Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
Building What’s Possible
CSUN President
f you come to campus this spring, you’ll see a university in motion. New buildings are rising. New programs are launching. Thousands of students are preparing for graduation and careers that will redefine what’s possible.
This issue of CSUN Magazine features some of the remarkable facilities that have opened their doors across campus in recent years, spaces designed to give our students the environments, tools and technologies they deserve. Innovation labs. Simulation centers. Creative studios. From healthcare to engineering to the arts, our students are learning in spaces that mirror the workplaces they’ll lead. That’s intentional. At CSUN, career readiness is central to everything we do.
Seen & Celebrated
Illustrations By Gabriella Trujillo
It is the ceremonial opening of CSUN’s beloved annual Powwow, which just celebrated its 40th year on campus, and the pageantry takes Debbie Martinez-Rambeau’s ’75 (Liberal Arts/Chicano Studies), M.A. ’81 (Elementary Education) breath away whenever she attends. Veterans are honored, new babies are blessed and those who are ailing receive prayers from spiritual leaders.
“Grand Entry is so beautiful because everyone is in regalia, ”Martinez-Rambeau said. “As people enter the circle, they are blessed by the spiritual leader.”
The Power of Second Chances
Marquita
Brown
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rowing up, Maria Martínez didn’t see higher education as part of their future, let alone the degrees and achievements they’ve amassed in recent years.
Martínez, 39, who uses she/they pronouns, is in their fifth year as a software engineer for the Walt Disney Company, earning a six-figure salary. In 2023, they co-founded Los Angeles-based Firme Coding, a nonprofit organization that teaches formerly incarcerated people coding and other necessary computing skills. Apple and CSUN’s Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub have awarded Firme Coding a grant “to expand technology and opportunity within the broad community of Hispanic-Serving Institutions.”
Even beyond the accolades and achievements, Martínez is doing work that inspires people and changes lives.
Suiting Up
free professional clothing resource and program of the CSUN Career Center, Matty’s Closet makes clothing and accessories available for interviews, internships, conferences and fledgling careers. Students can select one free outfit per semester, and the ensembles are theirs to keep.
In January, Matty’s Closet debuted its new digs in the Valera NEST basic needs suite, welcoming more students than ever before to its centralized University Student Union location. Some of the best features of the new space: location, a full stock of inventory and spacious fitting rooms!
isionary partnerships, creative funding models and an unwavering commitment to student success bring new spaces to life.
If it’s been a while since you’ve visited Northridge, take note: You may not recognize some sections of the CSUN campus. Since 2024, five new buildings have opened their doors to Matadors and another is under construction, slated to open in late 2027.
The opening and flourishing of new spaces and the physical transformation of the campus are tangible expressions of the university’s mission: to create spaces where every student can belong, excel and lead. Visionary partnerships, creative funding models and an unwavering commitment to student success brought these projects to life.
CSUN Launches Black-Serving Institution Era
Writing with Heart and Leading with Purpose
Red Noses, Real Grit, Real Opportunity
n the Mojave Desert, far from the distractions of campus life, CSUN theatre students are discovering what they can become.
At the Circus and Clown Desert Intensive, a weeklong, immersive training experience,
students work through training on rarely accessible skills such as trapeze, acrobatics, juggling, clowning and miming.
A program unique to CSUN, one taught by renowned Cirque du Soleil artists, this exceptional program impacts how students think, create and perform.
Philanthropy Is Transforming Campus, Opening Opportunities
SUN graduate student Jordan Blaine Rose recently took trips to California’s White Mountain Research Center and the Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Lab with students from the Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences to study the effects of recent wildfires on water quality in McGee Creek in the eastern Sierras.
“Field study sparked my thesis idea and allowed me to ask undergraduates to follow along in similar research for their own senior projects,” said Rose, who is working toward a Master of Science in Geographic Information Science.
It’s the kind of world-expanding experience — along with travel to academic conferences and other experiential learning projects — that are only possible for some students through philanthropic support.
Athletics
Big West Champs
atador Women’s Soccer clinched its first Big West Conference regular season championship since 2016 after a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over Long Beach State in late October. It’s CSUN’s second overall regular season championship in team history.
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1960s
Lawrence J. Peters ’65 (Physics) published the book “Software Project Management Methods and Techniques,” from Auerbach Publishing, in late 2025. Peters lives in Auburn, Wash.
- Mark L. Levinson ’68 (Political Science) was honored with the 2026 Bill Van Gieson Spirit of Calabasas Award, by the Calabasas Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes leadership, initiative and contributions to the Calabasas community. Levinson is a past chair of the Chamber’s board of directors and a two-time past recipient of the organization’s Chairman’s Award for service. A practicing attorney for more than three decades, Levinson focuses on family law.
