Connections
Issue 1 | 2025
Featured
Cal State LA convenes healing session following Los Angeles wildfires

On the first day of the spring semester, the Cal State LA community gathered to comfort and support one another following the wildfires that have impacted Los Angeles County. About 100 people attended the Golden Eagles Rise Healing Session at the Golden Eagle Ballrooms on Jan. 21. The session served as a check-in for those in attendance, many of whom had not seen each other since the start of the winter break, prior to the wildfires. The event also provided reminders of the resources available to those affected by the wildfires. Cal State LA formed the Golden Eagle LA Fires Recovery Fund to support the immediate needs of students, faculty, and staff impacted by the wildfires. The University has also been vigilant in sharing information about where campus members and surrounding community members can find additional support. Read more about the healing session.
Prison Graduation Initiative graduates third cohort

Cal State LA conferred bachelor’s degrees to 11 members of the third cohort of the Prison Graduation Initiative (PGI) at the California State Prison, Los Angeles County in Lancaster in early December. The recent graduates, including four who were recently paroled, brings the total of graduates to more than 50 since the program was founded in 2016. PGI recently expanded to include the California Institution for Women and the California Institution for Men, both in Chino. This year, it will serve 139 students in the three prisons. Read more about the PGI graduation.
Campus News
University appoints new provost and vice president of Academic Affairs

Cal State LA has appointed Heather Lattimer to serve as the next provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, effective March 1, 2025. A distinguished scholar and dedicated educator, Lattimer has been an integral part of the California State University community since joining San José State University in 2018 as dean of the Connie L. Lurie College of Education. Within the Lurie College, Lattimer led and implemented a strategic plan that focused on preparing transformative educators, counselors, therapists, and school, higher education, and community leaders with a priority focus on being interdisciplinary, culturally sustaining, community engaged, and holistic. In her new capacity, Lattimer will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Cal State LA. She has spoken boldly about our equity-focused mission with an ongoing commitment to extend access to historically marginalized communities, deepen community partnerships, support faculty research, and grow external sources of funding. Read Heather Lattimer’s current bio.
Partnership with SoCalGas to help develop emerging hydrogen industry workforce in Southern California

Cal State LA and Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) have teamed up to offer development and training opportunities for the emerging and existing workforce in the hydrogen industry through the Hydrogen Education for a Decarbonized Global Economy (H2EDGE) initiative. SoCalGas selected Cal State LA to become one of 20 affiliated universities participating in the H2EDGE program, representing the only paired participants from California. H2EDGE establishes a foundation that aims to develop a strong hydrogen workforce and further advance hydrogen technologies and uses. Read more about the H2EDGE initiative.
Golden Globe Foundation provides University two grants

The Golden Globe Foundation is continuing its longstanding support of Cal State LA with two grants for the University’s television, film, and journalism programs. Cal State LA will receive a $30,000 grant for its Television, Film, and Media Fund and a $10,000 grant for its Diversity in Journalism Fund for the 2024-25 academic year. “These GGF grants have supported internships, films, film festivals, equipment, software, and scholarships that have changed the lives of individual students and dramatically impacted the work and experiences our department can offer our student filmmakers and journalists,” said Professor Kristiina Hackel, chair of the Department of Television, Film and Media Studies at Cal State LA. Read more about the foundation grants.
Cal State LA joins effort in encouraging students to pursue careers in the health workforce

Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes attended a historic signing event at the CSU Chancellor’s Office last October. During the event, CSU Chancellor Mildred García, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, and Assistant Secretary for Administration Cheryl R. Campbell signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to encourage CSU students to join the health workforce. The memorandum seeks ways to channel students to federal health roles and forms a model for how universities and federal agencies can work together to meet critical workforce needs. Learn more about the MOU.
Emeriti Association recognizes scholarship and fellowship recipients

The Cal State LA Emeriti Association introduced and honored the 2024-25 Emeriti Association Scholarship and Fellowship recipients during a virtual event on Nov. 2. This event was an opportunity to hear the inspiring stories of these amazing students. The association has awarded 25 scholarships or fellowships for the 2024-25 academic year. Of these, 13 are from the Emeriti Fellowship Fund, which awards fellowships to graduate students in any discipline, and 12 are from endowments created by emeriti and/or their family and friends. These are open to students in disciplines designated by the donor. Recipients of awards come from seven of the colleges and 18 different programs. Watch video of the recognition event.
Studio arts major receives $20,000 Gucci scholarship

