Compendium Magazine

The student newspaper stands as a pillar of expression and community engagement, covering news and stories on people and events throughout the campus. Starting in the early 1960s, California State University, Dominguez Hills’ student newspaper has won awards. It’s also changed names, formats and gone from black and white to color. The publication has allowed students to cover, reflect upon and disseminate information to the campus. While plans are in the works to rebrand the

Being the department coordinator for the Communications Department wasn’t always something Nancy Perry envisioned for herself. Always wanting to help other people, she dreamed of being in some kind of role that would allow bringing happiness to others on a daily basis. Naturally coming into her role as the department coordinator was a pleasant surprise, but not totally unexpected. Perry was born in Torrance, California, and lived there until she was in second grade. Her famil

The Hollywood by the Horns Program was first launched in the fall of 2014 at CSUDH with two missions in mind—to create meaningful connections between the talented students and professionals in the entertainment industries and to foster students' creative voices to help them see how they can best make an impact on the entertainment industries. The name, Hollywood by the Horns, embodies the hope to encourage Toro students and for them to take Hollywood by the horns. Since its i

Reporting live from Cal State University, Dominguez Hills... broadcast journalism has returned! While California State University, Dominguez Hills students have been able to study the principles of journalism, the broadcasting element has largely been missing. That is about to change. The Communications Department is bringing back Bulletin TV after several years of inactivity with plans to rebrand it as a broadcast news program called "Voices." Bulletin TV debuted in 2018 aft

Most students know assistant professor Dr. Larry Hygh as one of the newest faculty members of the Communications Department, currently finishing his second year at CSUDH and fourth year being a college professor in the CSU system. What students may not know, however, is that Dr. Hygh has also been involved as a volunteer officer in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade for more than 16 years. In fact, he recently finished his second year serving on the Rose Parade Queen & Cou

The Society for Independent Student Journalists (SISJ) celebrated World Press Freedom Day this spring with gusto, transforming the upstairs of the Loker Student Union into a hub of journalistic fervor. The event, a testament to the importance of unfettered journalism and the freedom to express, was a rallying cry for student fellows showcasing their senior projects alongside esteemed guest speakers. Among the luminaries gracing the event was ABC7's Oscar Flores, whose insight

Thirty years after graduating from high school, Licia Summerhill reached her academic goal and graduated from CSUDH this spring. In 1996, Licia Summerhill graduated from high school and enrolled at California State University, Long Beach. She was studying to become a teacher, just like her mother. Three years later she got a full-time job with the Department of Water and Power for the city of Los Angeles and dropped out of college. Summerhill always wondered if she made the

Students hit the stage and show off their storytelling skills. The 9th Annual Story Slam at CSUDH was a much-anticipated event that drew both seasoned storytellers and eager listeners alike. Held on the evening of May 7 in the Loker Student Union, the event promised an evening filled with captivating narratives by Stephanie Chilo, Abla Gorashi, Jesse Calabrese and Mansur Abdullah. Associate professor Toddy Eames kicked off the event with opening remarks that set the tone for

The Annual Student Awards and Graduation Celebration was held in the LSU ballroom on Saturday, May 4, 2024. This event marked the 37th year that the Communications Department has honored the hard work and dedication of exceptional students and individuals. The event began with Film, Television, and Media assistant professor John Vanderhoef introducing three successful alumni who are thriving in their careers. Christine Cortez, who graduated from Dominguez Hills in spring 2023

Fulfilling dreams and aspirations can come in many different ways and in Daniel Tom’s story, sometimes it’s about the perfect timing. Mark Jackson passes the ball to the corner. Jeff Stacks has two defenders around him with only five seconds left in the game. Five, four, three, Stacks shoots up a tough shot, two, ONE! BEEEPP! HE SCORES IT! Stacks wins CSUDH the game in overtime 102-101! In the heart of the game, where the air is charged with anticipation and excitement, one v

Studying film is one thing, but being given an opportunity to make a film for the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, now known as the Golden Globe Foundation, is a new level. This happened over a year ago to Christine Cortez, a former Film, Television and Media student. Cortez got funding to create her own short film and showcase it. The Golden Globe Foundation (GGF) is a nonprofit organization made up of journalists and photographers. Its most famous endeavor is founding a

The Golden Globe Foundation gives millions of dollars every year to Los Angeles-area schools and their journalism and communications programs with the goal of helping underrepresented communities. California State University, Dominguez Hills is one of those recipients. The foundation currently supports over 25 film and journalism schools. To date, over $55 million has been given to charitable causes. The Golden Globe Foundation aims to promote cultural exchange and understand

West Coast rapper Dyamond Watts rises above a difficult upbringing to tell her story—and follow her dreams. Compton, also known as "Hub City," has produced some of the greatest rap artists in history: Easy-E, Kendrick Lamar, Ice Cube, and most notably, Dr. Dre. Now you can add another name to that list: Dyamond Watts, the Queen of Compton and soon-to-be California State University, Dominguez Hills graduate. Watts' road to graduation certainly has not been an easy one. The ol

Ever since Paul Fornelli viewed the world through the lens of his camera, his world forever changed. Paul Fornelli saw the camera, the possibilities behind it and the productions he could make as a way to access the fame and glitz of Hollywood. He quickly realized that the red carpet was not all it's chalked up to be and that he preferred the live production aspect of media. "My original thought was that I was going to get into the film industry and win Academy Awards, Oscars

The pressure of deadlines is a shared familiarity between journalists and university students. It was crunch time, the stakes were high, and finals were nearing their deadlines for CSUDH Journalism major and professional photojournalist Javier Perez. Right as he was about to graduate, Perez was given the biggest, most career defining assignment in his lifetime. Literally, while trying to finish his senior project, the soccer superfan was given a weeklong assignment to attend

The panhandle around Amarillo, Texas, was dry, rusty, boring and not the sort of place Brad Pope could fit in. This guy was a funny, creative kid who had dreams of working in the entertainment industry. By age 12, Pope had his eyes set on moving to Los Angeles. It started with the movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. All the nice houses, interesting people and funny dialogue were mesmerizing. After college, Pope decided to make his dream a reality and hit the road to California.

1980s Although he studied Communications, Michael Waite (B.A. Communications, 1981) decided to turn his career goals around and pursue a career in art. Waite is now a graphic designer for Sony in their cartoon department and loves transforming the imaginary into reality. 2000s Yolando Mitchell Brown (B.A. Communications, Digital Media Arts, 2007) went on to earn a master’s degree in Education and Multimedia from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. She is currentl

As the new department chair, I'd like to personally welcome you to a special double issue of Compendium, our semi-annual alumni publication for the Communications Department here at CSUDH. In these pages, we try to maintain a sense of community and connection with our alumni by compiling student-produced articles about new developments regarding our department, programs, students, faculty and alumni. So far, we have a lot to show for a very productive, rewarding and successfu

Dr. Miriam Hernandez never thought she would end up talking about violence. But once she started writing about it, she never looked back. Dr. Hernandez covers minorities in the news media, immigration and gender-based violence in her research. Additionally, she's an assistant professor at California State University Dominguez Hills in the Advertising and Public Relations program. She teaches the senior project class, social media strategies and strategic communication courses