She worked in the nonprofit sector for the past decade, serving organizations throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. She recently earned her Master of Public Administration from CSU Northridge with a focus in public sector management and leadership. -- Ventura County Star

A self-taught artist and creative individual, Kara has studied art at Cal State Northridge, Pierce Jr. College, Los Angeles City College and received a scholarship to attend Laguna Beach Contemporary School of Art. Some of VinZula’s accomplishments are as follows. Composed an Opera “Ignore the Dents,” 1990 @ The Millon Dollar Theater. -- Do LA

Park’s rise in the department is a bit odd, as is her history. Her title has changed no less than six times just since my tenure in the NC system. She transitioned from Mitch Englander’s office into the Department right around the time sexual harassment charges were filed with the City of Los Angeles. Park claims a masters from Cal State Northridge in Public Administration which we are currently verifying. -- City Watch Los Angeles

Soto, who holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Cal State Northridge and an MBA from Cal Lutheran University, also wants to focus on school safety on campus and anti-bullying efforts at home. -- Moorpark Acorn

These snakes have “heat-sensing pits on their faces, to detect warm-blooded prey with the sensitivity of detection in the thousandths of a degree Celsius,” says Robert Espinoza, a biologist at California State University, Northridge. -- National Geographic

The Soraya at Cal State Northridge: Valery Gergiev conducts the Mariinsky Orchestra in an All-Stravinsky concert, 8 p.m. Oct. 25 ($49 and up); Sergio Mendes, with Ana Tijoux, 8 p.m. Oct. 27 ($39 and up). 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge. 818-677-3000. valleyperformingartscenter.org -- Los Angeles Daily News

Ben Quillian III has been named associate vice president and deputy chief information officer for the Division of Information Technology and Institutional Planning at California Polytechnic State University in Pomona. He was associate vice president for information technology at California State University, Northridge. -- The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education

College towns picked as Opportunity Zones Fraction enrolled in college Poverty Rate University of Southern California 99% 88% Indiana University of Pennsylvania 99% 90% Illinois State University 99% 87% Liberty University 97% 49% California State University, Northridge 96% 65% -- Brookings