TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1999

Maxson recruits blue-chippers

By Lot Tan

On-Line Forty-Niner

President Robert Maxson is leading a mad dash to recruit qualified high school valedictorians, National Merit semi-finalist and finalists.

Approximately 100 high school seniors will decide this week if they want to join the President's Scholars Program at Cal State Long Beach.

The days ahead will be extremely hectic for Maxson, as well as Director of University Outreach and School Relations Valerie Bordeaux.

Each recruit will have a meeting with Maxson, a tour of the campus, a meeting with the recruit's dean of college of their chosen major and a conversation with a current President's Scholar.

"It is a very aggressive gorilla recruitment mode," Bordeaux said. "Recruiting scholars takes the entire university. It's absolutely nuts, but we love it. It is intense, exciting and stimulating."

Maxson expects 50 to 60 President's Scholars will be recruited for Fall 1999. A maximum of 300 scholars could be permitted into the program.

Maxson initiated the program in the spring of 1995 with only ten scholars. Since then, in its three years of existence, 244 scholars have decided to become 49ers.

Of the first ten Scholars, two have graduated in three-and-a-half years. Graduate Jawdat Al-Bassam is now attending Scripps to receive his doctorate. While graduate Joshua Bryant received a bachelor's degree in biochemistry and is currently enrolled in medical school at UCLA.

The scholarship offers full payment of tuition and general student fees, an annual book allowance, paid housing in the campus residence halls and priority registration.

In addition, Scholars also receive personalized academic advising, exclusive access to the new President's Scholar Center, campus student parking privileges, e-mail and Internet access.

However, the scholarship is annually renewable based on maintenance of academic progress and requirements of the program.

The program is funded substantially through the CSULB Alumni Association Founding Endowment and is also provided by the President's Associates and the Academic Corporate Council.

The scholarship for a valedictorian is valued at approximately $24,000 and approximately $34,000 for a National Merit finalists over four years.

The scholars come from all over California. From as far north as Poterville to nearby San Diego. This diverse representation of students reflects 50 percent of the state counties.

"Our academic experience is better and the scholars help the reputation of the University," Maxson said.

Two scholars that are helping recruit future scholars are May Baptista and Alan Avakian. Baptista, an international studies major, considered going to Rochester on the East Coast as well as University of California schools, but decided to be a 49er because of the people and the atmosphere.

Said sophomore Avakian, who thought of attending UCLA and Cal Poly: "The people are so helpful, energized and geared up."

By the end of the year the University is hoping that 1 percent of the student population will be President's Scholars.