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President Alexander chats with Janna Stansell, left, and Stephanie Witt and Nicholas Ocello, right.

President's Message

Dear Alumni and Friends,

A critical commonality that great universities share is the ability to develop strong traditions that build important bridges between the past, present and future, and celebrate the unique character of each institution. In May, I had the pleasure of greeting more than 6,400 graduates, along with their families and friends, at nine Commencement ceremonies. Each August, faculty and staff gather for Convocation, a campus-wide event that inaugurates the new academic year.

As I approach my first anniversary as president of CSULB, I continue to be impressed by the caliber of our institution—our students, faculty, alumni and supporters. Each one contributes to the continued growth and prominence of our university that led more than 61,000 prospective students to apply for this fall term—a campus record.

I’m delighted to report that for the third consecutive year, California State University, Long Beach was ranked third among the top public master’s universities in the West by U.S.News & World Report in its 2007 edition of “America’s Best Colleges Guide,” and that Princeton Review again ranked CSULB among the “Best in the West” in its “Best 361 Colleges—2007 Edition.” These rankings are a testament to the superior education that our students receive.

Moreover, the university recently received several major private and corporate gifts and government grants to enhance our educational endeavors. We are grateful to these benefactors for recognizing CSULB as being worthy of their support. External funding is critical to the success of our mission to be an outstanding teaching-intensive, research-driven institution whose degrees are highly valued.

As I continue to get to know more of you, I’m gratified at the level of Beach Pride exhibited throughout our vast CSULB family. Together, we can ensure that our university continues to thrive.

Sincerely,

F. King Alexander
President