Staff member turned student gains new appreciation for Cal State LA

xperiencing Cal State LA as a student inspired Alex Harwood to contribute to the university.

His time as a graduate student was eye-opening for him, and motivated Harwood to support the university as an expression of his gratitude.

“I really wanted to give back to the university in a way that would support the students who don’t have the same sort of opportunities that I have,” he says.

Harwood came to Cal State LA in 2013, after earning his undergraduate degree at San Francisco State University and working on information security for the California State University Office of the Chancellor. For him, contributing to Cal State LA means expanding opportunity in the region.

“I love Los Angeles, and I think a university like Cal State LA contributes tremendously to the city,” he says.

As a graduate student in the university’s Master of Public Administration program, Harwood expected to learn about budgeting, human resources and management. What he didn’t anticipate was how thoroughly the curriculum would address issues of cultural competency. The program prepared him to serve a broad community, while respecting the social, cultural and linguistic norms of diverse populations.

It’s a concept Harwood has been able to put into practice in his work as the university’s director for information technology client support services. He’s incorporated the principles of cultural competency into trainings on how best to provide services to undocumented communities, veterans and students with disabilities.

Harwood says he is proud of the university’s focus on its mission of engagement and public service, and its commitment to transforming communities through education. Cal State LA is ranked number one in the nation for the upward mobility of its students, meaning it moves the highest proportion of students from the lowest income levels to the highest.

Harwood and his husband Ron Morgenstern, a senior vice president at En Pointe IT Solutions, have supported the university’s mission by mentoring students in the Hispanic Business Society, providing career development advice and speaking at the organization’s events. Harwood has also previously contributed to the Billie Jean King & Friends Gala, which raises money for scholarships for the university’s student-athletes.

Harwood considers that his responsibility. “If you are in the position and you have the ability to help other people or to give back, education is one of the best places to do that—especially at an institution that has been proven to be such a huge contributor to upward mobility,” he says.