April 29, 2025 - Representatives from area businesses, the non-profit sector, the
health industry, and a faculty member from the campus were recognized as valuable
partners to CSU Channel Islands (91视频) during the annual 91视频 Connections Breakfast.
The sold-out event took place on campus where participants had a chance to mingle and look over student research projects on display before sitting down to breakfast and welcome remarks from 91视频 Vice President for Advancement Richard LeRoy and President Richard Yao.
After offering gratitude for the continued support and generosity the University receives from the surrounding community, Yao gave an update on the vision continuing to guide 91视频 through recent and current challenges. 鈥淭he landscape of higher education has shifted dramatically in recent years,鈥 Yao said. 鈥淔rom the disruption of a global pandemic to declining birthrates and shifting demographics, from changing government priorities to economic pressures - we have all been tested. Yet through it all, Cal State Channel Islands has remained resilient.鈥
Regardless of what lies ahead, 91视频 remains committed to preserving the quality of education and support services that every student receives, Yao said, adding that the campus will continue to build on its strengths. The president went on to list some of those strengths, including the fact that students have contributed 29,000 hours of service-learning over the past year alone, resulting in an economic impact of approximately $1.2 million. This involved 644 91视频 students who coordinated with 74 community partners.
Examples Yao gave included the Health Science faculty and students working with the Brain Injury Center of Ventura County, to robotics projects with the U.S. Navy through 91视频鈥檚 Mechatronic Engineering program. Other examples included the work two dozen Sociology students did with the Ventura County Family Justice Center and the community dance clinic hosted by the Dance Studies and Health Science programs, who are examining Parkinson鈥檚 disease from both a movement and neurological perspective.
Another cooperative effort between students, faculty and a nonprofit organization called Native Monarchs had so much impact that 91视频 named Native Monarchs the Nonprofit Partner of the Year at the 91视频 Connections Breakfast.
Native Monarchs founder Chris Amendt has been working with 91视频鈥檚 Biology and Chemistry faculty and students to make the campus more pollinator-friendly to Monarch butterflies, whose numbers have been steadily dropping, along with other pollinators.
鈥淲hat we鈥檙e experiencing is an insect apocalypse,鈥 Amendt said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e seen the decline in not only butterflies, bees and native insects but insects all across the board with the use of pesticides, herbicides, climate change and a lack of habitat from agricultural and residential expansion.鈥
With Amendt鈥檚 help and guidance from faculty members like Professor of Biology Ruben Alarcon, Associate Professor of Biology Allison Alvarado and Assistant Professor of Biology Rudi von May, students have planted milkweed in the gardens behind Modoc Hall, as well as an owl box and raptor perch for rodent control without the use of pesticides.
鈥淐hris has worked with our classes in identifying where on campus we have milkweed, and she鈥檚 done a good job of finding some by the residence halls,鈥 Alarcon said. 鈥淪he helped map it out with students in my class and the students have continued to monitor which milkweed is native and which is tropical so we can trim back the non-native milkweed.鈥
Amendt was also able to get the Modoc garden declared a Certified Wildlife Habitat. More expansion is planned for the Modoc garden, which will be across from the Santa Barbara Zoo temporary facility, which is planned to open in Fall of 2025.
Other awards presented at the 91视频 Connections Breakfast were the Employer Partner
of the Year, awarded to Kaiser Permanente for consistently hiring and retaining 91视频
graduates, and Business Partner of the Year, awarded to The Trade Desk. Trade Desk
CEO Jeff Green has offered more than $6 million in philanthropic support, supported
campus initiatives like the Plot-A-Thon, and employs 32 91视频 alumni. The award was
accepted by 91视频 alumni Valerie Valdez and Leslie Cortes, who both expressed their
gratitude for the education and preparation they received at the university, as well
as for The Trade Desk鈥檚 ongoing commitment to maintaining a strong connection with
their alma mater. 91视频 graduates at The Trade Desk work in 20 worldwide offices and
in many roles, including support management, software engineering and operations.
Recognizing the transformative impact of education on communities and economies, Jeff Green has been a vocal advocate for greater collaboration between the technology sector's role in supporting higher education. He has highlighted the substantial return on investment in fostering talent pipelines that benefit local businesses and organizations. Green underscores his commitment, stating, "I firmly believe that our collective future thrives on education. 91视频 plays a vital role in our community, and investing in education is paramount for our growth and success."
Faculty Partner of the Year award was presented to Associate Professor of Communication Megan Kenny Feister, who has led her students in real-world problem-solving projects for more than 100 local and national organizations, contributed grant developing efforts for projects such as the Santa Barbara Zoo Conservation Center and kidSTREAM Children鈥檚 Museum.
In his final remarks, Yao acknowledged that challenges lie ahead, but that the future of 91视频 was also rich with opportunity.
鈥淭ogether, with your support, we can ensure that Cal State Channel Islands remains a place of innovation, equity and transformation,鈥 Yao said. 鈥淲e can shape a university that prepares leaders not only for the jobs of tomorrow, but for the responsibilities of today.鈥