Where They Are Now

  • '15 Wafa Azeem听(M.A., Literature)served as a communications intern for the CSUN Human Resources Department. Now she is a content developer for Scorpion Internet Marketing and Web Design. Another Intern Success story: she says 鈥淚鈥檝e always heard stories of people saying they loved going into work every day.鈥� Wafa thought these stories were part of a myth, 鈥渢he holy grail of employment,鈥� but she loves her work!
  • 鈥�15 Michael Dunbar听(M.A., Literature) currently works at 826LA
  • 鈥�15 Ashleigh Mendez听(M.A., Literature) is currently attending University of La Verne for her teaching credential.
  • 鈥�15 Rachelle Yousuf听(M.A., Literature) is the Membership Assistant at PEN Center USA and the president of the Los Angeles chapter of the Women's National Book Association.
  • 鈥�14 Nina Ahn Moon听听(M.A., Literature) currently working on a Ph.D. in English at Northwestern University with full funding for five years
  • 鈥�14听Itiola Stephanie Jones听(B.A., English Subject Matter) has been accepted into the prestigious Cave Canem program, a home for many voices of African-American poetry. Cave Canem is committed to cultivating the artistic and professional growth of African-American poets.
  • 鈥�14 Miles Simon听(M.A., Literature) is attending the Ph.D, program at the University of Rochester with full funding.
  • 鈥�13 Sean Pessin听(M.A., Creative Writing) graduated from Otis College of Art and Design in 2015, earning an M.F.A. in Writing; he was听recognized as the Graduate Writing听. Sean also听received听the听听and the First Book听Fellowship鈥攁 $10,000听grant that allows,听following completion of the degree, a student听to focus on developing and revising their thesis manuscript for publication. He听has had work published in听Interfictions Online,听The New Short Fiction Series,听The Sigma Tau Delta Rectangle,听and听Used Gravitrons.听His story "Holy Basil" was runner-up for听the 2014听Ninth Letter Literary Awards: Fiction.听In 2014,听Sean co-organized and co-hosted a multi-genre听reading听series听at Los听Angeles听Contemporary听Exhibitions (LACE), and听has read work听as part of听Writ Large Press'听"90 for 90" event, at听听as part of a showcase featuring听the 2015 Otis College Graduate Writing听M.F.A. class,听and听as part of听听at the Los Angeles听Downtown Public Library in the听ALOUD series; a听recording of it can be found听.听He worked as an assistant editor at Otis Books | Seismicity Editions;听currently he听teaches 91传媒 in the English and the Humanities Departments, and is also听the Managing Editor of听.
  • 鈥�13 Colin Herrera听(B.A., Creative Writing) is a Master of Fine Arts candidate at Rutgers University in the creative writing (fiction emphasis) program, with a Chancellor鈥檚 Award for a tuition remission fellowship. Additionally, he is working with the Visiting Writers Series and as a mentor for high school writing programs affiliated with Rutgers.
  • 鈥�13 Jon Goodnick听(B.A., Creative Writing) attended the California Institute for the Arts Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing (fiction emphasis) on a fellowship.
  • 鈥�12 Varant Dickranian听(B.A., Creative Writing) Varant Dickranian is a writer and producer who partnered up with his older brother, forming London Fog Pictures. Since graduation, he has written, produced, and co-directed a low budget feature titled Sarah (2013), produced several ADDY award winning commercials, short films, and has completed several story treatments. His first published illustrated novel titled 鈥楩orgetting Beethoven鈥� is found on Amazon. Varant has recently partnered up with independent publishing company Magic Novels, to create several unique illustrated stories for all ages.
  • 鈥�12. 鈥�15 Cody Deitz听(B.A., Creative Writing; M.A., Creative Writing) is attending North Dakota University for his Ph.D. in Creative Writing.
  • 鈥�11, 鈥�14听Hayarpi Movsesian听(B.A., Literature; M.A., Literature) is working on a Ph.D. in comparative literature at University of California, Santa Barbara, with six years of full funding, multiple fellowships and a funded opportunity to do research in St. Petersburg, Russia and Provence, France.
