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Long Beach
During the last week of September, Cal State Long Beach observed its annual Founders Week. It was a special time to celebrate 73 years of noteworthy accomplishments; hundreds of thousands of alums; and a campus community that has persevered during tough times and remained committed to enriching and transforming the lives of students.
The events of the week included a grand opening of CSULB’s Anna W. Ngai Alumni Center, a “birthday party,” and several alumni-oriented events across the campus.The most important event in the campus’ future life, however, took place at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Long Beach on Sept. 29. There, we launched the most ambitious fundraising effort in our 73-year history: the $275 million No Barriers campaign.
Our announcement came fresh on the heels of positive news: U.S News & World Report ranking CSULB No. 3 nationally for promoting social upward mobility and No. 1 in the publication’s assessment of student outcomes. While college rankings are often overplayed and misunderstood, we are proud that The Beach continues to be viewed as a place that transforms lives — and one that doesn’t bury its graduates in crippling debt.While the kick-off gala celebrated current and past accomplishments, it — like the campaign itself — was really about what is ahead of us. It was a time to declare CSULB’s intentions and share its vision for the future.So why is this campaign so important to The Beach community? Let me share some of the goals this comprehensive effort targets:
• Through fundraising, we will create an environment where students are free to devote singular focus on their education. This will uplift and affirm our students. At The Beach, we take our responsibility seriously: namely, to ensure that every CSULB student is supported from their first day of classes through graduation.• Students thrive in environments that are responsive to their needs and are focused on helping them succeed — in every way. We will go beyond what we are currently doing and help them succeed by expanding undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, summer research stipends and other forms of financial assistance. Our goal is for every CSULB student to be financially unencumbered.• It is vital that we further develop programs and best practices that address challenges many of our students face, including hunger and homelessness; the management of physical and learning challenges; medical and mental health crises; and weak social support structures (for example, students exiting the foster care system).• The campaign will allow us to expand internships and study away/study abroad programs across multiple colleges that enhance our ability to offer all students high-impact experiential learning.• We will amplify and strengthen our University Honors Program in ways that better welcome those who possess an extraordinary spirit of innovation and creativity, but may have been historically precluded from the opportunity.• One learning from the pandemic’s dark cloud was a better appreciation and understanding of our non-traditional learning spaces on campus. The campaign will allow us to revitalize our outdoor spaces and refresh our learning environments, so students are further inspired by a vibrant campus and feel welcome in their surroundings.• And when it comes to the conference powerhouse that is Beach Athletics, this campaign will add scholarships, fund enhanced recruiting efforts, improve facilities, and create a new center supporting the performance and health of student-athletes, while also enriching opportunities for students studying nutrition and health sciences.The goals of the No Barriers campaign underscore our commitment to serving Beach students; preparing graduates for California’s future needs and challenges; practicing sustainability; and leading on equity and innovation.I hope you will join us as we embark on this effort to realize our promise to offer every student a transformative education.Go Beach!
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