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Women’s volleyball wins NCAA West Region Championship
The Cal State LA women’s volleyball team netted the NCAA Division II West Region Championship crown on Nov. 19, sweeping Chaminade University of Honolulu 29-27, 25-22, and 25-14 at Western Washington University. The win marks the team’s first West Region title since 2005 and the third in program history. The Golden Eagles are headed to Seattle this week for the national quarterfinals, where they will face Gannon University of Pennsylvania at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Engagement, Service, and the Public Good
Pat Brown Institute hosts webinar on green infrastructure in Southeast Los Angeles
The Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA partnered with Southern California Edison and the SELA Collaborative to host a virtual event on Nov. 18 that asked the question: What might a green future look like in the Southeast Los Angeles region, or SELA? As implementation begins for the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, funding will become available to communities at the state and local level for infrastructure and other green projects. The panel of experts discussed the possibilities and challenges for SELA stakeholders to ensure funding goes to projects that benefit their communities in meaningful ways. The event featured speakers and panelists including Larry Chung, vice president for local public affairs for Southern California Edison; Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon; Wilma Franco, executive director of the SELA Collaborative; Le-Quyen Nguyen, deputy secretary for energy for the California Natural Resources Agency; Elizabeth Alcantar, mayor of Cudahy; Rosalie Barcinas, director of electrification and customer services policy for Southern California Edison; Jocelyn Del Real, energy policy organizer for East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice; and Raphael J. Sonenshein, executive director of PBI, who moderated. Watch a recording of the webinar.Campus News
Cal State LA students receive prestigious pre-doctoral scholarships
Seven Cal State LA students received 2022-23 Sally Casanova pre-doctoral scholar awards, which are granted each year to support the doctoral aspirations of students across the 23-campus California State University system. Each scholar receives a $3,000 award to help fund graduate exams, fees for professional conferences, and other costs related to graduate school. Read more about the scholars.
Cal State LA honors military veterans for Veterans Day
The Cal State LA community gathered in University-Student Union Plaza on Nov. 10 to recognize the sacrifices our military veterans have made on behalf of the nation in honor of Veterans Day. The event featured remarks from representatives from the Veterans Resource Center, students, and a Counseling and Psychological Services counselor who is experienced in assisting veterans, service members, and their families. President William A. Covino also applauded and thanked all veterans and Cal State LA’s military-connected students. “Veterans have stood on the frontlines, ready to pay the ultimate price for the freedoms we hold dear, and even when they are no longer in uniform, their service continues,” Covino said. “At Cal State LA, veterans offer exemplary service to the University, other student veterans, and the community. Our veterans exemplify our ethic of engagement and service for the public good.”
Cal State LA hosts Association of Ethnic Studies conference
The College of Ethnic Studies hosted the Association for Ethnic Studies’ 50th Anniversary Conference at the University on Nov. 3-5. Founded in 1972, the association provides an interdisciplinary forum for scholars and activists concerned with the national and international dimensions of race and ethnicity. This year’s conference theme was “Ethical Community Care: Imagining New Futures While Living in the Now.” The program featured compelling panels on topics including globalization, surveillance, and policing; storytelling as a tool for social justice; and shifts in the field of ethnic studies. Dr. Kelly Lytle Hernandez, professor and director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies at UCLA, served as the keynote speaker (pictured here). Learn more about the conference program and the College of Ethnic Studies at Cal State LA, which is the first such college to be established at a university in the U.S. in 50 years.College of ECST inspires students at 18th annual MESA STEM Day
The College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology welcomed dozens of students from more than 25 local middle schools, high schools, and community colleges to Cal State LA’s campus last month for the 18th annual MESA STEM Day in partnership with Boeing. Prospective students from middle school to community college were invited to take a closer look at Cal State LA, the College of ECST, and The Boeing Company as part of the daylong interactive event on Oct. 1, which kicked off the college’s MESA Schools Program. The MESA Schools Program is a pre-college program that aims to prepare educationally underserved students for degrees and careers in the math, science, engineering, computer science, and technology fields. During the event, volunteers from Boeing discussed careers at the company and led STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics) activities. ECST faculty, staff, students, organizations, and competition teams offered workshops, activities, lab tours, and showcased projects. Learn more about MESA STEM Day, which is also sponsored by Boeing Global Engagement.
