Profiles - Chico State Today

Student Jordan Davis sits at a table while attending a professional development event. He is wearing a navy blue polo shirt and a white name tag.

Grant Opens Doors for North State Students to Become Teachers

Students interested in a career in teaching are receiving financial assistance at Chico State through a multimillion-dollar grant designed to ease the financial burden of pursuing a teaching credential.

Brandon Reinhardt and his young song pose for selfie in front of solar panels and wind turbines with the mountains in the distance.

Five Questions with College of Business Alum & Renewable Energy Advocate, Brandon Reinhardt

Brandon Reinhardt's passion for real estate development, as well as fighting climate change was ignited during his time at Chico State. He found a career where he can pursue both.

Abbas Attarwala, who was awarded a $30,000 grant this summer to research the impacts of AI on children, is photographed at his desk while he is typing on a laptop.

The Growing Pains of AI: Professor to study how tools like ChatGPT affect children

Professor Abbas Attarwala received a grant to study how AI affects children and identify areas where more research is needed.

CSU Trustee Award Honoree, Gerardo "Jerry" Langarica Martinez, stands in front of an ornate doorway. He wears a buttoned blue short and smiles slightly, looking past the camera.

CSU Trustee Award Honoree Strives to Help Others Claim Their Space

Gerardo “Jerry" Langarica Martinez has overcome significant hurdles over the last 15 years to earn his bachelor's degree, begin the teaching credential program, and achieve numerous honors along the way.

Anna Rose Alexander poses and smiles along a dirt path outdoors with potted plants on both sides of the path.

5 Questions with Alumna and Cal State East Bay History Faculty Anna Rose Alexander

As Anna Rose Alexander (History, '06) engages with her history students at Cal State East Bay, she is also providing them with a glimpse of how their worlds have been shaped.

Photograph of Charles Price wearing a suit and dress shirt. He is looking up and away from the camera.

Fond Farewell: Professor Emeritus Charles “Chuck” Price

Few faculty members have had the wide-reaching influence and reputation that Charles Price enjoyed as a political scientist specializing in California government.

Thomas DuSell stands next to the larger, lighted stop sign he pushed to have installed at the crosswalk along Warner Street and Ivy Street. The science building is in the background.

Celebrating Thomas DuSell: Campus Safety Award Winner, and So Much More

When he noticed a thorny traffic issue, Chico State Rose Garden specialist Thomas DuSell lobbied for an important change that would keep students and staff safe.

Inspired by His Parents, Vang Perseveres to Earn Master’s Degree

John Vang faced several challenges as he pursued a bachelor’s degree and then a master’s degree from Chico State. But when he questioned whether he was up for the task, he only had to look to his parents, Xae Chon and Mai Xiong, for the inspiration he needed to push forward.

Social work alumna Bekah Qualls smiling against brick wall.

Social Work Alumna Finds Way to Give Back

School social worker and therapist Bekah Qualls creates a generous legacy for those following in her footsteps.

Mary Bowman wears a pink top and holds an award certificate with her right hand and a trophy with her left hand as she poses for a photo.

Celebrating Mary Bowman: 2022’s Making a Difference Award Winner

Brimming with compassion and a desire to give back, Mary Bowman is the epitome of an inspiring and engaged campus colleague.

2022 Employee of the Year honoree Dianne Suschil holds up her trophy and certificate after being honored at a ceremony on campus.

Celebrating Dianne Suschil: 2022’s Employee of the Year

For the last 19 years, Dianne Suschil has been an everyday hero on campus, serving in multiple roles.

5 Questions with History Alumna and Author Sonia Robles

As the Mexican workforce moved north into the United States beginning in the 1930s, Mexican-owned radio stations followed—alumna Sonia Robles (History, '05) documented this in her book, "Mexican Waves."

Students stand behind Robert Herhusky as he sits and demonstrates a glassblowing technique

Fond Farewell: Art Professor Emeritus Robert Herhusky

Robert Herhusky, who built the Chico State glass glowing program and mentored and supported countless local artists, is remembered.

Streamers fall over a large group of college graduates during a commencement ceremony.

Celebrating the Class of 2023 (Photos + Video)

We revisit the magic of the 2023 Commencement through photos.

Jonny Nguyen wears a graduation sash and smiles in front of a college building

Fond Farewell: Business Administration Major Jonny Nguyen

With an infectious smile and gregarious nature, Jonny Nguyen made an impression on everyone he met, inspiring them to be the best versions of themselves.

A summer night sky above a lit-up academic building

Fond Farewell: Communications Professor Emeritus Robert “Bob” Main

A 22-year Army veteran with an unbounded joy for teaching, Robert “Bob” Main captivated and inspired students for over 50 years at Chico State and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute.

Cecilia Lore sits on a desk with her hands on her left knee, while sitting in a college classroom

Age and Obstacles Don’t Deter Anthropology Major from Pursuing Her Degree

After overcoming obstacles throughout her life, anthropology major Cecelia Lore is utilizing the CSU's fee waiver to pursue her degree.

Trinity Hall's bell tower is visible through a cluster of spring blossoms.

Five Faculty Recognized with Professional Achievement Honors

Faculty from across the University are recognized for their research, scholarly contributions, and excellence in academia.

Football Alumni Raise Funds for Athletics Scholarships

The Wildcat Football Alumni Board plans to award five scholarships during its annual summer gathering and fundraiser.

Office Hours: School of Social Work Professor Sue Steiner

With a heart for social justice and a drive to elevate communities. the School of Social Work's Sue Steiner was recognized with the Office of Civic Engagement's Civically Engaged Scholar Award.

