Talks like this at CSUN make this kind of information more accessible to this community. She was able to not only speak to students, but also parents and educators, and hearing her experience firsthand was really impactful.”

Singer Stephen Stills performing with his son, Chris, at the 2016 CHIMEaPalooza celebration. Photo courtesy of the CHIME Institute.

Celebrities from all walks of stardom — including Golden Globe-winning actor Colin Farrell and singer Ruby Friedman — will gather on Saturday, Feb. 25, to celebrate the CHIME Institute’s continued success as a national model for inclusive education.

The annual CHIMEaPalooza event is held to raise funds for the institute, a nonprofit organization housed at California State University, Northridge. In addition to Farrell and Friedman, the lineup of speakers and performers includes actors John Ross Bowie, Cedric Yarbrough, Melody Mooney and Frank Caeti.

The event is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at the El Portal Theatre, located at 5269 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.

“With CHIMEaPalooza, we hope to spread the word about the CHIME Institute’s model of inclusive education,” said Annie Cox, executive director of CHIME’s early education programs and one of the institute’s founders. “The event will highlight what it means to be a diverse community of people who have many things in common, but are unique in our own ways.”

The CHIME Institute’s dedication to inclusivity and diversity will be expressed in the show’s theme, Cox said.

“The theme of the show — ‘Different Together’ — reflects the institute’s educational approach, as well as our efforts to provide educational environments where all children are equally valued and can achieve their full potential as they learn side by side,” she said. “I can’t say enough how thrilled we are to have all these performers participating in what I’m sure will be a fun and inspirational night.”

Pre-sale tickets are available for $60, but will increase to $75 after Feb. 18. Admission includes access to a pre-show reception from 6 to 7 p.m., the show from 7 to 9 p.m. and an after-party that ends at 11 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.chimeapalooza.org.

Established in 1990, the CHIME Institute is a national leader in developing and implementing model educational programs and dynamic research and training environments to disseminate best practices in inclusive education. The institute’s research and training center is housed in CSUN’s Michael D. Eisner College of Education.

The institute began with an early childhood education program housed on the CSUN campus. The success of that program, coupled with the needs of the community and sound research, prompted a group of parents and CSUN faculty to develop a public charter elementary school in 2001 and a public charter middle school in 2003. The two schools merged into a K-8 school located in Woodland Hills in 2010, which was later named a 2016 Hart Vision Charter School of the Year by the California Charter Schools Association.

Inclusive education at CHIME means that children who reflect the demographics of the surrounding regions learn side by side. CHIME’s model allows for the individual needs of each child to be addressed in a manner that enhances each child’s strength, while also providing educational progress.

CHIME also serves as a model for educators through its partnerships with the Eisner College and the Los Angeles Unified School District. It facilitates research opportunities and regularly hosts visitors from around the United States and the world who are interested in replicating its successes in their own schools. The institute has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a model for full inclusion of students with disabilities, and for providing a blueprint for local schools across the country.

Proceeds from CHIMEaPalooza will go toward supporting inclusive practices in the institute’s early education programs and charter school. For more information about the CHIME Institute, call (818) 677-2922 or visit www.chimeinstitute.org.

California State University, Northridge students had the rare opportunity to meet and hear from California Supreme Court Justice Mariano-Florentino Cuéllar on Feb. 16 in the Thousand Oaks Room at the University Student Union.

Instead of giving a traditional lecture, Justice Cuéllar opted to go with a question-and-answer forum, giving approximately 70 students a unique opportunity to ask him a question. Professor Melisa Galvan of the Department of Chicana/o Studies, which was integral in bringing Cuéllar to CSUN, opened up the discussion by asking about Cuéllar’s childhood at the United States-Mexico border.

“I grew up in Matamoros, [a town in Mexico that shares a border with Texas],” Cuéllar said. “There is a special knowledge that I acquired because I lived on the U.S.-Mexico border. I realized that the United States and Mexico have always been, and will always be, interdependent.”

Galvan and Chicana/o Studies Department Chair Gabriel Gutierrez then took turns asking Cuéllar questions before opening up to questions submitted by the audience. Initially, Cuéllar focused on his early goal to earn a college education, which he did graduating magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1993.

“I was very lucky to have parents who placed a strong emphasis on education,” he said. “My father was a teacher and my mother worked at a library. My dad would ask us to send him letters when he was working in the U.S. When he wrote back, he sent back my letter with corrections in red ink. ”

After earning his bachelor’s degree at Harvard, Cuéllar earned his J.D. from Yale Law School then received his doctorate in political science from Stanford. After law school, he worked for the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Enforcement and clerked for Chief Judge Mary M. Schroeder of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Cuéllar has also served as a law professor at Stanford and as director of Stanford’s Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies.

