Brenda Franco Alcala, who lives in Cathedral City, is currently pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in business administration with concentrations in accounting and hospitality management at the Palm Desert Campus.
The reception highlighted academic excellence while offering a meaningful opportunity to recognize the accomplishments and journeys of the graduates.
Johanna Smith (theatre arts), Ahlam Muhtaseb (communication and media), Brian Levin (criminal justice, emeritus) and Mahmood Nikbakhtzadeh (health science and human ecology) were mentioned in recent articles, James Fenelon (sociology) published a book review, and Michelle Russen (hospitality management/marketing), and Rachel Kanter (a graduate student in psychology) with Christina Hassija (professor of psychology and dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Science) published their research.
Their initiatives are among 63 faculty-led projects selected for their potential to enable transformative teaching methods, foster groundbreaking research and address key concerns about AI adoption within the academic environment.
The immersive program, which took place during their spring break in April, was designed to provide students with firsthand exposure to the vibrant hospitality industry of Italy and offered participants hands-on learning and professional development opportunities.
Michelle Russen (hospitality management/marketing) worked with a team to publish a study on masculine and feminine leadership traits in hospitality managers, and Mike Stull (entrepreneurship) was interviewed for the radio program “Southern California Business Report.”
The lecture series launches its spring semester talks with a presentation by Debora Perez Torres, assistant professor of communication studies, on Feb. 12. Also scheduled are presentations by Michelle Russen (marketing), Yolonda Youngs (geography) and Hannah Kivalahula-Uddin (education). All talks are free and open to the public.
Students from various disciplines presented their creative activities, scholarly works and research to faculty jurors who rated their posters.
Students had opportunities to interact with business owners and operators in the manufacturing and services sectors of wine, food products, retail, hospitality and tourism.