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CSUMB Open House draws largest crowd in five years

Visitors took campus tours and learned about CSUMB's academic programs and more at the Open House event.

Professor Fred Watson, right, discusses environmental science with visitors at CSUMB's annual Open House.
Professor Fred Watson, right, discusses environmental science with visitors at CSUMB's annual Open House. | Photo by Brent Dundore-Arias

By Mark Muckenfuss

Normally, the CSU Monterey Bay campus is pretty quiet on Saturdays. But on Oct. 21, hundreds of prospective students and parents filled the walkways and some buildings as part of the annual Open House event. 

Visitors enjoyed a sun-drenched day as they took campus tours and learned about CSUMB's academic programs, financial aid, housing, campus life, athletics, internships, education abroad, undergraduate research opportunities and various support services available to students. Informational tables for virtually every student organization and academic program lined the edge of the main quad and, at the Otter Student Union, queues for food trucks and stations trailed across the plaza.

“I’m even more ecstatic than I was before walking into this school,” said Lillyana Avilla, 19, as she waited in line for a burrito. 

Avilla said she was thrilled to meet with faculty in the departments of math and marine science, the latter of which is her prospective major. She was already planning to transfer to CSUMB in Fall 2024 from Las Positas Community College in Livermore, but this visit cemented her choice, she said. 

“Everyone here wants you to succeed,” she said, “and make sure that you’re set up for success when you graduate.” 

Ben Corpus, vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, said the nearly 2,000 students who were expected to attend represented the largest number for an Open House in the past five years.

“It shows just how popular Cal State Monterey Bay is becoming with local high school graduates as well as those from further afield,” Corpus said. “We continue to make strides in national rankings and are No. 2 for social mobility in the West, so it's no surprise that we have so much interest from prospective students."

President Vanya Quiñones said Open House is an opportunity for those with an interest in CSUMB to connect with the campus. 

"I am always so excited to see so many high school seniors and community college students touring our campus at Open House,” Quiñones said. “Selecting a college is such an important choice for students, their families and their supporters and we had the chance today to show them that Cal State Monterey Bay is a place they fit in and belong, and where they will thrive academically and socially."

Andrew Lawson, interim provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, expressed appreciation for the event and the turnout. 

"I enjoyed meeting future Otters, their families, and supporters at Open House today," Lawson said. "I appreciate all the faculty, staff and the deans who spent part of their Saturday sharing information about the excellent learning experiences we offer, about research and creative opportunities, and highlighting just why CSUMB is ranked as No. 6 on U.S. News and World Report's top public schools in the west list."

Henry Geistlinger, a high school student from Oakland, said he is looking for a college he connects with.

“Open houses like this are very helpful for getting to know about the students and faculty and getting a feel for the campus,” Geistlinger said. “I really like the vibe of the campus so far. It seems like the students are very welcoming.”

Isabelle Atienza-Washington is also a high school senior in Oakland. She’s visited a host of other colleges, including Reed College, USC, the Claremont Colleges and several UC schools. She was impressed by CSUMB.

“It’s not what I expected,” Atienza-Washington said. “I really like it. The dorms are really nice and it seems like there are a lot of resources. I like the study abroad program.”

Getting to CSUMB was more of a challenge for Anna Mercer, 16. She came all the way from Chester in Plumas County to check out the campus, which she called one of her options. The trip was worth it, she said.

“I’ve learned a lot,” she said. “I learned about financial aid and internships.”

Mercer said she plans to study social work and public health. 

“We met this one lady, she made me feel like this would be a good fit for me,” Mercer said. “If I were to go anywhere in California, this is probably my top choice.”

For information on enrolling in CSUMB, click here.