California State University, Northridge

California State University, Northridge

California State University, Northridge (CSUN) is a public university in the Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. It is the fourth largest university in the California State University system, with over 36,000 students. The university helps the local economy by creating about $1.9 billion each year.

CSUN started as a small part of California State University, Los Angeles. It became its own college in 1958, named San Fernando Valley State College. In 1972, it changed its name to California State University, Northridge. In 1994, a big earthquake damaged the campus.

The university offers many programs. Students can choose from 134 bachelor's degree and master's degree options in 70 fields. There are also four doctoral degrees. CSUN is known for supporting students who are deaf or hard of hearing through the National Center on Deafness. Each year, it holds a popular conference called the International Conference on Technology and Persons with Disabilities to help people with disabilities use technology. CSUN is a Hispanic-serving institution, meaning it works to support students from Hispanic backgrounds.

History

The California State University, Northridge (CSUN) started in 1952 with plans for a new campus in Northridge. Classes began in 1956 at San Fernando High School with 1,500 students. It grew quickly, reaching nearly 12,000 students by 1964. Important buildings were built, and the university got its own computer lab early on.

Over the years, the university grew a lot. By 1988, over 31,000 students were attending. In 1994, a big earthquake caused damage, but the university kept going with tents and other spaces for classes.

In the 2000s and 2010s, the university kept growing with new programs and buildings. Many people gave money to help the school, including big gifts in 2021. The university also helped during the COVID-19 pandemic by becoming a vaccination site and moving to online learning.

During this time, the university built new buildings like Maple Hall and planned to update others.

Academics

CSUN has many students and offers many programs. In fall 2018, over 60,000 people applied, and more than half were offered a place. CSUN is especially known for having many students from Latino backgrounds who are not from Mexico, including those from Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

The university has nine main colleges, including arts, sciences, business, and education. CSUN also works with some nearby colleges to help students move forward in their studies, especially in nursing. Students can start at a community college and then join CSUN to finish their degrees faster.

CSUN has a special program called Central American Studies, which focuses on the history and culture of people from Central America. This program started in 2000 and grew from a small minor to a full degree program.

Research

Since 2015, California State University, Northridge has received about $35 million each year for research. In 2024, the university got around $45 million. The College of Math and Science received the most money to help with its research.

CSUN built a research building called Lilac Hall. Half of it is used to study health and medicine. The other half has tools to study tiny materials and energy. Students can join research programs with UCLA. CSUN works with many universities and even NASA on different projects.

The university also runs the San Fernando Observatory. Students helped build a small satellite called CSUNSat1, which was sent to space. Many teachers at CSUN have won awards for their research work.

Rankings and recognition

CSUN has been recognized for many achievements. In 2023, it was ranked 13th among the best public schools in the West by USNWR, and 15th for helping students move up socially. The Wall Street Journal placed it 2nd for having a very diverse learning environment, and Sierra Magazine ranked it 35th for being environmentally friendly.

CSUN has also been praised for its strong film and music programs. In 2020, Washington Monthly ranked it 6th for giving students great value for their money. The university is known for helping many Hispanic students earn degrees, ranking 3rd in the nation for bachelor's degrees awarded to Hispanics. Its engineering program is also highly regarded, ranking fifth among public colleges in California.

Campus

The CSUN Botanic Garden is in the southeast part of campus, near Zelzah Avenue and Nordhoff Street. It is part of the Biology Department and helps students and the community learn about plants. The garden studies plants that help with sustainable landscaping and sustainable gardening, and it also looks at ethnobotany. One of the last historic orange groves from the 1920s is on campus, reminding us of when the San Fernando Valley had many citrus farms. Tall eucalyptus trees, once used to protect old farms from wind, still stand around the edges of the campus.

The CSUN University Library has many books, online journals, and other resources to help students and teachers. In 2020, it was renamed from the Oviatt Library to the University Library.

The Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts, finished in 2011, is a big place for concerts and shows. It has a large concert hall and a smaller theater, plus rooms for rehearsals and classes. In 2017, it was renamed after Younes Nazarian and his wife, Soraya, who gave money to support it.

