“It could be a working health aide, or a surgical tech looking to advance skills and opportunities toward a health management position,” said CSUCI Health Science Lecturer Ashley Parks. “Someone earning $18 to $24 dollars an hour today doing manual labor can double or triple their salary to, perhaps, $54 an hour with a degree. They can move into research or management roles.”
Tag: CSU Channel Islands
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSU Channel Islands Announces New Spring Catalog
CAMARILLO — The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSU Channel Islands is offering exciting new classes for Spring II, 2024. This session, you can explore the works of California’s prominent architects, learn about the diversity of invertebrates, discover the cultural jewels of the Stuart Dynasty…and much more! We have a wide range of exciting courses to offer!
Classes begin March 25, 2024. Registration opens March 4, 2024. Classes are offered throughout Ventura County in-person and on Zoom.
Feb. 10 — Chicana/o Studies at CSUCI celebrates ‘Nuestra Quinceañera’
CAMARILLO — Chicana/o Studies at CSUCI celebrates “Nuestra Quinceañera” at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 10 at the Grand Salon at CSU Channel Islands.
Join us to mark our 15th year milestone! You are cordially invited to Nuestra Quinceañera: 15 Years of Chicana/o Studies at CSU Channel Islands. This fundraising dinner and celebration will honor the impact of Chicana/o Studies at CI and beyond.
April 20 — Bilingual report — CSU Channel Islands to present Children’s Day/Día de los Niños
This free event is for all families, guardians, children, educators, and community members to join us for a day of activities, games, reading. Our special guest is children’s book author James Luna. James will be reading his The Runaway Piggy/El Cochinito Fugitivo book. The first 150 guests will receive a free copy of the book as well!
CSUCI hosts the 2023 Regional STEM Transfer Mixer for community college students Oct. 18
CAMARILLO — Community college students from across the region – Santa Barbara City College, Ventura College, Oxnard College, and Moorpark College – are invited to CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s 2023 Regional STEM Transfer Mixer on Wednesday, Oct. 18 beginning at 9 a.m. as part of the National Transfer Student Week, happening on Oct. 16 through 20.
According to CSUCI STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) Outreach Coordinator Tatiana Juarez, the mixer is to cultivate community college students’ interest in obtaining a four-year degree in a STEM field.
“The objective is to have local community college students come to CSUCI and get to know the campus and explore two specific STEM majors—Mechatronics Engineering and Computer Science,” Juarez said. “I think it’s extremely effective for students to immerse themselves in the setting where they will be investing a lot of their time. To see exactly what these majors have to offer, and to learn how CSUCI supports STEM students.”
CSUCI receives $30 million gift from the estate of longtime supporters
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) has received one of the largest gifts in the history of the University from the estate of Philippe and Arlette Larraburu, two very early supporters of Ventura County’s only four-year public University.
CSUCI is the sole beneficiary of the Larraburu estate, a bequest the couple established in 2001—which ultimately grew into a $30 million gift.
“Words cannot express our tremendous gratitude to the Larraburu family for their trust in our University, backed by a gift that will provide so much for our students,” said CSUCI President Richard Yao. “A gift of this stature is a testament to the power of personal philanthropy and to the fact that CSUCI is a smart investment for donors, community partners, and students alike.”
CSU Channel Islands Health Science faculty member will use national fellowship to research needs of local aging population
Registration opens Aug. 7 for CSU Channel Islands’ OLLI-Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Fall Session I classes
CAMARILLO — The season is changing, and we look to new opportunities. OLLI-Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at California State University Channel Island is offering ten new classes in Ventura County.
Fall Session I is your opportunity to explore the Dawn of the easiest humans. Examine fossil evidence of early members of humans dating from 2.8 million years ago to 300 thousand years ago.
Edgar Allen Poe dreamt dreams that no mortal even dreamt to dream before. Learn more in our class on his life and writings.
Be an armchair traveler to Australia in our class “the Land Down Under” and learn about the history, geography and culture of this far-off land.
Learn how a rush for glory and riches brought Europeans to Afric
CSUCI to honor Carmen Ramirez and Hannah-Beth Jackson at Commencement ceremonies on May 20
The California State University system and CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) will award honorary degrees to two women who strongly supported the creation and growth of the Camarillo campus at the 2023 Commencement ceremonies.
CSUCI President Richard Yao will present former state Senator Hannah-Beth Jackson with a Doctor of Humane Letters at the ceremony being held on Saturday, May 20, at 9 a.m. at the Camarillo campus. Yao will honor the late Ventura County Board of Supervisor Carmen Ramirez with the same doctorate, presenting it to her husband, Roy Prince, at the ceremony scheduled for Saturday, May 20, at 3 p.m.
CSUCI Mathematics faculty member Selenne Bañuelos gets NSF grant continuation for second year at mathematics institute
California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) Associate Professor of Mathematics Selenne Bañuelos recently received $274,750 in continued funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her continued participation in the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM).
“I would describe IPAM as Math-Nerd Heaven,” Bañuelos laughed. “It’s been really exciting. It’s a great space where you have scientists and math researchers from all over the world working on all sorts of new and exciting projects.”
The grant, which was administered through a subaward from the Regents of the University of California (UC), funds Bañuelos’ continued role as an associate director at IPAM “which is a HUGE deal,” according to Associate Professor of Mathematics Cynthia Flores, a friend and colleague.
Bilingual report — County of Ventura presents $5 million to CSU Channel Island to expand Early Childhood Care and Education Center
On Saturday, March 4, the County of Ventura presented a check for $5 million to CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) in support of the CSUCI Early Childhood Care and Education Center and programs. The Center is intended to support expanded programs in childcare and educational enrichment for pre-school aged children of university students and farmworker families in the community. This expansion is part of a greater initiative by CSUCI to increase local access to childcare in order to support working families during a time in which there is a growing need for increased numbers of early childhood education workers.