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1970s
Diane (Velarde) Hernandez ’74 (Chicana/o Studies), ’75 (Teaching Credential) contributed to a project to craft more than 130 handmade quilts for CSUN students in the Resilient Scholars Program, presented at the program’s holiday dinner on Dec. 12, 2025. The quilters group, Telas de la Vida – the East Los Angeles Stitchers (aka TELAS), promotes quilting in the Latina community. “These quilts are heirlooms,” Hernandez said. “We want the students to know that not only are we proud of them, but that they’re loved and supported.” Hernandez and her late husband, Sergio Hernandez ’76, were alumni of CSUN’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). One of their daughters, Jenna Hernandez ’15 (Chicana/o Studies), M.A. ’24 (Higher Education Leadership), serves as an operations specialist for CSUN EOP. Diane Hernandez worked as a teacher and administrator, serving more than 30 years at her alma mater, San Fernando High School — where she taught English as a Second Language, U.S. History and English, and served as advisor for the mock trial team. -
1980s
Risa (FISHBEIN) THOMAS ’84 (Radio-TV Broadcasting), a freelance associate director and script supervisor working primarily in live TV, received the 2025 Volunteer Service Award from her national sorority, Delta Delta Delta. The award celebrates volunteers who have gone above and beyond in their service to the sorority. Thomas serves as alumnae chapter president for the San Fernando Valley. As an undergrad, she also served as collegiate chapter president. She has worked for more than 40 years in TV production. Thomas is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Television Academy, serving on several committees and councils. - Gene Baur ’85 (Sociology), president and co-founder of Farm Sanctuary, celebrated the 40th anniversary of the pioneering farm animal sanctuary and advocacy organization. An early leader in undercover investigations and farm animal rescue, Baur was instrumental in passing the first U.S. laws prohibiting inhumane animal confinement, and he continues to work on food industry reforms. A renowned activist and national bestselling author, Baur was called “the conscience of the food movement” by Time magazine.
- Shari McMahan ’87 (M.S., Environmental and Occupational Health) is president of Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Wash. She has served as the university’s leader since 2022, and she noted her role in branding the university as the region’s polytechnic institution as a major professional accomplishment. Previously, McMahan served as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Cal State San Bernardino, and as deputy provost at Cal State Fullerton.
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1990s
Raj M. Patel ’90 (Electrical Engineering) is chief technology officer at MeridianLink, Inc., a leading provider of modern software platforms for financial institutions and consumer reporting agencies. Previously, Patel served as executive-in-residence for research and development at Permira, a global private and growth equity firm. His career also has included senior leadership roles at Genesys and senior technology roles at Symantec, Pinterest, Salesforce, Cisco/Webex and Yahoo.
- Yung-mee Rhee ’93 (M.M., Piano Performance) performed Mozart’s “Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor” with the Tehachapi Symphony Orchestra in March. Rhee is an accomplished pianist and teacher, and an adjudicator of the annual Southwestern Youth Music Festival as well as the Music Teachers National Association Bartok Competition. She has served on the faculty of the Korean Institute of Piano Pedagogy since 2010.
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2000s
Leticia (CONTRERAS) CASTRO ’04 (Liberal Studies – ESL/Teaching Credential) is an elementary school principal in Phoenix, Ariz. She also serves as governing board president of the Avondale Elementary School District. In 2025, the Arizona Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents honored Castro as Outstanding Administrator of the Year.
Moonrise Magic
tudent photographer Blake Fagan captures an unforgettable lunar moment outside CSUN Baseball’s Robert J. Hiegert Field. “The conditions were nice but stressful: You don’t realize how fast the moon rises and looks smaller in the sky,” Fagan said. “I got this shot by backing up and using a long 300-mm lens.” Photo by Blake Fagan
Orange Oasis
SUN’s Orange Grove and duck pond are beloved campus landmarks and a tranquil escape for students, faculty and community members alike. Originally planted in the early 1940s, the Orange Grove covers about 5 acres along Nordhoff Street, between Zelzah and Lindley, and boasts more than 400 Valencia orange trees. It’s one of the last groves that once covered the San Fernando Valley. Photo by David J. Hawkins.
Jacob Bennett Development Communications Officer
Nick Bocanegra Assistant Director, Sports Communications
Carmen Ramos Chandler Director of Media Relations
Ringo Chiu ’01 Photographer
David J. Hawkins ’16 Photographer
Naz Keynejad ‘95, M.A. ‘16 Alumni/Annual Giving Communications Associate
David Lane Multimedia Producer
Kevin Lizarraga ’01, M.A. ’04 Director of University Marketing
Matt Monroe Associate Athletics Director, Sports Communications
Duc Anh Nguyen Multimedia Producer
Josselyn Partida ’16 Social Media Editor/Writer
Carissa Rhoads Administrative Analyst
Javier Rojas Media Relations Specialist
Leyla Sade ’11 Senior Project Management Specialist
Jesse Spero Lead Web Content Writer
Jenny O’Mara Steinbeck ’90, B.A. ’91 Writer/Editor
Student Photographer Blake Fagan
Student Production Asst. David Atjun
(ISSN 1549-8115) is published by
California State University, Northridge,
18111 Nordhoff St.,
Northridge, CA 91330-8296.
Department of Strategic Communication & Brand Management
California State University, Northridge
18111 Nordhoff St.,
Northridge, CA 91330-8296
On the Cover
