Who We Are

The New Heart of Campus was created by CSUN students for CSUN students. Focused on providing a sense of belonging for all Matadors through community spaces promoting relaxation, entertainment, socialization, unity in race, intersectionality, social and environmental justice, this beautiful combination of new construction and renovated facilities at the University Student Union is intended to be the new center of student life on campus.

The USU is a student-driven nonprofit organization that has been dedicated to enhancing the Matador experience with programs, services, employment and involvement opportunities since 1973. The New Heart of Campus referendum is presented by the student leaders who previously brought you campus cornerstones such as the Student Recreation Center, Oasis Wellness Center, Pride Center, Veterans Resource Center, Computer Lab and other services provided at the USU.

Student Referendum Leadership Team

Dawn Joves
Student Engagement Referendum Coordinator
dawn.joves@csun.edu
Major: Sociology
Minor: Civic & Community Engagement
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Dawn found her home in the University Student Union during her first visit to CSUN in Spring 2017. As an incoming transfer student, she witnessed the resources and work done by the USU, and was drawn to joining the team. She currently serves on the Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the Board of Directors, and previously held a position as the Student Business Assistant at the Pride Center. She is elated to be working with an organization that puts students at the forefront of everything they do, which has influenced her pursuit of doing social justice work in higher education.
Bhernard Tila
Chair, USU Board of Directors
usuboardchair@csun.edu
Major: Public Health & Asian American Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Bhernard currently serves as the Chair for the University Student Union (USU) Board of Directors. As the former Chair for Facilities and Commercial Services Committee, he was able to advocate for the expansion of the EOP DREAM Center, explore inclusive USU facilities and many more. As this year’s Chair, he aims to further enhance the cultural diversity and receptiveness of the USU, while advocating and empowering CSUN students’ voices to be heard. Furthermore, he aims to increase student organization opportunities, address campus climate, create a more inclusive USU, and increase resources for student success.
Stephanie Flores Temix
Vice Chair, USU Board of Directors
usuboardvicechair@csun.edu
Major: Sociology, Option II (Social Welfare/Social Justice) & Chicanx Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Stephanie is committed to representing CSUN students at the University Student Union (USU) to the best of her abilities in order to influence sustainable change and improvement while encouraging students to become involved with the USU. This is Stephanie’s second and last year on the Board of Directors, and she is ready to finish off the year strong and encourage students to join the Board. Stephanie’s plan after graduating in Spring 2019 is to pursue a Master’s degree in Social Work and specialize in international policy making to continue to advocate for underrepresented and marginalized communities.

Student Referendum Committees

USU Referendum Development Committee

Dawn Joves
Committee Co-Chair
Major: Sociology
Minor: Civic & Community Engagement
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Ester Avagyan
Major: Business Management
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
German Diaz
Major: Economics
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Eileen Driscoll
Major: Marketing
Minor: Entrepreneurship
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Kimia Ebadirad
Major: Radiological Sciences
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Coco Fernandez
Major: CTVA — Electronic Media Management
Expected Graduation: Spring 2021
Stephanie Flores Temix
Major: Sociology, Option II (Social Welfare/Social Justice) & Chicanx Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Elias Gallegos
Major: Public Health
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Kat Hawley
Major: Art — Graphic Design Concentration
Minor: Marketing
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Isa Hernandez
Major: Marketing
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Sarah Katz
Major: Marketing
Expected Graduation: Fall 2020
Mareo Lawson
Major: CTVA — Electronic Media Management
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Matt Monteleone
Major: CTVA — Electronic Media Management
Expected Graduation: Fall 2019
Emily Mu
Major: Public Relations
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Erika Esquivel
Major: Public Health
Expected Graduation: Fall 2020
Michael Odinlo
Major: Biology
Expected Graduation: Fall 2019
Lizette Padilla
Major: Marketing
Expected Graduation: Spring 2022
Liliana Palafox
Major: Interior Design
Minor: Chicanx Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Kanchan Ranatunga
Major: Marketing
Expected Graduation: Fall 2019
Calvin Sam
Major: Journalism
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Jag Sharma
Major: Business Law
Expected Graduation: Fall 2019
Bhernard Tila
Major: Public Health & Asian American Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Stephanie Tran
Major: Marketing
Minor: CTVA — Electronic Media Management
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Nicolette Vargas
Major: Sociology
Minor: Civic & Community Engagement
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Michael Weise
Major: Exercise Science
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020