“Thanks to the proactive leadership of the late Supervisor Carmen Ramirez, who was a champion for CSUCI and this center, I am pleased to have had the opportunity to support the allocation of these funds alongside my board colleagues,” stated District 5 Supervisor Vianey Lopez. “These funds ensure the County’s ongoing commitment to the development of youth, educational programs, and opportunities for families in our County.”
CSUCI Art exhibit (Feb. 23 through April 14) focuses on Ventura County farmworkers
A CSU Channel Islands faculty member and student have curated an art exhibition focused on the heritage of agriculture in Ventura County.
“Stories of Labor From the Fields of Ventura County” runs from Feb. 23 through April 14 in the John Spoor Broome Library Gallery. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, Feb. 23, from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. The exhibit and event are free and open to the public.
In addition, posters from the 2010 CSUCI exhibit “The Braceros of Ventura County” will be displayed in the rear hallways of the library from March 8 through May 7. The posters include local history and data related to the Mexican guest-worker program.
The art exhibit and braceros display will provide a local perspective on the issues explored in “Dolores Huerta: Revolution in the Fields/Revolución en los Campos,” a traveling Smithsonian exhibition that will be on display in Broome Library from March 8 through May 7.
April 22, 23 — CSUCI University Chorus and four high school choirs will sing in Choral Spectacular 2023
Five choruses totaling more than 100 singers will perform together April 22 and 23 in CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s Choral Spectacular 2023.
The CSU Channel Islands University Chorus will be joined by the Pleasant Valley School District Chorus, Santa Paula High School Cardinal Concert Choir, Ventura High School Chorale and Rancho Campana High School Concert Choir as they sing a variety of musical pieces in several languages. The performance will also feature the Channel Islands Chamber Orchestra (CHICO).
Nov. 30 — “Los Braceros De Buena Vista” mariachi musical coming to CSU Channel Islands
CAMARILLO — A mariachi-style musical about the Mexican guest worker bracero program of the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s will be staged at CSU Channel Islands’ Malibu Hall on Thursday, Nov. 30 at 7:30 p.m.
“Los Braceros Buena Vista” follows a young man who travels from Mexico to the United States in the 1950s, at the height of the bracero program, which was established by executive order in 1942 and lasted until 1964. The federal program allowed seasonal laborers from Mexico to come to the U.S. to work in agriculture or with the railroads.
Animo Theatre Company Director Miguel Orozco had been directing “El Bracero” by Rosalinda Verde through his nonprofit community theater, and was inspired to write and direct his own version of the show centered on the Buena Vista Bracero camp in Oxnard. It was the largest in the nation, and at its peak, housed about 5,000 workers. Orozco’s aim was to reflect the braceros’ journey, including the struggles they faced.
CSUCI professor part of a $85,884 research project to help the state of California manage coastal resource erosion
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Professor of Environmental Science & Resource Management (ESRM) Sean Anderson, Ph.D., is among four CSU faculty members to receive part of a research grant for $865,884 to help the state of California effectively manage its ever-changing coastline.
The California State University Council on Ocean Affairs, Science and Technology (COAST) has awarded $765,884 through its State Science Information Needs Program (SSINP) to four CSU faculty members and over 26 students at three different CSU campuses as well as collaborators at three institutions outside the CSU. All will be conducting research projects aimed at restoring, preserving, or minimizing nature and humankind’s impact on the state’s coasts, wetlands, and other aquatic resources.
CSUCI selects early childhood center site, nears 50% funding mark
CSU Channel Islands has chosen a site for construction of an early childhood center designed to address the dire need for quality, affordable and accessible care for children of CSUCI students, 40% of whom earn less than $24,000 a year, farm workers’ children in the region, and other community members, as well as for the children of University employees.
Two CSUCI faculty members receive grant from National Science Foundation to streamline imaging for science and medicine
If a doctor wants to get a closer look at a tumor inside of a patient, or if scientists want to get a detailed image of a plant, animal or inanimate structure, scientists and doctors frequently rely on sophisticated imaging devices.
Powering some of the most sophisticated imaging devices are ions. Working to make ion sources even more efficient, accessible, and able to handle large amounts of data are CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Assistant Professor of Computer Science Scott Feister, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Alona Kryshchenko, Ph.D.
“If you want create a beam of radiation to take a picture of something you can’t see with the naked eye, you could use an ion source,” Feister explained. “There are instruments around the world that create and use ions in this way. The ions offer a source of ‘lighting’ for the picture, the way a flashbulb is used to offer a source of lighting for photos.”
Grant enables CSUCI Teacher Residency Program to add three new credential programs
Now that CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Teaching Credential candidate Marina Luque is student teaching at her elementary school alma mater—Norma Harrington Elementary School—Luque’s former first grade teacher, Patricia Oropeza, has asked Luque to call her “Pat.”
“But I still call her Miss Oropeza,” Luque said. “I’m 33, I’m a mom, but I call her Miss Oropeza. And sometimes I walk through the halls and think ‘No running in the halls!’”
Ayde Almaraz, 44, is spending her residency in a bilingual classroom at Rio Real Elementary in the Rio School District. Her childhood was difficult, and, having immigrated from Mexico, she knows what it’s like not to speak English, and to struggle with basic needs. She wants to help other children who may be having the same experience.
“If a student doesn’t want to do anything, they probably haven’t had enough sleep, or they haven’t eaten,” Almaraz said. “I want to be there for them to assist them with their needs.”
Two groups of CSUCI students spend almost a month on Santa Rosa Island with new Field Studies classes
Fourteen CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) students sat around a conference table in the John Spoor Broome Library as photos they had taken on Santa Rosa Island lit up the screen at the front of the room.