  • 鈥�11 Rosalba Ruiz听(M.A., Creative Writing) has published her first book,听Mary, the Mother of Jesus-a-Biography.听She wrote an initial section of the biography to fulfill the requirement of her M.A. Thesis
  • 鈥�10 Anne Yale听(M.A., Creative Writing) is the owner of Yak Press, an independent press founded in 2010 by teacher-authors devoted to making art via the medium of words. She is also the author of What鈥檚 That Word? (published in 2012 by her company), a student workbook that presents a lexical approach to acquiring a college-prep vocabulary in 36 classroom-tested lessons.
  • 鈥�09, 鈥�14 Yollotl Lopez听(B.A., Literature; M.A.,听Literature) is attending NYU with 5 years of funding (with an option of 6 years of funding if she teaches four semesters)Fall 2015. She was also awarded the听McCraken fellowship with an additional summer stipend for all 5 years.
  • 鈥�09, 鈥�15 Angeline Olliff听(B.A., Honors in English; M.A., Rhetoric Composition) earned first place in the 19th-annual Student Research and Creative Works Symposium for her oral presentation, 鈥淓ncouraging the 鈥楻isks of Caring鈥�: a Cognitive-Development Approach to Collaborative Learning in FYC Classroom.鈥�
  • 鈥�09, 鈥�12 Kristin (Cornelius) Way听(B.A., Honors in English; M.A., Rhetoric Composition), is working toward a Ph.D. in Information Studies at University of California, Los Angeles. She was awarded the Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship.
  • 鈥�09 Andrew Bond听(B.A., Literature) Entered graduate school for the PhD at UC Riverside with 5 years guaranteed funding. Earned his MA in English in 2011, and continued until deciding to focus on teaching and service. After two years of moonlighting as an adjunct English instructor at Moreno Valley College and a Korean language instructor at UCR, Andrew went on the job market and accepted a tenure track position at Bakersfield College. He is currently an Associate Professor in English and also serves as the department liaison to BC's Rural Initiatives, a position created to help promote college education in Kern County's rural districts.
  • 鈥�08, 鈥�13 Norma Aceves听听(B.A., Literature; M.A., Literature) is pursuing her Ph.D. at University of Florida. She received a听Kirkland听Fellowship (20,000 a year for four years and a year off from teaching in addition to a tuition waiver). She also received the CSU Chancellor's Office Doctoral Incentive program (10,000 loan renewable for up to three years).听
  • 08, 鈥�12 Ashlyn Morse听(B.A., Creative Writing; M.A., Creative Writing), in medical school at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, was heavily involved in fundraising activities for Project Medishare, which provides health care in Haiti to people without access to the most basic medical needs. She was one of several volunteer medical professionals and students to go to Haiti to conduct health fairs and mobile clinics.
  • '07 Ryan Skinnell听(M.A., English)听is an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric and Composition and an Assistant Writing Program Administrator in the Department of English at San Jose State University. Dr. Skinnell earned his MA in English (with a concentration in Rhetoric and Composition Theory) 91传媒 in 2007 and his PhD in rhetoric, composition, and linguistics at Arizona State University in 2011. He teaches courses in writing and rhetoric courses at all levels, and his research focuses primarily on public rhetoric鈥攈ow politicians, public figures, and average citizens use persuasive language to influence public policy. Dr. Skinnell is the author or editor of five books, including听Conceding Composition: A Crooked History of Composition's Institutional Fortunes(Utah State University Press, 2016) and听Faking the News: What Rhetoric Can Teach Us 91传媒 Donald J. Trump, (Societas, 2018). He has also published numerous essays in academic and popular outlets on rhetoric, writing education, political speech, and demagoguery.听
  • 鈥�07 Brittany Vaughn听(B.A., Honors in English) is director of operations for the Boys and Girls Club. She has held the position for 10 years. She expects to graduate with her master鈥檚 in nonprofit/public/organizational management from CSUN in 2015.
