One step closer to Graduation

Grad Fair: the last milestone

CSUB Seniors are preparing for the next stage in life. Some will start their professional career search, others will move on to graduate school. But first they are anticipating the excitement of their graduation ceremony. Hundreds of soon-to-be grads did just that at this year’s CSUB Grad Fair held May 1^st and 2^nd in the CSUB Runner Bookstore. CSUB Antelope Valley held its Graduation Fair on April 30^th at the Lancaster University Center.

The event was filled with vendors selling everything from class rings, to flower lays and of course, the necessary caps, gowns and tassels. The bookstore even offered discounts on CSUB apparel and memorabilia. The lines were out the door with CSUB seniors and grad students waiting to purchase the essentials for the day they have been waiting for.  

Weeks in advance, future spring graduates were sent emails to attend the Grad Fair in order to be informed about graduation and be able to purchase items for the service. Criminal Justice major, Demarques Alshon Sanders feels the Grad fair was a success. “I found the emails very useful because they had all the necessary information on the event.” He said. “I like how everything was organized. You know where to go and what to expect as you are going down the line to pick up stuff.”

 

Students were thrilled to be purchasing graduation items, which gave them hope for what to expect once they graduate. Keith Koski an English Major enjoyed the Graduation Fair and said, “I was able to pick up my cap and gown and I learned about commencement and what to expect the day of graduation. I think CSUB has prepared me because you learn things in class and improve time management, which helps you for the next stage. “

 

Not all were completely satisfied with the organization of the event. Some felt there could have been more accessibility to items needed to avoid the large crowds. “Maybe have more grad fairs and making them in smaller groups and if they would organize them by last name and split it into different days it would make the process go by faster,” said by Connie Kaplan, a Liberal Studies major.

Regardless, those in attendance were able to get what they needed for their graduation ceremony, and those that still need items can visit the CSUB Runner Bookstore during regular business hours. With graduation just over a month away, students will agree that receiving their degree will be gratifying for all the sleepless nights writing papers and cramming to study for a test. After the service, they will continue their journey to either pursue further degrees or continue on their career paths. For now, Grad Fair has allowed these students to be one step closer to graduation.

- Story By Lizet Vazquez, CSUB Public Affairs Intern

- Photos by Irma Cervantes, CSUB Public Affairs Coordinator

The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

By Breana Oliver, CSUB Public Affairs & Communications Intern

Graduating college is one thing. Graduating college in the top 10% of your class or after completing 4 years, as a member of the university’s distinguished honors program, is a whole other story. A story that was written by the roughly 50 students that were honored at CSU Bakersfield’s University Wide Honors Convocation and Alpha Chi National Honor Society Induction Ceremony held at the Doré Theatre on Sunday, April 28.

As the houselights dimmed across the stage, students were filled with a sense of pride, accomplishment and tinge of a bittersweet parting. They knew that the end of their undergraduate college career was near, but it was not close enough to feel the impact. On the other hand, there was an unparalleled sense of excitement for the fact that many of the students in attendance were on the cusp of their adult life.

For many students who enroll into the CSUB Hawk Honors program as a freshman or transfer, the expectations of scholastic achievement and an appetite for success are a given. However, as students progress through their college careers and are faced with more responsibilities, many find it hard to stay enrolled in such a rigorous and challenging program.  Though the courses are not designed to be any harder than non-honors courses, many of the courses cover some of the most thought-provoking and intriguing topics such as Government and Politics in China or the Meaning of Death.

“The Honors Program and Alpha Chi help distinguish CSUB as an institution of higher learning that sets high goals for its students and rewards them for meeting them.  I think having an Honors Program at the university raises the level of achievement for all our students (honors and non-honors alike) and gives us a viable way to share with the public through newspaper and magazine articles and other media outlets some of the wonderful academic goals and awards our students achieve.  Celebration of our students’ success is always appropriate!

“I felt like the honors program was worth the extra work to stay in.,” said junior Kayla Heitzenroder. “Though being in the program has tested my patience and will, I think that the outcome is far greater. No one in my immediate family has ever graduated college so I feel that by me being able to do that, I’m setting a positive example for my siblings.”

