CSUDH welcomed three new deans to campus leadership roles during 2021, each bringing their unique experience, vision, and passion for helping students succeed to their role.

In June, Jessica Pandya took over as the dean of the College of Education. Pandya joined CSUDH after more than 15 years at CSU Long Beach. There, she served as a full professor in the Department of Teacher Education and Liberal Studies, and both an associate and assistant professor in the department. Prior to joining the CSU system, Pandya taught kindergarten, language arts, and was a master teacher. She holds a PhD and an MA in education from UC Berkeley.

“I am so excited to support the excellent work of the equity-minded faculty and staff in the College of Education at Dominguez Hills,” said Pandya, who will focus her attention as dean on enhancing the college’s current degree and credential programs, and establishing new curriculum and innovative programs within the college and with external partners. “I especially look forward to supporting students and strengthening the college’s many educational partnerships in the surrounding community.”

In July, Sheree Schrager stepped into her new position as dean of Graduate Studies and Research, where she is responsible for leading and expanding the quality of graduate programs on campus, developing the university’s external funding portfolio, and developing policies and procedures related to these areas.

“The people of Carson, Compton, and Watts deserve access to a world-class institution of higher education—and academia needs their voices. Expanding funded research and graduate programs at CSUDH can create incredible opportunities right in their back yard,” said Schrager.

Schrager holds a PhD in psychology and master’s degrees in statistics and psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to CSUDH, Schrager was the interim senior director of research and sponsored programs at CSU Northridge and served as the chief research officer. She has also held positions at the Keck School of Medicine and the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work at the University of Southern California, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. She was inducted into the Society for Pediatric Research in 2015.

Mi-Sook Kim also started her new job in July, taking over as dean of the College of Health, Human Services and Nursing (CHHSN). As dean, Kim will lead the coordination of curriculum and program review for all programs in the college to ensure continued academic excellence and growth of the college.

Kim came to CSUDH from San Francisco State University (SFSU), where she was a professor in the Department of Kinesiology. Kim’s career in higher education began in 1990 as a research assistant working with faculty at Chung-Ang University in South Korea. She held positions as a research and teaching assistant at Purdue University and the University of Valencia in Spain before arriving at SFSU.

Kim currently serves on the board of directors of the American Kinesiology Association, and chairs their Student Awards Committee. In January 2017, Kim was awarded the organization’s Distinguished Leadership Award.

Kim holds a PhD in kinesiology, with a specialization in sport and exercise psychology from Purdue University, and an MS in kinesiology from Chung-Ang University, South Korea.

“CHHSN has a clear future-forward vision and mission to meet public needs and facilitate social change and transformation,” said Kim upon her appointment. “Higher education is moving in the direction of ensuring that our students are both civic-minded and career-ready upon graduation. CHHSN is at the center of this movement, and the faculty and students are doing innovative work in this interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary environment. I am thrilled to join the team and help build on and highlight its excellence. Together, we will create a space where social justice and ethical thinking are embodied in our work.”

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Toros using the new Innovation and Instruction building will now be greeted by a series of striking murals created by Los Angeles artist Mark Steven Greenfield. The eight murals adorn walls throughout the building, adding a vibrant and meaningful touch to its interior spaces.

Greenfield’s work was chosen from over 90 artists who submitted work to be considered for the project. “I was excited by the level of artists that were interested in this project,” said Aandrea Stang, director of the University Art Museum and a member of the project’s selection committee. “We got a lot of great submissions, but Mark’s work really stood out. It was clear that his pieces were the best fit.”

The artist’s work, although primarily abstract, concerns itself with the complexities of the African American experience, both historically and in contemporary society. Many of the pieces on display have their genesis in Greenfield’s meditation practice, and are based on images formed in his subconscious.

He feels this basis in meditation makes the murals perfect for an educational setting. “I hope the work can be accepted in the same spirit in which it was created,” he says. “I’m hoping that people look at it, and maybe some of that meditative atmosphere gets translated to them, and puts them in a mindset that is more conducive to learning.”The works didn’t start out as murals, but as pen-and-ink pieces as small as 28 inches high. They were enlarged and printed onto high-quality vinyl that was then applied to the building’s walls, an approach that will enable the works to be changed every few years. “I was shocked when I saw them blown up to mural size,” says Greenfield. “Now I can really see all my mistakes!” he laughs.

The project has inspired Greenfield to pursue more large-scale projects. He is currently working on a project for the new Metro Regional Connector Station in downtown Los Angeles. Called The Red Car Requiem, it’s a mosaic mural that will be 147 feet long once completed. “It’s a tribute to the old Red Car transit system in L.A., and is the largest project Metro has ever done,” says Greenfield.

Meanwhile, the Toro community will get to enjoy his work every time they step into the Innovation and Instruction building. “I’m excited, and I feel that we’re really lucky that we get to live with this for a while,” says Stang.

