Brief History & Highlights
The
Opening Kickoff
Following
the graduation of the first class from what was then Long
Beach State College, an Alumni Association was formed in
the fall of 1951. Eugene Amsberry was the first Association
president. Alumni worked with the campus through Dean Of
Students Frenchy Flynn. Lois Swanson in Student Affairs
had the day-to-day campus assignment of working with the
new Alumni Association. In 1953, an alumni office
was established consisting of a single desk in the Associated
Students Office, which was adjacent to the Little Theater
on south campus. In 1954, the first serious attempts
were made to gather a complete file of graduates, acquiring
addresses from the records of the placement office.
A newsletter was mailed to all members of the Association.
The First Homecoming -- 1955
The Board of Directors of the Alumni Association invited
members to the campus for a coffee hour before the game.
This started the Association's longtime involvement with
Homecoming at Long Beach State. In conjunction with
Associated Students, the Association sold season football
tickets to members, as well as tickets to drama productions.
Late 1950's, early 1960's
In the spring of 1958, Association president Bob Hoting
travelled to San Francisco State College for the meeting
which founded the Conference of California State College
Alumni Associations. By 1960, during the term of Association
president Lawrence Pearce, the Association office moved
to the Administration Building, located on the south campus.
The room was adjacent to the College's Placement Office,
that assisted with building and maintaining the database
of graduates.
During 1960 two newsletters were published and incoming freshmen were given a complimentary folder for their registration materials. A representative from the Alumni Association was seated on the Homecoming Committee of the campus. The Association now had 70 life members. The first decade closed out with these achievements: Home- coming, relationship building, benefit discount programs. But above all: Getting started.
The Meeting In The Cabin
By 1965, the College had been maintaining an all-paper
database on cards, with a card for every graduate.
There were thousands of cards, and the college was
growing rapidly into the 20,000 student campus it would
soon become. It was realized that this tremendous
growth could produce a great alumni program. But the lifeblood
of an alumni program is contact, and a good working database
is needed. At the Association retreat at Bill Bennett's
cabin, a long range plan was devised to work with the college
to computerize and keep an alumni database. The current
cards were being kept by the director of Career Planning
and Placement Ed Babbush. To help Ed work with the database
plan and provide more campus support to the alumni program,
the campus hired the first alumni coordinator, Dennis Murray,
who would eventually become president at Marist College
and was one of the early Presidents of the CSU Alumni Council,
an organization comprised of representatives from all Cal
State campuses.
Late 1960's to early 1970's
From 1969 to 1974, there was tremendous growth and change:
- The Association became a non-profit corporation in 1969.
- New programs were created:
- Loan fund to assist students with student fees.
- Computerization of records complete by 1975.
- Scholarships and Distinguished Alumni awards.
- University Review publication.
- California State College at Long Beach became California State University at Long Beach in 1971.
- Our Alumni Association became the fastest growing alumni association west of the Mississippi.
1975 - 1979
- Alumni chapters had been supportive and active from the very beginning in the 1950's. They sent representatives to the Board of Directors to enhance the teamwork.
- A flagship event started for the Association, Concerts In The Grove, a summer series of concerts and fun that would become a campus and community hallmark.
- An annual Awards Banquet began, honoring distinguished alumni and friends of the university.
- Trips, travel programs and special reunions brought together former classmates in new adventures.
- The database of alumni reached 75,000 names. Needless to say, at this point many alumni veterans were very glad computers had been invented.
- The Alumni Association moved into its present location on the first floor of the University Student Union.
1980 - 1992
- The Association reaches out to parents of graduates to build membership.
- Annual dues is eliminated and all graduates are members. In the early 1990's a one-time administrative fee was instituted to cover processing costs. These members are supporters to the University.
- Benefits, social events and sponsorship of a university lectureship series are expanded.
- A full-time professional alumni staff, headed by Rosemary Taylor Schmidt, is hired by the university to increase it's contact and support from its alumni.
- 49'er Miner Burro Mascot is sponsored 1980-1982.
- The first hospitality during Commencement Exercises starts. This later expanded into flower sales, a major fundraiser for the Association. In addition, board members welcomed the newest alumni to the family and presented awards to the distinguished alumni and outstanding graduates.
- The annual Bookstore Open House event began.
- Alumni Association co-sponsor Kaleidoscope, annual campus open house and celebration.
- Volunteers are recruited to support alumni events, from staging Concerts In The Grove to Homecoming.
- Homecoming switches from Football in Oct./Nov. to Men's Basketball in February of each year.
1993 – Today
- A CSULB alumni affinity credit card program is offered with special benefits to alumni cardholders and funds for alumni programs that support the University.
- In adhering to its mission statement of supporting the University, the Alumni Association makes major financial contributions to support numerous academic programs, projects, lecture series, President's Scholars, and completion of the Pyramid events center.
- In 1994, more than 10,000 alumni and friends came to "Discover the Treasures at the Beach," an event sponsored by the Alumni Association providing a sneak preview of the Pyramid events center, opening of the Richard and Karen Carpenter Performing Arts Center and public introduction of new President Robert C. Maxson.
- The University's database of alumni reaches 185,000 names making it the largest database of graduates in the 23-campus Cal State University system.
- A major emphasis with the creation of a full-time staff position, is placed on developing events and chapters based on academic disciplines, special interests and geographic regions. In addition, programs are developed to work with students, our "alumni in residence," to instill future university supporters and alumni leaders.
- The Alumni Association was a major contributor and host to celebrate CSULB's 50th Anniversary in 1999-00. At the anniversary's convocation, the Association's first president, Eugene Amsberry, participated in the festivities.
- Women´s Volleyball Team wins the NCAA Championship and becomes the only team to ever complete an entire season undefeated.
- Luis Ma. R. Calingo named the new Dean of the College of Business Administration-2000
- CSULB Alumni Association completes $1,000,000 gift to president Maxson´s Presidents Scholars Program.
To be continued …