The Honors Award and Alpha Chi induction ceremonies represented the completion of two goals that nearly every student who enters the honors program has, a goal to stay in the program all four years and a goal to do well in the program. While some choose to leave the program for whatever reasons, the students honored on Sunday, were students that stayed true to their commitment to finish out the program strong. These are the students who help set the caliber of character that CSUB treasures in all its students.

 

Joel Haney referenced in NY Times!

Did you see that CSUB faculty member, and Associate Professor of Music, Joel Haney’s article was referenced in a piece that appeared in the NY Times last Sunday? Our faculty is truly second to none. Congratulations Professor Haney!

Dancing for the Kids at CSUB’s Second Annual Runner Dance Marathon

An entire year of preparation, countless phone calls and meetings, and mountains of paperwork all culminated into one moment: the 2013 Runner Dance Marathon. Speaking for myself, and many of the other parties involved, I’m sure that none of us could predict the impact that Friday night’s event would have on the community and with the $7,300 raised at the event, I’m sure that the Lauren Small Children’s Medical Center could not either.  

As I walked into the Student Union on Friday, I was greeted by an overwhelming feeling of excitement, anticipation and a tad bit of confusion. Gone were the usual displays of chairs and tables, instead, all I could see, for what seemed like miles, was a sea of yellow shirts. These were not just any yellow shirts though; these were the kind of yellow shirts that you wear when you want to be seen, highlighter yellow shirts of sorts. Needless to say, I was intrigued from the start.

Every corner of the building was dripping with balloons, streamers and a spectrum of various neon colors. From the windows, to the walls, posters and signage detailing the activities for the night plastered the dance floor.

Though I was pumped, I had no idea what shenanigans lay in store for me. No sooner had I walked into the main dance area in multipurpose room, was I met by a crowd of students, a stage area, and two large speaker towers blasting the latest Tyga track. As my friends and I got settled, dance marathon coordinator Hilda Nieblas took the stage and addressed the audience. She explained the basics of how the night’s event was going to work and how thankful she was for the student involvement with the event.

I slowly looked around the room in awe. My gaze was quickly broken when the Hilda announced “ARE YOU READY CSUB? LET’S ALL CHANT…FOR THE KIDS, FOR THE KIDS, FOR THE KIDS…”

The crowd erupted in cheers, chants and fist pumps as the Miracle families, President Mitchell and his wife, the Runner DM committee, MC Kevin Charette, weather caster from KGET-17 and the Children’s Miracle Network representatives took the stage to kick-off the event.

Praises echoed around the room and once the speeches were done, the music started to play and the night was off. The marathon offered something for everyone with free caricature drawings until the wee hours of the morning, a lounge room devoted to gaming and activities, bowling, golf, a photo booth and lest I not forget a jam-packed dance floor.

Throughout the event, attendees got listen to the testimonies of families whose children’s lives were saved by staying at the Lauren Smalls Children’s Medical Center. These were the moments that I cherished. Seeing the children’s smiling faces as they ran around the Student Union was something that will remain forever engrained into my memory.

I’m guessing that’s what they say the college experience is about: making memories with your friends and peers. Lucky for me, these memories were ones that I can contribute to an event that has left and will continue to leave an impact on CSUB and the community in which it thrives.

Story by: Breana Oliver, CSUB Public Affairs & Communications Intern

Photos by: Irma Cervantes, CSUB Public Affairs Coordinator

The key to change is to never forget

Monday marked the first day of The Holocaust Education Network of Kern County’s 2^nd annual CSUB Days of Remembrance. Following Yom HaShoah, the Jewish Memorial Day of those who were killed in the Holocaust, the series will focus on teaching genocide prevention and the dangers of the bystander effect. Founded by CSUB students, the group’s main purpose is to educate students and the community about how dangerous prejudice can be.

“We want students and the Bakersfield community to be able to recognize prejudice, acknowledge that it’s wrong and have the courage to stand up against it,” said Chelsea Stevens, member of The Holocaust Education Network of Kern County’s student standing committee.

