For five years after his injury he was a recluse without vision for himself or how he would live a productive life. He came to the conclusion that “school was the only way” and enrolled in Valley College studying various subjects and tutoring math and science to disabled students. He transferred to CSUN and although the University historically has had a large number of disabled students, Mike was the only one who chose chemistry. At CSUN he studied closely with Dr. Kenneth Hardcastle and Dr. Edward Rosenberg, who were most impressed with his talent, intelligence and determination.

 

Before completing his master’s he attended a research symposium sponsored by Sigma Psi, a national honor society. His presentation won a first prize in the graduate division. During his graduate work at CSUN and his post-graduate students at Caltech, the National Science Foundation took great interest in Day and honored him with scholarships which provided him with an incentive to overcome odds. He has published in excess 45 articles ranging from “Crystal Structures of The Clusters” to “Racemo-Meso Isomerization for Ansa-Scandocene and Ansa-Yttrocene Derivates.” (Updated 05/00)

William Griffeth, 1980, B.A. Journalism
Bill began his broadcasting and journalism career at CSUN writing for the Daily Sundial and producing and anchoring countless newscasts and documentaries for KCSN radio. An active and involved student, he held various offices for the campus chapter of Sigma Delta Chi, worked at the Matador Bookstore and co-hosted a weekly talk show for KCSN called “Straight Talk.” During his sophomore year he produced a series of three documentaries on the Viking Mission to Mars. The success of this series was recognized in 1976 as he won the “Golden Mike Award” for “Excellence in Broadcasting” presented by the Radio Television News Association of Los Angeles, the first Golden Mike award ever won by a CSUN production.

 

Following graduation, Griffeth began his professional career with the start-up cable TV business channel Financial News Network (FNN) in Santa Monica. He anchored their first daily business oriented program and continued anchoring and producing various FNN programs for ten years. In 1988, he was nominated for a cable TV Golden ACE Award for coverage of the 1987 stock market crash, which he produced for FNN. Also during the 1980’s, Griffeth was a regular guest host for Tom Synder’s ABC Radio national talk show. FNN merged with CNBC in 1991 and Griffeth and family (wife Cynthia, son Chad and daughter, Carlee) moved to New Jersey where he continues to anchor various award-winning CNBC business programs including “The Money Club (92-97) and “Power Lunch.” “The Money Club won CNBC’s first cable ACE award for best business program in cable TV and “Power Lunch” has become one of the most watched and respected business programs on the airways. Griffeth shares CNBC anchor responsibilities with two other household names among Wall Street insiders, Ron Insana and Sue Herera, both CSUN alumni.

 

Bill produces and anchors programs to benefit both the individual and business community. As director of CNBC’s Student Stock Tournament, he involves 6,000 student investment clubs from around the country with a total of 70,000 students in grades 4-12 participating. The program stresses teaching kids about money, investing and financial planning at formative ages. Griffeth has authored two highly successful business books, “Ten Steps to Financial Prosperity” (Warner Books) and “The Mutual Fund Masters” (McGraw-Hill), published in 1996 and 1995, respectively. Both were Fortune Book Club main selections. Since 1995, he has been recognized annually as one of the 100 most influential business journalists in the country by the industry trade publication TJFR. (Updated 05/00)

Irene Tovar, 1969, B.A. Sociology
Irene believes that “out of something bad, something good can happen.” Anyone who knows her would agree that this quote is emblematic of the woman, her career and her ever-growing legacy. When in the 1960’s it was noted that drop-out rates among Hispanics were disproportionately high, Irene took action to change that. Now, the organization that became the outcropping of her early efforts, the Latin American Civic Association (LACA), administers the largest Head Start program in the Valley as well as running several housing and social service programs. In classic Tovar fashion, Irene saw a problem, made it an opportunity, followed through with action and ultimately, helped affect meaningful change.

 

Irene’s involvement in improving the lives of others did not stop with the founding of LACA. Her community service record includes: serving as vice president and president of the State Personnel Board (she was the first minority and first Latina to serve in both posts); serving as vice president and president of the Los Angeles City Civil Service Commission; she founded San Fernando Valley Neighborhood Legal Services; serving as chair of the Chicano/Hispanic Caucus of the Democratic State Central Committee and the Pacoima Coordinating Council. Irene has advised governors and served in advisory roles on many levels to the Los Angeles Police Department- not the least of which being the influential Christopher Commission Reform Task Force, which among other goals, sought to mend relations between the LAPD and minorities after the 1992 Los Angeles riots.

 

Radio stations have acknowledged Tovar as “Outstanding Latina of the Year” for 1999. Cal State Northridge’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences has lauded her as “Alumna of the Year” for 1997; in 1997 she also received the “Dr. Ruth Temple Award:” in 1995 she was the L.A. County Department of Public Health’s “Woman of the Year.” She has also received awards from the Hispanic Women’s Council, the G.I. Forum and the Latin American Civic Association. Additionally, Irene leads the Latin American Civic Association as its executive director and serves in various volunteer capacities including her service as an officer on the Board of Directors of the Cal State Northridge Alumni Association. (Updated 05/00)