CSUDH celebrated Homecoming 2022 on Saturday, Feb. 19, welcoming hundreds of Toro alumni and their families back to campus for a day of fun activities, reunions, and discovery. It was the first large-scale public event on campus since the resumption of in-person courses, and the first chance for many attendees to see all of the changes that have occurred on campus recently.
“I couldn’t be more excited and elated to welcome home all these Toro alums, many of whom have not seen the transformation of the campus over the years,” said CSUDH President Thomas A. Parham, who spoke at the event. “I’m thrilled to showcase not just the infrastructure changes, but to highlight the curriculum changes that we’ve put in place, to highlight the personnel changes and new faculty we’ve added, and the programmatic initiatives that we’ve got.
“To me, that is what inviting all these alumni home is about—telling them ‘Thank you for the legacy that you’ve helped create, and here’s what we have done in responsibly building on that legacy.’”
The day kicked off with a diamond doubleheader, as the Toro softball team took on Cal Poly Humboldt (sadly, they lost 7-2), and the baseball team defeated Marymount California 12-1. Campus tours were conducted all day long, as was an invitational esports tournament hosted by the CSUDH Esports Association that took place in the Innovation & Instruction (I&I) building’s large first-floor auditorium.
The North Lawn was the hub of the event, with plenty of food options, family-friendly games, and activities such as a rock climbing wall, mechanical bull, and bouncy slides. During the mid-day welcome ceremony, Parham was joined on stage for brief speeches by State Senator Steven Bradford (BA, ’85), Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) President Jonathan Molina Mancio, and AVP/Director of Athletic Dena Freeman-Patton, among others.
The guest of honor was CSUDH’s oldest living graduate, Winifred Carter (BA, ‘97), who will turn 103 years old in a few months. She was joined by members of her family at Parham’s table, and was delighted by all of the excitement and energy she felt on campus.