One photo was taken by Environmental Science & Resource Management (ESRM) major Renee Giragosian as she rode an Island Packers boat into a yawning cave.
“This is the most present I’ve ever felt,” she said, recalling the moment. “It was the fact that this cave was right off the coast as we were just concluding this one month long amazing, challenging journey.”
Elizabeth Orozco Reilly, Ph.D, CSUCI’s new Dean of Education, brings a global perspective to her new job
As the daughter of an immigrant, CSU Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) new Dean of the School of Education Elizabeth Orozco Reilly, Ph.D. brings the perspective of an international scholar who got her start in rural, urban and suburban classrooms teaching other children of immigrants.
Orozco Reilly credits her father, whose parents immigrated from Italy, and her mother—an immigrant from Mexico—with her own commitment to putting an education within reach for all people, especially those who are the first in their families to attend college.
“I saw what my mother experienced as an immigrant,” Orozco Reilly said. “The humiliation of being a second language learner in an environment not welcoming of the ‘other’. My commitment comes to me from both of my parents who believed that education creates possibilities and opens doors for us.”
CSUCI State of the University address on April 29 will highlight a new Early Childhood Education Center, stem cell research and scholarships for students ‘in the middle’
When CSU Channel Islands CSUCI President Richard Yao, Ph.D. gives his State of the University address on Friday, April 29, he will highlight expanding academic programs, new funding for stem cell research, creative internship and scholarship opportunities, and the biggest construction project in the 20-year history of the campus.
“CSU Channel Islands celebrates its 20th anniversary this fall with an eye toward the future,” Yao said. “We are expanding our capacity to serve our growing student body with multimillion dollar campus construction projects, exciting research opportunities, and exploration into new academic programs on the horizon.”
During his annual address, Yao will give an update on the capital improvements to the campus, which include expansion of University Glen and the addition of a new Early Childhood Education Center to provide childcare to campus members and the local community, as well as to serve as a learning laboratory for students in Early Childhood Education and related disciplines.
Another notable project is Gateway Hall, a $71 million structure that is being built at the entrance of the campus and will include offices, classrooms, and 120,000 square feet dedicated to student services.
Sept. 28 — CSUCI launches Healthcare Leadership Symposium Series
To help health science and nursing students gain understanding of the healthcare system from the perspective of local leaders, CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is launching a symposium series featuring local health care experts who will share their knowledge and experiences.
The first CSUCI HeaLS: Healthcare Leadership Symposium Series event, “Current and Future Challenges in Healthcare,” will be held at CSUCI’s main campus on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 6 p.m. in the John Spoor Broome Library, Room 1320. The event is open to the public and features four panelists who each bring a unique perspective from the role they serve in healthcare.
CSUCI Health Sciences major Benito Rumbo wins Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Program Scholarship
CSU Channel Islands senior Benito Rumbo is going to have a difficult choice deciding which of the more than six graduate programs he applied for to attend. The Health Sciences major must choose between following his original dream of becoming a physician’s assistant or pursuing a Ph.D. in one of his two new-found loves—public health and epidemiology.
“I came to CSUCI wanting to pursue medicine because that is what I knew and was aware of,” Rumbo said. “But after taking health sciences courses, working with my professors, and participating in a research project about the burden of care givers, I felt passionate about research and pursuing a career in public health. But I’m still weighing my options.”
CSUCI Biology professor receives $3.6 million grant to boost stem cell internship program
CSUCI Assistant Professor of Management named Educator of the Year
CSUCI receives high marks for social mobility, best value and more in national rankings
CSU Channel Islands(CSUCI) was ranked in the top 20 in multiple categories in this year’s national college rankings from US News & World Report and Washington Monthly.
In the U.S. News & World Report 2022 Best Colleges, CSUCI was 20th among Top Public Schools in the West, and No. 17 in the “Top Performers in Social Mobility” rankings in the Regional Universities West category, up four spots from last year. Social mobility measures how well higher education institutions graduate students who are Pell Grant recipients.
The University also climbed two rungs from last year in the Regional Universities West category, rising from No. 43 to No. 41 for 2022.
CSUCI faculty members receive PCBT’s Spirit of Small Business Advocate Award
The Pacific Coast Business Times has awarded CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Associate Professor of Marketing Ekin Pehlivan and Cynthia Sherman, Director of the University’s Entrepreneurship & Small Business Institute (ESBI) and Assistant Professor of Management, a 2021 Spirit of Small Business Advocate award.
The award was given in recognition of the pairs work in developing and implementing the Micro-Internship program. The program helped CSUCI students gain valuable job experience and local small businesses and nonprofits survive during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CSU Channel Islands pilot program aims to strengthen success for transfer students
Students who transfer to CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) have different experiences than students who have been with the campus since their freshman year.
“Transfer students are navigating a new environment in a shortened time frame,” said Interim Dean for the Martin V. Smith (MVS) School of Business & Economics Susan Andrzejewski, Ph.D. “They know what it looks like from a social and academic standpoint, but it’s another thing to step on campus—like trying to find clubs and organizations or the tutoring center or the dining hall. Plus, they have to balance jobs and responsibilities with more challenging coursework.”
CSUCI’s Basic Needs program gets a welcome $127,652 boost
Before the pandemic, roughly 115 CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) students took advantage of the campus Basic Needs Program in 2018/2019. During the 2019/2020 academic year, that number more than doubled with 243 students using the program. About half of those 243 students contacted the Basic Needs program right after March 2020.
“Many of our students are in the types of work that was disproportionately influenced by the shutdown,” said Associate Dean of Students Chelsee Bente — who leads the Basic Needs Program. “The shutdown also impacted many of our student’s families who suddenly had a loss of income.”
