Washington Square: Fall 2024

I’m happy to share the fall issue of Washington Square: The Magazine. I’ve contributed countless profiles and features over the past eight years, and was honored to serve as the managing editor for the first time this fall.

The fall issue of Washington Square: The Magazine honors a century of Spartans.

This issue, available in print and online, celebrates a century of Spartans by honoring legends past and present and highlighting current leaders whose work inspires and amazes us. The magazine is a culmination of creativity, effort, innovation and pride. This issue wouldn't be possible without our dynamo writers Cassie Myers, Michelle Smith McDonald, Lesley Seacrist and Amy Villa; art director and designer Pourya Nadimi, branding expert Michelle Frey, photographers Robert C. Bain and Jim Gensheimer, my former boss (and recent editor himself) Kenneth Mashinchi, and many others.

There are lots of amazing stories to choose from, but here are a few that I especially enjoyed writing:

  • Kogura Gifts: A Family Legacy Built on Resilience, which features Professor Emeritus of History Robert Kumamoto and tells the story of a family business that survived World War II and COVID

  • A Story of Library Joy, which features MLIS graduate Mychal Threets, whose positive messages about literacy, librarianship and mental health inspire me daily

  • The Photography of Belonging, which features the artwork of SJSU alumnus and Associate Professor of Photography Binh Danh

  • Earth, Wind and Fire in the Redwoods, which shares how five San José State artists contributed work to the first-ever Art About program in Big Basin State Park in the Santa Cruz Redwoods, offering new approaches on forest restoration and renewal

I also recommend the following great pieces written by my colleagues:

As always, I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn from all of these wonderful people.

Washington Square: Spring 2024

I am thrilled to share the latest edition of Washington Square: The Magazine! This was one of our most ambitious issues, featuring more than 30 stories across nine colleges.

Animation by Pourya Nadimi.

I wrote about a few different colleges, including:

The Connie L. Lurie College of Education

The College of Humanities and the Arts

The College of Social Sciences

Additionally, I wrote a profile of university archivist Carli Lowe, whose transformative approach to archives includes a social justice lens, focusing on voices often excluded from history. I also got the chance to visit SJSU alumnus Bill Hare’s recording studio in the hills above Milpitas. Hare is celebrated in the world of recording a capella music, and is credited with helping inspire the “Pitch Perfect” franchise. There’s also a piece describing the Grad Slam competition hosted by the College of Graduate Studies, a competitive event for graduate students that challenges them to present their research in three minutes and one slide.

As always, I am grateful for the chance to meet such interesting people and learn how our faculty, students and alumni are changing the world.

Fall '23 Washington Square is live!

I’m delighted to share the latest issue of Washington Square: The Magazine, which showcases the stories of San José State students, alumni, faculty and partners who are invested in community-engaged learning and workforce development.

Washington Square: The Magazine

In this issue, you can:

  • Read about the newly opened Interdisciplinary Science Building (ISB), which has eight floors of fume hoods, lab space and classrooms to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, research and learning.

  • Learn about San José State University’s well-established tradition of community engagement through programs like the Center for Community Learning and Leadership and CommUniverCity, which encourage Spartans to seek service learning opportunities that not only contribute to their academic and professional development, but also enrich their lives and offer needs-based support to fellow San Joseans.

  • Discover “best kept secret in aviation”: SJSU Aviation offers students a great range of experiences and career opportunities.

  • Learn about the Timpany Center’s heated pool and therapeutic services, which make fitness accessible to all abilities, has fulfilled its mission “to create an inclusive space for people to thrive.”

  • Delve into the 50-year history of San José Taiko co-founders Roy and Patti Jo “PJ” Hirabayashi, ’77 MUP, community organizers who fell in love while collaborating with fellow activists to establish an Asian American Studies Department at San José State in 1970.

  • Discover what ChatGPT failed to recognize about PR guru Jon Iwata, ’84 Public Relations, who believes the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI), business and corporate social responsibility presents an opportunity to serve the public good.

  • Read how the COVID-19 pandemic increased the demand for qualified special educators dramatically, expanding pre-existing inequities for teachers and students alike. San José State’s Special Education Department is creating opportunities for future teachers to shape more inclusive classrooms.

  • Get to know an accomplished scientist with a passion for public service, Robin López, ’18 MS Civil Engineering, who is shifting the narrative about civic engagement by expanding what it means to have a seat at the community table.

Read these and more online at sjsu.edu/wsq.

Spring 2023 issue of Washington Square

I’m thrilled to share the spring 2023 issue of Washington Square: The Magazine from San José State University.

Animation by Pourya Nadimi of SJSU.

In this issue, we take a deep dive into climate science and the ways current and former Spartans are making their mark on the world in a big way. From the depths of the ocean to the sky above, answers to some of the world’s biggest questions are emerging here at SJSU.

A few stories of which I am especially proud:

Photo courtesy of SJSU Athletics.

Beyond the Shakeout: The transition from sports to careers outside athletics often represents a sudden shift in identity for student-athletes. SJSU’s Beyond Sparta program offers personal and professional development opportunities for student-athletes to help them make the leap.

Illustration by Jennifer Guo.

 Climate Science: On Thin Ice: Nationally recognized climate scientist and alumna Jennifer Francis’ research demonstrates how global warming is fueling extreme weather worldwide.

Kate Forrest. Photo by Anwyn Hurxthal.

 Forrest Fire: Fire weather researcher Kate Forrest contributed to groundbreaking research analyzing factors that contribute to California’s extreme fires — demonstrating how climate change knows no borders.

Justise Wattree

Justise Wattree. Photo by Robert C. Bain.

A Picture of (Public) Health: Award-winning undergraduate researcher Justise Wattree, ’23 Humanities, believes public health research is critical to healing the world.

Alexander Payumo (left) at his lab at SJSU. Photo by Robert C. Bain.

The Heart of the Matter: The Alexander Payumo Lab at San José State investigates the regenerative potential of the mammalian heart.

Nidhi Mahendra (left) at the Spartan Aphasia Research Clinic. Photo by Katelyn Ennis.

Speaking of Equity: San José State University Professor and Chair of Communicative Disorders and Sciences Nidhi Mahendra is empowering people with language loss.

Dancer and choreographer Gabriel Mata. Photo by Keay Edwards.

Dancing Out of the Shadows: Choreographer and dancer Gabriel Mata creates opportunities for artists to share their stories, regardless of immigration status, sexuality, ethnicity or any other identity.

Photo by Robert C. Bain.

Once a Spartan, Always a Spartan: Proud Spartan alumna Valerie Gonzalez now leads the Alumni Association.

I am forever grateful for the opportunity to learn from Spartans.