CSUMB holds second Open House in a month

By Mark Muckenfuss

One Open House simply wasn’t enough. 

So, on Saturday, Oct. 26, Cal State Monterey Bay held it’s second such event in a month, this time focusing on transfer student, although prospective first-year students were also welcomed.

Andrew Lawson, provost and vice president for academics, kicked off the day with welcoming remarks at the University Center as over 400 visitors looked on. He touted the school’s national and regional rankings.

“We are a leader nationally in social mobility,” he said, citing ratings from U.S. News and Forbes magazines. “We have absolutely world-class faculty,” he added before encouraging prospective students to ask questions and learn as much as they could.

Elizabeth Mihopoulos, assistant vice president for enrollment management, followed up by outlining many of CSUMB’s assets, such as its internship and career opportunities, the campus culture, financial support and, of course, the local environment.

“Our environment here is like a lab for some of our science programs,” Mihopoulos said. “But it also provides an opportunity for all kinds of recreation.”

During the day, students were able to explore CSUMB’s resources, tour the campus – including the dorms – and get information on the admission process, financial aid and various academic programs. A host of student and campus organizations tabled on the lush lawn of the main quad while the tantalizing smell from food trucks drifted through the warm air.

Students and their supporters attended sessions and tours, strolled along the walkways and inspected the grounds during the day. For some, the environment made an immediate impact.

Crissy Burgara, an administrative justice student at West Valley College in Saratoga, said she initially was not excited about visiting the campus, but a friend convinced her.

“Now that I’m here, I could see myself being here [as a student],” Burgara said. “I’m willing to do whatever I can to be here.”

Burgara was with Mirabella Picart, another West Valley student. Picart said she appreciated the community feel of the campus, which she got from being warmly greeted by the people she encountered. 

“I’m really looking for a sense of community,” she said, “and being by the beach would be wonderful.”

Samantha Lorenzo, of Salinas, is currently enrolled at Monterey Peninsula College. She wants to work as a special education teacher at the middle school level, a population she is already engaged with. She likes the idea of being able to complete her credential and bachelor’s degree at the same time, a program that CSUMB offers. 

“A lot of the professionals I work with came here,” Lorenzo said. “I’ve heard great things. They’re proud Otters.”

“I came today because I wanted to ask about transfer requirements and what was a proper time to apply,” she added. 

She also wanted more information on the pathway for teachers and said that after talking to someone at the College of Education tent, she felt she had all the information she needed.  

Many students such as Michael Kobata, of Fresno, had pretty much decided on CSUMB before arriving on Saturday.

“I’m pretty determined to come here,” said Kobata, a biology student at Fresno City College who plans to shift to a marine science major. “CSUMB seemed like a good fit. The close proximity to the ocean, I thought, would be best for a marine science major. And it’s not as expensive, so that helps a lot.”

Payton Manriquez also drove in from the Central Valley. She’s looking at majoring in English with an eye on an eventual PhD and teaching career. She said she is considering her options once she completes her associate degree at College of the Sequoias near her home in Turlock. 

“I’m open to some other campuses,” she said. “But if I get accepted here, I’ll move in tomorrow. I can wake up every morning and have that ocean breeze smack me in the face.”

See photos of the second Open House, and a social media reel from the day.