Fortunately, CSUCI’s Basic Needs Program received a boost in the form of a $27,652.17 grant in April and another $100,000 in May from the CSU Chancellor’s Office, for a total of $127,652.17.
CSUCI Environmental Science & Resource Management faculty receive almost $400,000 to study beach access inequities
The beach belongs to everyone. But sea level rise caused by climate change means certain populations may be less and less able to access this natural resource.
Two Environmental Science & Resource Management (ESRM) faculty members from CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) will study the problem after receiving $396,060 for a project called “Sustaining Beaches and Social Equity under Higher Sea Levels: An interdisciplinary case study of the Santa Barbara Littoral Cell.”
Assistant Professors of ESRM Kiki Patsch, Ph.D. and Dan Reineman, Ph.D. are leading the research team, which is creating job opportunities for CSUCI students—13 of whom will be hired over the summer.
Carnegie Art Cornerstones endows $50,000 scholarship for CSUCI Art students
An Oxnard non-profit organization designed to support and encourage aspiring young artists has endowed CSU Channel Islands with a $50,000 scholarship fund for students majoring in Studio Art or Art History.
Carnegie Art Cornerstones evolved out of the Carnegie Art Museum, which closed in summer of 2019 owing to Oxnard city budget cuts. As a non-profit, Cornerstones will continue to promote art and art appreciation but will now do so through college scholarships.
“I think this is really going to help students, especially coming out of a pandemic,” said CSUCI Art Professor and Chair of the Art Program, Liz King. “We’ve always had such an amazing relationship with the Carnegie Art Museum. Some of our faculty have had shows there, our students have been interns—it’s a treasured, vital relationship and I’m so happy to hear about Carnegie’s transition to Cornerstones.”
CSUCI professor coordinates virtual tours of Florence culture guided by CSU International Program faculty
Dressed in a tweed overcoat and a billed beret, Florentine Art Historian and CSU International Program (CSUIP) Professor Marco Cianchi walks through the cobbled streets of Florence and through the arched doors of the Church of Santa Felicita.
“Behind me you’ll see the Deposition of Christ from the Cross,” Cianchi says, while standing in front of the masterpiece created in 1527 by Italian Renaissance painter Jacopo Pontormo. “It’s real and unreal at the same time. Magic colors. It’s one of the greatest examples of ‘mannerism’ here in Florence and all over, actually.”
CSUCI’s commencement will be a ‘drive-up’ with a cross-the-stage moment
CSU Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) Class of 2021 will get a chance to cross a stage in a hybrid commencement ceremony that will include caps, gowns and cars. The Class of 2020 will get the same chance during one of six ceremonies spread over three days on May 21, 22 and 23.
In order to continue to abide by Ventura County Public Health requirements to keep students and their families safe and required physical distancing, each graduate will drive with family and friends in one car to one of multiple stages set up in parking areas around campus.
CSUCI’s inaugural 2021 Plot-A-Thon Data Visualization Festival equips students to join data gold rush
Don’t just show numbers—tell a story. That was the idea behind CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s 2021 Plot-a-thon Data Visualization Festival, which was held last Friday.
The virtual day-long event immersed students in the world of data visualization—the process of taking a mountain of raw data and compressing it into a colorful pie chart, bar chart, a word cloud, cartoons or an interactive map that appears to move and breathe as the data rolls in.
CSUCI is part of Excelencia in Education’s new research on Hispanic-Serving Institutions over the past 25 Years
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is one of the Hispanic-Serving Institutions across the nation that invested in “25 Years of Hispanic-Serving Institutions,” a research project conducted by Washington D.C.-based Excelencia in Education.
Excelencia—an institution dedicated to the advancement of Latinx students in higher education across the nation—is co-hosting a virtual event, “California Briefing on 25 Years of HSIs in Accelerating Latinx Student Success,” on Tuesday, March 2, at 10:30 a.m. In addition to CSU Channel Islands, partnering institutions include CSU Northridge, CSU Monterey Bay, CSU San Bernardino, Fresno State, the California State University system, California Community Colleges, and the University of California Merced.
The public is invited to register for the free presentation at: https://www.csun.edu/node/11001/california-briefing-25-years-hsis.
Spring II 2021 Virtual Classes begin March 22 at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSU Channel Islands
Spring II 2021 Virtual Classes begin March 22 at Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at CSU Channel Islands. Registration begins March 1.
OLLI at CSUCI brings the excitement and stimulation of college learning to area adults (50 or better!) who wish to extend their learning experiences in a university atmosphere.
OLLI members take university-level courses without the distraction of grading, preparing for a career, or meeting degree requirements. OLLI is learning for the joy of learning!
CSUCI Business faculty research suggests engineers negotiate differently
When you drive over a bridge, use a computer, watch TV or turn on your garbage disposal, thank an engineer.
Engineer jokes abound, but engineers are critical to 21st century society. They “invent, design, build, analyze and test the machinery and systems that make society operate,” wrote CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Assistant Professor of Management Dylan Cooper, Ph.D. in a research project called “An exploration of whether engineers differ from non-engineers in their approach to negotiation.”
Through June 20 — CSUCI Chorus celebrates Black composers with “Into the Light” spring concert
Some say it was an inscription on the wall of a cellar in Cologne, Germany, where a number of Jews hid themselves for the entire duration of World War II.
Other accounts say it was scratched on a wall next to the body of a prisoner who had escaped the Warsaw ghetto. Its origins are unclear, but the message was powerful enough to inspire the song, “I Believe.”
I believe in the sun even when it is not shining;
I believe in love even when feeling it not;
I believe in God even when he is silent.
A choral arrangement of “I Believe” by composer Mark Miller will be among the selections in the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) virtual Spring 2021 Choral Program celebrating Black composers like Miller, entitled “Into the Light.”
