At Day at The Beach, admitted students find representation, resources and reassurance

Before they ever step into a classroom, admitted students at Cal State Long Beach are already asking a bigger question: Can I see myself here?

At Saturday's Day at The Beach, that answer took shape in real time, as thousands of students and families moved through campus in search of direction, support and a sense of place.

In welcoming remarks at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid, CSULB President Andrew Jones '82 - himself a first-generation college graduate - congratulated admitted students for being chosen from a pool of 110,000 applicants and promised their families not only excellent faculty and mentorship, but "a campus culture where students can bring their full selves, pursue big goals and know that they belong.

"Imagine," he said, "what your future would look like here at The Beach."

Incoming business major Sarina Waite didn't have to go far to do just that.

In a ballroom beneath the Pyramid, Waite found the annual Admitted Black Student Reception, featuring food, music, speeches and a ceremony honoring Black elders.

At one point, Daria Graham, associate vice president of Student Success and Engagement, asked guests to look around the room while the Black faculty, staff and students in attendance greeted them with a wave.

"Every hand that waved is part of your community," she said. "Every hand that waved is part of your network. Every hand that waved is here for your success . . . It's the difference between when someone says, 'You are welcome,' and when they give you the keys. Here are the keys."

For Waite, the message resonated.

"I grew up in El Segundo - so a predominantly white area," she said. "To be able to find another community where there are people that look like me, it's definitely refreshing. It feels like a part of my identity can be more vibrantly shown."

Anaheim native Yousef Rizkalla, who plans to major in mechanical engineering, accompanied his friend Blen Zekarias-Dammena, an aspiring nurse. Zekarias-Dammena said she'd met Waite on an Instagram account for Class of 2030 students, and they jelled immediately.

"I was really scared coming in," she said. "I was like, 'Oh my God, I'm not going to make friends.' And then I connected with Sarina and I'm like, 'That's it.'"

It's the difference between when someone says, 'You are welcome,' and when they give you the keys. Here are the keys."

Waite agreed, crediting the university with creating so many inclusive spaces.

"It's so inviting here," she said. "Even on a simple Instagram page you can meet your best friend."

That theme - of small but meaningful connections at an event of such scale - repeated itself throughout the day. Across campus, students spread out in every direction, moving between tents, classrooms and courtyards, touring labs and campus housing, loading up on CSULB merch at the bookstore. Along the way, they encountered student-led clubs and campus resources - from cultural centers and identity-based groups to first-generation programs, LGBTQ+ services, women-focused organizations and transfer support.

At the admissions booth, where students could officially accept their offers, cowbells rang out each time someone made it official.

"Zayla! Zayla!" organizers cheered as a beaming Zayla Robinson, a transfer student from Morgan State University in Maryland, accepted her offer to study sociology.

"The communication and the resources have been amazing," said her mother, Zanetta Robinson. "I was looking at the safety [as well as her potential for] cultural and academic success, and all of that seems to be here. I mean, it's just a win-win. I love it."

Imagine what your future would look like here at The Beach.

Nearby, Long Beach native Sofia Sund arrived with her parents and grandmother, already familiar with campus through years of visits and family ties.

"Something that really surprised me was the amount of people here to help with financial aid," she said, adding that, despite scholarships, cost is still a concern. What comforted her was "actually being here and hearing them tell us they're going to help."

By the end of the day, those moments - of recognition, resources and reassurance - had done their work.

Students weren't just imagining themselves at Cal State Long Beach.

They were choosing it.