The CSUSB Palm Desert Campus may not necessarily be unique when it comes to academic delivery, but it is unique with the kind of student experience we provide and how we connect with our community.
The Palm Desert Campus is a place envisioned, built and supported by the community. This support is tremendous and on-going. First, the land upon which the campus sits today was donated by the city of Palm Desert. Then local philanthropic foundations, Coachella Valley cities and passionate residents donated the funds to construct all of the buildings on campus. We are so grateful to the many individuals who have helped raise funds for our infrastructure, events and scholarships for students.
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Our existence, development and operations are closely tied to the communities around the campus. To thank our cities, foundations and individuals for their support, the PDC is committed to serving the needs of the valley. Examples of this connection with our local community include the many community events we host on campus throughout the year, such as the annual Environmental & Sustainability Expo, where we bring hundreds of middle school students from our local school districts onto campus, Spanish-language film festivals and our Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) where we offer courses and travel opportunities for adults 50 and older.
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We have partnered with the World Affairs Council of the Desert for the past 15 years to host the annual Academic WorldQuest competition on campus, where we bring local high school students onto campus to compete for scholarships and the chance to win a trip to Washington D.C. to compete against other high school teams throughout the country in the National Academic WorldQuest Competition. Academic WorldQuest was brought to the Palm Desert Campus by Priscilla and Charles Porter who say that the competition provides the opportunity to work with exceptional high school students and teachers who share their passion for history, social-science and international affairs.
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We are so grateful to Priscilla and Chuck for all of the support they have provided to the PDC over the years. Priscilla is Professor Emeritus from California State University, Dominguez Hills and serves on the PDC Advancement Board and the Cal State University Associates Board. She is chair of the University Legacy Scholarship Committee and the advisor for the PDC Dance Team. She is also the senior author of
Reflections
, a Kindergarten to Grade 6 social studies textbook series published by Harcourt School Publishers. Chuck is the former president of the Dominguez Water Corporation, a member of the Indian Wells Rotary Club and a board member of the Financial Club at Sun City Palm Desert. Together they are supporters of the Gent’s Alliance of OneFuture Coachella, the Coachella Valley History Museum and many other community organizations.
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In 2004, the Porters endowed the Priscilla and Charles Porter History-Social Science Resource Room at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus - a space that can be utilized by students who are taking classes at the Palm Desert Campus and as a reference library for classroom teachers at the various school districts in the Coachella Valley. The goal of the resource room is to provide local educators access to quality instructional materials that will foster the development of social science skills, including history, geography, economics and political science. A second goal of the Porter Resource Room is to enhance the reputation of California State University, San Bernardino Palm Desert Campus as an educational leader in the social science field. Numerous professional development activities take place throughout the year for local teachers.
The Porters say that they love being a support to the students at the PDC and being a first-hand witness to the growth of our incredible campus.
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As the PDC interacts with the community, we become a part of it; when the community brings events to our campus, the PDC functions as a hub of cultural vitality, which was a hope of our community leaders who fought to establish this campus in the 1980’s. These positive interactions with our community elevate the PDC student experience.
We truly appreciate all of the support from our community!
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Sincerely,
Jake Zhu, Ph.D.
Dean, CSUSB Palm Desert Campus
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PDC students experience the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival on campus
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Several PDC students were featured in a recent NBCares story about what they experienced when the Rancho Mirage Writers Festival livestreamed author events to the Palm Desert Campus.
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Palm Desert High School took first place (for the fourth year in a row) in the 15th Annual Academic WorldQuest competition held at PDC on Feb. 4th.
Xavier College Prep captured second place and Palm Valley School took third place.
11 high school teams from the Coachella Valley competed and they all deserve recognition for working so hard!
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PDC students travel with OLLI to Los Angeles
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Four PDC students recently traveled to LA with 48 members of our Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) for a private guided tour of The Broad Museum and lunch at the famous Olvera Street in downtown LA.
Intergenerational Learning is an important component of
OLLI at CSUSB Palm Desert Campus
.
They strive to include PDC students in their program activities whenever possible because they know that people of all ages can learn together and from each other.
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On Feb. 14th, the PDC Career Center connected our students with local community partners to give them a better understanding of the current job market and the marketability of their degree.
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University Legacy Scholar selected for UC summer program
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We congratulate Nick Conoway, a junior at PDC majoring in business administration with a concentration in accounting, for being selected to attend the 2020 University of California Summer Institute for Emerging Managers and Leaders (SIEML) at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.
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PDC students volunteer for the American Heart Association
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Students from the PDC Student Ambassadors Society and the Coyote Nurses of the Desert woke up early on Feb. 21st to assist at the American Heart Association - Coachella Valley Go Red for Women Luncheon at the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa.
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Members and instructors from the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) showcased their talents at The Art of OLLI event on Feb. 27th. 28 artists displayed more than 50 pieces of art.
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Looking to earn a doctorate degree? Attend an Info Session!
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The CSUSB Doctorate in Educational Leadership program is currently recruiting for the Fall 2020 cohort!
An Info Session will take place at PDC on March 17.
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Mardi Gras Moonrise Magic Reception
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Celebrate our new hospitality management program on March 8th at The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage.
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Join us on April 27th for our 21st Annual Golf Classic, benefiting student scholarships.
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Children and Families in Crisis Conference
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Join us on March 20th for the 7th Annual Children and Families in Crisis Conference, which will focus on the dangers of screen time and what it is doing to our children.
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Feb. 6-March 15
This hit New York comedy is an outrageous evening of jokes, skits, songs, one-liners, double entendres and hysterical routines that pay tribute to, and reinvent classic jokes of the past and present. Like rye bread, kosher pickles, and bagels, this show is for everyone! You'll laugh until you plotz!
Warning: Adult (Bawdy) Humor! For audiences 18+.
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California Desert Chorale presents "Bach to Broadway"
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March 22 and 29
California Desert Chorale's 2020 spring concert, “Bach to Broadway,” will feature four of J.S. Bach's most famous works including “Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring” and “Sheep May Safely Graze”, along with a host of the very best of Broadway.
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Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)
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At OLLI, you'll find a wide variety of stimulating courses to keep you engaged intellectually, challenge your thinking and build your knowledge.
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Cal State University Associates
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Susan Billings from Operation Underground Railroad was the guest speaker at last month's Cal State University Associates event. O.U.R. is a non-profit organization that has gathered the world's experts in extraction operations and anti-child trafficking efforts to bring an end to child slavery.
If you're interested in attending presentations on a monthly basis on a variety of topics (each with a hosted reception) then you'll want to join the Cal State University Associates. The best part is that the majority of membership dues support scholarships for students at the Palm Desert Campus!
The March 10th presentation will be about the Amazon Phenomenon.
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