Internships Prepare Bridge to the Future Students for Successful Careers
Leslie Castaneda’s first internship helped bring her community together. Working for the group
Main Street Canoga Park, she helped promote the annual Dia De Los Muertos Family Festival —
creating flyers, a survey and a bingo-type lotería game for the event, which draws tens of thousands of people each year.
It was a rewarding professional experience made possible through a grant from the Max Factor Family Foundation to CSUN’s Bridge to the Future Scholars Program.
“Being able to gain so much experience before getting into the real world is going to benefit me,” said Castaneda, a senior marketing major in the David Nazarian College of Business and Economics.
The Bridge to the Future Scholars Program is a collaboration between CSUN and the community of Canoga Park. It provides a tuition-free, undergraduate CSUN education to 25 scholars admitted to the program each year.
The Max Factor Family Foundation assisted these students by providing $45,000 for scholarships for Bridge to the Future participants pursuing internships, including a new $25,000 gift in 2025. The foundation was established by descendants of the late cosmetics mogul Max Factor Sr.
“I am proud to advocate for the CSUN’s Bridge to the Future Scholars Program, helping students from Canoga Park High School to realize their dream to go to CSUN,” said Art Salter, family representative to the Max Factor Family Foundation Board.
The foundation’s financial support enables CSUN scholarship recipients to pursue internships, which are often unpaid, so they can develop critical work skills. Recipients complete a total of 50 hours in a community service engagement internship.
Castaneda’s internship and other Bridge to the Future activities have built her confidence and
reduced her anxiety around making career connections.
“I learned to be extroverted, to build connections, because one thing about marketing is that in
order to secure a job or internship, you need a lot of connections,” she said.
For more information about supporting CSUN’s Bridge to the Future Scholars Program or creating a fund of your own, contact the CSUN Office of Development at (818) 677-7586 or development@csun.edu.
The post Internships Prepare Bridge to the Future Students for Successful Careers first appeared on CSUN Newsroom.
Latest CSUN Newsroom
- Knight Places Second in Hammer Throw at USA Track & Field ChampionshipsCSUN Track & Field's Trey Knight earned silver in the hammer throw at the 2025 Toyota USA Track & Field Outdoor Championships, July 31 in Eugene, Ore. Knight qualified for the world championships next month in Tokyo. The post Knight Places Second in Hammer Throw at USA Track & Field Championships first appeared on CSUN Newsroom.
- U.S. Policy Changes’ Impact on Tourism Could Be Far Reaching, CSUN Prof SaysSocial media around the world is filled with images of immigration and border enforcement officers violently rounding up people in Los Angeles and other major cities across the United States. The post U.S. Policy Changes’ Impact on Tourism Could Be Far Reaching, CSUN Prof Says first appeared on CSUN Newsroom.
- Black Matador Excellence Experience Builds Community and Preps Incoming FreshmenOver four days in June, 50 incoming first-time freshmen gathered on campus for the second year of the Black Matador Excellence Experience. The post Black Matador Excellence Experience Builds Community and Preps Incoming Freshmen first appeared on CSUN Newsroom.
- $500,000 Gift Supports Expansion of CSUN’s Lactation Education ProgramA matching gift of up to $500,000 from California State University, Northridge alumnus Harvey Bookstein and his wife Harriet is enabling the university to expand its lactation program so it can train students to become nationally certified lactation counselors. The post $500,000 Gift Supports Expansion of CSUN’s Lactation Education Program first appeared on CSUN Newsroom.
- Now Open! Northridge’s New Trader Joe’s Features Murals Painted by CSUN StudentsIt's here! The new Trader Joe's Northridge location features artwork envisioned and created by CSUN students. The post Now Open! Northridge’s New Trader Joe’s Features Murals Painted by CSUN Students first appeared on CSUN Newsroom.
- Having Fun at Summer Celebration 2025The Matador spirit was in full force as CSUN faculty and staff members enjoyed the annual Summer Celebration on June 27. The post Having Fun at Summer Celebration 2025 first appeared on CSUN Newsroom.