Cal State LA faculty’s national research team receives $1.2 million NSF grant to combat harassment in sciences
The National Science Foundation has awarded a $1.2 million collaborative grant to a national research team, which includes Cal State LA faculty member Dr. Allison Mattheis, to help expand its work combating identity-based harassment, bullying, and other hostile and exclusionary behaviors that contribute to low diversity in the earth and space sciences and other STEM disciplines. The new grant will support the work of the ADVANCEGeo Partnership, which was first funded with a grant from the NSF ADVANCE Program in 2017. The new award will support development of a workplace climate intervention program for academic STEM departments and training programs. Mattheis, an associate professor in the Division of Applied and Advanced Studies in Education in the University’s College of Education, is a co-principal investigator on the grant.
Cal State LA receives $100K Boeing grant to support youth STEM programs
The College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology has received a $100,000 grant from The Boeing Company to support the college’s ongoing efforts to help current and prospective students succeed at the University and start strong paths toward STEM careers. The grant will support three programs within the college’s Acceleration Initiative focusing on middle school and high school students: LAunchPad, LAunchPad-X, and the annual MESA STEM Day.
Cal State LA designated as Non-Land Grant College of Agriculture by U.S. Department of Agriculture
Cal State LA has been certified as a Non-Land Grant College of Agriculture by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. This designation allows the University to apply for federal capacity-building grants focusing on improving research, outreach, and educational activities related to food, agriculture, natural and renewable resources, human sciences, and other similar disciplines that address priority concerns of national, regional, state, and local interest. Dr. Barry Hibbs, a professor in the College of Natural and Social Sciences, and Dr. Sunil Mangalassary, a professor in the Rongxiang Xu College of Health and Human Services, compiled the petition and application for the certification. The designation builds upon current initiatives at Cal State LA focused on urban agriculture, food safety, urban natural resources management, and studies of biodiversity of urban ecosystems.
Model UN students compete at national conference
Cal State LA students from the University’s Model United Nations chapter competed against students from 64 universities from across the country and world at the National Model UN Conference in Washington, D.C. on Nov. 4-6. The student team was led by faculty advisor Dr. Cynthia McMeekin, a professor in the Department of Political Science in the College of Natural and Social Sciences. The students met with representatives from the Colombian and Argentine embassies and negotiated and drafted resolutions and position papers on current global issues such as climate migration, biological weapons, and the global housing crisis. Cal State LA students served on seven Model UN committees during the conference and won “Outstanding Position Paper” for three of the seven committees.
Department of History receives Institutional Equity Award
The American Historical Association awarded a 2022 Institutional Equity Award to the Department of History in Cal State LA’s College of Natural and Social Sciences. The Institutional Equity Award is given to institutions that have achieved excellence in recruiting and retaining underrepresented racial and ethnic groups into the historical discipline. “This is a national-level recognition of all the hard work of our students, staff, and faculty,” said Dr. Choi Chatterjee, chair of the Department of History. “I especially want to thank Dr. Mark Wild, our former chair, for initiating the process and providing the necessary documentation that led to our receiving the award.”
Cal State LA awarded Department of Energy grants for renewable energy research
Cal State LA has received two grants from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund research into renewable energy. One project, led by Dr. Yangyang Liu, in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the College of Natural and Social Sciences, was among five selected by the Department of Energy to receive a combined $1.5 million to advance key clean-hydrogen technologies while growing the skills and knowledge of science and engineering students at Minority-Serving Institutions. As part of the project, Liu and her students will work on developing novel hydrogen storage materials for clean energy vehicles. Dr. Liu and Dr. David Blekhman, a professor in the Department of Technology in the College of Engineering, Computer Science, and Technology, are co-principal investigators on another recent Department of Energy grant project, which aims to study fossil energy and carbon management-based research capabilities at Cal State LA. The goal of this self-assessment is to make Cal State LA more competitive for future funding opportunities from the Department of Energy to provide more research and training opportunities for students from underserved communities.University Times wins national journalism awards
Cal State LA’s University Times student newspaper won three Pinnacle Awards from the College Media Association, which includes national collegiate media organizations and advisors. Stephanie Sical was awarded first place for Best Arts & Entertainment Story for her article on the Lowrider Ladies of Los Angeles. The University Times, which is housed within the College of Arts and Letters, placed second for Campus Engagement, and Erik Adams received an honorable mention for Best Audio Sportscast, which features National Hockey League fans in the San Gabriel Valley.