The University Student Union (USU) helps make college life better for students. It offers many programs and jobs for students. There are plans to build a new, bigger USU complex with more space for students to gather.

The Veteran Resource Center in the USU helps students who have served in the military adjust to college life. The Oasis Wellness Center in the USU offers services like massage and yoga to help students stay healthy. The CSUN Food Pantry gives free food and personal care items to students, staff, faculty, and local community members.

The National Center on Deafness, started in 1972, supports deaf students by arranging sign language interpreters, real-time captioners, and notetakers. It also gives advice and a place for deaf students to meet. The center gives out the Strache Leadership Award each year at the CSUN Conference. It also has a journal for research on technology and people with disabilities.

Athletics

Main article: Cal State Northridge Matadors

See also: Cal State Northridge Matadors men's basketball

California State University, Northridge (CSUN) has 19 sports teams that compete at the NCAA Division I level. These teams include men’s and women’s basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, indoor and outdoor track and field, and volleyball. There are also baseball and softball teams, as well as women’s beach volleyball, tennis, and water polo. CSUN stopped offering football after the 2001 season and dropped men’s and women’s swimming in 2010 because of budget problems.

CSUN moved up to Division I in 1990. Before that, the university won many national titles at Division II. CSUN was part of the Big Sky Conference from 1996 to 2001 and has been in the Big West Conference since then for most sports. The men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams and the men’s volleyball team compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.

Since joining Division I, CSUN has had a few teams reach big finals. The men’s volleyball team reached the national final in 1993 and the softball team reached it in 1994. The softball team played in the Women’s College World Series three times.

The men’s basketball team has been in the NCAA tournament twice, in 2001 and 2009. The women’s basketball team won the Big West Championship for the first time in 2014. CSUN’s men’s soccer team reached the third round of the NCAA tournament in 2006. The women’s track and field team won six Big West titles in a row from 2006 to 2011.

The men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball teams play in the Matadome, a venue with 2,500 seats. CSUN’s sports teams are called the Matadors. In 1958, students chose red and white as the school colors and picked “Matadors” as the team name.

CSUN also has a club for competitive video games, including League of Legends, Overwatch, Valorant, and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Since 2020, this club has been officially connected to Cloud9, a professional esports organization.

Campus life

CSUN has over 300 student clubs and groups for students to join. The university also has many Greek life organizations with rules to keep events safe.

The university hosts fun events like weekly Noontime Concerts and the Big Show, where famous musicians perform. Students vote for the artists they want to see at the Big Show. There is also a Big Lecture series where important people share their stories.

CSUN has its own radio station, newspaper, and television station run by students. One special program called 3 WINS Fitness helps local communities stay active, led by CSUN students studying exercise science. In 2012, this program was recognized by the White House.

Notable people

Main article: List of California State University, Northridge people

CSUN has about 350,000 alumni as of 2019. Many of these graduates have done great things in many different areas.

Alumni

Politics and government

Some alumni have worked in important jobs in government. They include leaders from the United States Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and many state leaders like the Governor of Hawaii and Lieutenant Governor of California. In 2018, one graduate became a member of the United States House of Representatives, and another became the leader of the Los Angeles City Council. In 2021, an alumnus became the Second Gentleman of the United States as the spouse of the Vice President of the United States.

Business

Alumni have started or led many successful companies. These include well-known names in technology, finance, and entertainment.

Entertainment and the arts

CSUN graduates have won many awards for their work in movies, television, and music. They have received Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, Golden Globes, and Grammy Awards for their talents.

Literature and journalism

Some CSUN graduates have won Pulitzer Prizes for their writing and reporting.

Sciences

In science, alumni include an astronaut who flew on Space Shuttle missions and a scientist who helped discover a huge crater on Earth.

Athletics

CSUN alumni have won Olympic medals and played in major sports leagues.

Faculty and staff

Some professors and staff members at CSUN have also achieved great success. They have included leaders from other countries, award-winning writers, and important scientists.