From Bollywood to Hollywood: CTVA major’s transition to Los Angeles

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February 22nd, 2012

Minoti Vaishnav has accomplished more by age 25 than many will in a lifetime. The CTVA screenwriting major grew up in Mumbai. By age 18, she was already an Internet pop sensation, a novelist and media specialist with a promising career at IMG Fashion. Despite her successes, she was restless. At 19, Vaishnav packed her bags and trusty guitar to board a plane to Los Angeles for a fresh start. “I didn’t know anyone in L.A. or have any real… Read more

Humanitarian works for smiles

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November 8th, 2011

Martel Okonji, social welfare major and queer studies minor, is part of various LGBT advocate programs. "The thing that drives me the most is smiles," Okonji said. Photo Credit: Tessie Navarro / Visual Editor

By Joel R. Paramo Despite the fact that social welfare major Martel Okonji, 22, is up to his neck in homework, he refuses to take a moment to sit down and relax. In his final year at California State University, Northridge, he is active in many organizations on campus, but they’re all inclusive to his major. Okonji has overcome adversity and depression and has blossomed into an active member of the LGBT Alliance, the Queer People of Color Conference, and… Read more

Escaping the wrong path with a passion for activism

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November 1st, 2011

Daniel Santana-Hernandez, 22, Senior, History and Chicano Studies Major. Photo Credit: Kat Russell / Daily Sundial

  Daniel Santana-Hernandez, 22, grew up with the cards stacked against him, although he probably wouldn’t tell you that. Santana-Hernandez grew up in Lynwood, Calif., near Los Angeles. At the time, Lynwood was an area that fell prey to multiple rival gangs and an ever-increasing epidemic of violent crimes. While his older brother and sister got caught up in the gang life, Santana-Hernandez did his best to steer clear of that path, though he admits it was hard as his… Read more

CSUN student stands up to cancer

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October 16th, 2011

Liora Paniz, 26, is a second BA student majoring in religious studies and also a professional ballroom dancer. Courtesy of Liora Paniz

It’s no secret that bad things happen to good people. Some ask ‘why’ they were a target for life’s misgivings and others find solace in the belief that everything happens for a reason. When Liora Paniz was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, a type of cancer that affects the lymph nodes, she chose the latter. Paniz, 26, is studying for her second BA in Religious Studies. She received her first BA in History from UCLA in 2007. After graduation she decided… Read more

A student defined by war

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June 16th, 2011

It is hard to imagine how senior sociology major Zinaida Hozdic can be so engaging given all she has been through. With her ear-to-ear smile, piercing blue eyes and rosy cheeks, she lives her life happily. It’s as though the first half of it never happened. “I have to,” Hozdic said. “If I wasn’t, I’d be one of those people trying to kill themselves right now.” The youngest of six children, Hozdic was born on Jan. 1, 1989. She lived… Read more

Marketing student tackles the entertainment industry

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May 9th, 2011

Hakeem Animashaun has accomplished more at 20 years of age than most people his age. The second year marketing major is the co-founder of Cokeem Media an up-and-coming production business where everyone is a celebrity. It is an attention-catching website with an artistic feel that serves as a place to network and promote their business. Animashaun is the creative director of Cokeem Media. His older brother and two friends serve as the financial planner, artistic director and photographer. After dedicating… Read more

Student chooses bike riding as his main mode of travel

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April 27th, 2011

“You hear all the sounds, you smell all the smells, the hearsay that you hear from the side,” he said. “It’s an entrancing, engaging experience.” Each squeaky pedal that Hakeem Davis makes on his bicycle as he reaches the top of Griffith Park is like a cross-country train entering a station. Davis rides around at the top for a few minutes to catch his breath and wipe the sweat trailing down his brow. “With my bike, it helps me feel… Read more

Student travels the world as a humanitarian

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April 14th, 2011

Kristina Maglic got her first glimpse of poverty as a toddler when her father’s love for surfing brought her and her family to Mexico. While there, Maglic spent a significant part of her childhood living in a motor home with her family. Her parents had her bring her toys to Mexico and distribute them to homeless children which instilled her with empathy for the poor and less fortunate. Maglic dedicated her life to humanitarianism at the age of six. As… Read more

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