Commencement Ceremony 2

Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication Undergraduates

For additional information check http://www.csun.edu/commencement/.

The second ceremony — for undergraduates from the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication — will take place at 8 a.m. on Saturday, May 16. An honorary Doctor of Fine Arts will be bestowed on acclaimed film director Robert Townsend during the ceremony.

A respected comedian and actor, Townsend caught Hollywood’s attention as a producer, director and screenwriter with “Hollywood Shuffle,” the 1987 critically acclaimed satire depicting the trials and tribulations of black actors. The film’s success led to other directing and producing opportunities, including “Eddie Murphy Raw,” “The Meteor Man,” “The Five Heartbeats,” “Carmen: A Hip Hopera” and “10,000 Black Men Named George.” He also served as president and chief executive officer of production for The Black Family Channel for four years. Townsend has been nominated for more than 30 NAACP Image Awards for film and television.

He continues to act, direct and produce. One of his latest projects, “Playin’ For Love,” will premier on television this summer. In recent years, Townsend has regularly mentored students in CSUN’s cinema and television arts department.