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Who are they?
NAME: Erica J. Benford
MAJOR: Recreation Tourism Management
CLASS STANDING: Senior
HOBBY:Traveling, doing hair and attending hair shows, getting pampered (massages, nails, facials, etc.), going to the beach watching the dolphins, networking, art museum’s, and just overall having fun
CAREER ASPIRATION: After college I plan on working in the hotel business to gain experience and then later on own my own hotel in honor of my father, Carl P. Benford Sr.
I am 22 years old and plan to one day own my own hotel in honor of my father, Carl P. Benford Sr. I am an honest, responsible and a dedicated team player with a positive attitude. I love to have clean fun, help others and much as I can, and sing. Attending CSUN and getting involved, has help me developed excellent skills in making friends, networking, time management skills, and so much more. Hope to see ya soon.
Advice: The advice that I would give to an incoming college student would be, to know your resources. Even if you are a commuter student, you don't want to wait until it's too late to try to get involved with organizations/activities. Network as much as you can because you never know when you might need to utilize your resources. Be wise and smart. Know that if you are going through or have gone through tough times, someone else is or has been through the same exact thing or worse. Love yourself and others. The sky is the limit. Reach for the stars.
NAME:Vincent Coleman
MAJOR: Business Administration - Marketing
CLASS STANDING: Junior
HOBBY: Music. Reading. Culture. Style. Dance. Poetry. Tennis. Interior Design. Art (Visual Merchandising). Israel. And sometimes cooking, depends on how hungry I am.
CAREER ASPIRATION: I have a myriad of things I would like to do but my main concentration is advertising. One day I will eventually unveil my own advertising firm that deals mainly with clients in the fashion business. I also am in the process of working on a career in music, specifically the genre of alternative funk. Another aspiration of mine is journalism, which hopefully will turn into free lance writing, publishing of poetry and short stories, and the ability to travel around the world and report on different social, political, religious, and economic issues.
Born on September 3, 1986, Vincent Coleman grew up in a family of love and support. With his talents and gifts nurtured at a young age, primarily by his mother and grandparents, he learned the importance of intelligence and understanding, as well as the beauty of growth and the grace of humbleness and forgiveness. He is a natural born leader and has grown to be self aware and a lover of life.
Advice: Honesty is one of the most important characteristics in life - being honest with friends, family, but most importantly being honest with yourself. It's important because it shapes who you are and allows you the opportunity of taking internal revenue, allotting growth and maturity.
Also, stay on top of college at all times. Be aggressive when it comes to financial issues, classes, enrollment, questions, or any information, because honestly, you mold and create your college career. You are responsible for taking care of all of the necessary forms, payments, etc. So, again, be aggressive and take the initiative to fight for your education.
NAME:Martini Gaines
MAJOR: Deaf Studies
CLASS STANDING: Senior
HOBBY: : Anything outdoors! I love to camp, hike, skim board, boogie board, Yoga, taking pictures, wake board, reading, dancing, and traveling
CAREER ASPIRATION: To be an Elementary teacher for the Deaf, to inspire the kids and to create change
My name is Martini Gaines, yes it is my real name, and I am a first generation College student. I will be receiving my BA in Deaf Studies this spring and moving on to get my credential in Deaf Education. I was raised in Pismo Beach, CA and transferred to CSUN in Fall 2007. Currently I work at a local grocery store to pay for my schooling. I am also involved with may organizations on campus. I keep myself busy but when I do have down time I like to just hang out with friends, go to the beach to Skim board or Boogie board, or go hiking. All my life I have wanted to be a role model and to inspire others. I found Deaf Studies while in high school and decided that this was my path to achieving my aspiration of change. I hope that my involvement with TAKE XXI will allow me to inspire and create change while learning about myself.
Advice: My advice to incoming college students is to figure out what you want from your college experience and do it. Nothing will happen if you wait for things to come to you, so you must be the creator of your own success in college. Don't forget to relax and take it in. Take care of yourself and don't get too worn down. Finally, learn from your mistakes and don't regret them. Mistakes shape us.
NAME: Dave Gupta
MAJOR: Sociology
CLASS STANDING: Sophomore
HOBBY: Sports, Music, Reading, Writing, Working Out
CAREER ASPIRATION: I aspire to become a successful attorney
My name is Dave Gupta. I am a 19 year old sophomore majoring in sociology. I am of Asian Indian descent. I was born in India, lived in Toronto, Canada for 5 years, and was raised in San Diego, CA. In the future, I hope to attend law school and become an attorney.
Advice: My advice for incoming students is to go to class, get involved in campus clubs and orgs and manage you time efficiently.
NAME: Carlos Horacio Hernandez
MAJOR: Central American Studies
Minor: Psychoogy
CLASS STANDING: Junior
HOBBY: Juggle a soccer ball; listen to music, dance, sing, and play PS2
CAREER ASPIRATION: I would like to work in the community I grew up in as a Pupil Services and Attendance (PSA) Counselor.
I graduated from Belmont High School (Downtown L.A.) in 2006. Cal State Northridge was a new and unfamiliar place, but I realized it was a place to where I had the opportunity to grow and succeed in life. I thought getting used to college life was going to be hard since the university is six times bigger than my high school, both in population as well as the size of the campus. I was afraid of getting lost in the crowd, so at first, I was just doing school, work and home. This allowed me to adapt to the college life and make some friends. These new friends later invited me to clubs they were involved with. Next thing you know, I became involved. Now I am part of three clubs around campus which I am proud of because I have leadership roles in each of them.
