Megan Nassereddin, 21, deaf studies major
Nassereddin, a senior from Chino Hills, Orange County, chose CSUN because of the different programs they offer.
“I chose CSUN because they are one of the only programs in the county with a deaf studies program,” she said. “Upon graduating high school, American Sign Language (ASL) was my biggest passion.”
Nassereddin has had a good experience so far at CSUN and has been able to get all of the classes she has needed, despite enrollment caps and less classes available to students.
“I have been able to get the classes I needed at the right time and am graduating in four years,” she said. “I wish there was more of a community sense though.”
Because Nassereddin was able to get into the deaf studies program, she was able to be a part of a program that is limited, if offered at all, at other campuses in the state.
“I get to be a part of a program that isn’t offered at any other school and I have been able to live in and explore a city I have never lived in before,” she said.
When she heard about CSUN’s decision to enroll only local high school students and accept limited transfers, Nassereddin said that this could discourage high school seniors from even applying to college.
“Students might feel limited to not have the freedom to apply for colleges that have the programs they want,” she said.
Nassereddin also noted that if CSUN were only taking into account the budget crisis, then this choice to limit enrollment would be a wise decision.
“I think it’s a great idea but in every other aspect, CSUN would be losing the opportunity to have students meet people and learn about new programs,” she said. “Students who are not from the area would have to pass on academic programs that are offered at CSUN.”
Katherine Schapira, 20, junior multimedia production major
Schapira chose to come to CSUN for several reasons: her major, the location and the diverse student population.
“I am attending CSUN because of their CTVA department and film program,” she said. “I knew that I would receive a great education, as well as strong training within the film program here.”
Because she lived in the Bay Area her entire life, Schapira made plans to move to Southern California once she graduated high school. She was also in search of a campus that offered a diverse student body.
“When I toured the campus before applying, I saw a lot of diversity among the student population,” she said. “I believe that is something that CSUN should continue to take pride in and encourage.”
Since being at CSUN, Schapira has met new people from all over the country and the world.
“I have had the opportunity to meet and get to know people from New York, Chicago, China, Japan, the Philippines and more,” she said. “Meeting new people from different places, other than locally, gives a person the chance to experience and see how culture and way of life differs in other places.”
By going to CSUN, Schapira feels that she is gaining knowledge in her chosen field, but more than that, she feels like she has become part of a larger community.
“I believe that many people really ‘find themselves’ in college and CSUN makes it very easy to do that through their many organizations and clubs on campus,” she said.
Schapira feels that she has grown and changed over the last three years and attributes that to her exposure to different types of people at CSUN.
“If CSUN will only allow students from local high schools to attend CSUN, I believe CSUN and their students will miss out on the opportunity to meet an even larger array of people and have an even more diverse student population.”