U.S. Department of Education awards $600K to CSUCI for degree completion program
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s Channel Your Success initiative received a $600,000 boost this fall from the U.S. Department of Education.
Channel Your Success is a multi-faceted program designed to remove barriers preventing Latinx students from graduating on time. Director of Student Academic Success & Equity Initiatives Michelle Hasendonckx, Ed.D., said this particular grant is a 2020 Title V grant for a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), but the campaign is to benefit all CSUCI students.
CSUCI Fall 2021 application period opens October 1 with changed requirements
Freshmen and upper division transfer students are invited to apply for CSU Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) fall 2021 semester beginning Oct. 1 through Dec. 4.
The California State University (CSU) system has temporarily lifted requirements that first-time freshmen submit their SAT and ACT scores for admission for fall 2021. The temporary change will also apply to winter 2022 and spring 2022 admission cycles.
CSUCI Chicana/o Studies faculty member wins award for virtual lesson plans that include spinning vinyl and Penny Dreadfuls
The year is 1938. The Third Reich is rising along with radio evangelism and The City of Angels is constructing the freeways that will transform it into a metropolis. When a grisly murder shocks the city, the first Chicana/o in the Los Angeles Police Department, Tiago Vega, and his partner, Lewis Michener, investigate while being pulled into the deep traditions of Mexican American folklore.
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Assistant Professor of Chicana/o Studies Nicholas Centino, Ph.D. was recently honored for his use of the compelling, atmospheric “Penny Dreadful: City of Angels” series on Showtime and several other creative teaching twists—innovation that continued when CSUCI’s classes went virtual with the COVID pandemic.
Professor of Art History and her artist husband chronicle the homeless in Los Angeles with “Sidewalk Inn”
They lay by wheelchairs on the sidewalk, on benches, along storefronts and in the park where CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Professor of Art History Irina D. Costache, Ph.D., likes to play tennis with her husband, Cristian Costache.
The Costaches would leave their Los Angeles home to head for the tennis courts and pass one homeless person after another on their way.
National college reports give CSUCI high marks for social mobility, affordability and overall quality
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) is listed among the top 20 “Best Bang for Your Buck” Colleges in the West in Washington Monthly’s annual college guide.
CSUCI was ranked the 19th “Best Bang for Your Buck” college in 2020, up from last year’s ranking of No. 22. CSUCI has been rising steadily for years, up from its No. 26 ranking in 2018 and 2017.
CSUCI announces second confirmed COVID-19 case
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) announced Sept. 8 that a student has a positive case of coronavirus (COVID-19). The individual was on the campus Sept. 3, 2020, is not a residential student, and is now in self-isolation at their off-campus residence. Any campus buildings visited by the individual have been closed until thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
CSUCI goes virtual with a multi-faceted STEM education project funded by U.S. Department of Education grant
When the U.S. Department of Education first awarded CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) a five-year $6 million grant to launch Project PROMESAS (Pathways with Regional Outreach and Mathematics Excellence for Student Achievement in STEM) in the 2016/17 academic year, no one could foresee what would happen in 2020/21— the last year of the grant.
CSUCI Performing Arts faculty members recognized for creative virtual dance instruction
A worldwide virtual dance project is among the imaginative concepts that Associate Professor of Performing Arts/Dance Heather Castillo and Performing Arts/Dance Lecturer MiRi Park designed after CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) switched to online learning.
The project, called CORontine Corps, along with an online dance instruction guide they created earned Castillo and Park a 2020 Faculty Innovation and Leadership Award (FILA) honoring CSU faculty and/or staff members who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership that advances student success.
CSUCI summer research program includes Santa Rosa Island, 19th century Mexico, and the coronavirus
CSUCI Associate Professor of Mathematics Selenne Bañuelos wins national award for extraordinary teaching practices
California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI) Associate Professor of Mathematics Selenne Bañuelos, Ph.D., remembers walking into her college math classes as an undergraduate and seeing no other women of color as tenure track faculty nor Latinx women born in the U.S.
“The STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) world can be very lonely for women, especially for a woman of color,” Bañuelos said. “You can feel like you don’t fit in. At that moment, I had not met a female in academia — especially a woman with children.”
But a love for the complexity and possibilities of mathematics compelled her to keep going, and in late July, the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) awarded Bañuelos one of the top awards in the nation for a university math professor.
Campus and community welcome to audition for CSUCI’s first Virtual Choir
Few can forget the Italians perched on windowsills serenading one another while quarantined with the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It is with that same spirit of resilience that the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Chorus is inviting the campus and the community to audition for its first ever virtual chorus.
“Our voices must sing and the song must endure and no pandemic can stop that,” said Dean Butler, CSUCI alumnus, choir member and Channel Islands Choral Association (CICA) president. “Music throughout history has been the universal expression of healing, love, hope and peace.”
National Science Foundation grant will enable CSUCI anthropologist to research more than 10,000 years of human history on the Channel Islands
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Professor of Anthropology Jennifer Perry, Ph.D., has been awarded $57,806 from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to expand her research into those who lived on California’s Channel Islands for the last 10,000+ years.
“We’re looking at human-environment interactions through time, trying to understand how people lived on the Channel Islands,” Perry explained. “What we are looking at are archaeological sites along the channel that have evidence of human occupation over the past 10,000 years or more. From plants and animals and artifacts, we can look at change through time, such as changes in climate, and how people responded to that change.”
CSUCI graduate heads to Ireland as a Fulbright Scholar
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Applied Physics and Mathematics double major Carmen Stepek will be pursing her doctorate in neuro-physics on the Emerald Isle as a Fulbright scholar.
The Class of 2020 graduate will attend the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) under the Fulbright U.S. Student Program.
