49 Under 49 honorees live out an education 'tied to purpose'

Cal State Long Beach is a place where many people find their calling, and the 49 Under 49 awards are a way to celebrate alumni who hold true to their passions and make their communities better places to live.

49 Under 49 honorees are prominent in several fields, including the arts, business, education, government and STEM. The awards, conferred during an April 25 gathering, recognize alumni who are of up to 49 years of age and are building on their Beach education to stand out in their chosen professions while living up to an ethos of community service.

"I really enjoy inspiring the next generation to be leaders and to make change in the community," said honoree Louis Williams '09, '21, now a counseling faculty member at Río Hondo College.

Williams followed his bachelor's in communications studies with a master's in counseling, student development in higher education. He said his CSULB education prepared him to be a teacher. He has given back to The Beach by establishing the Louis O. A. Williams Scholarship.

He is among several honorees who devoted their lives to education. Among them are Helen Barriere '18, who leads Cerritos College's program helping underserved students pursue STEM degrees; Nohel Corral '07, who helms student services at Long Beach City College and Kagba Suaray '98, a CSULB mathematics and statistics professor who co-founded the Hesabu Circle, a community of Black mathematicians who share a love of mathematics with children and youth.

Another is Heber Marquez '11, who earned his bachelor's degree in liberal studies and teaching credential at The Beach. He looked back on The Beach as a place where he enjoyed the support of faculty who kept their doors open whenever he needed help, as well as The Nugget's turkey avocado sandwiches and even the walks to upper campus.

Now mayor for the city of Maywood and a career educator, Marquez said he appreciated the 49 Under 49 gathering as a communal uplifting of the honorees.

"As a teacher, I'm always cheering on my students," Marquez said.

Marquez is one of two 49 Under 49 honorees, along with State Sen. Lena Gonzalez '09, to also be acclaimed as the inaugural recipients of the CSULB Excellence in Civic Engagement Award.

Louis Williams '09, 21 was among the 49 Under 49 honorees who gathered at The Beach to celebrate with friends and family.

'We're especially proud'

The Beach created the 49 Under 49 awards in 2024 with the plan to select new honorees every two years.

"This campus has always been a place where talent meets opportunity, and where education is tied to purpose," President Andrew Jones '82 said. "We're always proud of what our alumni accomplish in their field, but we are especially proud when that accomplishment is flowing from the sense of service and responsibility to others."

Several new honorees, like Marquez, have accomplishments spanning multiple fields. Nathaniel Cayanan '07 is a business communications faculty member at Cal State Fullerton and novelist. Brenda Heredia '14 is a water conservation official for the city of Oxnard and a nonprofit leader. Uduak-Joe Ntuk '06 oversees L.A. Metro's sustainability efforts while also serving as president of the Long Beach Community College District's governing board.

"Each of you represents what it means to take what you've learned and turn it into something meaningful," Alumni Engagement Director Noemi Guevara said while greeting the new honorees.

President Andrew Jones '82 gives an embrace while attending the 49 Under 49 awards gathering.

Places of inspiration

Lauren Sylwanowicz '10 earned a biology degree at The Beach while also competing for the women's basketball team and volunteering at St. Mary Medical Center in downtown Long Beach. She completed medical school after completing her bachelor's and now chairs the department of emergency medicine at St. Mary.

"I live here in Long Beach, I work here in Long Beach," she said. "I think it's such a special university, to see how many people are still tied to here."

The celebration took place just outside Carpenter Performing Arts Center and concluded with a Contemporary Dance Performance, featuring Beach students, at Martha B. Knoebel Dance Theater. An apropos setting given the several artists among the new honorees, the gathering included Zanaida Robles '02, a composer and concert vocalist who attended with her daughter Felicity, herself a second-year vocal performance student.

"It's really neat to be part of a legacy that has endured for several decades," Robles said.

The 49 Under 49 awards ceremony was a time to relive Beach memories while celebrating alumni accomplishments.