The Division of University
Relations and Advancement
Telling A New CSUN Story
To complement California State University, Northridge’s (CSUN) Road Map to the Future, the Division of University Relations and Advancement has charted a new course of its own. Built through collaboration and strategic insights, our road map supports university-wide initiatives and our divisional goals of uplifting CSUN’s reputation and visibility.
Established with the mission of advancing CSUN’s vision and priorities, the Division of University Relations and Advancement oversees the following offices:
- Annual Giving
- CSUN Alumni
- CSUN Foundation
- Development
- Government and Community Relations
- Resource Management
- Special Events & Protocol
- Strategic Communication and Brand Management
In alignment with our institutional values, we work to secure vital resources through engaged partnerships, enhance relationships with all constituents, and elevate CSUN’s distinction while strengthening a culture of philanthropy.
Measuring Our Impact
Our commitment to excellence, equity, and innovation is reflected in these key achievements. These numbers showcase our progress in empowering students and strengthening our community.
$ 163 M
raised in philanthropic funds over the last four fiscal years.
$ 36 M
in government allocations and appropriations over the last four fiscal years.
422 K
CSUN alumni and +20 thriving CSUN alumni chapters.
Our Priorities
University Relations and Advancement’s initiatives are the product of collaborative university and division-wide discussions.
Each department’s Associate Vice President (AVP) led discovery sessions to gather insights and identify priorities for CSUN’s Road Map. Through collaboration, the Division of University Relations and Advancement developed a road map that highlights how each area’s work connects and supports shared goals.
To emphasize the importance of collaboration, we held a meeting where division members reviewed the Road Map and identified initiatives their work could support in advancing key goals.
This process reinforced our division's interconnected efforts and ensured every team member understood their role in our success. Leadership aimed to foster a sense of connection and shared purpose in advancing the division’s road map.
Amplify CSUN Stories
CSUN’s diverse community drives our future, with every story playing a vital role. By fostering belonging and meaningful engagement, we empower students, alumni, donors, faculty and staff to share their journeys. Their stories inspire our communities and future generations of Matadors.
Elevate CSUN’s Reputation
First impressions matter. We refreshed CSUN’s aesthetic to reflect our commitment to innovation and align with our core goals, ensuring the community sees excellence in everything we do.
Foster Community and Alumni Networks
As advocates for CSUN’s mission, we build strategic partnerships with alumni, stakeholders and all levels of government to drive progress. Guided by our values, we foster connections that support workforce development, economic growth and community well-being.
Activate Philanthropy
Philanthropy and engagement are deeply connected. Through collaboration, we’ve strengthened CSUN’s culture of giving, enabling URA to launch initiatives that raise funds and create a lasting impact on our students and campus.
Celebrating Our Accomplishments
By generating resources and seeking out strategic investments, we can steadily create infrastructure, improve operational systems for on-campus and community engagement, and strengthen our support of student success. Over the past two years, the University Relations and Advancement team has accomplished the following:
- Launched the Matador Match Challenge in 2022. Led by the CSUN Foundation Board of Directors, this groundbreaking initiative provided more than $9.5 million in CSUN Foundation matching incentive funds that, in turn, inspired and engaged over 2,000 donors to provide $15.1 million in new gifts to impact CSUN’s future. During a 12-month span, the Challenge generated $24.6 million in support of student success and campus initiatives.
- Received a $8,926,000 million government allocation in support of academic programs and student support initiatives, such as the Valera NEST, which houses essential student resources, including the Basic Needs Office, CSUN Food Pantry and Matty’s Closet.
- Secured significant donations to support the Autodesk Technology Engagement Center’s renovation.
- Guided the Alumni Association Board of Directors and the CSUN Foundation Board of Directors in establishing their own Road Maps in alignment with CSUN’s Road Map to the Future.
- Kick-started CSUN’s first-ever Giving Day, an annual 36-hour online fundraising event in March 2023. The first year’s event exceeded all expectations, raising more than $236,000 from 900 donors. In its second year, Giving Day 2024 raised over $560,000 from 2,593 donors. The funds raised from CSUN’s Giving Day support 160+ different areas across campus, including scholarships, Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, student success programs and many more.
At the heart of University Relations and Advancement, we believe that intentional relationship-building advances our progress. To strengthen CSUN’s community connections, we have:
- Promoted the growth of 20 active alumni chapters and four more chapters seeking charter in the next year. The alumni chapters hosted over 40 events last year alone. This work fosters a strong, collaborative alumni network that provides community support, enhanced mentorship opportunities, career development and philanthropic initiatives.
- Continued to nurture relationships with our elected officials, further establishing CSUN’s local and national presence and influence.
- Conducted a series of focus groups with students, faculty and staff to launch the university's brand refresh, celebrating campus diversity and vibrancy.
In service of CSUN’s vision to create a more equitable and inclusive future, the Division of University Relations and Advancement strives to embody this strategic direction and has worked hard to achieve the following:
- Initiated a scholarship analysis project enabling the campus to better understand scholarship and financial aid data as it works to support equity, student retention and graduation.
- Secured a grant to enhance alumni engagement and address equity gaps for Black students by matching them with Black and Black-identified alumni mentors.
- Employed a bilingual media relations specialist to ensure media releases are disseminated in both English and Spanish.
- Organized several DEI panels featuring industry professionals to highlight diversity initiatives and opportunities for students and alumni.
- Received national recognition with a CASE Circle of Excellence award for the "Heritage Month" social media series.
Looking Ahead
While proud of our progress, we remain focused on the future. The Division of University Relations and Advancement is committed to advancing CSUN, supporting students, alumni, stakeholders and the community.
Driven by innovation and collaboration, we will build on past successes to advance equity and inclusion, generate resources, strengthen relationships, elevate CSUN’s visibility and grow a culture of philanthropy.
With consistency and attention to measurable progress, we can make a transformative impact on CSUN’s future and the lives of our exceptional students.
