By Mark Muckenfuss

As many as 4,000 people – prospective students and their families – are expected to crowd the walking paths and hallways of Cal State Monterey Bay on Saturday, April 6, for Admitted Otter Day. 

A major annual event, the day is an opportunity for students who have received admission confirmation letters to visit the campus, tour classrooms and dorms, learn more about academic programs, connect with financial aid counselors and more. 

“Admitted Otter Day is an opportunity to showcase what sets Cal State Monterey Bay apart from other universities and to drive home that we are one of the few top-ranked, mid-sized residential public campuses in the West,” CSUMB President Vanya Quiñones said. 

This year, for the first time, the day has been divided into a morning session and an afternoon session. Prospective students can attend either or both sessions. Quiñones will give a welcoming address at the start of each. 

“I look forward to our future students seeing themselves as part of our community and for them to see how they will find their strength at CSUMB,” she said.

Kaci Turpin, director of New Student Programs, said the event is a chance for students and their families to celebrate the milestone of beginning a college career, but also to see how CSUMB can meet their needs in taking that next step in their lives. 

“This is a monumental event for the students,” she said. “Their experience here can matter so much. We want people to feel confident that this is the place they will thrive and succeed.”

In addition to the two-session format, Turpin said several other changes were made this year. The biggest is providing separate events for incoming freshman and transfer students. The April 6 Admitted Otter Day is geared toward the former group. On April 27, the school will host Admitted Transfer Day. Individualizing the days, Turpin said, will provide more focus on the different needs of the two groups.

Following the president’s Admitted Otter Day welcome, students can participate in such things as attending lectures and mock classroom sessions, hearing from current students, viewing residence life through housing tours and experiencing campus life at the involvement fair on the main quad. 

Individual programs will have information stations set up to let students know what kinds of classes, clubs and support services are available. Students can even dance on the lawn to live music. 

“Affinity groups, the (Otter) Cross-Cultural Center, Undocu-Success Center, the Helen Rucker Center and others will all be out there,” Turpin said. “And the sailing club is planning to have a sailboat out in the quad.”

Dorm tours will be staggered to prevent the crowding of past years. Students will receive a wristband for a specific tour time when they check in for the day. 

Tables will also be set up at the Tanimura & Antle Family Memorial Library to give students the opportunity to register for summer orientation and attend CSUMB in the fall. 

“We encourage students to confirm their enrollment and declare their intent to attend CSUMB as soon as possible,” Turpin said. 

Online registration for the April 6 event is still open.