Community Engagement

Community-Based (Service) Learning Symposium Archive

In an annual culmination of the work that is done in Community Based (Service) Learning courses, our annual symposium allows students in Community Based (Service) Learning to present their work in projects, which are submitted to our panel of judges, who then decide the winners. At the annual symposium, all projects are presented, alongside the winners, who are awarded a cash prize. We are immensely proud of the work done in our Community-Based (Service) Learning Courses, and the annual symposium allows us to not only reflect on that work, but present it to other faculty, staff, students, and members of the CSUN community to show this wonderful work. At our database of symposium projects dating back to 2020, we are able to appreciate this work, the students that make it, and the professors that facilitate it. Please view the information below to learn more about this work!

2024 Symposium Submissions & Winners

Undergraduate Winners:

1st Place:

Let Your Recovery Blossom - By Abbey Fischer, Serbin Cruzada - HSCI 335 “Holistic Health” - Dr. Joo Kim - Community Partner: Gardens Healthcare Center's Rehab and Skilled Nursing Center/ 17650 Devonshire St B, Northridge, CA 91325 

Watch "Let Your Recovery Blossom

2nd Place:

Harvest Wellness - By Emmanuel Edejer, Connor Leister-Gray, David Escojido, Jazmine Flores, Ronniel Ceniza - CTVA 463CS “Emerging Media Capstone” - Professor Elizabeth Leister - Community Partner: Marilyn Magaram Center 

Watch "Harvest Wellness

3rd Place:

The Camouflage Project - By Joy Pamintuan, Jiaxin Li, Damone Williams, Kevin Han and Amon Treasure - CTVA 463CS “Emerging Media Capstone” -  Professor Elizabeth Leister - Community Partner: Museum of Flying in Santa Monica

Watch "The Camouflage Project"

Graduate Winner:

1st Place:

Ballet For All KidsBy Elliot Sadler, George Thomas Mohan, Kethan Suresh Babu, Tejas Kotian, Sai Praneeth Shiva - MSE 415 “Product Design” - Professor Sepideh Abolghasem - Community Partner: Ballet For All Kids

Watch "Ballet For All Kids

Additional Project Submissions:

Filing Taxes is Not a Scary Process: Building Stronger Communities Through Civic Duty Service - By Febe Solís, Natali Samame, Elizabeth Chavolla - SPAN 605 “Advanced Translation” - Dr. Svetlana V. Tyútina - Community Partner: The CSUN VITA Clinic

Watch "Filing Taxes is Not a Scary Process: Building Stronger Communities Through Civic Duty Service

Teaching Language and Culture Through Film and Television - By Kemjeerachad Singhawanawat - LING 520 “Issues in ESL Reading and Writings” - Dr. Stephanie Kim - Community Partner: Pars Equality Center

Watch "Teaching Language and Culture Through Film and Television

Advancing Sociolinguistic Justice Through Service Learning and Community Partnership In Ethnic Studies Classes  - By Isabelle Ruvalcaba-Luna, Kevin Razo, Gabriel Yeghiayan - LING 441 “Sociolinguistics” - Dr. Ana Sanchez-Muñoz - Community Partner: Los Angeles Unified School District (Van Nuys High School)

Watch "Advancing Sociolinguistic Justice Through Service Learning and Community Partnership In Ethnic Studies Classes

STEM Day: Teaching the Structure of a Flower - By Ellie Bradley, Marina Lopez, and Kimberly Menjivar - BIOL 102CS/L “Biological Concepts & Lab” - Dr Virginia Oberholzer-Vandergon - Community Partner: Mayall Elementary School

Watch "Stem Day: Teaching the Structure of a Flower

TeaHaven VR Meditation Experience - By Alice Ulubabyan, Jingxuan Li, Mayte Hoxsie, Ilona Buniatian, Zachary Hagerty, Jason Castromero, Carlos Valencia, Abel Orozco - CTVA 463 “Emerging Media Capstone” - Professor Elizabeth Leister - Community Partner: Tea Haven

Watch "TeaHaven VR Meditation Experience

Growing For The Future - By Chandini Tirunagaru, Monica Delgado, Ellen Torihata, Arin Sagangam, Robert Lind, Johnny Dee - CTVA 463 “Emerging Media Capstone” - Professor Elizabeth Leister - Community Partner: Marilyn Magaram Center

