![Students celebrate at the 2023 College of Natural Sciences Commencement ceremony at the Toyota Arena.](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/upload/image/2024/NewsSlide_Commencement_09May2024.jpg.webp?itok=O3fvnk0_)
The university will celebrate the Spring Commencement exercises May 17-18 at Toyota Arena in Ontario.
![Art sculpture, Faculty in the News](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/upload/image/2024/Faculty-in-the-News-Art_0.jpg.webp?itok=GN57mF_R)
Angela Peñaredondo (English) was a panelist for a West Hollywood program celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Brian Levin (criminal justice, emeritus) was interviewed on topics related to campus protests stemming from the Israel-Hamas war, and Meredith Conroy (political science) participated on a 538 live blog following the Indiana primary election.
![‘Something Happened in Our Town’ book cover](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/upload/image/2024/NewsSlide_CoRP_OurTown_02May2024.jpg.webp?itok=v6JImpf-)
The authors, Marianne Celano, Marietta Collins and Ann Hazard, will participate in a conversation about their book, which aims to answer children’s questions about traumatic events “and to help children identify and counter racial injustice in their own lives.”
![CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales congratulates Gisela Bichler, professor of criminal justice, on being honored with CSUSB’s 2023-2024 Outstanding Professor Award.](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/upload/image/2024/Web%20Publishing%20%5BPOST%5D%20-24_7235%20-%20Outstanding%20Professor%202024%20%281%29.jpg.webp?itok=G7Zw7kIk)
“Dr. Bichler has excelled in the classroom, building connections with her students that last long after graduation,” said CSUSB President Tomás D. Morales of the criminal justice professor. “She is passionate about her work and shares that energy and excitement with those around her.”
![CGI building, Faculty in the News](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/upload/image/2024/Faculty-in-the-News-CGI_2.jpg.webp?itok=8yXZO04j)
Mihaela Popescu (communication studies) and Fadi Muheidat (computer science) will discuss AI at a Redlands American Association of University Women program, and Brian Levin (criminal justice, emeritus) was interviewed for articles about the recent protests on college campuses stemming from the continuing Israel-Hamas war.
![CSUSB’s Model United Nations team brought home an Outstanding Delegation Award.](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/upload/image/2024/NewsSlide_NationalModelUN_illustration_2024.jpg.webp?itok=8_hp-62J)
The team, representing the nation of Burundi, was honored with the Outstanding Delegation Award, the highest award given by the National Model United Nations Conference in New York City, arguably the most prestigious conference of its kind.
![Pfau Library, Faculty in the News](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/upload/image/2024/Faculty-in-the-News-Library.jpg.webp?itok=ZTgfVaIp)
Meredith Conroy (political science), a contributor to 538, was one of the experts participating in a liveblog following the April 23 Pennsylvania primary election, and Angela Louque (education) was a panelist for a program at Association of California School Administrators Equity Institute conference earlier this month.
![James R. Watson and Judy Rodriguez Watson College of Education, Faculty in the News](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/upload/image/2024/Faculty-in-the-News-COE.jpg.webp?itok=q02jQ1tZ)
Karen Escalante (education) was interviewed for an article about new standards to teach reading that were adopted by the state Commission on Teacher Credentialing, Zachary Powell (criminal justice) coauthored a study on the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on law enforcement officers, and Ahlam Muhtaseb (communication studies) was interviewed by an Arab-language television news program.
![Netflix publicity photo for the docu-drama film, “Rustin.” Background was expanded via AI.](/sites/default/files/styles/medium/public/upload/image/2024/NewsSlide_rustin-netflix-movie-AI_background_22Apr2024.jpg.webp?itok=HSqYnWj4)
“Rustin” tells the story of Baynard Rustin, the late civil rights leader who organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech.