Dionne Espinoza gave a lecture about Chicana Studies on Friday in the Women Studies Department that doubled as an interview for a potential position on the faculty.

Espinoza gave a power point presentation covering vast topics such as Chicana Movements, Feminism Movements and the gender roles during those movements.

These slide shows encompassed much of what she would be teaching in the classroom here at State, according to Espinoza.

“My favorite part of these studies is getting to uncovering these rich social histories and social changes,” said Espinoza.

While the presentation was open to any student who wanted to come, the small room only accommodated a few and even fewer attended. A handful of students and a Hiring Committee from the department comprised the people in attendance for the presentation.

Espinoza is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chicano Studies and Director of the Center for the Study of Genders and Sexualities at the California State University, Los Angeles. Her research and teaching focuses on Chicana/Latina activism, cultural studies, and comparative of women of color in a national and global context.

The Hiring Committee declined comment on Espinoza or the presentation.

One of the students who attended did so for a class assignment but found the presentation interesting and informational, she said.

“It’s pretty much what I expected though,” said Kristen Credit, 20 and a junior at SF State. “It was somewhere between a student presentation and a teacher’s power point lecture.”

The Liberal Studies major also felt that it’s important for students to have a say in who becomes part of the faculty.

“It’s always better when students have a say but how much do we really have even now?” said Credit.”

The Committee encourages student attendance to increase feedback on the potential candidate. Following the presentation all the students in attendance were handed a “response to presentation by prospective faculty” form to fill out and return. This input plays “an important role in the final hiring decision,” according to survey.

Espinoza’s presentation focused heavily on the Chicana Movement.

“There’s not as much on the experiences of the women in the movement,” said Espinoza. “I’m interested in the way women come together and where they go with it.”

That is something that Espinoza expressed much interest in. It also touched upon what has been left out, or not adequately discussed, in accounts of Chicana Feminism.

Espinoza received her B.A. in English Languages and Literature from UC Berkeley and her Ph.D. in English from Cornell University. She has taught at several UC’s and is currently teaching at CSULA.