During Hispanic Heritage Month, CSUN celebrates the journeys of alumni who have dedicated their careers to making a difference in the lives of others.
As part of a series of profiles, CSUN Newsroom caught up with Cathy Cruz ’18 (Child and Adolescent Development), and ’23 (Early Childhood Special Education) who is now an Early Childhood Special Education teacher with Los Angeles Unified School District. Cruz works in a classroom with students ages 3 to 5 and shared, “This class can serve up to 10 students with a range of disabilities that can be both moderate and severe levels of need.”
Cruz’s role also extends beyond the classroom. “I work closely with families and provide information about resources and support, as well as establishing ongoing communication between home and school,” she said, noting her focus on family engagement is deeply rooted in the lessons she learned at CSUN.
“My time at CSUN allowed me to have a deeper understanding of the importance of engaging families in identifying their strengths, priorities and concerns by taking courses that focused on family engagement,” she said.
Cruz told CSUN Newsroom her heritage has given her a unique insight into the needs of the families she works with.
“As a Latina of Mexican descent, I understand that there can be a language barrier, which can cause confusion and a lack of understanding [related to the] parents’ educational rights,” she said, adding, “Some of my families may not realize that they play a significant role in fostering their children’s development and learning.”
Much like CSUN’s commitment to celebrating diversity, Cruz brings the same inclusive approach to her classroom, weaving her student’s heritage into their education when possible.
“I make sure to always have an open communication with families and … draw on children’s cultural, social, and linguistic backgrounds, [along with their] developmental learning needs,” she said.