USU Renovation and Expansion Committee

Evelyn Arnold
Major: Master's in Linguistics; Teaching English as a Second Language Certificate
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Stephanie Flores Temix
Major: Sociology, Option II (Social Welfare/Social Justice) & Chincanx Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Sean Haggerty
Major: History
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Dawn Joves
Major: Sociology
Minor: Civic & Community Engagement
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Beverly Ntagu
Major: Psychology
Minor: Child & Adolescent Development (Pre-Med)
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Liliana Palafox
Major: Interior Design
Minor: Chicanx Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Luisa Rodriguez
Major: Broadcast Journalism
Minor: Communication Studies
Expected Graduation: Fall 2019
Jesus Suarez
Major: Finance
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Bhernard Tila
Major: Public Health & Asian American Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019

Center for Unity in Race, Intersectionality, Social and Environmental Justice Exploration Committee

Jessica Aceves
Major: Master's in Social Work
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Evelyn Arnold
Major: Master's in Linguistics; Teaching English as a Second Language Certificate
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Frankie Benkovic
Major: Master's in Higher Education Administration
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Raquel Cetz-Tamayo
Major: Political Science and Chicanx Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Xarlie Facio
Major: Chicanx Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Stephanie Flores Temix
Major: Sociology, Option II (Social Welfare/Social Justice) & Chicanx Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Jaleesa Herrington
Major: Master's in Higher Education Administration
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Erica Mason
Major: Marketing
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Dawn Joves
Major: Sociology
Minor: Civic & Community Engagement
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Kevin Ogletree
Major: Psychology
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Lizette Padilla
Major: Marketing
Expected Graduation: Spring 2022
Liliana Palafox
Major: Interior Design
Minor: Chicanx Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Luisa Rodriguez
Major: Broadcast Journalism
Minor: Communication Studies
Expected Graduation: Fall 2019
Ramon Tetangco
Major: Marketing
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Bhernard Tila
Major: Public Health & Asian American Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Kyle Wallace-Jordan
Major: Communication Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020

USU Student Referendum Presentation Team

Jessica Aceves
Major: Master's in Social Work
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Evelyn Arnold
Major: Master's in Linguistics; Teaching English as a Second Language Certificate
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Ester Avagyan
Major: Business Management
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Samantha Ballinger
Major: Communication Disorders
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Matthew Contreras
Major: Journalism
Minor: Political Science
Expected Graduation: Fall 2021
Xarlie Facio
Major: Chicanx Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Coco Fernandez
Major: CTVA — Electronic Media Management
Expected Graduation: Spring 2021
Bethany Flores
Major: Exploratory
Expected Graduation: Spring 2021
Vannessa Fuentes
Major: Master's in Public Health
Graduation: Spring 2019
Elias Gallegos
Major: Public Health
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Isa Hernandez
Major: Marketing
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Dawn Joves
Major: Sociology
Minor: Civic & Community Engagement
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Mareo Lawson
Major: CTVA — Electronic Media Management
Clarissa Mejia
Major: Liberal Studies
Minor: Marketing
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Matt Monteleone
Major: CTVA — Electronic Media Management
Expected Graduation: Fall 2019
Christian Nessim
Major: Systems and Operations Management
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Jaymee Ortiz
Major: Communication Disorders
Expected Graduation: Spring 2020
Lizette Padilla
Major: Marketing
Expected Graduation: Spring 2022
Asima Rahman
Major: Biochemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2021
Jonathan Santos
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Thad Watanabe
Major: Art — Graphic Design Concentration
Graduated Fall 2018

USU Board of Directors

Bhernard Tila
Chair
Major: Public Health & Asian American Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Stephanie Flores Temix
Vice Chair
Major: Sociology, Option II (Social Welfare/Social Justice) & Chicanx Studies
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Stephanie Barboza
Student Representative
Major: Marketing/Chicanx Studies
Expected Graduation: 2021
Frankie Benkovic
Student Representative
Major: Master's in Higher Education Administration
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Jazmin Hernandez
Student Representative
Major: TV Production
Expected Graduation: 2019
Michael Odinlo
Student Representative
Major: Biology (Pre-Med)
Expected Graduation: Fall 2019
Asima Rahman
Student Representative
Major: Biochemistry
Expected Graduation: 2020
Timmothy Roberts
Student Representative
Major: Kinesiology
Minor: Africans Studies
Expected Graduation: 2020
Amber Perkins
Student Representative
Major: Kinesiology — Exercise Science
Jesus Suarez
Student Representative
Major: Finance
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019
Beverly Ntagu
Associated Students President
Major: Psychology
Minor: Child and Adolescent Development (Pre-Med)
Expected Graduation: Spring 2019