Advice: Life has not been easy for me because of circumstances that I have no control over. I have had to confront issues most people my age do not have to face, and the ones who do, end up quitting school sometimes. I am very proud of the fact that I have a support system I need and I have not given up, even if times are hard. My grandmother once told me that, "God does not give a load that you cannot take." In other words, you can always do it. Just do not give up and if you feel that you cannot do it alone, ask for help. My advice to freshmen would be to continue, you have already made it this far. If you need help there is always someone you can count on for support. Trust me.
NAME: Kyle Konecny
MAJOR: Recreation and Tourism Management
CLASS STANDING: Senior
HOBBY: Laughing, hanging out with my friends. I have learned that what I am doing is not as important as who I am doing it with.
CAREER ASPIRATION: Ultimately I want to travel around the world and get paid for it.
I grew up in Acton, CA, and lived with my younger brother and two caring, supportive parents. I graduated from Desert Christian High School in 2004. I started CSUN in 2004. I joined Sigma Chi fall '04. I went on a National Student exchange to UNCW in 2006. My major is recreation and tourism management. I plan on attending Grad school at CSUN for Tourism Management. I currently work as a waiter and I also intern at an event planning company.
Advice: Benjamin Franklin said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". My dad has always said this to me, but I never applied it. I have been in many situations where I should have taken 5-10 extra minutes to double check my work or re-think a decision. This would have saved me time and stress in the future.
NAME: Martel Okonji
MAJOR: Business Law
CLASS STANDING: Sophomore
HOBBY: Singing, writing poetry, hiking, videogames, dancing
CAREER ASPIRATION: Lifetime goal is to become a lawyer
My name is Martel Christopher Da-Juan Okonji. I am 19 years old born April 17, 1989. I have four parents and six siblings. I live in the small towns of Upland, CA and Ontario, CA since my parents are divorced. I am African-American. My father is from Nigeria and my mother is from Inglewood. I am a homosexual that thrives to break the code of the stereotypical homosexual, proving that not everything is what the people say. Three things that I take into the highest regard are: Life- because you only get one chance to do your best, even if you mess up, prove your better; Respect -we must respect ourselves in order to respect others; and Music -this makes me as a person. It may sound stupid, but music builds my creativity as a person and also my confidence when it's performed! If you can understand those three things you'll know generally who I am.
Advice: Never give up! The first year may be the hardest transition into a totally new environment, but then again, life is always hard. You have to keep fighting to achieve your goals and remember why you came to college. Be here to learn more and further yourself. College is a challenge we should all accept, to help build ourselves and our future.
NAME: Rachel Serrano
MAJOR: Recreation and Tourism Management
CLASS STANDING: Senior
HOBBY: Spending time with family and friends and watching movies
CAREER ASPIRATION: Event Planner
I grew up in the city of Pacoima, CA with my mom, dad, and two older brothers. As the youngest and only girl growing up in a Latino household, I faced many challenges. Today I am proud to say that I am a San Fernando High School graduate and now a senior here at CSUN. When arriving at CSUN I made the wrong friends and was involved in a horrible relationship that excluded me from the college life I deserved. I bravely overcame the challenges in my life and looked for more opportunities to better myself as a person. Today, I work on campus and I am involved in many student activities. I have extended my network of friends and take pride in my school as well as myself.
Advice: Make the best out of your college experience. Never doubt who you are and where you come from and take advantage of the opportunity to grow and expand your network of friends. Always look for more.
NAME: Norma Toledo
MAJOR: Business Marketing
CLASS STANDING: Sophomore
HOBBY: Music, sleeping, eating, shopping, watching movies, and cooking
CAREER ASPIRATION: Marketing Consultant
I am a 19 year old CSUN sophomore. I am a first generation college student, and the oldest daughter followed by a brother and a sister. Transitioning from high school to CSUN was challenging, I had no one to guide me or take me step by step on the things I might expect. But, thanks to the staff and faculty at CSUN, I obtained guidance, friends, knowledge, and experienced a personal growth.
Advice: My advice for incoming college student is to take advantage of the resources CSUN offers, such as the Learning Resource Center, Oviatt Library, CSUN Gym, Klotz Health Center, as well as advisement and counseling appointments. In addition they should also stay focused and be organized by creating a schedule of dates, meetings and appointments they have for the year. Time management is a key to success, and it should be balanced between your social and study time. Also, remember to attend class daily, choose classes wisely, and pay a visit to your professor during their office hours. Remember, make your college experience a pleasant one, become involved, take advantage of new experiences outside the classroom, and never be afraid to ask for help.
NAME: Michelle Qayyum
MAJOR: Family and Consumer Science, Family Studies
CLASS STANDING: Junior
HOBBY: Scrapbooking, coaching cheerleading, and hanging out with my friends
CAREER ASPIRATION: I would like to work in the either mental health sector or in education.
I am a 21 year old junior, majoring in Family Studies. Having grown up in the Central Valley, I was very used to "small town" life. When I moved to Northridge in 2006 for college, the "city" life shocked me. I did my best to get involved at CSUN. I joined a sorority since I did not know anyone. After I became involved here at CSUN, I really enjoyed the school. I can honestly say that I am getting the "college experience." If I could give incoming freshman any advice, it would be to prioritize. It is very important to realize that school is your first priority