Welcome to the 2026 spring semester, and we also want to wish everyone a belated Happy New Year!
We look forward to what 2026 will bring to Cal State LA. Before we all move forward, we wanted to take one last glance back at 2025 by showcasing the Newsroom’s top stories of the year.
It was an eventful 12 months, one that started in tragedy with the Los Angeles wildfires that affected thousands within our community. The year might have begun inauspiciously, but we bounced back and proved our resilience.
Here are our top stories of 2025:
- Cal State LA bestows honorary degree to comedic actor Ken Jeong during Commencement. “The goal is not to be the best. The goal is to be your best. And how can you be at your best? Persistence,” Jeong said to the Class of 2025 during his keynote speech. (More Commencement stories to follow below.)
- Briana Zavala earns California State University Trustees’ Award. The junior nursing student has excelled academically despite a challenging childhood. She did not begin her formal education until the ninth grade.
- Resources for those affected by the wildfires. Cal State LA partnered with local organizations to provide assistance following the wildfires, which included the creation of the Golden Eagle LA Fires Recovery Fund.
- We’re No. 1! The inaugural rankings of the California Mobility Index (CMI) gave Cal State LA its top ranking for upward mobility. The CMI evaluated 82 four-year institutions on the proportion of low- and moderate-income students they enroll and the return on investment for those students.
- More honorary degrees. In addition to Jeong, Cal State LA also conferred honorary degrees to philanthropist Kevin Xu and comedian Jo Koy. Our preview story for Commencement was a hit among graduates.
- Six faculty members were honored for excellence in teaching and outstanding achievements during the joint Convocation and Investiture ceremonies in August. David Blekhman was the recipient of the President’s Distinguished Professor Award. Devika Hazra, Eun-Young (Elaine) Kang, Rupa Purasinghe, and Patrick Sharp were recognized with Outstanding Professor Awards, and Dinur Blum was presented with the Outstanding Lecturer Award.
- Time to walk the stage. More than 5,500 graduates participated in May’s Commencement ceremonies, which were held for the first time at the historic Shrine Auditorium.
- One of a kind. Cal State LA opened the nation’s first campus dedicated solely to serving an incarcerated population. The campus at the California Institution for Men in Chino will offer bachelor’s degrees through the university’s Prison Graduation Initiative (PGI).
- Important R2 designation. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching designated Cal State LA as a Research 2 institution, which is awarded to institutions that prioritize research with high spending and doctorate production.
- Marathon man. Double-alumnus J.T. Chestnut completed the Abbott World Marathon Majors and five years of sobriety in the same year.
More Top Stories
- Money.com gives Cal State LA a five-star rating.
- Comic Jo Koy receives honorary degree.
- Cal State LA continues to advance in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings.
- Professor J. Chris Bachman receives Fulbright award for research in Mexico.
- Graduate student Maria Velasco becomes an influencer for the indigenous language Zapotec.
- Cal State LA and RockeTruck, Inc. collaborate to develop a portable fuel cell generator.
- Professor Arturo Pacheco-Vega granted Fulbright award to teach and conduct research in the Czech Republic.
- Students provide free tax-preparation service through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program.
- County supervisors honor students’ groundbreaking work with the Los Angeles Economic Equity Accelerator and Fellowship program.
- PGI graduates its first cohort from the California Institution for Women.
Have a story to share?
Have a story worth sharing? Let us know what’s happening in your classroom, community, or career. We’d love to hear from you.
California State University, Los Angeles is the premier comprehensive public university in the heart of Los Angeles. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the United States for the upward mobility of its students. Cal State LA is dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good, offering nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education, and the humanities. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 22,000 students and has more than 260,000 distinguished alumni.
