Development Activities

Asian Support Group 5th Annual Scholarship and Awards of Excellence Dinner

The Cal State L.A. Asian Support Group (ASG) hosted the Fifth Annual Scholarship and Awards Dinner at the Sam Woo Seafood Restaurant in San Gabriel, in October.

ASG Awards of Excellence were presented to two members of the Asian community who have made significant contributions to the Asian Pacific community and who exemplify the type of role models who inspire students at CSLA and the greater Asian Pacific American community.

The 1995 honorees were: Andrew J. C. Cherng, chairman of the Panda Management Company, recognized for his work in multiethnic coalition building, particularly in the rebuilding of Los Angeles after the 1992 riots, and Hee Min Park, senior pastor at the Young Nak Presbyterian Church of Los Angeles, honored for his work with the African American-Korean American Christian Alliance to promote cross-cultural collaboration and understanding.

Also honored were 15 student scholarship recipients and the student winners of the C. Y. Lee Creative Writing Contest. The contest is named for and sponsored by C.Y. Lee, author of Flower Drum Song and one of the best known Chinese-born authors writing in English today. John Tao, Chengcorp, Inc., co-sponsored the competition.

About 200 friends and alumni were in attendance at the dinner and over $5500 was raised for future ASG scholarships and the Asian and Asian American Institute at Cal State L.A.

If you have questions about the Asian Support Group or are interested in getting involved, please call Kristen Lawrence in the Alumni Relations Office at (323) 343-4980.

Black Support Group Business and Community Leaders Breakfast

The Cal State L.A. Black Support Group (BSG) held its annual Business and Community Leaders Breakfast to raise money for student scholarships at the City Club in November.

Longtime BSG board member Patricia Miller, vice president for human resources at ARCO Transportation Company, served as corporate chairperson for the event. In addition, ARCO Transportation Company sponsored the breakfast for the second year in a row.

Cheryl Cambridge, BSG president and manager of workforce diversity for human resources at Hughes Space and Communications Company reminded participants that over $100,000 has been raised over the past 17 years for student scholarships. The funds raised this year will be awarded during the 1996-97 academic year.

If you have questions about the Black Support Group or are interested in getting involved, please call Kristen Lawrence in the Alumni Relations Office at (323) 343-4980.

Foundation Board Adds Three New Members

The CSLA Foundation has added Fermin Cuza (+72 B.A. Business Administration), Ron Okum ('63 B.A. Physical Education, '70 M.A. Health Science/Safety) and Sally Suchil to its board.

Cuza, the vice president of international trade and government affairs at Mattel, Inc., was honored with the 1994 School of Business Distinguished Alumni Award. He sits on the board of nearly a dozen local and national trade organizations. In 1994, Cuza was awarded the prestigious Stanley T. Olafson Award from the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. The award is given annually to a member of the international trade community.

Okum is the owner of Ron Okum Insurance Agency in Pasadena. He is a member of the CSLA President's Associates, a CSLA Distinguished Alumnus and a former member of the Alumni Board of Directors. He was recently elected to the executive committee for the 1994-95 Tournament of Roses in Pasadena and will serve as the President of the 113th Annual Rose Parade in the year 2002.

Suchil is the senior vice president, general counsel and secretary of Spelling Entertainment Group, Inc. She has an extensive list of affiliations with prestigious boards and committees, including the Board of Directors of the Police Foundation, Washington D.C. She is a past president of the Women's Lawyers' Association of Los Angeles (1300 members strong). She received her B.A. in Sociology from USC in 1975 and her J.D. from the University of Santa Clara School of Law in 1979.