Connections

Project Rebound staff honored with community awards

Leroy M. Morishita begins as Cal State LA’s interim president

Leroy M. Morishita took office as interim president of Cal State LA today, July 31. He will serve in the position until a permanent president is appointed for the University by the CSU Board of Trustees. Morishita most recently served the CSU in a consulting role, participating in a workgroup formed by Interim Chancellor Jolene Koester to identify a multi-year strategy to achieve stable and predictable revenues to support the CSU mission and to maintain affordability for its students, while recognizing and meeting the differing needs of the 23 universities. He served as president of Cal State East Bay from 2011 to 2020. Read a message from Interim President Morishita to the Cal State LA community.

Cal State LA receives NASA grant to research 3D printing on the moon

College of Ethnic Studies professor awarded career enhancement fellowship

Dr. Joy Sales, assistant professor of Asian American Studies, was among 20 early-career faculty members from across the United States selected for the 2023-2024 Career Enhancement Fellowship, which is funded by the Mellon Foundation and administered by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. The fellowship seeks to increase the presence of underrepresented junior and other faculty members in the humanities, social sciences, and arts by creating career development opportunities for selected Fellows with promising research projects. Sales, who is a faculty member in the College of Ethnic Studies, researches social movements, migration, labor, race, and diaspora, specifically the history of radical activism in the Filipino American community. Read more about the fellowship.

College of ECST summer program brings STEM to youth

The College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology’s LAunchPad summer program brought more than 30 high school girls to campus this month to learn about the exciting ways engineers and computer scientists make the world a better place. The students shot off homemade bottle rockets, worked with small drones, and took part in other hands-on activities during the two-week program focusing on science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM. “It’s such a great program and I get to work hands-on,” Amelia Martinez, a 17-year-old from the San Gabriel Valley, told the Pasadena Star-News. “I’ve been involved with STEM programs since seventh grade, but this one makes me feel so welcomed since I’m not one of the only girls in the room.”

College of Arts and Letters video highlights professor honored for exceptional service to students

Dr. Michael Calabrese, professor of English, received a 2023 Exceptional Levels of Service to Students Award from the Office of the Provost and Faculty Affairs. The award recognizes faculty who have a demonstrated commitment to working on issues faced by our diverse student population, including mentoring, advising, and outreach. A new video from the College of Arts and Letters highlights Calabrese’s work studying medieval literature. In the conversation, Calabrese shares the work he has accomplished with his students, how to make a difference in the communities the University serves, and the unique perspective of College of Arts and Letters students. Calabrese is in his 30th year as a faculty member in the College of Arts and Letters.

Cal State LA BioStart Bioscience Entrepreneurs Boot Camp launches sixth cohort

The sixth class of the Cal State LA BioStart boot camp kicked off this month. The boot camp is a five-week, intensive training program that prepares emerging entrepreneurs to launch their own bioscience ventures. The boot camp is part of Cal State LA BioSpace and is a collaborative project of Cal State LA, the Biocom Institute and the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator. The participants are taking part in workshops, trainings, and sessions with industry leaders, and they recently had a visit from U.S. Rep. Jimmy Gomez, whose 34th Congressional District includes Cal State LA.   With investment from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, the training is offered at no charge to eligible participants. Cal State LA BioStart has successfully trained about 100 entrepreneurs in the region, including faculty and student teams. Learn more about Cal State LA BioStart.

Join us for Cal State LA Night at Dodger Stadium

Join us for our fifth Cal State LA Night at Dodger Stadium on August 29. Alumni, students, friends, and family will come together to celebrate Golden Eagle pride and cheer on the Los Angeles Dodgers. Each ticket includes one commemorative, limited edition Golden Eagle-themed Dodgers bucket hat. Find additional details and ticket information on the Cal State LA Alumni Association website.

Golden Eagles rack up academic awards

Numerous Cal State LA athletes were honored in the month of July for their academic success. A record nine players were named to the California Collegiate Athletic Association’s Winter Academic Honor Roll, 25 student-athletes cracked the conference’s Spring Academic Honor Roll, and 45 received CCAA All-Academic distinction for the 2022-23 season. Five Golden Eagle golfers were named to the 2022-23 Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar team, and all seven Cal State LA tennis student-athletes earned Intercollegiate Tennis Association Scholar-Athlete awards. The men’s track and field team, as well as three individuals, were named All-Academic by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.