The CSUN panelists, however, were most interested in the judge’s role as Co-Chair on the Obama-Biden Transition Immigration Policy Working Group from 2008 to 2009. Cuéllar said the experience was challenging, noting that the American public has very particular expectations.

“On the one hand, there’s all this expectation,” he said. “Everybody thinks that you will be able to achieve everything that they want from that … presidency. And because people vote for so many different reasons, it’s pregnant with hope — but also a sense that is dawning on everybody working on the transition, that there’s probably no way you’re going to be able to meet everybody’s expectations.”

Cuéllar also spoke about some of the issues he had as a working-class Mexican-American at prestigious private universities filled with students from privleged upbringings. He left CSUN students with an inspiring message about diversity and encouraged them to embrace their background.

“I felt like there was some conquering of fear,” Cuéllar said. “Somewhere along the line there was a crucial turning point, maybe about a year into [college]. It kind of flipped and I thought, ‘it’s true that I’m not coming into it with some of what they have, but they’re not coming into this with some of what I have.'”

In the realm of business ethics, the line between virtue and corruption can blur. Can religious values help business leaders achieve redemption and make moral decisions when faced with complex situations?

Moses Pava

These types of dilemmas will be explored at California State University, Northridge’s fourth annual Maurice Amado Foundation Lecture in Jewish Ethics on Wednesday, March 1. The lecture — titled “Everyday Redemption: Performances of Hope” — is scheduled to take place at 7:30 p.m. at Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue, located at 15739 Ventura Blvd. in Encino.

Moses Pava, the dean and the Alvin Einbender Professor of Business Ethics and Professor of Accounting at the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University, will be the featured speaker for this year’s lecture. Pava’s areas of expertise include business ethics and the interface between religion and business, among other subjects.

“I will be introducing several ancient rabbinic stories related to the upcoming Jewish holiday of Passover,” Pava said. “These stories clarify the Jewish concept of redemption in the real world. I will explore these stories interactively with the audience and we will focus special attention on how these narratives can provide sources of hope during a moment of intense uncertainty and anxiety.

“As dean of the business school of Yeshiva University, I am especially interested in how these texts can inspire contemporary business leaders to broaden their perspectives on the unique role of business in helping to face today’s unprecedented challenges,” he added.

Jennifer Thompson, CSUN’s Maurice Amado Assistant Professor of Applied Jewish Ethics and Civic Engagement, said she hopes Pava’s lecture might inspire listeners to contemplate the nuanced nature of ethical dilemmas and the value of seeking their solutions.

“I invited Dr. Pava to speak because ethical questions involving business are a major part of our political, social and moral world,” Thompson said. “Those attending the lecture will have the opportunity to think about ethical questions from different perspectives. I hope they will come away appreciating that there are often no simple answers to ethical questions, while also thinking that it is nevertheless worth the effort to explore and do the best we can to resolve ethical questions.”

The Amado Lectures are part of the mission of CSUN’s Jewish Studies Interdisciplinary Program endowed professorship, which was created with the understanding that whoever holds the position would teach and engage in scholarship drawn from the heritage of Sephardic, Ashkenazic and other Jewish traditions.

The lectures “extend the work that I do in Jewish ethics by bringing other experts in as well,” said Thompson.

CSUN offers both a major and minor in Jewish studies. The program explores the rich heritage of the Jewish people. Using the methods of different academic disciplines, it examines the experiences of Jews in the many lands in which they have lived over the past 4,000 years, as well as contemporary Jewish life in Israel, Europe, Asia and the Americas.

The lecture is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. For more information or to RSVP, call (818) 677-4724 or email jewish.studies@csun.edu.

An observer examines a research poster at the fall 2016 Men of Color Enquiry. Photo courtesy of Cedric Hackett.

The spring 2017 Biannual Men of Color Enquiry & Student Research Poster Session will be held at California State University, Northridge at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 17,  at the University Student Union (USU) Northridge Center.

The event, organized by CSUN Africana Studies professor Cedric Hackett, will highlight research conducted by students from Hackett’s The Black Man in Contemporary Times class. Students will present posters on topics pertaining to the trials and tribulations black men face in professional settings and day-to-day life. The event also will feature guest speaker Fluke Fluker, co-founder of The Village Nation and a teacher at El Camino Real Charter High School in Woodland Hills.

The posters on display will echo the event’s theme — “Roots of Resilience & Reconciliation” — and focus on how African-American men meet and overcome the unique challenges they face in contemporary society, while also reflecting on their historical efforts to strive for equality and recognition.

“We want to explore ways black men have been subjugated by violence — including violence from the intellectual community — and how they reconcile these issues to achieve self-worth, self-efficacy and above all, self-actualization,” Hackett said. “It’s an intellectual exercise.”

Hackett emphasized the range of perspectives and scenarios he wanted his students to consider while developing their posters.

