Sports in Action -- CSUN offers one of the broadest intercollegiate athletic programs among comparable universities in the United States, providing extensive and reasonably priced spectator opportunities for local residents. The university fields 20 different athletic teams--10 in men’s sports and 10 in women’s sports. That means local sports fans can be busy nearly year-round attending contests in football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s baseball and women’s softball, and men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball, just to name a few.

Leader in Teacher Preparation -- CSUN is the leading public university in California in preparing students to obtain teaching credentials. The university typically has more than 1,000 single or multiple subject teaching credential documents issued to students/graduates each year, more than any other Cal State or University of California campus, according to the latest statistics.

San Fernando Valley Economy -- CSUN, through its San Fernando Valley Economic Research Center, plays a leading role in providing economic research and statistics about the region. The center, using the research of students and faculty members, each year publishes its “Report of Findings on the San Fernando Valley Economy.” The report has quickly become the main source of economic and demographic information about the region.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance -- Students from CSUN’s College of Business Administration and Economics each spring offer free income tax preparation aid to low-income residents of the San Fernando Valley. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program typically operates at more than a dozen community locations and has involved as many as 300 students each year. The students help thousands of taxpayers annually with basic problems and provide specialized services for seniors, non-English speakers and the disabled.

International Animation Festival -- A CSUN student organization each spring organizes an International Animation Festival drawing artists from around the world to show off the latest in traditional, computer and experimental animation. The festival includes public screenings that are held during several days both at CSUN and the Museum of Radio and Television in Beverly Hills. Past presenters have represented countries such as Russia, Canada, Japan, Germany and the United States.

Summer Enrichment Programs -- CSUN’s College of Education each summer offers low-cost enrichment programs for local elementary, middle and high school students. The five-week programs each July offer youngsters and their families a wide range of educational opportunities, from the basics of math and foreign language instruction to creative courses in dance, cartooning and theater, to name a few. About 1,400 students enrolled in summer 2000.

Rehabilitation for the Disabled -- CSUN’s renowned Center of Achievement for the Physically Disabled offers unparalleled, low-cost programs in therapeutic exercise for the disabled. The center serves both students and community members, offering assistance to as many as 300 clients at any time. In the year ahead, the center will expand to include four therapeutic pools, adding an aquatic therapy component to its programs and expanding their capacity.

Wheelchair Sports Campus -- CSUN each summer hosts Los Angeles’ only wheelchair sports camp for young people with physical disabilities. Campers ages 7 to 21 learn and play sports such as tennis, track and field, basketball and swimming. The camp is staffed by instructors and counselors who also are disabled. The program is co-sponsored by CSUN’s Kinesiology Department and Adaptive Sports and Recreation, a Simi Valley-based nonprofit group.

Valley Trauma Center -- The Valley Trauma Center provides counseling and other services to adult and juvenile victims of sexual assault, molestation and harassment. The center is the only treatment facility of its kind in the San Fernando Valley, handling thousands of 24-hour hotline calls each year and serving hundreds of clients with free or low-cost services. The center is affiliated with CSUN's Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling.

Women's Self-Defense -- CSUN’s Public Safety Department offers a series of monthly self-defense courses for women. The Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) program, taught by women, is open to members of the university and surrounding community for a small fee. The course covers risk reduction, personal safety tips and techniques women can use if attacked. The course includes having students dress in protective gear and respond to simulated attacks.

Language, Speech and Hearing Center -- CSUN's Language, Speech and Hearing Center treats community members with hearing or speech impairments. The low-cost program, operated by the university’s Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences, includes the dispensing of hearing aids and other devices. Programs are offered for various age groups, with the center handling more than 12,000 client visits per year. Services are provided by CSUN students studying to become specialists and are supervised by licensed faculty members.