Graduation is around the corner. For some students that means reflecting on their time at CSUDH. Photo Courtesy of Evan Martinez.

By Aliyah Brown Staff Reporter

California State University, Dominguez Hills (CSUDH) has played an important role in the education of students in Southern California for many years. By looking at the experiences of CSUDH graduates and students, we gain valuable insights into the college experience and how it impacts personal growth and career development. To better understand the mark these past years have left on them we asked students about the challenges and opportunities that they faced and how they might approach their education differently if given the chance.

Saida Maalin, a journalism and transfer student, had her time at CSUDH limited. However, she utilized the resources presented to her and made the most of her time.  

“I would have joined different clubs to connect more on campus,” Maalin said in regard to what she would do differently. “I would also have taken more Advertising and Public Relations (AD and PR) classes and maybe minored in AD and PR. After taking a class or two I found them to be really interesting and could see myself utilizing the skills in my multimedia journalism career.”

Yet, she still feels she was able to truly enjoy herself at CSUDH and thanked all of the communication staff for educating and making her feel more confident in her ability to achieve her goals. One thing that Saida will be taking with her is a quote from Dr. Brant Burkey, “We don’t always have to have things figured out. Sometimes we should go with the flow, and sometimes our plans may not work out but it will still all be okay.” 

Maalin intends to pursue a career as a freelance writer and has aspirations of pursuing graduate studies abroad. 

As for what he would do differently,  journalism major, Jarmiah Gerges, would have chosen to dorm instead of commute. He explained that his college experience was a bit constrained due to his residing with his parents. One thing that stuck out to him was the age range of individuals during their college years which posed a greater challenge than the academic workload. 

If he could do it again, Gerges would have prioritized his mental well-being.  Even with the challenges he faced during his time at CSUDH, he was able to familiarize himself with the campus prior to enrollment to ensure a smooth transition and a successful academic career.

Gerges intends to take a brief hiatus before embarking on a career pursuit outside of his field of study. 

“Given the opportunity to revisit my college experience at Dominguez, I would prioritize greater involvement in school clubs and extracurricular activities,” Tierra Booth, a journalism student at CSUDH, said. As a transfer student, she encountered some challenges in establishing social connections and suggested that engaging in school-related activities could have potentially enhanced her overall college experience. 

Booth said her lack of knowledge regarding the various services offered at CSUDH was her weakness. Nonetheless, she used their existing knowledge by taking advantage of the resources offered at the Women’s Resource Center and the Rose Black Resource Center.

She intends to seek employment with either a lifestyle, entertainment or fashion publication. 

Catherine Garcia, also a journalism major, says if she were to have the opportunity to repeat her college experience, she would choose to reside on campus for a minimum of one year. This decision would have provided her with better accessibility to participate in various clubs and organizations. 

Additionally, she would have explored more information on abroad studies. Having participated in the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) at CSUDH, Garcia feels gratitude toward the program citing that her involvement as a first-generation Latina allowed for valuable networking opportunities for students. 

“All of these opportunities that I have had at CSUDH have been proven to be unexpectedly beneficial,” she said. 

Garcia was also involved in the podcast broadcasted with the KDHR Radio Station, LOUD BUZZ, an opportunity that allowed her to fully enjoy her time at CSUDH. She is open to whatever opportunities come her way. 

As a graduating student at CSUDH myself, reflecting on the experiences of my peers has been an important part of my college journey. Their thoughts and experiences have helped me understand the obstacles and possibilities of higher education and how CSUDH has uniquely shaped our personal and professional progress. I believe that this exploration of our college experiences can be a powerful tool for future students and the university as a whole and wish nothing but luck to future Toros.