Watch "Growing For The Future

Advancing Sociolinguistic Justice Through Service Learning and Community Partnership - By Maureen Stone, Emily Resnikoff, Melissa Vega - LING 541 “Seminar in Sociolinguistics” - Dr. Laura Ruth-Hirrel - Community Partner: Van Nuys High School

Watch "Advancing Sociolinguistic Justice Through Service Learning and Community Partnership

 

2023 Symposium Submissions & Winners

Undergraduate Winners:

1st place

Sust Fash - By Sassan Nowshiravani, Alessia Marquez - SUST 401 “Applied Sustainability” - Dr Lisa Chaudhari - Community Partner: Dr. C and Dr. Tung

Watch "Sust Fash

2nd place

STEM day - Living vs Nonliving - By Maria Gamez Garcia, Genesis Munoz, Natalie Gonzalez Martinez -BIOL 102CS “Biological Concepts and Lab” - Dr Virginia Oberholzer Vandergon - Community Partner: N/A

Watch "Stem day - Living vs Nonliving

3rd place (tie)

Energizing basic needs outreach via student voices - By Noel Lawson, Katherine Aguilar, Alexandra Duta, Maria Pahua - FCS 301 “Food Science & Technology” and FCS 494 “Academic Internship” – Dr Rosalia Garcia-Torres and Dr Nelida Duran - Community Partner: CSUN Food Pantry

Watch "Energizing basic needs outreach via student voices

3rd place (tie)

“STEM DAY Plants Need Water” - By Josie Martinez Lopez, Liz Ramirez Alonso, Savannah Schultz - BIOL 102 “Biological Concepts and Lab” – Dr Virginia Oberholzer Vandergon - Community Partner: Plummer Elementary

Watch "STEM DAY Plants Need Water

Graduate Winners:

1st place

Advancing Sociolinguistic Justice through Service Learning and Community Partnership - By Nicole Abboud, Jacob Baldwin, Nathan Nguyen - LING 541 “Seminar in Sociolinguistics” and LING 427 “Languages in Contact” – Dr Laura Ruth-Hirrel and Dr Ana Sanchez-Munoz - Community Partner: Northridge Academy High School

Watch "Advancing Sociolinguistic Justice through Service Learning and Community Partnership

2nd place

Cierra La Brecha: Meeting your community where they are! - By Lucía Canas, Elizabeth Chavolla - SPAN 472 “Advanced Spanish Interpretation: Legal and Business” – Dr Svetlana Tyutina- Community Partner: VITA Clinic

Watch "Cierra La Brecha: Meeting your community where they are!

Video Submission Recognitions:

Final Stop, Refill - By Jannyce Valenzuela - SUST 401 “Applied Sustainability” 

Watch "Final Stop, Refill

STEM DAY – Living vs. Nonliving - By Genesis Munoz -BIOL 102CS “Biological Concepts and Lab”

Watch "STEM DAY Living vs. Nonliving

2022 Symposium Submissions & Winners

Undergraduate Awards:

1st Place: Senior Citizens’ Legal Services Community Project – By Hailey Haro – ART 389 “Impact Design”, Dr. Paula DiMarco – Community Partner: Senior Citizens’ Legal Services

Watch "Senior Citizens' Legal Services Community Project"

2nd Place: Weekday Preschool Community Project – By Carolina Torres and Mary Ong– ART 389 “Impact Design”, Dr. Paula DiMarco– Community Partner, Weekday Preschool

Watch "Weekday Preschool Community Project"

3rd Place: STEM – Tomorrow’s Scientists Today: Erosion - By Cynthia Jaras, Priscilla Gonzalez, Olga Murillo – BIO 102 “Biological Concepts & Lab”, Dr. Virginia Vandergon – Community Partner: 4th Grade Classroom/STEM Tomorrow’s Scientists Day

Watch "STEM - Tomorrow's Scientists Today: Erosion"

Graduate Winner: 

From Zapotec Ancient Knowledge to Taxes: CSUN Student Interpreters Working Hand-in-Hand with the Latinx Community – By Elizabeth Chavolla and Fidel C. Jimenez – SPAN 609 “Seminar in Style”, Dr. Svetlana Tyutina – Community Partner: CSUN VITA Clinic

