Fair
provides seniors with information
By
Cassandra Allen
Online Forty-Niner
Contributing Writer
Seniors gathered Tuesday to attend the first day of the Graduation 2006 Information
Fair, running 2 to 7 p.m. Wednesday and noon to 7 p.m. Thursday in the USU
Ballrooms.
The University Bookstore and Forty-Niner Shops Inc. created the graduation
fair to facilitate graduating seniors. Seniors can pre-order their caps and
gowns, graduation announcements, class rings and diploma frames and have their
portraits taken while attending the fair.
“
The graduation fair is a one-stop venue for seniors,” said Sylvia Ferracioli,
Administrative Services coordinator, said. “The fair is a huge undertaking.
It is planned months ahead and is labor intensive, but worth it when you see
how valuable this is for students.”
For graduating seniors, this is an opportunity to take care of all graduation
needs. Students can receive information about their commencement dates, parking
and transportation, pre-order graduation DVDs and can order pride sashes to
wear on their graduation day.
The graduation fair originally started as a one-day event, then became a two-day
event, and has now increased to a three-day event. Seniors have plenty of time
to visit the fair and gain the information they need for commencement.
“
I came to the fair to order my cap and gown and then found out I could also
order my class ring while I am here, too,” said Rafael Lainez, a senior
international business major. “The fair has made it convenient for me
to do everything all at once, so I don’t have to worry about this during
finals week.”
Last year, over 2,500 students attended the graduation fair, and this year
more than 3,000 are expected. The bookstore teamed with other companies that
participate in the event, such as Herff Jones, to send out a mailer in advance.
The mailer was geared toward potential graduating seniors to create awareness
of all the services offered. In years past, the sponsors and the bookstore
worked separately to announce the graduation fair.
“
This year we made sure to have as much information about graduation as possible,” Ferracioli
said. “We trained more people this year to answer seniors’ questions
and make it as easy as possible for students to gain information.”
Aside from the services offered at the graduation fair, sponsors of the event
are also offering prizes. Seniors can enter a drawing to win class rings, portrait
packages, an iPod Nano or iPod Shuffle, diploma frames, custom sashes and more.
The winners will be contacted in the next two weeks to pick up their prizes.
For some seniors, this is the first time they will be exposed to graduation
and what it includes. Many services are offered to help make the process easier
on students who are getting ready to take the final step as a student at Cal
State Long Beach. The Career Development Center and the Alumni Association
each sponsor a booth to help students who have inquiries about their futures
beyond CSULB.
“
The graduation fair is a way for me to end the confusion,” Seid Hourani,
a senior business major. “Now I know what needs to be done and what I
need to order for commencement and it’s all here in one place.”
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