Regional Nexus for Health & Allied Health Professions

Dear CHHSN community, 

“Thank you for your flexibility, collaboration, and trust as we have navigated together.” 

The year 2026 has begun with some bright and hopeful momentum, as we welcome the University’s new leadership: Interim President Dr. Mary Ann Villarreal (Welcome Message) and Interim Provost and Vice President Dr. Kim Costino. I am genuinely optimistic about the energy and direction they bring, and I look forward to working with them closely in the months ahead. 

At the same time, many of us are still feeling the real impacts of this AY’s budget reductions. In our midyear college budget review, we are still projecting a deficit, though it is much smaller than what we anticipated earlier in Fall 2025, thanks to additional revenues that helped cover a significant portion of our needs. Also, I want to sincerely thank you for your flexibility, collaboration, support, and trust as we have navigated this together! 

We will continue our conversations around resource management, especially as campus leadership moves forward with discussions about transforming our academic portfolio. I strongly encourage you to join the campus kickoff meeting on Friday, January 30, 2026, 10:30 a.m. to noon, I&I 1200, to be part of that broader conversation with the 

As I shared in my end-of-year message in December, this is also a good time to pause, reassess, and reconnect with our priorities in the CHHSN Strategic Goals, and to align them with both internal needs and external expectations. Doing so helps ground us in clarity, connection, and a revitalized sense of purpose as we move forward together. 

Mi-Sook Kim, Dean 

January/February 2026 CHHSN Event and Activity Calendar - This is our College’s working calendar, with updates as additions or changes arise! 

HCAI HEALTH CAREERS EXPLORATION PROGRAM (HCAP) GRANT FUNDING

🎉Dr. Chaka McAlpin from the Marital & Family Therapy (MFT) Department and Dr. Raquel Warley from the Master of Social Work (MSW) Program submitted two innovative grants focused on increasing representation of Black males in mental and behavioral health careers. Both proposals were funded ($ 45,000)!

SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH & HEALTH SCIENCE

🌍Congratulations Dr. Amer El-Ahraf for publication and presentation of his paper on “Transforming the Health Care System from a largely Curative Medicine Approach to that of a Comprehensive Public Health Care System” at the 52nd Annual AEAS Conference in Cairo, Egypt, December 23–25, 2025! The Association of Egyptian-American Scholars (AEAS) brings together academic leaders and researchers to foster dialogue and collaborations among scholars from North America and Egypt.   

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

📰 We’re proud to highlight CDV faculty's recent scholarly work! Dr. Oona Fontanella-Nothom co-authored an article in the Journal of Childhood, Education & Society on building teacher-researcher partnerships in early education. 

Also featured in the Journal of First-Generation Student Success is a forthcoming article by Dr. Angelica Lopez Fraire and collaborators exploring wellness among first-generation college students.

KINESIOLOGY

📚New Book Publication

We’re thrilled to share that Mr. Marc Maye debuted his new book, "From Sports to Life!: Using Sports to Build Character, Not Characters!" and hosted a special event hosted by Pages Bookstore in Manhattan Beach on Monday, December 8 at 6:00 PM. The event featured a book signing, opportunities to purchase copies on-site, and a fireside chat where the author discussed the journey, experiences, and inspiration behind the book. 

🌟We are grateful for Mr. Joe McKay, a retired Clinical Laboratory Scientist and longtime supporter of the CSUDH Clinical Laboratory Science program. For more than 20 years, Joe has returned to the Tibor Rubin VA Medical Center to share his expertise in clinical parasitology with our interns and volunteers in CLS 595 alongside Professor Turkel (Photo).  Joe and his wife Mary have also established and recently expanded a scholarship endowment fund to support students during their clinical internship training.  Thank you, Joe and Mary, for your enduring generosity and impact! Clinical Science Donor Details [PDF]

🎉 Congratulations to our CLS students! Our Clinical Laboratory Science post-baccalaureate students achieved a 100% pass rate on the National Board Exam, a major milestone and a key certification for future Medical Laboratory Scientists and Medical Technologists, administered primarily through the ASCP Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC). We are incredibly proud of their hard work and accomplishment!

 🎨A big thank you to everyone who participated in the Rain in the Drain Art Project! Initiated by the TORO CHHSN Staff Representatives, the painting was completed in just one day — a wonderful display of collaboration and spirit.

Your support helped raise awareness about the importance of keeping our stormwater and sewer drains clean, and we truly appreciate your time, teamwork, creativity, and engagement in making this project successful. Rain in the Drain [PDF]

🧼Huge thanks to everyone who donated to the Fall 2025 Hygiene Drive! We're grateful for your generosity in collecting hygiene items to support Teddy's Pantry. CSUDH's on-campus resource that helps students access essential food and hygiene supplies. We're excited to kick off our next drive in Spring 2026! Hygiene Drive Details [PDF]

THP Peer Mentors: From left to right: Jesus Ramirez, Jessica Uribe, Natalie Alvarez, Marissa Manai, Chauncey Williams, Linda Lepe, and Damion Martinez. Not pictured: Chance Maye. 

The THP Peer Mentoring Program had a successful Fall 2025, connecting with 255 students through student-led workshops, social events, and peer support. These activities focused on helping our Toro students feel a sense of belonging, succeed academically, and explore transfer options. Some highlights were “Real Talk: First Gen in Health,” THP Fun Day, the Transfer Student Social, and Pizza with Professors, which all helped students and faculty connect. With a dedicated team of peer leaders from CHHSN, THP is building a strong community and looking forward to Spring 2026 events like a Watts Healthcare site visit, CPR/First Aid training, and the THP Graduation celebration. View Presentation [PPT]

Work-Based Learning: The socioeconomic and emotional hurdles students face

The Toro Health Pathways (THP) Work-Based Learning program was recently featured in the Experiential Learning and Teaching in Higher Education journal, Vol. 8, No. 4 (2025), through a video vignette (6 minutes). The feature highlights the socioeconomic and emotional hurdles students often face when considering internships, and how we, as educators, can better support them in navigating these challenges. In the video, you will meet Karla Castillo, Director of the Work-Based Learning Program in the College of Health, Human Services & Nursing, along with three peer leaders from Toro Health Pathways.

🎉The Orthotics & Prosthetics (O&P) Program has returned to the CSUDH main campus! After operating off-site in Los Alamitos, the nationally recognized O&P program is now back home as part of our expanding campus community. This move brings state-of-the-art clinical and teaching spaces closer to students, faculty, and university resources.  Welcome back, O&P faculty, staff, and students! ✨

✡Mental Health First Aid Certificate (free training) [PDF]– This is a free online certificate training opportunity for students. Please share this opportunity with our students.

✡CHHSN Writer’s Periodic Gathering [PDF] (Feb. 6)- The gathering offers in a hybrid format so faculty can join the group in person (in the large conference room in Welch Hall 303) or online.  Our research design and statistics expert, Dr. Tony Jehi will be available for consultation.

We invite you to share your milestones, updates, or events with us. Feel free to share this newsletter with alumni and community partners within your network!