“We do this poster series to invite the community to view research my students have done in regard to the black male. This could mean black men in fashion, black male parents — and those who might be single parents — black men in movies, music and every walk of life,” he said. “We’re open to exploring anything black men go through and the processes of reconciliation they undergo.”

Hackett said he wants his students to come away from this exercise with the ability to use theoretical frameworks and existing research, to form strong arguments and provide evidence for the concepts they advance. He described the event as a “snapshot of their education.”

In addition to the poster session and guest speaker, the Men of Color Enquiry will feature a drum performance led by Derf Reklaw-Raheem and a series of spoken-word performances dubbed “The Black Man-ologues.” Hackett described the latter as a reworking of “The Vagina Monologues” focused on exploring the character of African-American men.

The Biannual Men of Color Enquiry & Student Research Poster Session is open to the public and free to attend. Communication services, such as sign language interpreters and assistive-listening devices, are available, but must be requested at least five business days in advance. The USU is located on the east side of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge.

For more information, contact Cedric Hackett at cedric.hackett@csun.edu or (818) 677-3311.

Hundreds of California State University, Northridge students in the College of Engineering and Computer Science filled the University Student Union, Northridge Center on Feb. 21 in hopes of getting valuable career advice and potential employment at the annual TechFest event.

When the event kicked off, students were able to talk to representatives from more than 40 different technology and engineering companies about their job experience, transitioning from college to the professional world and tips for success.

Some students, such as recent CSUN graduate Mahyar Shavirian ’14 (Engineering Management), were even given interviews for potential employment during the event.

“It’s a great thing having all of these vendors and recruiters here at the same time because I was able to get two interviews within a few hours,” Shavirian said. “These fairs are perfect for engineering and computer people.”

Because CSUN’s alumni network is rapidly growing, the majority of company representatives at TechFest were CSUN graduates looking to bring in the next wave of Matadors.

“What I’ve found from the CSUN students we’ve hired is that they are able to interact and intermingle with everyone,” said Navy Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) engineer Fernando Mendoza ’90 M.A. (Electrical Engineering). “TechFest gives students the opportunity to know what kind of jobs are out there for their majors. Everyone comes to school with a preconceived idea on where they want to apply their degree, but when students come talk to these companies they realize there’s a lot more options.”

The second half of TechFest consisted of informational sessions held by j2 Cloud Services, XyPro, LA Sanitation and Blue Shield California. The companies talked with students about internships, the overview of their companies and much more.

“Our goal for having this event is to bring internships, jobs and networking opportunities to students,” said Sarah Le Long, employment services and event coordinator at the CSUN Career Center. “It adds to the students’ application process and gives them exposure to a lot of different companies.”

TechFest has been held every semester since 2008. For more information, visit the TechFest website.

In order to educate the public about the current political climate surrounding immigration, California State University, Northridge’s Educational Opportunity Program’s (EOP) Dreamers, Resources, Empowerment, Advocacy and Mentorship (DREAM) Center hosted a “Know Your Rights” session on Feb. 21 in the Aronstam Library.

EOP, the DREAM Center, CSU Division of Student Affairs, CSUN Social Work Department, and CSUN College of Humanities collaborated with the National Immigration Law Center and Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Office of Immigrant Affairs to provide this workshop to the community.

PLEASE NOTE: The information provided in this article is intended for informational purposes only and should not substitute for a lawyer. This information does not constitute legal advice. Anyone feeling the need for counsel should meet with an immigration lawyer, as everyone’s situations are unique and each situation requires analysis from many different perspectives. CSUN or NILC cannot be responsible if anyone relies on information based on this website without the consultation of an immigration attorney. Please be aware that immigration is a constantly evolving area of law and that anyone affected should consult an attorney to discuss specific facts and determine if any recent changes in laws and policies may affect that person.

Attorneys Shiu-Ming Cheer and Jessica Hanson, from the National Immigration Law Center, gave a detailed presentation on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), raids and legal rights. They started by making suggestions to those considering applying or reapplying for DACA.

“The general recommendation is not to apply for DACA for the first time this year. The future of DACA is uncertain and applying may result in loss of the application fee [approximately $500] and exposing yourself as undocumented,” said Hanson. “For those who already have DACA, reapplying does not carry a new risk of exposure. However, there is still a risk of losing the application fee.”

Cheer and Hanson also gave the audience information about what to do during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid. The attorneys emphasize the importance of keeping the door closed when ICE officers knock on the door of a household with undocumented immigrants.

“The majority of those arrested were arrested at home. [ICE targets] apartment complexes and [look to catch] people while they leave their homes in the morning,” Cheer said. “Always ask to see a warrant issued by the court and signed by a judge. If the officer has a warrant, ask for it to be slipped under the door or held up to the window. Do not open the door as this is you giving consent for them to enter your home.”