CSUCI awarded Bee Campus USA designation for the second time in a row
While most of the campus operates in cyberspace, the roughly 24 colonies at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s bee yard are thriving, thanks in part to two 2019 graduates who suit up and show up to care for the bees.
CSUCI’s pollinator-friendly campus, bee education, outreach and student involvement along with a number of other factors have earned CSUCI a Bee Campus USA designation for a second year in a row. CSUCI is one of 103 Bee Campus USAs across the nation.
MVS School of Business & Economics honors outstanding students, alumni and staff
CSUCI History students record personal stories during a pandemic in “plague journals”
CSUCI student’s letter to Lin-Manuel Miranda will be shared on Apple TV’s “Dear…” series
A letter she wrote to “Hamilton” and “In The Heights” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda landed CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Performing Arts major Melina Ortega a place in Apple TV’s “Dear…,” which premieres Friday, June 5.
Emmy Award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler created the 10-part docu-series to tell the stories of some of America’s pop culture icons through the eyes of those inspired by them.
CSUCI Nursing program’s virtual labs awarded $10,000 Minigrant
When CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) went virtual in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Nursing program had one of the biggest challenges on campus. The faculty needed to create virtual clinical labs for its students.
“Nursing programs require a certain number of hours of clinical experience in order to meet state requirements,” said Associate Professor of Nursing Jaime Hannans, Ph.D., R.N., C.N.E. “We have clinical courses in which students engage in patient-to-student experiences at a hospital, or other healthcare facility. We had to rethink how to deliver hand-on educational experiences virtually.”
California State Student Association honors CSUCI faculty for helping to save $3.8 million in textbook costs for students
CSUCI prepares for pandemic’s disproportionate impact on Latinx community
Lessons from the Great Recession suggest that as we emerge from the COVID-19 crisis, the rules of the marketplace will have changed, and the impact will fall disproportionately on the Latinx community.
Circumstances many Latinx students faced when the pandemic hit may discourage them from staying in school when in fact, getting that college degree has never been more important.
Philanthropists with deep roots in Ventura County to be recognized with honorary doctorates by CSUCI
Philanthropy is a multi-generational tradition for Esther Wachtell of Ojai and Irene Pinkard, Ed.D., of Oxnard.
In recognition of their commitment to enhancing the culture, environment and educational opportunities in the Ventura/Santa Barbara County region, CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) will recognize Pinkard and Wachtell with honorary doctorates during CSUCI’s virtual commencement celebration to be held on Saturday, May 23 at 11 a.m.
CSUCI Chemistry and Nursing students get more opportunity for hands-on experience with two separate grants
CSUCI to honor Class of 2020 with virtual celebration
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) will salute the Class of 2020 with a livestream celebration beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 23.
The celebration is being held on the same day the students were to graduate and President Erika D. Beck, Ph.D. stressed that this will not replace the in-person graduation, which had to be postponed because of the COVID-19 crisis.
CSUCI study seeks surfer input on beach closures
State and local efforts to stem the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic have left many American coast dwellers without beach access and surfers landlocked.
CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Assistant Professor of Environmental Science & Resource Management Dan Reineman, Ph.D., is investigating the social ramifications of beach and ocean access restrictions across the state of California and the nation by launching a nationwide survey aimed at the surfing community.
Reineman is asking surfers across the nation to participate in a survey: www.coastography.org/SADsurvey and share it with their surfing friends.
CSU Channel Islands OLLI Classes Go Virtual
CSUCI named Tree Campus for 8th year in a row
Working remotely CSUCI pulls together to print 3-D protective face shields
CSU Channel Islands may be operating in a virtual environment right now, but CSUCI faculty, staff and students from several different academic programs have mobilized and fired up 3-D printers to print badly-needed protective face shields.
So far, 51 printers are humming away in University members’ garages, kitchens, bedrooms and dens across the region in an effort to help medical personnel protect themselves as they treat patients diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus.
CSUCI Nursing students assist VCPH during COVID-19 crisis
CSU Channel Islands — Observing Cesar Chavez Day virtually
CSUCI will postpone 2020 Commencement
CSUCI takes further steps toward social distancing on campus
CSUCI cancels classes March 16-19 and accelerates virtual instruction
CSUCI to transition to virtual instruction
STEM grant will benefit CSUCI Santa Rosa Island Research Station
Diplomacy earns CSUCI students awards at a Model United Nations competition
CSUCI alumna and former mentor’s sand crab research raise more red flags on microplastics
CSUCI Nursing program gets high marks again in two separate rankings
CSUCI seeks volunteers willing to surf for science
Feb. 11 — CSUCI welcomes Lunar New Year with a celebration of cultures from the other side of the world
March 5 — State of the University address will detail major campus construction projects
March 7 — CSUCI Science Carnival trots out spooky science for its Halloween in March theme
Through March 14 — Young woman gets to know her dead sister as they battle dragons together in CSUCI’s ‘She Kills Monsters’
CSUCI to offer cloud computing course
CSUCI scholarship recipient learned to love nursing from her grandmother
National Weather Service recognizes CSUCI as ‘StormReady’
Camarillo nurse and beloved sister leaves a slice of California with CSUCI
CSUCI Science Carnival postponed until 2020
CSUCI Student earns prestigious Sally Casanova Pre-Doctoral Scholarship
CSUCI Chemistry and Psychology double major receives CSU Trustees’ Award
CSUCI Receives NSF Grant to Study Ethics in Research
CSUCI Economics Professor Miguel Delgado Helleseter Appointed to Housing Board
Excelencia in Education names two CSUCI initiatives as Examples of Excelencia Programs to Watch
CSUCI Rises in U.S. News Rankings
CSUCI senior with uneven educational background wins prestigious Teach for America position
