College of Arts and Sciences News

Professor Nicole Nguyen calls it “the Ninja Project.”

In the first week of their capstone class this semester, 19 School of Management honors program students were given $50 in seed money and a task by Nguyen: Break into teams, start a venture, and make a profit — in one week. The team that sees the highest profit wins.

I grew up in Santa Rosa, in an environment where the concept of healthy choices impacting your health was a common theme throughout my life.

As a young lawyer feeling the stress of competing client and senior attorneys’ demands, Professor Rhonda Magee recalls getting calls on a Thursday night with new deadlines that would upend her weekend. Add the fact she was one of only a handful of women and the only Black lawyer in the law office, plus the demands of a relationship. In this storm’s eye, Magee found mindfulness essential in prioritizing obligations, acknowledging when to demand more time or seek assistance.

In a quiet moment by a hospital room window, I received what I consider one of the highest regards from a patient: “I’m glad we met.”