Diversity and Culture

U.S. Latino economic output tops $3 trillion for the first time

Latinos in the United States continue to drive the economy forward — as they’ve been doing since the 1500s.

September 13, 2023

The Apocalypse Is Here in Kingsmen Shakespeare’s ‘King Lear’

The 26th season concludes with a novel twist on the play, which takes place in an abandoned shopping mall after an apocalyptic event.

July 17, 2023

A Novel Setting for “Gentlemen of Verona”

The Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival returns to California Lutheran University for its 26th season on June 30 through Aug. 6 with “The Two Gentlemen of Verona.”

July 3, 2023

Seeing one another

“Rev. Scott,” as he is known, is the university’s first Black pastor and the first non-Lutheran to hold the post.

April 28, 2023

Students bring personal experiences to the fight against racism

Four students are sparking conversations about Black American roots, maternal health, entrepreneurship and more as Community Scholars for Black Lives.

March 9, 2023

Cal Lutheran hosts its first-ever Women in Film Summit

An impressive lineup of women will be on campus for discussions of inequality in the movie and TV industry over two days.

March 3, 2023

Cal Lutheran welcomes new spiritual leader

Known as “Reverend Scott,” he was selected by a search committee of representatives from numerous departments at the school, including students.

October 21, 2022

California Lutheran University celebrates Latinx Heritage Month. Photo: Safi Aryan

Cal Lutheran receives nearly $3M in grants

California Lutheran University was awarded $2,967,668 in grants from the U.S. Department of Education to help students with career pathways and professional development.

October 13, 2022

Play explores all sides of Roe v. Wade

Cal Lutheran’s Theatre Arts and Dance Department will present a staged version of “Roe” (the updated version), directed by Red Patterson and Bianca Akbiyik, at 8 p.m. Oct. 19-21 in the Preus-Brandt Forum on the Thousand...

October 7, 2022

Students presented their research to a professional audience this summer at Baylor University in Texas. Photo: Ashley Ayala

Cal Lutheran receives $1.3M grant

The U.S. Department of Education has approved a five-year grant to continue the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program.

August 18, 2022

Caroline Kinsolving plays Lady Macbeth, and Matt Orduña is Macbeth. Photo: Brian Stethem

Director presents ‘Macbeth’ in new light

(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — July 6, 2022) The Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival is closing its 2022 season with one of the most performed tragedies in theater history, but under the guiding hand of a veteran director seeing...

July 6, 2022

High school students participate in a summer residential program through Cal Lutheran's TRIO Traditional Upward Bound program.

Cal Lutheran Upward Bound gets $3.6M

(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — June 17, 2022) The U.S. Department of Education awarded California Lutheran University more than $3.6 million to continue and expand its TRIO Traditional Upward Bound services for high school...

June 17, 2022

Benjamin White portrays Orlando and Chloe Baldwin is Rosalind in "As You Like It." Photo: Brian Stethem

Festival marks 25th anniversary of debut

(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — June 16, 2022) Twenty-five years after the first Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival was held, and following a two-year pandemic-caused hiatus, the event kicks off its joyous return to California...

June 16, 2022

Festivalgoers can wander through an authentic Viking village and a Sami siidastallan, or community gathering. Photo: Tracie Karasik

Scandinavian Festival back after 3 years

(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — May 23, 2022) The largest Nordic festival in Southern California will return to California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks on June 4 and 5 after a two-year absence caused by the...

May 23, 2022

IWL scholarship recipients Naomi Mbise and Julia Raszka have had a profound impact on the Cal Lutheran community. Photo: Obinna Anyanwu

Women of the world unite

Under normal circumstances, recipients of Evangelical Lutheran Church in America college scholarships for international women meet once a year in Chicago to network and share ideas. Everyone has a plan to help their...

May 23, 2022

Double alumnus Ken Magdaleno '89, MS '96, EdD, reentered college as an older adult and credits the support he got at Cal Lutheran for his academic success. Photo: Courtesy of Ken Magdaleno '89, MS '96, EdD

The journey continues

Being at Oxford University in England, speaking at Oxford Union Hall, was a once-in-a-lifetime, out-of-body experience. Yet there I was, a member of the “Oxford Round Table,” in 2005. Very little in my life could have...

May 23, 2022

Indigenous educators Steven Garcia and Kathy Willcuts lead a land-intention ceremony that involved a walk from south to north campus. Photo: Safi Aryan

Respecting history

In the wind air water soil sky sun moonStars planets animals birds memoriesLaughter tearsThis Indian past this Indian futureWaits — John Trudell, Lakota activist and poet As the wind exhaled, it shook the grounds...

May 23, 2022

Cal Lutheran alumna, Angelica K. Chavez, EdD ’14, joined the Simi Valley Unified School District in July as its inaugural coordinator of diversity, equity, inclusion and humanities. Courtesy of Angelica K. Chavez, EdD ’14

Cultivating inclusivity

Courtesy of Angelica K. Chavez, EdD ’14 A new position is rapidly becoming an important part of the organizational landscape: chief diversity officer. Companies, nonprofits and educational institutions have become...

May 23, 2022

Teketa Bellamy hosted an online spoken word event in March 2022. Photo: Obinna Anyanwu

With community backing, students take on racism

As one of four CSBL recipients in 2021-22, Jaden Lyons launched the “Making Cents” financial literacy program. Photo: Obinna Anyanwu Growing up in Los Angeles, Jaden Lyons came to the conclusion that his Black community...

May 5, 2022

Puck, played by Katie Dingle, shares the potion "Love-entitledness" with Helen, played by Abby Cardenas. Photo: Taryn Gaulke

Musical pairs Shakespeare and ’90s rock

(THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — April 8, 2022) Shakespeare meets Green Day in an original musical parody of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” that will be performed April 28 through May 1 at California Lutheran University. “A...

April 8, 2022

Female composers focus of concert, debut CD

The highlight of the recital will be the premiere of a piece commissioned by cellist Yoshika Masuda and written especially for him and pianist HyeJin Kim by Indian American composer Reena Esmail. (THOUSAND OAKS, Calif...

March 18, 2022

Cal Lutheran exhibits popular rock posters

The exhibit includes bright screen-printed posters created for acts including ’90s alt-rockers Ween. (THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — March 7, 2022) California Lutheran University is hosting an exhibit of eye-catching...

March 7, 2022

Born in isolation, exhibit explores community

The exhibit includes “A Tumorous Hunger” by Walpa D’Mark. (THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — March 4, 2022) An online art exhibit and virtual conversation series organized when the COVID-19 pandemic kept people...

March 4, 2022

Land-intention events slated at Cal Lutheran

Kathy Ann Willcuts is one of the Indigenous traditional cultural educators who will lead Community Land-Intention Ceremonies at Cal Lutheran. Photo: University of San Diego (THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Jan. 24, 2022)...

January 24, 2022