Community Focus
Give blood at upcoming American Red Cross blood drive
Students, faculty, staff, and community members can give blood on campus during an upcoming American Red Cross blood drive on Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The mobile blood drive bus will be in Lot 4. Schedule an appointment online.
Alumni Spotlight
Alumni Association awards student scholarships
The Cal State LA Alumni Association awarded scholarships to 30 undergraduate and graduate students during a reception on Oct. 26. The Alumni Scholarship Program provides students with financial assistance in recognition of their leadership, service, participation in student activities, and academic excellence. The scholarship recipients came from a wide range of academic disciplines, including counseling, communicative disorders, Latin American Studies, engineering, biochemistry, criminal justice, and nursing. “Having accomplished this award will always be a reminder to myself and others like me that we are capable of achieving excellence,” said Abigail Goy, an undergraduate nursing student who received the Robert Hohmann Scholarship. “I am so touched by this organization and hope to use my award toward furthering a future where I can one day return the favor to this kind community of people who granted me a step toward my future career as a registered nurse.”Athletics
Student-athletes score academic honors
Student-athletes from Cal State LA’s fall sports teams have been honored with academic awards for their excellence on the court or field and in the classroom. Anton Olofsson from men’s soccer and Shelby Grubbs from women’s volleyball each received the Elite 13 Award from the California Collegiate Athletic Association, the conference’s top academic award. This is the second consecutive year Grubbs has received the honor. The Elite 13 Award recognizes the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating in each CCAA-sponsored championship. Grubbs and her women’s volleyball teammates Eliza Cannon, Ashley Dittmann, and Jaden Grova have also been named to the 2022 CSC Academic All-District teams, selected by the College Sports Communicators. Women’s soccer players Kaelah Basurto, Kimberly Gamez, Lauren Sanchez, and Erin Schrock all also earned Academic All-District honors.Golden Eagles soccer teams win CCAA championship titles
The Cal State LA men’s and women’s soccer teams each won California Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament Championships. The men’s soccer team defeated Cal State Dominguez Hills 2-1 to earn the tournament crown for the second consecutive season. The reigning NCAA Division II national champions saw their playoff run come to a stunning end on Nov. 12 in the second round of the NCAA tournament, losing 2-1 to Northwest Nazarene. The women’s soccer team came out victorious over Sonoma State, 1-0, to earn its first CCAA tournament title since 2014. The Golden Eagles’ magnificent 2022 season came to an end on Nov. 10 in the first round of the NCAA tournament with a 1-0 loss to Concordia.
Events
Undergraduate Senior Project Exhibition
On display December 5-14, 2022
Ronald H. Silverman Fine Arts Gallery
In The News
- California program lets college students give back to community, graduate with less debt (ABC7 Los Angeles)
- College Corps Helps Students Graduate With Less Debt By Serving Community (106.7 FM)
- The son of farmworkers now leads schools in Glassell Park and Silver Lake (The Eastsider)
- Sweet Sweep! Cal State LA claims NCAA West Region Championship (CCAA News)
- Ask the Expert: How Soon Should I Talk With My Kids About College? (PBS SoCal)
- NAVFAC Washington Officer Selected Most Promising Engineer in Government (DVIDS News)
- Servicemembers to Students (CSU News)
- L.A. city voters sent conflicting messages (Los Angeles Times)
- Why Do People Collect Things? It Could Be Loneliness (Psychology Today)