“Everyone has the power to stand up. It only takes one voice to stop hate speech or prejudice,” said Alli Rhodehamel, member of The Holocaust Education Network of Kern County’s student standing committee.

Monday night’s event consisted of a screening of the film “The Longest Hatred,” and culminated with a discussion led by Dr. Stephen Campagna-Pinto, Co-Director of the Institute for Religion, Education and Public Policy (IREPP).

The next two events will take place in SCI III 108 at 7:30pm and are as follows:

Tuesday, April 9^th – “The Pyramid of Hate”, a student-led discussion exercise on Genocide Prevention.

Wednesday, April 10^th – “Step-up:” an exercise on ending bystander behavior that will be facilitated by Janet Millar, CSUB LMFT, and Dr. Liora Gubkin, CSUB Assistant Professor of Religious Studies.

The Days of Remembrance series will culminate with a visit from Holocaust Survivor Dorothy Greenstein on Wednesday, April 17^th at 7:30pm inside the student union multipurpose room. She will share her story of traveling in and out of the ghettos by posing as a Non-Jew to gather food and provisions for her family to help them survive during the chaos of the Holocaust. Greenstein often volunteers at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.

For more information about the events, email scampagna_pinto@csub.edu.

- Story and Photos by Breana Oliver, CSUB Public Affairs & Communications Intern

No means no. Only yes means yes.

This month CSUB partners alongside the Alliance Against Family Violence and Sexual Assault (AAFVSA) to recognize April as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. In doing so, faculty members and students have brought the Consent Project to the CSUB campus to increase awareness in the lives of college aged students.

Implemented first at Humboldt State University, the Consent Project is designed to create a safe space for victims and non-victims of sexual or domestic violence to learn more about the issue and to build an open dialogue about the notion of consent and what it means. “What first got me interested in bringing this project to our campus was that I liked the idea of holding a conversation about consent,” said Janet Millar, Vice Chair of the Academic Senate. “I want students to start the conversation about what it means to give your consent in relationships and to know that when it comes to consent, the response is black and white. Only yes means yes.”

For its kick-off event held today, the Consent Project featured a color-coded t-shirt design station where students wrote messages of encouragement to take a stand against violence, which will be hung inside the Student Union. Students also signed written pledges, which they later read aloud together, after listening to the school’s proclamation against sexual and domestic violence that was read by President Horace Mitchell.

For Junior, Julieta Rodriguez, the Consent Project’s message hit close to home because of family members that have experienced domestic violence. “I decided to attend this event because I wanted to become aware about the issues concerning sexual and domestic violence and wanted to be to be there for my family who has been affected,” said Rodriguez. “I want them to know that they are not alone and that together we can be the voice against violence.”

AAFVSA’s Rape Prevention Education Specialist, Maria Mendez says most sexual assaults occur between the ages of 18-25 and are done by someone that the victim knows. “I think we need to educate students about consent and help them to build the courage to have a consent conversation in their relationships or to not be a bystander for those that they see involved in an abuse relationship, she said.”

To bring awareness to the rest of the campus, students were given teal ribbons to tie around the trees across the campus. For the rest of this month, the Consent Project will be hosting a variety of events such as a panel discussion on relationships and sexual responsibility as well as a training program in the Residence Halls to teach students about how to help or intervene if they see their friends or peers in unhealthy relationships.

For more information about the project and events, be sure to check out the alliance’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/aafvsa.

- Story by Breana Oliver, CSUB Public Affairs & Communications Intern

- Copy Editing and Photos by Irma Cervantes, CSUB Public Affairs &          Communications Coordinator

 

The President’s Associates Annual Recognition Dinner

CSUB held its annual recognititon dinner for its associates and research scholars. This CSUB organization is themost prestigious and longstanding giving society at California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB). Each year, this esteemed group supports excellence at CSUB. In recent years, funds generously contributed by the members of The President’s Associates have recognized excellent faculty and provided $2,000 awards to top-ranking CSUB students to participate in the Student Research Scholars Program, giving them the opportunity to execute in-depth research projects and participate in rigorous oral competitions.

Photos by Colleen Dillaway, Director of Public Affairs & Communications, CSUB