  • 鈥�07, 鈥�12 Cesar Soto听(B.A., Literature; M.A., Literature) Cesar Soto was awarded a Ford Dissertation Fellowship for his dissertation tentatively titled 鈥淢y Kingdom is not of this World: Christianities, Revolution and National Identity in Atlantic Writing Cultures (1789-1832)鈥�.听 He is also an alternate for a Fulbright Research Grant to Ireland. He will be presenting 鈥淔ray Servando Teresa de Mier鈥檚 Memorias: Radicalizing Burke and the Uses of Rousseau in the Formation of the Mexican Republic in the Nineteenth Century鈥� at the North American Society for the Study of Romanticism (UC Berkeley in August). Cesar was听very successful听91传媒 and he has continued听this听success!听听He says 鈥淚 continue to be grateful for the first-rate education I received 91传媒 and I hope everyone is well!鈥� more on Cesar's adventure;听
  • 鈥�07 Ryan Skinnell听(M.A., 听Rhetoric and Composition) Ph.D. 2011 Arizona State University is teaching at San Jose State University as Assistant Professor and Assistant Writing Program Administrator.听
  • 鈥�07 Cynthia Cohen听(M.A., Literature) Is starting a new job at L.A. Valley College, as a tenure-track faculty librarian. Publications include "Unique Representations of Trees in the Lord of the Rings" in Tolkien Studies (2009, adapted from her MA thesis) and "Identifying Opportunities in Citizen Science for Academic Libraries" in Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship (2015).
  • 鈥�06 Stacee Bucciarelli听(n茅e Barcelata) (M.A., Literature) was awarded a Ph.D. in Medieval Literature from Loyola University, Chicago.
  • 鈥�05 Nicole Gant听(B.A. Credential)is the 2015 recipient of the Heroes in Education Award, presented by the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education. Gant is a teacher at Port of Los Angeles Charter High School.
  • 鈥�05 Sarah Todd-Balderas听(B.A., English Credential) is the author of the article Three Books Changed Everything, which was published in the February issue of California English. The article is about fostering a love of reading in students.
  • 鈥�05 Jane Gama Reed听(B.A., Creative Writing) has been promoted to health and wellness director at the Montecito Family YMCA. She was instru-mental in the success of the flagship LiveSTRONG at the YMCA cancer survivor program, which has been replicated in other branches.
  • 鈥�03 Diane Scrofano听(M.A., Literature) is a tenured faculty member in the English Department of Moorpark College. She teaches developmental and freshman composition, literature, and critical thinking. Prior to her current position, she taught high school English and also worked as a high school librarian. She holds two teaching credentials and a Master of Library and Information Science degree as well. Diane specializes in children's and young adult literature, and has recently published two articles, one in the American Library Association's听Young Adult Library Services听(Winter, 2015) and one in听Voice of Youth Advocates听(VOYA)magazine (June, 2015) as the result of a sabbatical on young adult fiction and memoir of mental illness.听
  • 鈥�02 Jackie Valenzuela-Octavia Butler听(B.A., English Credential) is currently working as Program Director for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. She manages a team of eight health educators responsible for developing and assuring our health education materials meet standards, particularly during public health emergencies like the recent measles outbreak or Ebola in West Africa (see the guide we developed here:听), training the 60-member health education workforce throughout the County, and working with local public health schools/programs to get the right competencies into their curricula and recruit interns.听 She also has been teaching public health courses at local universities.
  • 鈥�00, 02 Noreen Lace听(B.A., Creative Writing; M.A., Creative Writing) recent publications include听"$1.00 Stories."听Printers Row Journal. Published by听The Chicago Tribune.听April 24, 2016, "Fairly Tale."听April Fools. April 2016, "Dreams of Mr. Rabbit."听Love and Leprechauns: Pilcrow and Dagger. Feb/March 2016. Print, West End. REaDLips Press; Los Angeles, 2016. Print.