Washington Monthly ranks CSUCI among top 25 “Best Bang for Your Buck” Colleges in the West
Oct. 23 — Local businesses and entrepreneurs can learn more about the B Corp certification at CSUCI Roundtable
Nov. 2 — Slime, goo, flames and screaming Gummi bears bring out the silly side of science at CSUCI’s Science Carnival
Nov. 9 — CSUCI to honor International Women’s Entrepreneurship Day with on campus panel
Dec. 2 — CSUCI’s Choir will perform ‘A Light in the Darkness’ winter concert
California State University recognizes CSUCI English professor for innovative practices
Money magazine ranks CSUCI among top ten “most transformative” colleges in the nation
NSF awards CSUCI $2.5 million to increase female and minority STEM undergraduates
CSUCI Biotechnology students to present stem cell research linked to diabetes, cancer and more on Aug. 9
CSUCI accepting spring 2020 applications
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) will begin to accept applications on Aug. 1 from upper division transfer students for admission to the spring 2020 term. Prospective students interested in attending the spring 2020 semester can apply online at the CSU’s…
CSUCI students study Arctic Ocean during 18-day journey onboard an icebreaker
Oct. 5 — CSUCI President’s Dinner will be a Farm-To-Table feast with music, dancing and imaginative student projects
CSUCI Boating Center gets grant to support ongoing water recreation and safety classes for underserved youth
CAMARILLO — Anybody can learn to sail, paddleboard, kayak or simply learn more about our ocean through the Channel Islands Boating Center (CIBC), which is part of CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI). The year-round programs, which are particularly popular in the summertime, just…
CSUCI education helped 2004 alumni couple turn injury into opportunity
Grant will enable expansion of teacher academy for new physical education teachers
CAMARILLO — The California Physical Education-Health Project (CPE-HP), a statewide program headquartered at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI), has received $51,300 in supplemental funding from the University of California, Office of the President. Executive Director of the CPE-HP Dianne Wilson-Graham said the…
Two Ventura County native sons co-chair CSUCI Planned Giving Advisory Council
CSUCI Art History student earns Getty-backed internship
Immigration, the environment and labor are topics teens will tackle through The Encampment for Citizenship at CSUCI
CSUCI Team ties for First Place in worldwide online Business Strategy Game
State legislators and managers seek out CSUCI faculty expertise
CSUCI faculty will study common problems between France and California at Paris seminar
CSUCI earns prestigious Seal of Excelencia
CSUCI student body president graduates to state politics
CAMARILLO — Three days after making his last speech as the student government president at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI), Class of 2019 graduate Atticus Reyes accepted a fellowship that takes him to the halls of the California State Capitol. Reyes, 22,…
CSUCI receives grant to support food program for students
CSUCI School of Education receives grants to launch teacher residency program
CSUCI Professor appointed to California Cybersecurity Task Force
CSUCI joins forces with Museum of Ventura County to digitize historical archives
CSUCI Police armed with special training and medicine to counteract fatal opioid overdose
Once unsure if he was cut out for college, CSUCI student wins national fellowship
CAMARILLO — There was a time when Biology and Global Studies double major Patricio Ruano, 19, didn’t think he was college material. “Neither one of my parents went to college,” said Ruano, the youngest of four. “My mom went for one…
CSUCI named Tree Campus USA for seventh year in a row
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)’s dedication to planting and maintaining the trees shading the campus streets, sidewalks and buildings has earned the University a Tree Campus USA designation for the seventh year in a row. Tree Campus USA is a…
Two CSUCI History majors get full scholarships for doctorate programs
CAMARILLO — The marginalization of deaf women through history always fascinated CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) History alumna Marissa Hull. The absence or misrepresentation of America’s indigenous people intrigued History major Mariah Kelly-Huron. Their academic interests and achievements have earned both…
15th Annual Business & Technology Partnership Leadership Dinner celebrates peer mentorship
CSUCI to award honorary doctorates to four individuals who have shattered barriers and forged pathways to higher education
CAMARILLO — Four individuals who have distinguished themselves with their support for CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) will be awarded honorary doctorates at CSUCI’s 2019 Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 18. At the 9 a.m. ceremony, Founding President of Excelencia in Education,…
A chance to learn what it takes to become a certified “B Corp” at CSUCI event on April 15
CAMARILLO — Employees at Patagonia Ventura can visit their young children during work at an on-site child care facility. They get a stipend for carpooling, biking or walking to work. Since the company was founded, it has given away more than…
CSUCI to graduate largest class of students at May 18 Commencement ceremonies
May 4 — Middle school scientists join CSUCI student researchers at on-campus SAGE Research Conference
CAMARILLO — Edible insects, worms and microplastics are among the smaller stars of the 11th Annual SAGE Student Research Conference scheduled for Saturday, May 4 from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Grand Salon. Oral presentations will be in Del…
CSUCI 11th Annual Conference for Social Justice in Education on April 6 asks attendees to ‘be the change’
CAMARILLO — “Be the Change” is the theme of the 11th Annual Conference for Social Justice in Education at the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) campus on April 6. Everyone is welcome to the free conference, including faculty, students, parents and anyone else…
CSUCI student chosen to represent California in 2019 College Student Congress
CAMARILLO — Self-described political nerd Josh Donner didn’t think he would have much of a chance of winning a spot on the prestigious 2019 College Student Congress at the Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship, but why not try? His efforts paid…
April 2 — CSUCI’s Eighth Annual Autism Awareness Event will stress understanding and acceptance
CAMARILLO — It’s not a defect, it’s diversity. That’s the point CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) History major Angeles Castillo, 20, plans to make as she speaks at the Eighth Annual “Light It Up Blue” Autism Awareness event from 6:30 to 8…
April 3 — Diné/Navajo weavers will demonstrate ancient weaving practices at CSUCI Exhibition
