The Center for Scholarship Information (CSI), located in the University Student Union, Room 238, is your one-stop shop for scholarships on campus. Its mission is “to create outstanding scholarship opportunities for students at CSULB through organizing information in an efficient manner, serving as a campus resource on the complete scholarship process, administering campus scholarships when necessary, and assisting scholarship fundraising efforts.” CSI offers many resources for students including a scholarship database with over 600 scholarships, and proofreading services before a student submits his or her application. The Center for Scholarship Information provides individual support to students throughout the scholarship process. CSI also assists donors with creating new scholarship opportunities for CSULB students. Its website offers information and tips for parents to support students in their scholarship search. Visit the Center for Scholarship Information’s website and encourage your son or daughter to begin their scholarship search today.
CSULB recently partnered with Zipcar to launch a new car-sharing program on campus in conjunction with the university’s effort to reduce parking demand and traffic congestion on campus. According to President Alexander, “One of the biggest barriers to taking alternative transit on campus or leaving your vehicle at home is the fear of being stranded. Zipcar solves that problem by giving people access to a car when they need one.” To join, students pay $35 for personal use and can drive for as little as $8 per hour or $66 per day on the weekdays. Zipcar is offering a $35 driving credit as a part of the launch program. The Zipcar program allows students access to a car without the hassle and associated costs of owning a car. Plus, Zipcar include gas, insurance and parking fees to students who are 18 years of age or older. “Zipcar, which has been offering campus car sharing since 2002, now has programs at more than 130 colleges and universities across the country.” For the entire article, visit the Inside CSULB website. For more information about the Zipcar program, visit the Zipcar website.
CSULB was recently ranked among the top 100 best value colleges in the nation for 2009 by the Princeton Review. Institutions are selected based on surveys of administrators and students at more than 650 public and private college and university campuses. In order to create this year’s list, the Princeton Review utilized over 30 criteria factors in the areas of academics, costs, and financial aid. “Academic ratings were based on student surveys about such issues as professors’ accessibility and class sizes, as well as institutional reports about student-faculty ratios and percent of classes taught by teaching assistants.” For more information and the entire article, visit the USA Today website.
Has the world of today become too dependent on technology to survive? For most people, their cell phone is more than a calling device. Cell phones today have a music player, an alarm clock, and a computer right at the touch of a button. With such ease, it is hard for people like Jessica Stryczek to put her iPhone down. She revealed to USA Today, “Without it, I wouldn’t survive.” Many of the users of the Web are from the Net Generation, those born between 1978-1997. A member of the Net Generation, Dave Wendland, emphasizes, “Unplugging is virtually, no pun intended, impossible. People tend to go through withdrawal, and I can attest to that.”
Virtually all of the Net Generation uses the Web to check email, surf the web, or go on Facebook. An Ohio State University study discovered a link between Facebook and lower grades. According to a survey of 219 students, those who said they use Facebook studied between one to five hours a week and had grade-point-averages ranging between 3.0 and 3.5. Whereas those who did not use Facebook studied more than eleven hours a week and had grade-point-averages ranging between 3.5 and 4.0.
Even when viewing the results, “80% of Facebook users said they believe it had no impact on their grades.” It is hard to break the obsession of the Web, and most people admit it is too hard to break their personal addiction. Changes in media have influenced behavior for decades from the invention of radio, which brought families together in front of a box to the use of TV dinners. The major difference is that with new technology, “the real-time Web is always on connecting millions of Americans to one another at all hours.” For the entire article, visit the USA Today website.
USA Today also recently released statistics on how the average family pays for college. Thirty-six percent of families surveyed utilized parents’ income and savings. Twenty-five percent used paid for college through grants and scholarships. Fourteen percent of students borrowed to fund their education, whereas 10% of students used their own income and savings. Lastly, nine percent of parents borrowed money to pay for their student’s education. These findings are based on a Sallie Mae/Gallup survey of 800 undergraduate student and 804 parents of undergraduates.
Join your son or daughter at the 2009 Homecoming celebration on Saturday, November 14. Located in the parking lot just outside the Walter Pyramid, there are plenty of free activities for the whole family including the always popular Weiner dog races. Throughout the afternoon, everyone can enjoy free campus tours which will showcase many campus landmarks including the newly renovated University Library and the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden. Parents may purchase a lunch in the Alumni Association tent and stay for the 49er Men’s Basketball home opener versus University of Alaska Anchorage later that evening. Tickets for the Alumni lunch and basketball game may be purchased on the Homecoming website. To view the schedule of events or to purchase tickets, visit the Homecoming website.
Come visit the CSULB campus on Friday, November 20 and celebrate its 25th Annual Bookstore Open House sponsored by University Bookstore and the Alumni Association. This event is a favorite of the campus and alumni community in kicking off the holiday season with seasonal merriment. Enjoy an evening of food, drinks, entertainment, prizes and shopping. Guests receive a 20% discount on university logo clothing and memorabilia, trade books, supplies and holiday gifts. Admission is free and guests of alumni are welcome. The first 200 guests will receive a limited edition CSULB gift. Complimentary parking is available in lots four and five, located on West Campus Drive. For more information or to register, visit the Bookstore Open House website.
In 49er sports, the Women’s Volleyball team hosts four matches at the Walter Pyramid on November 6, 7, 20 and 21. The team will also participate in at least four matches in the Mizuno Thanksgiving Tournament in Long Beach on November 27 and 28. The Men’s Water Polo team will host three matches at the Campus Pool on November 1, 7 and 8. The Men’s Basketball team will host one game at the Walter Pyramid on November 14, while the Women’s team has two games at the Walter Pyramid on November 13 and 16. For more information, visit the Long Beach State 49er website.
For more information about these and other campus events, please visit the CSULB Calendar of Events.
Newsletter by Valerie Kelsey & Natalie Prystaloski
Edited by Dr. Jeane Caveness
