CSUMB shines during Admitted Otter Day

By Mark Muckenfuss

Arturo Figueroa is hoping his son, Juan, finds the same success he did as a student of Cal State Monterey Bay. Figueroa, of Visalia, graduated from CSUMB in 2004 with a degree in social and behavioral sciences. He earned his teaching credential from the university the following year and has been teaching high school history and social sciences ever since. 

On Saturday, April 11, he watched Juan tread the same paths he did 24 years ago. The two were part of an estimated 3,000-plus people attending Admitted Otter Day. The annual event is a chance for students who have received a letter confirming their acceptance to the university to engage with the campus community, get more information on academic programs, financial aid and housing, and to make a final decision about attending CSUMB.

Figueroa said it was a different campus in his day.

“I think 45 people graduated from my major,” he said, “It was a very small community. But I still kind of get that vibe here, of that connection with your professors and much more intimate classes.”

Juan, who plans to study kinesiology, with an eye on a career in sports medicine, said he was accepted to several other schools in the CSU system but likes CSUMB’s proximity to the beach as well as having local family support. His grandparents live in Salinas. He also plans to run on the track team. 

As for what he hoped to glean from the day, he said, “I want to see about the internship opportunities with the athletic program.”

The daylong event began with President Vanya Quiñones’ morning address to the prospective students and their supporters.

“Welcome to the class of 2030,” she told a packed ballroom at the University Center. “Wow! I’m so excited you’re here. You have been admitted to Cal State Monterey Bay and that is a big deal.”

Quiñones encouraged the attendees to explore the campus, sit in on presentations, talk with professors and students, and decide if being an Otter was right for them. 

“I think the beauty of this place is the people,” she said. ”At Cal State Monterey Bay, you will hear us saying, ‘raft up.’”

After encouraging the crowd to stand and create a raft, she emphasized the importance of the metaphor.

“That’s the symbol of who we are,” she said. “We are stronger as a community. This strength is what you will find here. We are here to support you every step of the way.”

A threat of rain turned out to be only an occasional sprinkle, allowing the walkways of the campus to be filled with prospective students taking tours, sampling the dining commons food and exploring the campus. A table inside the entrance of the Otter Student Union allowed students to sign a commitment to attend in the fall. Each time one did, staff members enthusiastically rang a cowbell. 

Mikaila White, of Palmdale, was one of those students. In her initial college search, she said, she was focused on Louisiana State University to pursue a degree in public health. Last summer, however, she found out the CSU had a campus in Monterey Bay. 

“I didn’t even know there was a Cal State here,” White said. She was accepted at LSU and at the University of Connecticut, but when she got her acceptance letter from CSUMB, she saw nothing but otters. “This is so amazing. It’s right near my favorite place in the world, which is the [Monterey Bay] aquarium.”

White’s mother, Mystie, said she was just confirming that the campus was a good fit for her daughter.

“I’m hoping to know, which I already do, that this is where she belongs,” she said. 

Another happy parent was Davida Hernandez, who, with her daughter, Scarlett, was checking out one of the mock courses in the College of Business.  Hernandez said the two had visited several other campuses in both the CSU and UC systems. CSUMB impressed her with one element she found lacking elsewhere. 

“Here, it seems like everybody is happy,” she said. 

Scarlett, who is interested in both biology and sustainable hospitality and tourism management, said several friends who attend CSUMB confirm her mother’s impression.

“They tell me they really like it,” she said.

She also feels the school offers what she’s looking for.

“I’ve heard there are a lot of opportunities,” she said. “I really like the focus on community and the medium size [of the campus].”

Vincent Cafalu, of Gilroy, was one of hundreds of students who passed through the ballroom in the Otter Student Union, checking out the campus clubs and organizations tabling in the space. He said he was certain that CSUMB was the best place for him to pursue a degree in biology. 

“I love the campus,” he said. “I love the energy the instructors have and the students. I’ve seen the classes, and I’d love to say, I think I’m going to succeed in this environment.”