CSU Summer Arts established the Media Arts Festival in 1991 to give talented students studying film, video, and new media within the 23-campus California State University system an opportunity to present their work for critical review. In 2000, the Media Arts Festival expanded its mission to include helping students of the CSU bridge the gap between student and working professional.

The 2009 Festival saw 171 student entries from which 30 finalists were chosen. Since the Festival’s inception, over 3100 students have submitted entries in this juried competition.

The Media Arts Festival has presented distinguished achievement Rosebud Awards to industry leaders who express commitment to education. Previous awardees include Gene Reynolds, Delbert Mann, Annette Bening, William Friedkin, Whoopi Goldberg, Sherry Lansing, Frank Oz, Herbert Ross, Mark Rydell, Robert Wise, John Frankenheimer, Martha Coolidge, John Badham, and Edward James Olmos.

Also in 2000, the Festival began recognizing the outstanding faculty of the CSU with a Rosebud Award for service to the students of the CSU and noteworthy professional accomplishment. Prior honorees include Jack Ofield from San Diego State University (2000), Alan Bloom from CSU Los Angeles (2001), José Sánchez-H, from CSU Long Beach (2002), Ivan Cury from CSU Los Angeles (2003), Sharyn Blumenthal from CSU Long Beach (2004), Don Priest from CSU Fresno (2005), Lynne Gross from CSU Fullerton (2006), and Ron Compesi from San Francisco State University (2007). The 2008 honoree was Professor Ann Alter from Humboldt State University.