If you work or study at the CBE, you have likely heard of David Chang. For 35 years, David has worked as the liaison between Information Technology Services (ITS) and the CBE. In other words, he has provided therapy for the computers, laptops, and other hardware abused by their human owners in the CBE for over three decades. He also graduated from the CBE with the CIS Class of 1987.
“The CBE and Cal State LA have been good to me and I have been good to them as well. Loyalty. You can’t write off stuff like that. It’s priceless,” David says.
During his career with the CBE, he witnessed (and survived) two major earthquakes. As a result of the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake, “Cal State LA suffered immense damages. The entire college had to relocate their areas, especially our newly constructed computer labs throughout different buildings on campus. We were then tasked with the recovery process of entering the Salazar Building, and relocating our computer lab into our Cal State LA cafeteria,” David recalled.
According to David, “Accomplishing what I did so far as an immigrant has been the highlight of my life. When you put positivity into your life, you can go far; and maybe with a little luck, too.” For the few who do not know, David was born and raised in Sao Paulo, Brazil. After living in Los Angeles for 10 years, he nearly lost his native tongue of Portuguese. "Luckily, I met my wife in Los Angeles and she is way more fluent in Portuguese than me and everything came back to me,” David explained. At the same time, while playing soccer at the local high school in Monterey Park, he was able to pick up Spanish as well.
Many would be surprised to know, however, that David spent two consecutive years of doing the award-winning 50 Mile Bike Ride along the Pacific Coast and inland through the rural countryside of Rosarito and Ensenada, Mexico.