Watch "From Zapotec Ancient Knowledge to Taxes: CSUN Student Interpreters Working Hand-in-Hand with the Latinx Community"

Additional Project Submissions:

Ecocentrism in All around Us by Xelena Gonzalez – By Xelena Gonzalez – LRS 425 “Selected Topics in Childhood Studies”, Dr. Krystal Howard – Community Partner: Guardian Angels Catholic School

Watch "Ecocentrism in All around Us by Xelena Gonzalez"

Emerging Garden - By Jose Castillo, Casey Fabre, CJ Galarza, Guillermo Gutierrez, Jad Haddad, Blake Hodson, Parnian Javid, Jesse Johannsen, Luis Jovel, Carlos Melendez, Rudy Montalvo, Kit Noorani – CTVA 463CS “Emerging Media Capstone”, Professor Elizabeth Leister – Community Partner: Institute for Sustainability

Watch "Emerging Garden"

The Power of Civic Engagement – Paula Arechiga – JOUR 490, Professor Jessica Baty – Community Partner: League of Women Voters

Watch "The Power of Civic Engagement"

Genetics: Generation of Traits - By Meleny Carvajal, Jacqueline Garcia, and Kelly Sandoval – BIO 102 “Biological Concepts & Lab”, Dr. Virginia Oberholzer Vandergon – Community Partner: Plummer Elementary

Watch "Genetics: Generation of Traits"

 

2021 Symposium Submissions & Winners

Undergraduate Winners:

1st Place: An Interdisciplinary Student Approach to Designing a Community Kitchen at CSUN - By Carolina Fernandes, Lorena Melendez, Miranda Jones - FCE 414 “Senior Comprehensive Interior Design Studio”, Professor Kristin King - Community Partner: CSUN Food Pantry (818) 677-2730 Maria Elizondo Christel Bowen

Watch "An Interdisciplinary Student Approach to Designing a Community Kitchen at CSUN"

2nd Place: Sustainability and Our Health - By Yekaterina Mkrtchyan - SUS 300 “Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Sustainability”, Dr Lisa Chaudhari - Community Partner: Breathe Southern California

Watch "Sustainability and Our Health"

3rd Place: 

Virtual Lesson Plan for Elementary School - By Kimberly Alcaraz, Natalie Garcia, Natalie Valerie Garcia, London Davolt - BIOL 102LCS “Biological Concepts and Lab”, Dr Virginia Oberholzer Vandergon - Community Partner: N/A

Watch "Virtual Lesson Plan for Elementary School"

Graduate Winner: 

Facilitating Bilingual Communication for Health Research: The Promotores de Salud Service-Learning Project - By Luz Ruiz, Cristián Vasquez Tinajero - SPAN 609 “Seminar in Style”, Dr Svetlana V. Tyutina - Community Partner: LA Superior Court, CSUN HERE Center

Watch "Facilitating Bilingual Communication for Health Research: The Promotores de Salud Service-Learning Project"

Additional Participants:

Turn of the 20th Century Amusement - By Avery Fox - CTVA 494A “Internship”, Professor Lance Watsky - Community Partner: The Sherman Grinberg Film Library

Watch "Turn of the 20th Century Amusement"

Biome Lesson Plan - By Angela Christopher, Valerie Reveles, Patricia (Pattie) Zambrano - BIOL 102 “Biological Concepts and Lab”, Dr Virginia Oberholzer Vandergon - Community Partner: N/A

Watch "Biome Lesson Plan"

Animal Senses - By Jose Prieto, Wendy Cabrera, Andres Gonzalez, Crystal Flores - BIOL 102 “Biological Concepts and Lab”, Dr Virginia Oberholzer Vandergon - Community Partner: Not applicable as we are sharing our work with many elementary teachers.

