Alumni Association offers students loans

The Cal State Long Beach Alumni Association sponsors various events and fund raisers to benefit alumni and students.

The association sponsors emergency student loans for California resident students, Director of Alumni Relations Gay Arakawa said.

The interest-free loan will cover student fees for one semester.

Students must pay off the loan within 45 days. In order to the get the loan the students must have a 2.0 GPA, carry at least six units, and must demonstrate the ability to repay the loan.

Applications can be picked up at the financial aid office.

The Alumni Relations, a group that supports the Alumni Association, funds the Grants Program Achievement.

The grant program gives the alumni the opportunity to compete for $1000 grants.

Alumni grant applicants show proof of their in need for the grant. They also must provide publicity for the association.

In the last two years the program has awarded five $1000 grants and that will be increasing in the next year, Arakawa said.

The Alumni Association has 17,000 members and gains about 2,500 new members every year, Arakawa said.

CSULB graduates and those who completed their teaching credentials at this university pay a one-time $10 fee for membership.

Non-graduates pay $25 a year for membership.

The membership provides library use, job-related research text and general books. Members cannot use computer labs and have lower priority access to computer research systems.

The career center, health insurance, and credit lines are available to members.

"Life long learning of enhancing skills of alumni is the goal," Arakawa said.