California State University, Northridge

DATE

Contact: Carmen Ramos Chandler,
(818) 677-2130
cchandler@exec.csun.edu

CSUN to Honor Top Graduates in Special Ceremony

More than 1,000 students were invited to participate in the celebration at 5 p.m. at the University Club near the corner of Zelzah Avenue and Nordhoff Street.

The evening's guest speaker will be Howard Rosenberg, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Los Angeles Times and part-time lecturer at Cal State Northridge.

• Nisim Abraham of Los Angeles will be honored as this year's outstanding graduate student. Abraham has spent the past two years conducting neurobiological research. His data was used for a poster by the Society for Neuroscience. Upon completion of his master's thesis, Abraham plans to publish his findings in either Brain Research or Neuroscience Letter, two influential scientific journals.

  He will receive a master's degree in biology during commencement ceremonies later this month.

• Noah Ben-Menashe of Granada Hills, who is graduating with a bachelor's degree in radio-television-film, will receive this year's Karen, Leon and Rita Goldstein-Saulter Memorial Award in memory of the Saulter family.

  Ben-Menashe, among the first in her family to go to college, has a cumulative GPA of 3.9. She has volunteered for the past five years to work with disabled children. She has also worked as an intern on the television show "Seinfeld." She was recently awarded a $2,000 "Dare to Dream" scholarship by Women in Film.

  Ben-Menashe is also the recipient of this year's Wolfson Scholar Award, which is given each year to the university's top academic graduate.

• G. Todd Davis of Glendale, who is an honors candidate in English, is this year's recipient of the Mildred Z. Mininberg Memorial Fund Award, which is given each year to the outstanding graduating returning student.

  Davis, who has a cumulative GPA of 3.91, has been active on and off campus, including working as a volunteer Project Angelfood and AIDS Project Los Angeles.

• Anna L. Martinez of Simi Valley was named this year's recipient of the Alumni Association's Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior. Martinez, who is married and has a daughter, has a cumulative GPA of 3.81 and will be receiving her bachelor's degree in cell and molecular biology.

  Martinez has served as a peer advisor for other students interested in the sciences and as a role model speaking at conferences to encourage other Latinas to go on to college.

• Ariadna Martinez of Northridge, who is graduating with bachelor's degree in biology, is a recipient of this year's President's Associates Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior.

  Martinez has conducted biological research in Mexico and at Stanford University, and has served as a volunteer in the Immune Suppressed Unit and the Burn Unit at Sherman Oaks Hospital and at the Emergency Room at Olive View Medical Center. She has been active in university research on RNA splicing.

• Oliver J. Vasquez of Northridge, who will receive his bachelor's degree in political science, is also a recipient of this year's President's Associates Award for Outstanding Graduating Senior.

  Vasquez is the first in his family to attend college. He has served as an orientation leader for the university and as a volunteer coach for Northridge Little League.

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  Editors Note: If you are interested in contacting these students, please call (818) 677-2130.