SUMMER 2009

• Serving Those Who Have Served

• A Word from the Vice President
• CSULB Receives Accolades
• Innovative Textbook Options

• Profile of Phillip Humphreys
• Plaudits
• Service Awards
• Colleague to Colleague: Caitlin Roberts reports on the rich history of Greek life at The Beach

• Spotlight on Beach Pride Center
• Unit Activities
• A CLASS Act
• Students Participate in Internships at The Washington Center

• Meet Erin Swetland
• Student Nuggets
• Alternative Spring Break 2009
• Facts About The Beach
• Target Case Study Competition Held

• What Kind of Legacy Will You Leave?
• Peach Pride at The Beach
• Stay In Touch
• West County Connectors Project Will Impact CSULB
• Gifts
• A Salute to Veterans

• Student Services Contacts

The Beach Pride Center was established after the passage of the Beach Pride Referendum in 2001.

Spotlight on Beach Pride Center

Ten years ago, the present day site of the Beach Pride Center on the first floor of the University Student Union was nothing more than an empty, inactive room of rarely used ping-pong tables. Today, visitors to the Beach Pride Center are greeted by the sights and sounds of a vibrant center with students interacting, displays of Long Beach State athletics memorabilia and a 30-foot, golden wall with the words “Beach Pride” painted in black boldly across the center.

The Beach Pride Center works day in and day out to foster campus spirit and involvement by promoting upcoming events, providing extracurricular activities and offering opportunities for student leadership and personal growth. The center is the heart that pumps Beach Pride throughout the CSULB campus community and the nearly 35,000 49ers who call The Beach home.

Many people are aware that the Beach Pride Center offers information about the games and events for CSULB’s 30-plus athletic and club sports teams, coordinates bus trips to see away games and oversees Beach Patrol—a student reward program that allows students to earn free prizes just for showing up and displaying Beach Pride at Long Beach State home athletic events. But what people may not know is that the Beach Pride Center is where students’ ideas and creativity come to life.

As a unit of the Associated Students, Inc., the Beach Pride Center stays true to the “for the students, by the students” philosophy that is uniquely ASI. One of the center’s core functions is to support and oversee student groups such as the CSULB spirit teams (band, cheer team, dance team and mascot) and the ASI’s programming commissions. Every day, these student groups work alongside the Beach Pride Center coordinator to organize or participate in hundreds of events and programs that promote campus spirit.

CSULB’s band, cheer team, dance team and mascot are the foundation of game atmosphere in the Walter Pyramid. Not only do the spirit teams support CSULB’s athletics teams from the sideline, but they themselves are competitors. This year, at the USA Collegiate National Championships in Anaheim, the mascot and cheer and dance teams took first place and were crowned as 2009 USA national champions. The CSULB cheer team is so well known on the West coast that its members have appeared in numerous movies, including the upcoming release of “Alvin and the Chipmunks 2” and the new Fox TV show “Glee.”

ASI’s nine programming commissions and chief programming officer also are housed in the Beach Pride Center. The commissions offer students the chance to participate in and plan activities such as concerts, beach clean-ups, blood drives and large-scale campus events like Smorgasport, Week of Welcome, the Long Beach Marathon, Homecoming, Kaleidoscope and more. Students serving on commissions gain valuable experience in marketing, event planning and project management and often create lifelong friendships.

Cal State Long Beach is one of the most spirited campuses in the CSU system, and the Beach Pride Center is dedicated to making sure that enthusiasm for The Beach continues to grow. Overall, the center’s combination of events and services promote spirit throughout the campus and surrounding community and enhance the college experience for thousands of students at The Beach. The center will undoubtedly continue to create everyday opportunities to experience and demonstrate Beach Pride. Go Beach!

Chance Decker is coordinator of the Beach Pride Center.