RJ Hamster
Grads ready to show the world
To view this email as a web page, click here.December 2025 Creative, skilled and workforce-ready. Congratulations, graduates!ASU’s presence in California has changed the game for these fall 2025 graduates, and they are ready to show the world what they’ve got. From immersive storytelling to film producing to travel and accessibility research, each student brings unique skillsets and passions to the workforce. Learn more about some of our exceptional graduates below.Read more  It’s back: ASU to host the California Land Use Law & Planning ConferenceNow hosted by W. P. Carey Center for Real Estate and Finance in partnership with California Planning & Development Report, this event continues its legacy of providing trusted updates on California legislation, case law and policy while expanding opportunities to engage with industry leaders. The event takes place on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026.This year’s keynote speaker is Pasadena City Council member Rick Cole, who will share his insights on the evolving challenges and opportunities in California’s land use landscape. If you are involved in land use, planning or environmental issues in California, we hope to see you there.Buy your ticket  What’s up at ASU? Find out – subscribe to ASU NewsThe official digital news platform for Arizona State University, ASU News delivers stories of people making a difference in your community. We bring the top headlines to your inbox three times a week.Subscribe for free  ASU FIDM hosts conference on eco-friendly fashionFashion leaders, designers and sustainability innovators from around the world visited ASU FIDM at both its California and Arizona locations this fall for the Responsible Fashion Series. This international conference explored how technology, design and Indigenous knowledge can transform the fashion system toward a more ethical and sustainable future.Previous gatherings for the conference have spanned across the globe, and this year, as part of the conference’s U.S. edition, ASU FIDM showcased California’s and Arizona’s leading-edge contributions to sustainable fashion and design education.Read more from LAist  Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions Dean Cynthia Lietz (left) speaks with Breanna Carpenter, a former student who participated in Bridging Success, during a presentation at the ASU California Center in October.ASU program helps former foster youth succeed in higher education for 10 years and countingBridging Success, an Arizona State University program designed to help former foster youth succeed in higher education, celebrated 10 years of impact with an event at ASU California Center this fall. The event highlighted expertise being developed in both California and Arizona and brainstormed ways to better support youth with foster care experience. “Removing just one barrier can have a domino effect on someone’s life,” said Breanna Carpenter, director of public enterprise strategic initiatives in ASU’s office of the chief operating officer. Carpenter was a member of the first cohort of Bridging Success. “Receiving an education, in particular, is transformational — it is going to help the student but also their family, their future family and their community.”Read more  Sold-out ‘Macario’ a triumphant conclusion to film school Latino Screening Series“Macario” is a Spanish-language movie from 1960 and the first Mexican film to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. A recent screening of the film concluded the fall 2025 Latino Screening Series, hosted by The Sidney Poitier New American Film School at ASU, in partnership with Milagro Cinemas and the Mexican Consulate (Consulado General de México en Los Ángeles), highlighting the school’s growing partnerships across the Latino creative community.The sold-out screening was a triumphant close to the semester-long series of rarely screened Spanish-language films, including Luis Buñuel’s “The Exterminating Angel,” the Mexican wrestling romp “Santo and Blue Demon vs. Dracula and the Wolf Man,” and the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema classic “La Otra.” The series celebrates Latin American filmmakers and cross-border storytelling.Read more  SEEN IN CALIFORNIA — ASU alum Rodger Dougherty , senior director of communications and public relations at Kaiser Permanente San Diego, spoke this fall with ASU Local Chula Vista students about his career path and advice for students considering careers in healthcare and public relations. A chance to give back: Support California students to attend ASUHelp inspire the next generation of Sun Devil leaders by donating to impact students who demonstrate academic success, leadership skills, community service and/or need. Over 10 years, more than 75 ASU students from California have received scholarships of nearly $70,000 from local alumni chapters through generous alumni and donors.As you think about your year-end giving, please consider making an impact for students from Northern California, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diegoand support your local alumni chapter scholarships. Plus, you can enhance your impact if your employer offers matching gifts.  ASU FIDM curator on Bill Whitten’s contributions to fashion and musicBill Whitten is perhaps best known for his work in designing Michael Jackson’s singular white glove. But his client list included Earth, Wind and Fire, Elton John, Stevie Wonder and more. Christina Frank, a curator at the ASU FIDM Museum who has spent the last year researching Whitten, was interviewed about his legacy by the Los Angeles Times. Frank said that while Whitten has contributed to some of the most memorable stagelooks of the 1970s and ’80s, his true impact is often overlooked. Read more from the Los Angeles Times  SEEN IN LA — Families gathered at Grand Hope Park, adjacent to ASU California Center Grand, this month for the second annual “Picnic with Santa” event. The event was hosted by ASU and the DTLA Alliance. Families and community members enjoyed arts and crafts, milk and cookies, shows and live entertainment to kick off the holiday season.  New! Get all the latest LA events in your inboxSign up for the free LA Events newsletter from the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. Grow your community and stay in the loop with all the latest panel discussions, exhibitions, film screenings and more.Subscribe January is Mental Wellness MonthJoin us at ASU California Center Grand for the “Wellness & You: Resources at ASU” tabling event during Mental Wellness Month on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026. This is a free event to find resources and learn how you can make a difference. Jan. 13Wellness & You: Resources at ASU More from ASU  ASU remains the No. 1 public university choice for international studentsFor the fifth consecutive year and eighth time in the last decade, ASU has been recognized by the Institute of International Education as the No. 1 public university in the U.S. for hosting international students. According to the IIE’s 2025 Open Doors report, ASU ranks ahead of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Purdue University and the University of California, Berkeley.Read more For more information, contact: Nikki Ripley Assistant Vice President, Media Relations & Strategic CommunicationsNikki.Ripley@asu.edu 480-231-7501This email was sent to: peter.hovis@gmail.com Forward to a friend | Update Profile | Unsubscribe View this email onlineArizona State University PO Box 877705, Tempe, AZ, 85287-7705, USA Copyright © 2025 Arizona Board of Regents | Privacy statement |