Alt text: Treyton Wood works on the Baja vehicle, wearing safety goggles.

Off-Road Vehicle Club Drives Mechanical Engineering Major Toward His Dream Career

Treyton Wood has devoted the last five years of his undergraduate experience to national competition of off-road vehicles. As a real-world, hands-on learning experience, it was foundational for his education.

Grad Student and Horror Fan LEAPs into Editing and Publishing

Horror publisher Benjamin Vandersluis credits Chico State’s “killer” English Department for expanding his view of the genre and sparking his love for literary editing and publishing.

Pa Yang sits on a brick wall in the shade of a giant oak tree in front of Kendall Hall.

Connecting Generations Through Understanding

On the cusp of receiving her master’s in psychology, Pa Yang (Psychology, ’21) reflects on the value of her work and the ideas behind it: making her community stronger, more connected, and (hopefully) happier.

Claire Kooi wears a lab coat and smiles as she leans on a counter in a lab

Earth and Environmental Sciences Grad Student Driven by Social Issues

Graduate student Claire-Marie Kooi loves studying the Earth because "everything impacts something else." Kooi is making quite an impact as well in her work at UC Berkeley, and in the field of environmental justice.

Raquel Krach sits on a rock wall with trees and shrubs in the background.

Grad Student Farmer Grows Case for Marrying Agriculture With the Natural World

With her master’s thesis—a collaborative effort to study the effects of agroecology on her almond farm—Chico State graduate student Raquel Krach confirmed what the birds have been telling her. It’s working!

We're looking at a bright graphic illustration of an open suitcase. Inside, we see the Statue of Liberty, Big Ben, an airplane, a Chico State Wildcat statue, and the clock tower of Trinity Hall.

Passport to Self-Discovery

Since 2016, approximately 1,600 Wildcats have studied abroad at one of 200 locations across 35 countries. Students share their stories from both flight paths.

Victoria Villasenor poses in a white sweater and jeans, holding a Uruguayan flag across her lap.

Journeys of Self-Discovery to Uruguay and Cuba

For Victoria Villaseñor, breaking away from routine and predictability was part of the experience she wanted during two experiences abroad.

Aishwarya Gowda poses against a brick pillar on campus, wearing a white shirt and jeans.

Bollywood Dance Club Founder Finds a Sense of Home at Chico State

In two years, International student Aishwarya Gowda has already made her mark on campus. To her, the biggest impact has been finding herself and her community here on campus.

Molecular Biology Student Turns ‘Beautiful Disasters’ into Lifelong Call to Service

Hikmat Abou Shahla has spent his formative years stepping up to help during seasons of global crisis. He is set to graduate and continue on the path of service.

Mark Arey poses at a restaurant with fellow students from South Korea.

International Relations Senior Makes the Most of Debut Trip to South Korea

When Mark Arey's dream of visiting Japan was put on hold during the pandemic, he embraced a year-long journey to Seoul and thrived during his first international trip.

Humberto Partida poses by leaning on the hand railing outside Trinity Hall, wearing a brown leather jacket and a blue shirt.

Graduating Senior Follows ‘Role Model’s’ Footsteps to Florence, Italy

Harnessing a long-held desire to travel, political science and international relations major, Humberto Partida, made his own dream come true by studying in Florence, Italy for a semester.

Women's basketball player Myli Martinez poses for a photo inside a gymnasium. She is holding a basketball with both hands to her right.

Wildcats’ Triple Threat: Myli Martinez

Basketball player Myli Martinez's three-point bombs have placed her in the program's record books.

Standing in full regalia on stage, President Hutchinson extends her arms out toward the audience at a Commencement ceremony.

Path to Prominence

In 2016, Gayle Hutchinson began her presidential term with an ambitious punch list. Having checked off almost everything during the last seven years, she prepares to begin another chapter.

A tall brick building glows in the late afternoon sunshine with trees in the foreground.

Fond Farewell: Retired Librarian Joel Leonard

With a strong personality and a lot of joy, Joel Leonard embraced his job as librarian as one with a primary mission of supporting students.

Framed portraits of families that are part of a generation of Wildcat alumni and students that portray the Chico State Wildcat family tree for a feature story in the Chico Statements magazine on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 in Chico, Calif.

Rooted in Connection: The Wildcat Family Tree

Attending college is a significant milestone for any student, but for many, enrolling at Chico State is both a personal achievement and a family tradition.

Twin sisters embrace on a bench. One is sitting on the bench while the other sits on the arm rest and places her arms around her sisters shoulders.

Identical Twins Follow Different Dreams

Relying on each other for support, Vanessa and Viviana Mendoza discover their own identity in college.

Three men pose for a photo on a soccer field, while the man in the middle holds a memorial plaque in his hands.

Pitch-Perfect Wildcats

Thirteen sets of siblings have donned the cardinal and white of the Wildcats, and the men's soccer program’s legacy is becoming intergenerational.

Crossed Paths Lead Back to Chico

Recreation Administration majors Suzy and Paul McCreary fell in love at Chico State, and they built their lives around their shared love for their school and giving back.

Eriberto Hernandez, who is out of focus, holds an old photograph of his older sister standing next to the Chico State sign and wearing a cap and gown.

Five Siblings Fulfill Father’s Dream

Salvador Hernandez left a remarkable legacy as his five children earned college degrees from Chico State, fulfilling his dream.

Mother hugs her son while they pose for a photo.

Mother, Son Turned Classmates Learn From Each Other

Kevin LaCombe and Evone LaCombe were overlapping kinesiology students for two semesters—an experience the mother and son called unique and inspiring.