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Debra L. Hammond

Excutive Director (University Student Union), 1993-Present

Debra L. Hammond has served as the executive director of the University Student Union or USU since 1993. The USU is a 501 C three nonprofit organization governed primarily by students and with the mission to provide the student body with educational, personal, and leadership development opportunities, and to promote equity, inclusion, and well-being while encouraging social justice advocacy. In service to this mission, Debra oversees the Student Recreation Center, the Veterans Resource Center, the Oasis Wellness Center, the Pride Center for LGBTQ students, and the Dream Center for undocumented students to name but some of the USU's initiatives.

Debra L. Hammond Interview Tracks

Colin Donahue

Vice President, 2006 - Present

Vice President Donahue began his career at California State University, Northridge in 1996, when he joined the University as manager of construction services in the wake of the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Since then he served as director of facilities planning, design, and construction from 2000 to 2006, associate vice president for facilities development and operations from 2006 to 2013, and then as vice president for administration and finance and chief financial officer from 2013 to the present.

Colin Donahue Interview Tracks

Harry Hellenbrand

Interim CSUN President, Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs, 2004-2014

As Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Harry Hellenbrand served CSUN at a time of rapidly diminishing resources for public education. In this interview by Susan Resnick, Dr. Hellenbrand reveals some of his strategies for doing more with less by creating a culture of success based on greater self-reliance.

Harry Hellenbrand Interview Track

Jolene Koester

CSUN President, 2000-2011

As CSUN President, Dr. Jolene Koester presided over a period of intense changes in higher education reflected by advancements in digital technologies and pedagogy, but beset by challenges created by significant reductions in state funding with rising student enrollments. This interview was conducted by Susan Resnick.

Jolene Koester Interview Track

Louanne Kennedy

Interim CSUN President, Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs, 1993-2003

For ten years, Dr. Louanne Kennedy served CSUN in multiple capacities as Provost, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Interim President. Conducted by Susan Resnick, this interview reveals Dr. Kennedy's development as an administrator and her commitment to reforms designed to increase student success.

Louanne Kennedy Interview Track

Blenda Wilson

CSUN President, 1992-1999

Dr. Blenda Wilson served as President of California State University Northridge during periods of growth and great misfortune. This oral history interview, conducted by Susan Resnick, recounts Dr. Wilson's experiences as an administrator focused on extending campus diversity while leading efforts to rebuild after the devastating Northridge earthquake of 1994.

Blenda Wilson Interview Track

Susan Curzon

Dean, University Library, 1992-2010

As University Library Dean, Dr. Curzon helped the campus transition through extensive change on multiple fronts. The Northridge Earthquake of 1994 devastated the South and University libraries. As she led efforts to rebuild, rapid technological advancements in information science transformed higher education through changes in pedagogy, research, and knowledge dissemination. Dr. Curzon relied on her passion for management to lead and develop the library throughout these exceptionally challenging years. This interview was conducted by Jane Meyers.

Susan Curzon Interview Track

Michelle Cooper

President of Associated Students, 1990-1991

Michelle Cooper was born in Detroit, Michigan and was raised by her mother in a single parent household. She initially attended Eastern Michigan State, but left the university in 1983 to marry and move to Germany with her husband. When she and her husband returned to the United States in 1984, Cooper moved to Los Angeles, where she first worked as a technical writer and then attended California State University, Northridge. She graduated in 1991 with a B.A. in English. She also served as a university ambassador, Director of the Racial Awareness Committee, and President of Associated Students.

Michelle Cooper Interview Tracks

Bob Suzuki

Vice President for Academic Affairs, 1981-1985

Robert Suzuki, born in Oregon in 1936, was confined in a camp for Japanese Americans with his family during World War II. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley in 1960, and a PhD in Aeronautics from the California Institute of Technology in 1967. He served as Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at California State University, Los Angeles from 1981 to 1985, and as Vice President for Academic Affairs at CSUN from 1985 to 1991. He then served as President of California State Poly Pomona from 1991 until he retired in 2003. During his tenure at CSUN, he worked diligently to increase funding for instruction and research through grants and through reallocation of funds from other campus programs. He also worked to increase diversity among the faculty, and to raise graduation rates of minorities at CSUN.

Bob Suzuki Interview Tracks

Bonita J. Campbell

CSUN Professor/Associate Vice President, 1975-2008

Dr. Campbell started her CSUN career in 1975 as assistant professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, where she created the Women in Science and Engineering Program, or WISE. As the first woman in engineering at CSUN to hold a tenured faculty position, she was promoted to professor in 1982, and appointed department chair shortly thereafter. In 2001, Dr. Campbell created the Department of Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Management. This interview was conducted by Annie Duval.

Bonita J. Campbell Interview Track

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