Galleries

An illustration of Kendall Hall at Chico State, with the words 'Wildcat Conversations' written in whimsical letters above it.

Wildcat Conversations: Ultramarathoners on Living Life with the Long Run In Mind

Alumni and ultramarathoners Tim Tollefson, Jimmy Elam, and Anthony Costales—three of the fastest in the world—share how they stay disciplined and dedicated to their craft.

Photograph of Arina Xiong set against a blue background.

From Study Abroad to Peace Corps Volunteer

For Arina Xiong (Liberal Studies,’15), a Peace Corps Education Volunteer in Armenia, her alma mater that taught her the importance of community service and sustainability through its study abroad opportunities.

A rainbow flashes its colors behind Colusa Hall as a student walks down a sidewalk soaked by recent rains.

Some of Our Favorite Spring Images

Some of our favorite spring 2024 photographs, captured by University photographers Jason Halley and Matt Bates.

Distinguished Alum and and Vice President of A&R at Universal Music Publishing Group Cristina Chavez

Distinguished Alumna and Vice President of A&R at Universal Music Publishing Group Cristina Chavez

Cristina Chavez's confidence grew during her time at Chico State. The 2024 Distinguished Alumni honoree's charm, wisdom, and humility has lifted her to the top of the music industry.

Distinguished Alum and California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass

Distinguished Alumna and California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass

The organization’s first woman President is driven to succeed by those who blazed trails for her and those who will follow.

Our top images of 2023

University photographers Jason Halley and Matt Bates have had a busy year, including photographing 633 assignments and capturing more than 28,000 photos.

Sophia Hoffman is photographed against a brick wall.

Chico State Freshman Impresses Coaches on The Voice

Sophia Hoffman overcame a processing disorder to make it to Chico State—now she is turning heads on international television.

Delaney Sarantopulos poses in a blue suit.

Introducing Delaney Sarantopulos: 2023 Lt. Rawlins Merit Scholarship Recipient

A "roll-of-the-dice" decision to attend Chico State came up aces for Delaney Sarantopulos and the University, which has benefited greatly from her service-based leadership.

Photo of Marti Sutton, alongside an image of Kendall Hall and the phrase "2023 Distinguished Alumni Honoree"

Distinguished Alum and Nonprofit Chair Marti Sutton

Marti Sutton discovered her advocacy voice as a student at Chico State and has since worked on Capitol Hill and in community nonprofits to support causes dear to her heart.

Introducing Peyton Arnold: 2023 Lt. Rawlins Merit Scholarship Recipient

Peyton Arnold has studied the impacts of feeding cover crops to livestock and served as vice president of the Chico State Sheep Association, but she's most passionate about poultry.

Tal Slemrod and the newly converted Mobile Classroom.

School of Education Launches Mobile Classroom Project

The SOE's newly retrofitted classroom on-the-go RV makes its first trip into the community.

Cindy Wolff is backlit by the sun as she stands outside the front of her newly rebuilt home

Camp Fire Survivor Returns to Rebuilt Home and Hope in Butte Creek Canyon

Four years after the Camp Fire, Cindy Wolff is back living in Butte Creek Canyon, in a new home designed with fire in mind.

Delta Sigma Theta members Arianna Punter (left) and La’Netta Bowden pose in front of a poster on display.

Exhibit Honors Historically Black Sorority’s Return to Chico State

The Pi Xi chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has returned to Chico State and was recently honored in a pop-up exhibit at the Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology.

Farhan Rehman and Esteban Teran adjust the lasers that work to cool the atoms.

Ultracold Atom Lab Attempting to Cross ‘Unreachable’ Threshold

With the ultra-high vacuum chamber up and running, the University's ultracold atom chamber is ready to cool atoms to near absolute zero so they display their true quantum nature.

Nicholas Esparza looks through the high vacuum chamber in the ultracold lab.

Student Researchers Share Insight into Summer Projects

CSC² has supported nearly 300 students in undergraduate research projects across the three colleges.

An academic building at night with the words California State University Chico are lit up

Chico State Students Graduate with Lowest Federal Debt of Any Public College in California

According to a recent report, Chico State students amass the lowest amount of total federal debt upon graduating of all public higher ed institutions in California.

Jaime Lopez pops up from underwater wearing a snorkel mask and holding a bag of sea specimens

Coral Connections Lead Student-Researcher Toward His Dream

Jaime Lopez has impressed his faculty with an endless passion for sea anemones and corals, with a dream of using research to save them from the effects of climate change.

Aubrey Miller holds a handful of tootbrush fibers in her hand in the concrete lab.

Students Set the Future in Concrete

Just one of five programs of its kind in the United States, our Concrete Industry Management Program is creating the workforce for a $200 billion industry. With a 100 percent job-placement rate and a cross-disciplinary approach that ensures our graduates can lead in the boardroom and at the job site, CIM students are solving some of the industry’s greatest challenges.

Selena Thao poses sitting on a couch with two yellow pillows on her either side.

Social Work Major Explores Students’ Sense of Belonging on Campus

Social work major Selena Thao uses infectious energy, strong empathy, and a justice approach to engage with others—particularly her fellow students.

