Making Waves: October 2024
Making Waves is a monthly column that celebrates accomplishments of the CSULB community.
Employee of the Month: Longtime painter Michael Harris
Michael Harris, a painter and longtime CSULB employee, was recognized as September’s Employee of the Month for his swift response during a July 30 elevator incident in the College of Business. Harris, a member of Beach Building Services, was on-site when Associate Dean Yasmine Yur-Austin became trapped in an elevator on the second floor. He provided “exceptional support” and remained on hand to ensure her safe exit. Harris, a second-generation painter and “Master Journeyman,” brings over 36 years of experience to his work. Beyond his role, he supports colleagues as a Teamsters union steward.He was joined on Friendship Walk by President Jane Close Conoley, Yur-Austin, supervisors, colleagues and his wife, Marti.
CSULB dominates 2024 CSU Media Arts Festival finalists
CSULB students excelled at the 2024 CSU Media Arts Festival, earning 23 of 47 finalist spots across animation, documentary, narrative, and short screenplay categories. This year, 12 of the 20 animation finalists hail from The Beach, with standout pieces like “A Winter Hymnal” and “The Yellow Wallpaper.” In the documentary/creative non-fiction category, seven of the 11 finalists also represent CSULB, featuring works such as “A Place in this World” and “순정 (Suchong: Pure Love).” The university’s talent extends to the narrative and short screenplay sections, highlighted by entries like “Cutting the Edge” and “The Living Paint.” Open to all 23 CSU campuses, the festival will announce winners and showcase the selected films on Oct. 23.
Social Work professor honored for humanitarian efforts
Rashida Crutchfield, an associate professor in the School of Social Work, is set to receive the Humanitarian Award at the 2024 California Conference for Equality and Justice (CCEJ) Humanitarian Awards Celebration on Oct. 30. The event, taking place at The Reef on the Water in Long Beach, honors those committed to promoting equity and justice in Southern California. Recognized for her efforts to address student food and housing insecurity, Crutchfield was instrumental in securing a $15 million CSU grant to support these causes across the system. Her work emphasizes the importance of providing basic-needs support for students, enhancing their success and well-being. The celebration will also honor Reyna Ochoa and NewGround: A Muslim-Jewish Partnership for Change.
History professor publishes book, earns prestigious fellowship
History professor Rajbir Singh Judge has published his first book, “Prophetic Maharaja: Loss, Sovereignty, and the Sikh Tradition in Colonial South Asia,” through Columbia University Press. The book explores Sikh efforts to reclaim sovereignty in the Punjab region during the late 19th century, using psychoanalysis and postcolonial theory to reinterpret historical struggles and their lasting impact. Judge also has been selected as a member of the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in Princeton for the 2024-25 academic year. Out of more than 600 applicants, he is one of 20 chosen for the prestigious fellowship and is the first CSULB faculty member to receive the honor. Judge joined CSULB in 2020.
Liberal Arts poets earn Fulbright grants for international study
Patty Seyburn and Clint Margrave, esteemed poets and faculty in the College of Liberal Arts, have been awarded Fulbright grants for international study. Seyburn, whose sixth poetry collection, "Jukebox," is slated for release in 2025, is currently studying in Romania. Her previous works include “Threshold Delivery” and “Perfecta.” Seyburn's diverse academic background includes degrees from Northwestern University, UC Irvine, and the University of Houston. Author of "Visitor" and other collections, Margrave has seen his work featured in publications such as Threepenny Review and the Los Angeles Review of Books. He remains on campus this fall before heading to Bulgaria in the spring.
Have an item for Making Waves? Send your submissions to Wendy Thomas Russell.
