CSULB is highly ranked in two standings recently published by The Princeton Review. The Beach is among the “Best in the West” its Best 361 Colleges, released in August, and on its Best Business Schools list of MBA programs, published in October.

The Best Colleges lists compiled for this edition are based on surveys of 115,000 students at the 361 schools in the book (about 300 per campus) during the 2005-06 academic year and/or previous two school years. The questionnaire asked students about their school's academics, campus life, administration, student body and themselves.

“Students’ opinions are important to consider because if we're not doing a good job of serving them, then they are going to go somewhere else,” said CSULB President F. King Alexander. “But, our students feel very positive about The Beach, and that is a direct result of the outstanding efforts by the faculty and staff on this campus.”

The Princeton Review highlights comments made by students in the surveys in the areas of academics, campus life and student body. Students praised CSULB for offering high academic quality at a reasonable cost, the convenient location and beauty of the campus and diversity of the student body.

The Best Business Schools ranking was based on surveys of 18,000 MBA students as well as institutional data. The CSULB College of Business Administration was recognized for offering five different MBA programs that meet the needs of full- and part-time students.

Princeton Review editors noted that “students typically choose CSULB for its low tuition rates, which translate into an excellent return on investment.” Students also commended the flexible schedules, “perfect class sizes” and faculty expertise.

For more information, visit www.princetonreview.com.

CSULB Receives Beckman Scholarships

Cal State Long Beach is one of 13 universities nationally to receive the 2006-09 Beckman Scholars Program Award from the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. This is the third time since the scholarship was founded in 1997 that CSULB was selected for the prestigious program, which recognizes outstanding undergraduate students in chemistry, biochemistry, biological and medical sciences research. CSULB received $17,600 for each of five students over three years, and the university provides supplemental funds. The scholarship covers 10 weeks of full-time research for two summers and 10 hours per week of part-time research activities during the intervening academic year, along with summer travel to conferences and some supplies.

“The Beckman motto is ‘There’s no substitute for excellence,’ so they’re interested in this support going to the best of the students who show academic excellence, leadership potential and a potential to really contribute to the fields of biology and chemistry,” said Professor Editte Gharakhanian, chair of CSULB’s Biological Sciences Department and a past member of the foundation’s selection committee for previous rounds.

Two students were selected this year and three additional students will be named in subsequent years. Meena Haghmoradkhan is working with Professor Judy Brusslan, a specialist in plant physiology and genetics, and Casandra Cox is studying environmental chemistry with Professor Stephen Mezyk.

Among the eight previous CSULB Beckman scholars, four either have or are planning to attend medical school, three will pursue Ph.D.s and one is a research scientist for Varian Medical Systems.