On May 7, the Filipino American Association of Sonoma State University held their 11th Annual Pacific Cultural Night in ballroom B for Sonoma State students to enjoy. While this event has been going on for 11 years, this was the first virtual showcase they have done.
For the past year, Sonoma State art students have been diligently curating different pieces to showcase their best work at the yearly Bachelors of Fine Arts exhibition held at the Sonoma State Art Gallery in the art building from April 23 to May 22. The current graduating class of seniors gets a chance to display their art for the Sonoma State community and beyond.
In June of 2021, Dr. Jenny Bent, Director of Choral Activities at SSU, began preparing for a performance that was almost one year away, on April 17, 2022. Bent, along with the SSU chamber singers SonoVoce, the SSU concert choir, as well as choirs from Santa Rosa Junior College, and Reedley College, had been hard at work in the months leading up to the concert, which took place during the New England Symphonic Ensemble’s performance on Perelman stage at the infamous Carnegie Hall .
The Friday Night Live events hosted by Student Involvement, or SI, at Weyden and Brewster’s have become a staple for many students who are looking to have a good time on campus during the weekend. This most recent Friday, W&B hosted a Bingo night with the opportunity for students to win up to 12 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. Each winner went home with a box of assorted Girl Scout cookies, purchased by SI before the most recent cookie season ended.
Last week, the Vagina Monologues were put on in a pre-recorded format for students and faculty to enjoy. After being on hiatus for two years, the women of the Monologues were very excited to have a performance to show the Sonoma State community. The Vagina Monologues started out as small interviews about the vagina facilitated by student director V Ornelas. Eventually, the interviews grew from short-form questioning to longer discussions that became The Vagina Monologues.
On March 31, a group of 11 students got together and traveled by van to downtown Sebastopol in Sonoma County for an unforgettable pottery painting experience at the CreateIt! studio. The small art studio can house about 30 people simultaneously, and hosts pottery making classes, pottery painting sessions, painting classes, and other activities for people of all ages. This Getaway Trip was hosted by Student Involvement.
The Faculty Jazz Composers, comprised of six jazz professors, performed along with a few other music professors at Schroeder Hall on March 17 from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for numerous students, faculty, and community members. It was an overall quiet night for Sonoma State University students; many had gone home or were packing to leave the next day for Spring Break, but Schroeder Hall lit up the night with the Faculty Jazz Composers concert.
Sonoma State has recently lost two beloved members of the Sonoma State Community, former Arts and Humanities Professor and Hutchins Advisory Board Member Anthony “Tony” Mountain and Freshman Aysia Dural. These two members were loved and will be remembered by students and faculty alike for their bright demeanors and passion for love and life.
Here at Sonoma State University, there are plenty of opportunities for new students to get involved and help strengthen the bond of the community as a whole.
With events such as the Careerfest, hosted March 7 - 16 in the Seawolf Plaza, there is no shortage of events that offer students, faculty, staff, and alumni a chance to enjoy the beautiful campus and connect with other students along with the community.
One of the biggest events on campus right now is the annual Careerfest which, according to their website, is an event that, “includes two weeks of events designed to help Seawolves get career-ready and find jobs, internship opportunities, and volunteer opportunities.”
On Feb. 21, the Sonoma State University COVID-19 Monitoring and Compliance Team released a statement about the numerous COVID-19 case notifications students have been receiving on a daily basis over the last two years.
The monitoring team intends to lessen the amount of notifications sent out each day in efforts to make students feel more at home on campus and less worried about the lingering threat of the pandemic.
This change comes after multiple surveys and discussions with students and staff alike found that a majority of the campus community viewed the amount of notifications as unnecessary, concerning, and overwhelming.
On the night of Feb. 17, the Chancellor of the California State University system Joseph I. Castro resigned from his position amidst mounting accusations coming from his former position at Fresno State University.
An article by Kenny Jacoby for USA Today broke the story about multiple instances of sexual assualt cases being mishandled by ex-chancellor during his time as president at Fresno State.
When the story broke on February 3, countless students and faculty called on him to resign for weeks until he put out a statement the night of Feb. 17, detailing his departure from the position effective immediately.
Sonoma State University is one of the many California State Universities chosen to pilot the second phase of California State University’s Connectivity Contributing to Equality and Student Success (CSUCCESS) plan to distribute iPads to incoming students of the Spring 2022 semester.
SSU and over half of the CSU schools are participating in CSUCCESS’s program to create more equitable opportunities for students. Sonoma State, along with the other universities participating, will be distributing upwards of 29,000 iPads for incoming freshmen and transfer students new to the school for the Spring of 2022.
![[Both photos courtesy of sonoma.edu]
Ming-Ting Mike Lee stepped in as the new SSU president following Sakakis resignation in July 2022](https://sonomastatestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/CC4520AB-22A7-41B2-9F6F-2A2D5F76A28C-1200x1200.jpeg)
