Compendium Magazine

In Spring of 2019, Kat Romo was one of the last graduating classes to earn a degree in Media Studies (before the program changed to Film, Television, and Media), as well as one of the last graduating classes to walk at their commencement before COVID-19 modified the CSU system. When asked to reflect on their experience within the Communications department, Romo’s first acknowledgment was the hard work of Academic Advisor Penny White. “Penny White is a superhero,” said Romo. “

Three years ago, Kalie Calder-Meyer graduated from CSUDH with a B.A. in Communications with a Media Studies concentration and the Communications Department will always be very special to her. “My experience at CSUDH can only be summarized as the early days of SNL,” said Calder-Meyer. “We were young and adventurous, and we had the run of the Communications Department. It felt as if the professors encouraged us to explore our passion. There are only warm feelings when looking b

What was first thought to only last a few weeks has now gone well past its first anniversary. The impromptu trial with distance learning has transformed comfortable bedrooms into classrooms for over a year now, as students have yet to set foot back on campus. For many graduating seniors from California State University, Dominguez Hills, meeting their class peers and professors will happen for the first time at their modified graduation ceremony. The burden of a global pandemi

Destiny Torres, who graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, is continuing her education and has accepted admission into the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism this fall. Along with USC, she was accepted to the University of California, Berkeley and Arizona State University. But before she joins the Trojans, Torres often looks back at her time as a Toro at California State University, Dominguez Hills, the less

The Communications Department has acquired a new broadcasting space that will allow its majors new opportunities to work and create media in a professional-caliber production studio. The new broadcasting studio is projected to be in working order by late Fall of 2021 and is being made possible through funding from the Dean's Office of the College of Arts & Humanities. The Communications Department hasn't had a dedicated broadcasting space since 1980, which was then a TV studi

Chayan Garcia graduated from CSUDH in Spring of 2019 with a B.A. in Film, Television, and Media. She is the first person on both sides of her family to graduate from a four-year university and high school. "I spent my first few years after high school working and traveling," said Garcia. "I studied abroad for a year and really invested in life and cultural experiences before finishing my Communications degree." Garcia found it essential to do life in that order. "I believe cu

A hot topic in newsrooms and work environments lately has been equality, diversity and inclusion. Prominent newspapers like the Los Angeles Times have been criticized by readers and writers alike for their lack of diversity in the newsroom and noting how the newsroom does not reflect the demographics in its area. At California State University, Dominguez Hills, where over 60 percent of students identify as Latino/a/x, Communications Assistant Professor Dr. Ana de la Serna is

One of the latest faculty members in the Communications Department to join the Journalism program is Dr. Fernando Severino. In 2020, he went from defending his dissertation on August 4, to being hired and joining the California State University, Dominguez Hills family on August 17. He brings expertise on Latin America, real-life lessons, and experiences from his time at CNN Chile, and hopes to bring creativity and broadcasting back to the student-run Bulletin newspaper. Dr. S

Giovanni Padilla graduated from CSUDH in Spring of 2017 with a B.A. in Communications with a Journalism concentration. His experience in the Communications Department was one that he loved. "Before I transferred to CSUDH, I was at CSULA for a few quarters, but the faculty wasn't great," said Padilla. "The quality of professors I encountered in the Communications Department [at CSUDH] was excellent. I built good relationships with Dr. Eagle, Dr. Burkey, and Professor Beers. Th

The 2021 Graduation was also unprecedented this year. After the graduation ceremony was canceled last year in 2020, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year it resumed as a socially-distanced occasion with certain public health precautions, including masking, social distancing, and limited guests for graduating seniors. Also, rather than walking up on stage, graduates stood in their seats and were acknowledged from there when their names were called. There were also graduation

"I have a few friends that were in the Communications departments at other schools, and I feel like I received the most hands-on experience out of everyone. Each class I took was geared towards making me a better journalist," said 25-year-old CSUDH alumni Jordan Darling. Darling graduated in the Spring of 2020 with a B.A. in Communications with a concentration on Journalism. Post-graduation, she has taken full advantage of her skills as she is now the editor for a boating and

Born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico, Dr. Miriam Hernández received her bachelor's degree in International Relations and master's in Political Analysis from Tecnológico de Monterrey, but she believes that the world and different cultures can enrich someone's education outside of the classroom. Dr. Hernández earned her doctorate degree in Communications from City University of Hong Kong, followed by a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Nanyang Technological University in