Multidisciplinary artist Amanda Flowers was named one of 12 recipients of $20,000 scholarships from Gucci Changemakers North America. Flowers—a painter, photographer, sculptor, and poet—draws inspiration from her family, telling ancestral tales that are infused with her own vivid dreams in her art. The scholarships aim to uplift and empower undergraduate students to pursue their unique paths within the design and fashion industry. Read full story about Amanda Flowers.
Cal State LA receives grant from South Coast AQMD for advanced battery competition

The South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD) Governing Board approved a $150,000 sponsorship to Cal State LA in partnership with Cerritos College to support their efforts in the Battery Workforce Challenge (BWC)—a national program to train future electric vehicle (EV) battery engineers and technicians. The BWC is a three-year collegiate competition where teams design, build, test, and integrate advanced EV battery pack for a Stellantis Ram ProMaster electric vehicle. Read more about the South Coast AQMD grant.
Honors College students attend World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates

Led by Honors College Director Kathy J. Cooke and Professor Anita Revilla of Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies, a group of students from the Cal State LA Honors College attended the 19th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Monterrey, Mexico, last September. Students were selected through a competitive process for this trip, which was funded by an endowment from former Cal State LA President James M. Rosser. “The mission of the Honors College is to support leadership, intellectual curiosity, and global engagement,” said Cooke. “By bringing students to the World Summit, we provide them opportunities to exercise all three, fulfilling our mission even as we provide opportunities to our students that match what they can experience at any other university in the world.”
The World Summit brought together Nobel Peace Laureates and representatives of leading international organizations, media, business, and government. The summit facilitated discussions about peace through strategic keynote presentations, panel discussions, and informal conversation. Student participant Anna Haley O’Neill said, “Being able to not only witness but also participate in a global community with shared values has helped to shape my personal and academic trajectory. It is inspiring to see who we can be when we choose to courageously care for one another.”
Cal State LA ranks among the nation’s top 10 best online schools

Cal State LA has been named one of the best online schools in the country. The University placed No. 8 on the list of the America’s Top Online Learning Schools 2025, a survey conducted by Newsweek and the global data research firm Statista. The list ranked the top 250 colleges that offer online undergraduate and graduate programs. Read more about the ranking.
University takes part in Alethea Early Adopter Program

Cal State LA will be an early adopter of Alethea, an AI student engagement solution from ClarivateTM, a leading global provider of transformative intelligence. Alethea will serve as an Academic Coach to enhance student outcomes, helping students engage more deeply with course readings and elevate their learning skills. In this first phase of the CSU multi-campus partnership, Alethea will begin implementation at Cal State LA along with Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernardino. Find out more about the Alethea partnership.
Engagement, Service, and the Public Good
President Eanes elected to board of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities

Cal State LA President Berenecea Johnson Eanes has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities (CUMU) for the 2024-26 term. CUMU is an international organization of universities in large metropolitan areas that share common understandings of their institutional missions and values and commitments to improving the social, economic, and cultural well-being of their surrounding communities. Read more about the appointment.
LEEAF program receives $3.4 million in grants to enhance economic equity

Cal State LA has received two major grants to support the Los Angeles Economic Equity Accelerator and Fellowship (LEEAF), a university program that partners with small businesses, microbusinesses, and nonprofits in underrepresented communities. The University received a $2 million grant from the Los Angeles County Department of Economic Opportunity’s Economic Mobility Initiative and a $1.4 million grant from the City of Los Angeles’ LA Optimized 2.0 program. LEEAF initiatives aim to foster economic leaders, especially women of color, to grow for-profit, social impact, and other organizations in Los Angeles County with intensive trainings and one-on-one advising to equip them with tools for their businesses and communities to thrive. Read more about the two grants.
Community Focus
VITA program provides tax-preparation skills to students, millions of dollars to community

Cal State LA’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program will prepare tax returns free of charge for students and community members for the 2024 tax season. Last year, about 80 Cal State LA student volunteers prepared 2,307 tax returns, which resulted in $3.5 million in refunds. VITA already has 130 volunteers for the upcoming tax season but can accommodate even more. Learn more about VITA.
EOP hosts First-Generation College Celebration Day

The Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) celebrated National First-Generation College Celebration Day on Nov. 5 with students, alumni, and campus partners, which included staff, faculty, and members of the community. Those in attendance—which included EOP alumni—enjoyed light refreshments, viewed a video of EOP students sharing their experiences, and listened to a panel of first-generation staff and students. The panelists talked about coping with imposter syndrome, overcoming obstacles, how it felt when they were accepted by a college, and the support they have received from mentors. Read more about EOP first-generation celebration.
Athletics
Golden Eagles finish 2024 season as top team in the West

Cal State LA men’s soccer capped another stellar season with a 12-3-6 overall record and a trip to the NCAA Super Region 4 semifinals—their fourth in the past five years. Ranked as high as No. 2 nationally, the Golden Eagles finished No. 11 in the final United Soccer Coaches poll, extending their streak of national poll appearances to 19 consecutive seasons. Standout defender Andrew Portis earned first-team All-America honors and was named the CCAA Defender of the Year. The team also set a program-record 30-game unbeaten streak and remains one of the most dominant programs in Division II soccer. Read the full 2024 men’s soccer season recap for more highlights.
The season of giving never ends for women’s basketball team

On any given weekend, the Cal State LA women’s basketball team can be found out and about in the greater Los Angeles area providing volunteer work that positively impacts the community. Coach Torino Johnson implemented the mandatory volunteer work as a way for his players—and assistant coaches—to take ownership of their community. The Golden Eagles participate in up to 15 volunteer opportunities per year. Read more about the team’s community service.
Volleyball standout Emily Elliott breaks CCAA kills record

Emily Elliott reset the California Collegiate Athletic Association’s career record for kills as she totaled 2,011 over her four years with Cal State LA. The outside hitter surpassed the previous record of 1,843 kills set by Cal State Bernardino’s Kim Ford in 2003. As a junior, Elliott led the Golden Eagles to their first ever NCAA championship. Read about Emily Elliott’s career at Cal State LA.
Alumni Spotlight
Alumnus Frank Romero featured in new PBS’ Craft in America series

Renowned artist and Cal State LA alumnus Frank Romero appears in the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture segment of the new PBS Craft in America series, COLLECTORS. (Scroll to 42:20 on the video clip.) The series reveals the essential role that craft appreciators play in the community, examining how collectors affirm and inspire the artists they support. The episode featuring Romero highlights collections from Chicano art to teapots to wooden spoons. COLLECTORS is now streaming on the PBSApp, pbs.org, and craftinamerica.org. Watch a bonus video featuring Frank Romero on his career. It premiered on PBS on Dec. 27.
Black Alumni Network Dinner and Mixer on Feb. 20

Join the Cal State LA Alumni Association for its annual Black Alumni Network gathering on Thursday, Feb. 20, from 6 to 8 p.m. This year’s event will feature a Black historical experience dinner, exploring American history through recipes and dishes crafted by enslaved chefs. Chef Martin Draluck, founder of the Black Pot Supper Club and featured on the first season of Netflix’s High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America, will curate the menu and lead the evening. Due to limited seating, advance registration is required. This event is open to alumni, students, faculty, staff, and friends of the University. Learn more and register online for the event.
Cal State LA accepting applications for its 2025 Alumni Scholarship Committee