  • 鈥�96, 鈥�01 Linda Raider Overman听(B.A., Honors in English; M.A., Creative Writing) was featured in an article published by the University of Cumbria in England, where she earned her Ph.D. in creative writing. Recent publication; "Adi贸s Margarita Cansino, Hello Rita Hayworth.". Eds. Rebecca Bell-Metereau and Colleen Glenn. Detroit: Wayne State Press (2015)
  • 鈥�95, 鈥�15 Laurisa Reyes听(B.A., Creative Writing; M.A., Creative Writing) is the founder of a small press called SKYROCKET PRESS () and is about to release its 5th title, a middle grade book called CAMP OMIGOSH by Wade Bradford (who is an English professor at Moorpark College). She hopes to grow the business over time and release 3 more titles in 2015. She continues to work as the editor in chief of Middle Shelf Magazine, and working as a freelance editor as well.
  • 鈥�93, 鈥�97听Stephanie Satie听(B.A., Literature; M.A. Literature) received the 2015 CSUN Exceptional Creative Accomplishments Award. She is a playwright and had her most recent work, Silent Witnesses, published in Indie Theater. Her play also was performed at Antelope Valley College in spring 2015.
  • 鈥�86 David Marote听(B.A., Creative Writing) is the senior corporate paralegal at Dole Food Company鈥檚 world headquarters in Westlake Village. During his 27-year legal career, Marote worked for multiple corporations and firms throughout the Los Angeles area.
  • 鈥�81 Peter Mackler听(B.A., English)was honored by the American Hospital Association, in partnership with the California Hospital Association. He is the executive director of government relations and policy for Memorial Care Health System. Mackler was recognized with the American Hospital Association Grassroots Champions Award for his leadership in generating grassroots and community activity in support of hospitals.
  • 鈥�77, 鈥�02 Janet Garufis听(B.A., English; M.A., Rhetoric Composition) was recently named president of the board of the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara. She also serves on the board of directors for the Santa Barbara Symphony, Western Independent Bankers and Women鈥檚 Economic Ventures.
  • 鈥�76 Terri Ann (Whitaker) Turner听(B.A., English, Teaching Credential) has spent 37 years teaching English and language arts in the Los Angeles Unified School District, where she also has served as a reading coordinator, mentor, coach and IMPACT counselor for the Teen Mom Program. She never strayed from her Matador roots, as she dedicated 21 years to teaching power reading in CSUN鈥檚 Summer Academic Enrichment Program, 32 years as a master teacher to CSUN student-teachers and served as an associate professor in CSUN鈥檚 credential program.
  • 鈥�76 Lois Smith听(B.A., English)received the Society for Scholarly Publishing鈥檚 (SSP) 2014 Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes long-term service to SSP. Throughout more than 20 years in SSP, she has served as co-chair of several committees, as well as president and at-large member of the board of directors.
  • 鈥�75, Debra Farar听(B.A., English) has been appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to her third term as a member of the California State University system鈥檚 board of trustees. She acted as finance chairwoman in the past four campaigns for Sen. Barbara Boxer and as senior education advisor for former Lt. Gov. Gray Davis.
  • 鈥�73 Allan Johnston听听(B. A., English) is a writer, poet, and teacher with a Ph.D. from the University of California鈥擠avis. His poems have appeared in听Poetry, Poetry East, Rattle,听Rhino听and many other journals. He has published three poetry collections,听Tasks of听Survival,听Northport, and听Departures,听and received an Illinois Arts Council Fellowship, Pushcart Prize nominations, and awards and placements from Outrider Press,听New Letters, Roberts Writing Awards, and other competitions. Originally from California, he now teaches writing and literature at Columbia College and DePaul University in Chicago. He has worked as a consulting poetry editor for听Word River听and is a judge in the annual Illinois Emerging Poets competition. He is also the co-editor of听Journal for the Philosophical Study of Education听and a contributing editor to听The Roundtable. His articles have appeared in听Twentieth Century Literature, College Literature,听McNeese Review, Radical Pedagogy, Review of Contemporary Fiction,听and other journals.