CSUN University Student Union

New 2024-2025 Board of Directors Takes Their Seats By Teagan Davidge Last month, a new Board of Directors (BOD) Chair and Vice Chair for the California State University, Northridge (CSUN) University Student Union (USU) were seated, along with several new representatives. While the Board’s goals for the 2024-2025 year have yet to be set, Chair Daniel Lopez and Vice Chair Marilyn Orantes have clear aspirations for their roles. “Marilyn and I are looking forward to continuing to support students’ basic needs through the Valera NEST, the Transportation Assistance Program, and our scholarships,” said Lopez. Read more below:

USU Employees Continue to Make Waves: One Student is Educating Others About Mono Lake Conservation By Teagan Davidge Last month, University Student Union (USU) Student Administrative Support Assistant for Equity, Programs and Leadership Victoria Villeda presented a class project created in partnership with the National Association for Chicano and Chicana Studies (NACCS) to the Green LA Water Coalition. The presentation included a video titled “Saving Mono Lake: A Visual and Historical Palimpsest of Chicano/a/s Environmental Justice and Water Conservation Movement in LA” which discussed tens of thousands of years of history surrounding the lake. The project also examined untold stories of the people and places linked with Los Angeles in terms of water supply and water usage. Read more below:

University Student Union (USU) employees and Board of Directors (BOD) members nearing the end of their time at CSUN filled the seats at the USU Northridge Center earlier this month to celebrate their accomplishments at the USU Graduate Appreciation Lunch. Graduating students were accompanied by supportive supervisors that have been instrumental to their success at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). USU Executive Director Debra Hammond attended the festivities and gave a speech honoring the graduates’ impressive achievements during their time with the USU. “There are 88 of you graduating this year, that's amazing! Out of our workforce and our Board of Directors members of almost 300 people, that's almost a third of our group that is graduating,” Hammond told the soon-to-be graduates. “To say that we are proud of you is an understatement. We are thrilled, we are elated, and we are just overjoyed that we get to celebrate this attainment of your dream.” Read more below: https://lnkd.in/gQWvPMjE

The Grand Salon was packed with California State University, Northridge (CSUN) staff, students, faculty, alumni, donors, and state officials this month as the University Student Union (USU) hosted a renovation celebration for its newest venture — The Valera NEST. The Valera NEST (Nurturing Environment for Students to Thrive) is expected to open in the 2025–2026 academic year and will house critical support services that enable students to thrive and reach their educational goals. Advocates as well as those who helped bring the project to life, shared what the project means to them. “I am so proud that we were able to secure the six million dollars from the state budget to cover nearly a third of the funding that’s needed for the Valera NEST to make it a reality, ensuring that it will be a central part of CSUN’s campus,” said California State Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo who represents the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys that comprise District 40. “These are important resources housed in all one location that will allow students to focus on their education…” Read more below.

University Student Union (USU) teams have been busy this past month, engaging with students to inform them about future plans for the USU’s Heart of Campus project. Thanks to a 2019 referendum vote where Matadors approved a USU fee increase of $125 per semester to build the New Heart of Campus, a project is poised to bring new services to renovated USU spaces. The 2024 informational campaign served to inform today’s students about the pending plan and how their fees are at work to provide desired student services. “I think when students understand where their fees are going, it allows trust within the USU and its students. It gives a sense of transparency so that students feel well informed about where their money is being used,” said Heart of Campus Project Champion Jordan Brown. “It also gives a sense of empowerment to the students that their fees are responsible for the new things being built within the USU.” Read more below.

The atmosphere was reminiscent of nightlife in a city, the perfect environment for students and their guests to have fun, interact with community members, and enjoy some time to unwind. It was Night Market, a signature University Student Union (USU) event where students and community members strolled a Plaza del Sol that was transformed into a colorful, music-filled festival space. Vendors greeted guests with balloon-twisting art and caricature drawings, while visitors huddled beneath prop-filled photo tents, listened to buskers and dove into a very popular foam pit. “The foam pit was really cool because I’ve never seen anything like it. It was so chaotic,” said Eunice Mcllhenny, a California State University, Northridge sophomore. “Each of my friends got five tickets!” Once stepping into the foam pool, participants could search for and collect multicolored rockets that would earn them a certain number of tickets. The tickets were entered into four opportunities for prize drawings at the end of the night. Read more below.

Earlier this month, the University Student Union held its annual Carnaval. The multicultural event brought together different communities to participate in various activities and food sampling experiences from around the world. Many student groups performed in the Plaza Del Sol and Grand Salon, including Jishin Taiko, the Filipino American Student Association, the Indian Student Association, Ballet Folklorico Aztlan and Salsa Libre. “I really enjoyed seeing the diversity of the people coming to the USU and watching the performances, but also staying throughout the event. It made me feel happy that we have a diverse campus,” said Jenny Phan, USU Programs event assistant and Carnaval co-lead. “I have known the diversity does exist but seeing everyone all at once recognizing and appreciating one another was awesome.”

The University Student Union (USU) and University Counseling Services (UCS) hosted an eye-opening conversation about Dr. Martin Luther King’s Beloved Community and principles of nonviolence as powerful expressions of courage, understanding and trust with Ekemini Uwan. Keynote speaker Uwan, a distinguished CSUN alumna, public theologian, international human rights activist, and co-author of the 2023 NAACP Image Award Nominated book “Truth’s Table: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation,” taught attendees the ways campus communities can work together to bring about multicultural healing. Her talk examined how societies built from trust, love and compassion can transform people and relationships. “In order to shift priorities to create the beloved community, we will need to dream together radically to bring our collective power to bear for the good of our community,” Uwan said. “The late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King embodied what it means to dare to dream.”

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Last month, the University Student Union held its first installment of the spring 2024 Adulting 101 series, Women in the Industry 101. At the event, Matadors heard advice from a panel of female professionals thriving in male-dominated fields. These experienced keynote speakers included film producer Christina Sibul, UX/UI designer Jessica Gonzalez, tattoo artist Charlyn Quirino, and engineer Marilyn Diaz. “I am hoping that students will gain a sense of empowerment and confidence from attending this event,” said Ciera Sherod, USU Programs student assistant. “It is meant to instill the idea that these students, although they may have several obstacles to overcome, will be successful in their industries.”