CSUN students performed for the first time in the Valley Performing Arts Center’s black box theater Friday night. The theater department presented Charles Mee’s “Big Love”, a bold rendition of the classic Greek play, “Suppliant Maidens” by Aeschylus. Although the Greek drama was originally performed in 463 BC., the modern rendition, directed by Christine Menzies, stays true to the original’s themes of love, sexism, identity and marriage. The drama centers on 50 Greek women who flee to Italy in an… Read more

With the grand opening of the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) less than two months away, the campaign committee is hard at work raising funds and putting the finishing touches on the state-of-the-art facility. Gailya Brown, senior director of the VPAC campaign, said the committee is gearing up for the opening gala on Jan. 29. She said they hope to raise $1 million towards the $50 million campaign, which has been an ongoing effort for the past three years. “We’ve… Read more

Graphic novel “The Reconcilers” delivers a story that is unique in delivery but difficult to keep up with due to its complex details and facts. The creators of the novel are a team of comic-book veterans that include writer Erik Jensen, Neal Adams, and artist Shepherd Hendrix. Set in the year 2165, “The Reconcilers” offers readers a futuristic view of the world and the dark age that results from corporate takeovers. An anarchist’s paradise, the society described in the graphic… Read more

Carla Zapata has her hands full. Zapata balances a full-time job, while double majoring in Central American studies and history. The 24-year-old is also an active member in several clubs and organizations on campus. Zapata said she has struggled to pay tuition because she does not qualify for financial aid. “When I started college, I worked two jobs while being a full-time student,” she said. “It’s incredibly draining. Your work begins to affect your academics.” She is an undocumented student… Read more

CSUN’s program, Student Panels for an International Curriculum and Education (SPICE) offers international students an opportunity to gain public speaking experience and gives the campus community a first-hand perspective of life in another country. “The students that participate in the program are ambassadors to the campus,” said Yeprem Davoodian, activities coordinator for the International Exchange Student Center. Through the SPICE program, international students participate in discussion panels held at local service institutions and local high school and college classrooms. The… Read more

Newly appointed director of the DuBois Hamer Institute, Theresa White, along with her group of student ambassadors, presented the results of a research project Tuesday morning that touched on four specific initiatives. “The institute is programmed to empower students and to promote recruitment and retention,” said White, a Pan African studies professor. White said the institute was launched in 1997 under the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences in an effort to address the needs of African American students and… Read more

Members of the Chicana/o studies club, MEChA, traveled to Arizona for a weekend of political campaigning. Students including junior Omar Romero, communications major, campaigned for the congressional candidate for the Democratic party, Raul Grijalva. “I’m a hard-core democrat and wanted to see a democratic candidate elected,” the 20-year-old said. “He (Grijalva) shares the same values and beliefs as me.” Grijalva’s career in public service for Tucson has spanned over 30 years. He has served as the representative for Arizona’s 7th… Read more

CSUN faculty and students are using a $500,000 grant from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development to combat child obesity in the community. The funded project, which will begin in January, is a three-pronged approach that aims to bring vital changes in a child’s academic routine through healthy eating habits, active recess time, and a quality physical education program. The three-year project includes partnerships with the Los Angeles Unified School District, Northridge Hospital Medical Center, and parents and… Read more