The last part of the presentation was in the title category, “Know Your Rights.” Cheer and Hanson outlined four legal rights and stated that everyone, no matter what their immigration status is, has these rights.

“Everyone who lives in the U.S. has legal rights, regardless of immigration status. We all have the right to remain silent, the right to an attorney, the right to ask for a warrant, and the right to not sign any documents,” Hanson said. “If you are undocumented, show your ‘Know Your Rights’ card or tell the officer you want to talk to your lawyer before answering any questions.”

Cheer added: “If an officer stops you, ask if you are under arrest. If the answer is ‘no,’ calmly walk away. Do not run, lie or give any false information. These can be used against you in court.”

The EOP DREAM Center hopes to host more “Know Your Rights” workshops in the future. For more information, please visit the following links:

https://www.nilc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Rights-No-Matter-Who-Is-Pres-2016-11-10.pdf
http://www.csun.edu/eop/dreamcenter/post-election-resources
http://libguides.csun.edu/civil-rights-civic-action/home

If you would like a copy of the PowerPoint presentation given by the National Immigration Law Center, please email dreamcenter@csun.edu.

Retirement often marks a departure from the daily grind to the greener pastures of hard-earned leisure and relaxation. However, in certain cases, it represents a sea change of interests and endeavors.

Retired CSUN English professor Bob Noreen (right) and his partner, Tom Green, at the Taj Mahal in India. Photo courtesy of Bob Noreen.

Bob Noreen, a retired California State University, Northridge English professor who served as chair of the CSUN Department of English for six years, has ramped up his activity in his post-teaching career. These days, you’ll find him traveling the world and occasionally assisting the U.S. Department of Education, among other pursuits.

“[Retirement] has been very satisfying so far,” Noreen said. “I’m continuing to do things related to education, but now I’m mostly just traveling, reading and enjoying life.”

Noreen began his tenure at CSUN in 1968 and retired officially in 2003 — but continued teaching part time at the university until 2008. He also has a decorated history developing and scoring writing assessments for U.S. students. He served as “chief reader and scoring leader” for the California State University system English Placement Exam until October 2106, and he helped develop and score the written portions of many notable exams — including the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) — at various points in his career.

Noreen’s vast experience in English led the U.S. Department of Education to seek his assistance in 2013. Department officials asked him to review and analyze documents associated with the development of Common Core State Standards Initiative assessments (standardized tests) for the 2014-15 school year.

The Common Core curriculum sets the national standards for what students in grades K-12 should learn in public schools. The assessments with which Noreen helped were intended to measure students’ readiness for the transitions to college and the workforce, Noreen said.

The Department of Education asked Noreen and four other educators what could be done to strengthen four different tests. The exams they reviewed were designed for grades five, eight and 11. This was the first instance of the U.S. Department of Education conducting a technical review of this sort, according to Noreen.

“It’s important to have this kind of review for assessments,” he said. “Our work helped universalize the development process and the exams themselves, to make sure they align with the goals of the Common Core curriculum — which is to prepare students for college and work.”

Following the 2014-15 school year, Noreen was tapped again by the U.S. Department of Education to analyze the effectiveness of the exams he reviewed a year earlier.

“They accomplished what they should do,” Noreen said about the assessments’ effectiveness.

In addition to this hands-on work for the nation’s schoolchildren and educators, Noreen has found plenty of time to broaden his horizons. In particular, he has become a globetrotter, visiting 75 countries, most since his retirement. He said his goal is to travel to at least 100 countries within his lifetime.

“It’s very interesting to see all the different cultures,” he said. “It’s fascinating to see the settings you maybe only read about or see on TV. Being there and actually experiencing them is always so much different. It’s surprising to see how different the cultures are, and to experience the divides between poverty and wealth. The attitudes in other countries can be so different from ours.”

He named Spain, Italy, India, Bhutan and multiple countries along the Silk Road — including Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan — as his favorite destinations so far. Iceland and South Africa are next on his travel wish list.

Noreen has embarked on his fair share of domestic adventures as well. He has traveled to every state except Alaska, which he aims to visit soon, and doesn’t shy from physically demanding outings. He has twice rafted 280 miles down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon, and he has hiked to the summit of 23 peaks in the Sierra Nevada region — including two expeditions up Mt. Whitney, the tallest mountain in the contiguous U.S. He has climbed an additional 45 peaks in other mountain ranges across California and around the country.

Some people approach retirement with an uncertain mentality, Noreen said. He advised soon-to-be retirees who are unsure of what to do, to be as active as their health allows. The key to enjoying one’s golden years, he said, won’t always be found by being sedentary.

“My advice is to stay busy. If you do that, you might find that you’ll become busier than you’ve ever been before. That’s the way it happened for me, at least,” he said. “But above all, just remember to enjoy life.”