The Cal State LA Alumni Association is now accepting applications for its 2025 Alumni Scholarship Committee. Each year, the Alumni Association provides students with financial assistance in recognition of their leadership, service, participation in student activities, and academic excellence. From over 1,000 applicants, 40 scholars were selected by the Alumni Scholarship Committee to receive $1,000 each for the 2024-25 academic year. Over the past 30 years, the Alumni Association has awarded more than half a million dollars in scholarships. This incredible impact is made possible through the generosity of alumni and friends who believe in investing in the futures of our students. Visit the Alumni Association website to learn more about its scholarship program and to submit an application to volunteer on the committee. Please submit your application by 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 20.
Events
Jazz at Lincoln Center presents New Orleans Songbook
February 1, 2025
8 p.m.
Luckman Fine Arts Complex
States of Exception: Works by Susan Ossman
Ongoing through February 20, 2025
Reception: Saturday, January 25, 2 – 5 p.m.
Silverman Fine Arts Gallery
Cal State LA Commencement
May 19 – 21, 2025
Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles
In The News
- Sights and sounds from a day at the 136th Rose Parade, Pasadena Star-News
- Rose Parade Countdown: Billie Jean King (2025 Grand Marshal), KTLA5 News
- Cal State LA’s Prison Graduation Initiative celebrates Class of 2024, FOX11 News
- From Long Beach tennis courts to Pasadena Rose Parade: Billie Jean King’s path to grand marshal, Daily Breeze
- Latest students graduate from prison program, Antelope Valley Press
- How Tortillas Lost Their Magic, Atlantic Online
- 73rd Annual Huntington Park Holiday Parade: Ellina Abovian, KTLA5 News
- Cal State LA basketballers make community impact, Eastsider LA
- How Los Angeles neighbours partnered to show under-represented students the ‘unspoken rules’ to success, Nature
- Her face inspired a movement that continues today: Gloria Arellanes, CALÓ News
- Cal State LA, Cerritos College Get $150K Grant for EV Battery Contest, MyNewsLA
- South Coast AQMD to Grant Cal State LA $150,000 for Advanced Battery Competition, The Auto Channel
- CSU Community Engagement Programs Impact Thousands Across California, CSU News
- Cal State LA celebrates graduates at California State Prison Lancaster, proving change is possible, Activista Media
- Week in Review: Cal State LA celebrates graduates at California State Prison, Los Angeles County, CDCR News
- Golden Globe Foundation Awards $40,000 in Grants to Cal State LA’s Film, TV, and Journalism Programs, Time News
- Cal State LA receives two Golden Globe Foundation grants for its TV, film, journalism programs, Philanthropy News Digest
- Incarcerated graduates at Lancaster’s state prison receive their bachelor’s degree, CALÓ News
- Cal State LA has received two major grants to support the Los Angeles Economic Equity Accelerator and Fellowship (LEEAF), California Newswire
- Cal State LA lleva la educación universitaria a prisiones estatales, Hispanos Press
- 16 Current and Former Inmates Earn Bachelor’s Degrees, NBC4 Los Angeles
- FOX11 Evening News: Former Inmates Graduate from College, KTTV Los Angeles
- Good Nite LA: Former Inmates Graduate from College, KTTV/KCOP News
- Cal State LA receives $3.4M in grants to enhance economic equity, Los Angeles Patch
- Inmates get chance to graduate with college degree, FOX11 News
- Cal State LA obtiene financiación para impulsar la equidad económica en Los Ángeles, Hispanos Press
- Balancing Science and Art: Dr. Chen’s Unique Approach to Innovation, Epoch Times
- Building a Foundation that Positively Impacts Los Angeles, Diverse Education
- The Nutcracker presented by the Marat Daukayev Ballet Theatre, Los Angeles Patch
- Inside the Issues: Handling Post-Election Stress During the Holiday Season, Spectrum News
- Cal State LA Senior and Gucci Scholarship Recipient Amanda Flowers Honors Her Family Through Artwork, LA Sentinel
- Estudiantes de Cal State LA impulsan economía local con récord en reembolsos tributaries, Hispanos Press
- Highland Park resident honors family through artwork, Eastsider LA
- Cal State LA Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program reaps rewards, Eastsider LA
- Research interns at JPL want to know if answers to Earth’s environmental issues lie on Mars, Spectrum News
- Cal State LA VP Patrick K. Day reappointed to California Student Aid Commission, Eastsider LA
- ‘Sinks: Places We Call Home’ exhibition highlights land contamination issues, Spectrum News
- Fueling Change SoCalGas and Cal State LA’s Hydrogen Vision, Hydrogen Fuel News
- LA Events to attend in honor of Trans Day of Remembrance, CALÓ News
- Cal State LA art student wins Gucci scholarship, Los Angeles WAVE
- Día de los Veteranos: reflexión y apoyo entre compañeros en Cal State LA, Hispanos Press
- Cal State LA president elected to board of the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities, The Californer
- Cal State LA celebrates military members with pre-Veterans Day ceremony, Eastsider LA
- Today in LA Weekend: FilAm Creative Film Festival Wraps Up at Cal State LA, NBC4 News
- Cal State LA and SoCalGas Building Hydrogen Workforce in Southern California, Energy News
- Cal State LA and SoCalGas to Help Develop the Emerging Hydrogen Industry Workforce in Southern California, Fuel Cell Works
- Cal State LA President joins international board, Eastsider LA