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Responding to calls from students, CSUDH has added a pair of new campus affinity centers: the Latinx Cultural Resource Center (LCRC) and the Asian and Pacific Cultural Center (APCC). They join other centers, such as the Rose Black Resource Center and the Queer Culture & Resource Center.

“We’re here to build community, hear the needs of our students, and connect with them,” says the LCRC’s interim program director, Rony Castellanos Raymundo.

Chicano/a studies major Janneth Najera was a driving force behind the push to establish a Latinx Center on campus, working with faculty, staff, and community members to help the center come to life. Her commute from the Burbank area to Carson made it hard for her to connect with other students.

“It was difficult because there wasn’t a central point for us to meet,” she says. “DH is over 60 percent Latinx, so there’s a lot of us, but everybody’s going about their own business. Connecting with other students was hard.”

Since moving into their temporary home in Loker Student Union, the LCRC has been focused on programming and events. Their first big event was a two-day Día de los Muertos celebration held on campus at the start of November. The event’s success despite COVID-19 protocols inspired Castellanos, who says, “Our hope is to develop a series of signature events that will become traditions here at CSUDH.”

“Establishing these long-awaited cultural centers further demonstrates our university’s commitment to inclusive excellence,” says Megan Tagle Adams, director of the Women⁺s and Multicultural Resource Centers. “It’s essential to dedicate space, staff, and resources for supporting the success of our students of color.”

The APCC got off the ground a few months after the establishment of the LCRC, but is quickly ramping up its efforts. Nathan Nguyen, director of the APCC, hopes the center has its own physical space on campus soon, but in the meantime, he is planning what the space will look like and become.

“My primary focus right now is just developing our mission, learning outcomes, a vision for the center, and then securing a physical space,” he says.

For Nguyen, it’s important that the APCC becomes a “home away from home” for Asian American and Pacific Islander students. “That’s why getting a physical space is so important,” he says. “It’s really important to have a place where students can gather, hang out, do activities together, and learn about themselves, their identities, and their histories.”

In addition to providing a space for community building, Nguyen believes that the educational component of the affinity centers is vital. “I want students to really discover and grow in their own identities. I want to give students access to resources so they can learn more about themselves, and also look at issues that impact our communities, and how we can advocate for and address those issues.”

“Nathan has already been connecting with students and planning events for spring semester,” says Tagle Adams. “I’m excited to see how the APCC improves the visibility of our Asian/Pacific Islander campus community.”

“It’s important to show students that there are faculty and staff who look like us, have similar backgrounds and experiences, that have been through the process and have successfully accomplished the goals that we’re striving for,” adds Najera. “The LCRC will be a space where we can do that, with resources and tools to help us overcome those challenges as first-generation students, or as minority students in an institution that can take a lot of maneuvering through.”

“I think that identity work and cultural work is really important to our students’ college journey,” says Castellanos Raymundo. “A lot of it has to do with a sense of belonging. Due to their work schedules or their commute, some students will just attend classes and go home. But if they feel that they belong, they take more pride in what they’re doing. It’s so important for students to feel seen, to feel connected, and to feel that they’re part of something larger.”

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CSUDH was awarded millions in grants during 2021, which will fund outreach efforts, new equipment, research studies, and more.

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David Dixon, CSUDH professor of political science, has been named the university’s L.G. Chaffee Endowed Chair of Global and Comparative Politics. The first endowed chair position in university history was made possible by a $1.5 million bequest from Emeritus Professor of Political Science Lyman Chaffee, who passed away in 2018.

“We are pleased that the first chair of the Lyman Chaffee endowment will be filled by a person who has worked with Lyman in the past and pursues the same field of study that Lyman did,” said David Chaffee, Lyman’s brother.

A scholar of international politics, Chaffee taught political science at CSUDH for more than 35 years. He was an avid proponent of the benefits of studying abroad, and served as director of CSUDH’s international programs and resident director of the CSU system’s international programs in Spain.

As the first L.G. Chaffee Endowed Chair, Dixon will promote student engagement in the study of international and comparative politics, and study abroad opportunities.

Dixon joined the CSUDH Department of Political Science in 2015 as professor and chair. He previously held positions at St. Joseph’s College, Antioch University, and Whittier College. While at St. Joseph’s College, Dixon served as director of the study abroad program. His research and teaching focus on comparative politics, with an emphasis on religion, Latin America, and the Civil Rights Movement.

“I congratulate Dr. Dixon on his appointment, and look forward to working with him to broaden student participation in international and comparative politics,” said CSUDH Provost Michael Spagna. “As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, it is essential that we all work to broaden our horizons and understanding of how other people live.”

In addition to the endowment for the chair position, Chaffee’s legacy gift included $225,000 in support of scholarships for students interested in studying abroad.

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