CAMARILLO — Nine Diné (Navajo) weavers, most of whom are tribal elders, will bring generations of weaving tradition to CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Wednesday, April 3, at the John Spoor Broome Library. “We are here to educate our students on the people,…
Through April 10 — National touring exhibit on Native American healing practices to visit CSUCI
CAMARILLO — When the Chumash people lived on the land now occupied by CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI), healers routinely collected native plants such as sage, mugwort and yerba santa to treat various ailments. Beyond administering herbs, healing an individual was considered…
April 29 — CSUCI students help present “Dreaming in Color” theme for College Night at the Getty
CAMARILLO — College students across Southern California are invited to attend College Night at the Getty on Monday, April 29 from 6 to 9 p.m. This year’s College Night theme, “Dreaming in Color” celebrates the science and art of color; the…
CSUCI Nursing faculty member one of four nurse educators nationwide to receive ‘Nurse’s Touch’ award
CAMARILLO — Her imagination and compassion in the classroom are among the characteristics that prompted a national nursing education company to choose CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Assistant Professor of Nursing Colleen Nevins to receive the 2018 “Nurse’s Touch” nurse educator award.…
Works of author/poet Michele Serros donated to CSUCI
“It’s ‘the three Bs.’ It was always about barrios, borders and bodegas, and I wanted to present a different type of life, a life that truly goes on that we don’t always see in the mainstream media.” —2006 NPR interview…
Student artwork mentored by internationally-known artist Celia Herrera Rodriguez part of the first CSUCI art show of 2019
CAMARILLO — Long before the Spanish explorers arrived, the indigenous people of Mesoamerica chronicled their lives using a delicate type of paper called “amatl.” “Cuentos in Amatl,” student renderings in the medium used by ancient indigenous people of Mexico and Latin…
March 13 — Teacher who launched “Freedom Writers” from so-called “unteachable” students to visit CSUCI
“Dear Diary…I’m fourteen, and people think I should be scared because I’m surrounded by violence, but around here it’s an everyday thing. The first thing I see when I get off the bus is graffiti on walls, beer bottles, filling…
March 14 — CSUCI’s Napa Gallery hosts reception for “The F Word” and other compelling takes on contemporary culture
Exhibit continues through April 4 CAMARILLO — For featured artists Kayla Mattes and Elisa Ortega, the title of their exhibit, “The F Word,” stands for “fiber,” “fabric” and “feminism.” “The F Word” is on exhibit at the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)…
March 26 — “Taste of the MBA” in Santa Barbara will highlight advantages of an advanced business degree
CAMARILLO — Corporate charisma, managing your manager, and the business climate in Santa Barbara and Ventura County are among the topics on the menu Tuesday, March 26 during CSU Channel Islands’ (CSUCI) inaugural “Taste of the MBA” event. The mixer, followed…
CSUCI Mathematics faculty member chosen as a national 2019 ‘Emerging Scholar’
CAMARILLO — A CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Mathematics faculty member who got her start counting dollar bills in the family’s swap meet business has just been chosen as a 2019 Emerging Scholar by a national academic publication. “Diverse: Issues in Higher…
Economic Impact Study details the talent, growth and revenue CSUCI brings to state and county
CAMARILLO — An educated work force, a healthier economy and opportunities for upward social mobility are among numerous economic advantages CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) brings to the state, county and surrounding cities. The CSUCI Economic Impact Report for the 2016-17 fiscal…
Former U.S. Second Lady Tipper Gore becomes founding donor for CSUCI peer mentor program
CAMARILLO — After transferring to CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) from Alan Hancock College in Santa Maria, Business major Bryan Calazan, 29, was struggling. He was overwhelmed attending school full time while also holding down a full-time job. “When I transferred from…
CSUCI awarded $1.1 million grant for Early Childhood Dual Language Learning
CAMARILLO — For children whose families don’t speak English at home, research has shown there are numerous advantages to educating young children in English and their native language simultaneously. These young students are called Dual Language Learners or DLLs. Developing strategies…
CSUCI Entrepreneurship & Small Business Institute gets a new director
CAMARILLO — A unique CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) institute designed to help launch student entrepreneurs is getting a new director. Beginning with the spring semester, Assistant Professor of Management, Cynthia Sherman, Ph.D., will head the Entrepreneurship & Small Business Institute (ESBI),…
Feb. 25 — Grammy-nominated blues singer Janiva Magness to perform at CSU Channel Islands
CAMARILLO — The second woman ever to be named the Blues Foundation’s B.B. King Entertainer of the Year will be performing on the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) campus from 1:30 to 2:45 p.m. on Monday, February 25, in Malibu Hall, Room…
MONEY magazine ranks CSUCI 4th best college in the nation for transfer students
CAMARILLO — The journey to a university diploma doesn’t always mean a straight four-year shot through a single college. Finances, family obligations or a number of other reasons compel millions of students to choose two years at a community college first…
CSUCI Biology faculty receives grant to help increase STEM degrees among minorities
CAMARILLO — CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) Biology Lecturer Caryl Ann Becerra, Ph.D., has received $35,000 for a project called “California State University Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (CSU-LSAMP).” LSAMP stands for the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program, which…
CSUCI-led VC STEM network receives $75,000 grant from Amgen Foundation
CAMARILLO — A recently-released White House five-year strategic plan to promote science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning indicates that Ventura County is already ahead of the curve, thanks to the CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI)-led Ventura County STEM (VC STEM) network.…
CSUCI receives two separate grants to empower immigrants and transfer students
CAMARILLO — Vulnerable student populations at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) are benefitting from two separate grants from one local and one national organization. Professor of Chicana/o Studies Jose Alamillo and Assistant Professors of Sociology Luis Sanchez and Karina Chavarria applied for…