David Sandoval

David Sandoval is the former Director of the Cal State L.A. Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) from 1981-2008. An EOP graduate himself, Sandoval entered the program in 1969 as a special admit student. During the 1960's, he was a student and community activist (UMAS, MECHA, Brown Berets); combining his media talents with his concern for the community by writing and producing short video and film documentaries. His credits include "Guadalupe" and "Una Nación Bilingüe" for the national PBS "Realidades" series. He also served as National Coordinating Producer for "Infinity Factory," a PBS series on math, targeted to Black and Latino children. In the late 70's, he co-hosted and produced a weekly cultural and public affairs radio show entitled "La Vida Latina" for KPFK-FM, a Pacifica station. In 1971, Sandoval co-produced the first Los Lobos album "Los Lobos Del Este De Los Angeles: Just Another Band From East L.A." He has traveled extensively throughout Europe, Mexico, and what was the former Soviet Union. He has led EOP students on study/lecture tours to Chiapas, México, Cuba and Selma, Alabama. Sandoval has a Bachelor's Degree in Chicano Studies and a Master's Degree in Education from California State University, Los Angeles. He also attended UCLA, taking graduate course work in motion picture and television production. He completed all coursework in the doctoral program in Educational Leadership at the University of La Verne. Together, Sandoval and his wife Charon D’Aiello continue to support California State University Los Angeles and are both graduates of the University, as well as retired employees. The work of the Center is also deeply personal to them. Their son, Ochari D'Aiello 15 years old, was tragically shot to death by local youths while attending a summer program for high school students at a historically black college in Atlanta, Georgia to bolster his black identity. The Sandoval’s continue to keep Ochari’s memory alive by building a world that their son imagined. On a bulletin board in his bedroom, Ochari had three bumper stickers: "Believe in World Peace," "Another Family for Peace" and "Visualize World Peace."