Watch "Animal Senses"

 

2020 Symposium Submissions & Winners

Undergraduate Winners:

1st Place: 

Stage for All Ages: Devised Theatre for Healthy Aging - By Alyssa Landrith, and Jihae Son - TH 397 “Theatre Honors Tutorial”, Dr. Ah-Jeong Kim - Community Partner: ONEgeneration Senior Enrichment Center

Watch "Stage for All Ages: Devised Theatre for Healthy Aging"

2nd Place: 

Reinventing Integrative Cooking Opportunities (RICO) - By Marie Olguin - FCS 402 “Medical Nutrition Therapy 1”, Dr Dena Herman - Community Partner: Sun Valley Recreation Center, Hubert H. Humphrey Recreation Center, and Gonzalez Park

Watch "Reinventing Integrative Cooking Opportunities (RICO)"

3rd Place: 

Peer-to-peer Nutrition Education at Grimmway Academy - By Orr Moshe, Alexis Swanson-Coleman, Fernando Gonzalez, Ryan Savaikie, Tian Scherer, and Maria Barrios - FCS 408 “Community Nutrition”, Dr. Nelida Duran, Dr. Mina Tronosco Sawyer - Community Partner: Grimmway Academy

Watch "Peer-to-peer Nutrition Education at Grimmway Academy"

Graduate Winner: 

Good Boundaries - By Kathryn Phillips, Alix Agar and Olivia York - EPC 670C “Psychoeducational and Process Groups in Family Therapy”, Dr Jennifer Pemberton - Community Partner: Child and Family Guidance Center, Northridge

Watch "Good Boundaries"

Additional Submissions: 

Spanish Interpreting Services for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) - By Maria Massena, Karen Chavez, and Carol Morejon - SPAN 607 “Seminar in Literacy Period”, Dr. Svetlana Tyútina - Community Partner: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Clinic. 

Watch "Spanish Interpreting Services for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance"

Earth Day Project: Sustainable Living - By Sara M. Fratus White, Gabriella Arellano, Megan Mizrahi - BIO 102 “Biological Concepts and Lab”, Professor Virginia Oberholzer Vandergon - Community Partner: Third and Fourth Grade classroom at St. Mark's School in Altadena 

Watch "Earth Day Project: Sustainable Living"

The Plant Biology Service Learning Experience - By Andrea Canahui, Nareg Aintablian, Rena Partamian, Andrew St. Julian, Michelle Gutierrez, Shane Jordan, Sonia Fuentes, Ariana Espinoza, Narine Nazinyan, Gioancarlo Gomez - BIOL 316 CS/LCS “Plant Biology & Lab”, Dr. Yoshie Hanzawa - Community Partner: CSUN Biology Department Canoga Park High School 

Watch "The Plant Biology Service Learning Experience"

Feed the Female: Nutritional Workshop - By Lorena Melendez, Adriana Cruz, Shelby Becker & Alejandra Monroy - FCS 408 “Community Nutrition”, Dr Nelida Duran - Community Partner: Women’s Research & Resource Center, Marilyn Magaram Center, Institute for Sustainability

Watch "Feed the Female: Nutritional Workshop"

Get News Literate - By Gabbie Puzon, Sara Delia - JOUR365 “News Literacy”, Dr Bobbie Eisenstock - Community Partner: NewseumED 

Watch "Get News Literate"

Exploring Our Senses - By Natalie Kovalev, Kelly Nadeau, and Kacie Nielsen - BIO 102/L “Biological Concepts and Lab”, Dr. Virginia Oberholzer Vandergon - Community Partner: Ranchito Avenue Elementary School 

Watch "Exploring Our Senses"

Real-World Applications of GIS - By Robin Cirrincione, David Diaz, Denise Foerster, and Sophia Reyes - GEOG 404BC “Foreign Field Studies in Geography”, Dr Luke Drake - Community Partner: World Vision Vanuatu

Watch "Real-World Applications of GIS"

Addressing Adult Learners’ Needs Using Task-Based Activities - By Jiezl Cruz, Glenn Ferrier, Cindy Martinez - LING 521 “Issues in ESL Listening and Speaking”, Dr. Stephanie H. Kim - Community Partner: Our Redeemer Lutheran Church

Watch "Addressing Adult Learners' Needs Using Task-Based Activities"

How We See It - By Shae Hammond, Sarah Shabbar - JOUR 498 “Senior Project”, Professor David Blumenkrantz - Community Partner: St. Charles Holy Family Service Center

Watch "How We See It"

Student Scholar Presentation - Cesha James - By Cesha James - LRS 491 “Capstone Seminar”, Dr Krystal Howard - Community Partner: Guardian Angel 

Watch "Student Scholar Presentation - Cesha James"