Shortly after enrollment , LePoint was caught in a collapsing campus residence building where she survived the catastrophic January 17 , 1994 , Northridge earthquake , which destroyed the university campus , injuring 8,700 , and killing her classmate among the 56 others . LePoint continued at California State University Northridge to study and tutor mathematics receiving the '' Karen , Leo and Rita Saulter Memorial Award '' , and graduating as 1 of top 5 , of a 6,500 graduating class in 1998
Northridge earthquake
1994 Northridge earthquake
Olympia LePoint