From the age of five, Jason Stoll has had a gift for playing the piano. Now an award-winning senior, Stoll is graduating from CSUN and looking forward to attending The Juilliard School for his Master’s Degree. “I started to take piano lessons at the age of five, but I didn’t really appreciate it growing up though,” Stoll said. “My parents told me and my three sisters that we had to take piano lessons all the way until we… Read more

Selected from a list of 22 nominated titles, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” has been selected as the 2010-2011 book for CSUN’s Freshman Reading Program. “We chose the book because it fit our selection criteria and because after vigorous discussion, and a little blogging, too, it seemed like the best choice,” said Cheryl Spector, director of the Academic First Year Experiences program. “The book really appealed strongly to most members of the selection committee.” According to… Read more

As the self-proclaimed “world’s pickiest eater”, Chanel Villanueva took family and friends by surprise when she announced that she was going to school to pursue her goal of becoming a registered dietician. “I’ve always been such a picky eater,” admits Villanueva. “It’s surprising even to me that I want to work with and study food.” Despite her own personal preferences, Villanueva has decided that this a perfectly suited field for her. “I want to become a dietician because it’s just… Read more

With the wave of going green becoming increasingly popular, the Institute for Sustainability at CSUN is thriving as it continues to help the environment and inform students of the importance to erase their ecological footprints and help preserve the world for future generations. “The Institute was established by (Provost Harry Hellenbrand) in October 2008 to address issues of sustainability in the curriculum, in campus operations and in research,” said Helen Cox, director for the Institute for Sustainability. “Its mission is… Read more

With the start of his eco-friendly apparel company, Green Aesthetics, Ben Adelmann has taken advantage of thinking outside of the box. “Green Aesthetics sells eco-positive, fair trade clothing,” said Adelmann, 24. “This means clothing made from sustainable materials like bamboo, tencel, soy, organic cotton and recycled polyester.” Having started the company over a year ago, Adelmann, a philosophy major, believes that Green Aesthetics has not only added to the “green” market, but has also become a personal learning experience. “I… Read more

With the warm summer months approaching, it will soon be time to trade our scarves, sweaters, and Uggs for shorts, tanks, and swim suits. Keeping in mind that rejuvenating our skin from the harsh winter months can be costly, here are a few easy and affordable tips to get skin care ready before hitting the beach. 1. Women tend to feel like their make up feels more like a mask than a cover up during summer, and can easily get… Read more

The Unified We Serve volunteer program at CSUN will be holding a book drive from April 12-15 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day and will be located in front of the Oviatt Library. “We’re out here holding a campus-wide book drive for literacy,” said Justin Weiss, coordinator for Unified We Serve. “We are collecting books for kids who are in grades K-12, as well as intro level college books.” The book drive is being held in preparation for… Read more

As China’s economy continues to flourish and their worldwide power constantly developing, CSUN’s China Institute is doing its best to serve as a bridge between the U.S. and China in the form of education. Dr. Justine Su, director of the China Institute said the institute was established in 1982. “The purpose of the program is to promote friendship, understanding, exchange, and collaboration between CSUN and China,” Su said. Su said the institute has hosted many cultural and educational events, and… Read more

Renowned writer John Rechy is set to be the featured speaker for the 2nd Annual Queer Studies Spring Lecture Series, which will be hosted by the Queer Studies program. Dr. Sheena Malhotra, associate professor of Gender and Women’s Studies, said the event will take place on Tuesday, March 30, with a free reception from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and will be held in the Whitsett Room, Sierra Hall 451. “The Spring Lecture Series is an annual series presented by… Read more