Maurice Ledoyen stands in a white coat in a lab with equipment in his hands.

Student Fly-Fisherman Casts His Line into Researching Local Creeks

Ten years after leaving college, Maurice Ledoyen returned and is conducting research studying metal accumulation in aquatic organisms in creeks downstream of the Camp Fire.

College students and faculty stand in a coffee processing plant, with dozens of bags of coffee beans stacked up in the background.

Agriculture Majors Explore Puerto Rico in Immersive Trip

A 10-day agricultural exploration trip over winter break pushed eight Chico State students outside their comfort zones, gave them new perspectives on experiential education, and immersed them in a culture they will never forget.

A student pulls a sample of wastewater from a large jug.

Poop Sleuths: Student Researchers Track COVID-19 in Residence Halls

Two biological sciences faculty and eight students are conducting complex wastewater monitoring in the residence halls to research the virus that causes COVID-19.

Sunshine breaks through the tops of trees over a ranch-style setting.

Where Education Meets the Land

The Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve is a living laboratory for students of all ages, ground-breaking research, and innovative land management practices.

Student Guadalupe Cruz sits in front of her Dia de los Muertos altar she set up at the Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology.

Day of the Dead Altar: A Celebration of Life

In honor of this year's Dia de los Muertos, student Guadalupe Cruz created an altar—borrowing many beloved items used by her family—for the Valene L. Smith Museum of Anthropology.

Chase Suihkonen smiles on campus, standing in front of trees transformed with fall colors.

Camp Fire Scholarship Recipient Pays It Forward

After losing his home in the Camp Fire, Chase Suihkonen embraced the opportunity to attend Chico State so he could further his education while staying close to home to help his community recover.

Tray Robinson poses in front of an academic building.

Diversity Champion Leaves Legacy of Success Among Students, Colleagues

After more than 30 years on campus—as a student, employee, and ambassador and advocate for diversity—Tray Robinson prepares for the next chapter.

Sunlight breaks through branches and leaves of trees that are surrounded by grass and volcanic rocks

Land Donation Doubles Size of BCCER, Now CSU’s Largest Ecological Reserve

Chico State's BCCER received an anonymous land donation—doubling its size and making it one of the largest college- or university-operated reserves in the entire state.

Sean Nies uses a paintbrush to brush soil away from mastodon teeth.

Unearthing California’s Prehistoric Past

Geological and environmental sciences students and faculty are assisting on one of the biggest paleontological finds in state history.

Kendall Hall sits under partly cloudy skies.

Eleven Students Awarded Lt. Rawlins Merit Scholarships

The award—one of the largest and most prestigious at Chico State—celebrates scholarship, extracurricular activities, and outstanding academic and professional accomplishments.

A nursing student wearing protective gear holds a syringe that contains the vaccine against the coronavirus.

Nursing Students Serve on the Frontlines Against COVID-19

Doing their part to help stop the spread of the coronavirus, students from Chico State's School of Nursing are volunteering at local sites to provide much-needed testing and administer long-awaited vaccinations.

Family of Professor Emeritus Gifts $1 Million for Educational Programming at Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve

The Dempsey family has donated $1 million to the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve—the largest cash gift in its history—for educational programming.

Brenae Royal holds a bottle of wine with a vineyard in the backdrop

Vineyard Manager Grows Her Own Way

Brenae Royal, vineyard manager for the 134-year-old Monte Rosso vineyard, has been planting roots in unexpected places nearly her entire life.

Alum Leads STAR Center to Support Underserved Students

Led by Malcolm McLemore, the STAR Center offers services and resources to try to ensure the success of first-gen, historically underserved, and marginalized students.

Ag Education Major Earns Statewide Honors for Outstanding Achievement

Ag education major Breanna Holbert was honored today with the California State University Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement.

Alum Establishes Scholarship to Support Students Advancing Social Justice

To honor George Floyd, alum Farshad Azad founded a scholarship supporting students fighting for social justice—40 years after he first experienced racism himself.

Professor Vanessa Esquivido teaching students about American Indians.

American Indian Studies Professor Fuels Teaching with Experience

As Nor Rel Muk Wintu, Hupa, and Xicana, Professor Vanessa Esquivido uses her cultural heritage, education, and personal experiences to shape conversations on difficulties Native Americans still face.

Diana Castellanos gives a virtual campus tour, holding out her self-phone while filming herself in front of the California State University, Chico monument sign.

Admissions Innovates to Recruit Wildcats in the Virtual World

In-person visits help showcase Chico State to prospective students. Amid COVID-19, Admissions staff have found creative ways to connect virtually.

The Digital Divide

The Geographical Information Center has been pioneering projects to improve high-speed internet access across California for years. Now, as COVID-19 forces millions of people to work and school from home, the center's efforts and expertise have never been more critical.

Serving the Spectrum

For nearly 20 years, Chico State has supported North State children with autism and their families through multisensory services at our Autism Clinic.

Double Major Connects Passion with Purpose

When picking a major, first-generation college student Jasmine Vang chose to follow her heart—which led to not one but two degrees she'll use to help others succeed in life.