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Office of the ProvostMay 12, 2026 Updates on events, resources, & achievements. ANNOUNCEMENTSDr. Marissa Hansen Named Director of the School of Social Work
Dr. Hansen joined CSULB in 2014 as an assistant professor and has since served in multiple leadership roles. Her longstanding commitment to academic excellence and student success positions her well to guide the school into its next chapter. Annette Rodrigues, MSG, Appointed Executive Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Rodrigues has served as Program Manager for the Center for Successful Aging at CSULB, where she manages interdisciplinary aging-related initiatives, collaborates with faculty and community partners, and advances the aging workforce through student mentorship and experiential learning opportunities. Commencement Returns to CampusCommencement will take place May 17-21 at George Allen Field where graduates' names will be announced as they cross the stage and celebrate their achievement. Check out the Commencement webpage for more information. EVENTSMay 6 - July 10 – Insights 2026 Student Art Show May 16 – Full Spectrum Film Festival May 17-21 – Commencement May 27 – Beach Bytes Faculty Showcase POINTS OF PRIDEProvost Karyn Scissum Gunn Receives Inaugural Dr. Jane Close Conoley Leadership AwardKaryn Scissum Gunn, Ph.D., Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, was honored with the inaugural Dr. Jane Close Conoley Leadership Award by the President’s Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW). She was recognized at the Women’s Recognition Celebration on May 6 for her exceptional leadership and commitment to advancing inclusive excellence at The Beach. Established in 2025, the award honors the legacy of President Emerita Dr. Jane Close Conoley and recognizes individuals whose work reflects her dedication to inclusive leadership and equity at CSULB. Carole Nicholson Awarded the Star Advocate Award from the Career Development CenterCarole Nicholson (E-Advising Project Lead & Trainer, UCUA) was nominated for the Star Advocate Award based on her creative incorporation of the Plan Your Future Models: DREAM, BECOME, SUCCEED into the Beach Connect Alerts, now shared with the CSULB campus community. After Carole attended a Career Advocates session, she was inspired to revise our working draft of the alerts to align with the DREAM, BECOME, SUCCEED models, addressing major/career exploration, skill development, and job/internship searches. We were thrilled to see Carole adopt these models and immediately incorporate them into her work that is shared so broadly among the CSULB advising community. CSULB is the California State Jazz Champion for Second Consecutive YearCSULB's premier instrumental jazz ensemble traveled to Folsom to compete in the California State Jazz Championships over the weekend of April 24-25. In a two-day series of workshops, performances, and judging, the CSULB Bob Cole Conservatory of Music's Concert Jazz Orchestra - under the leadership of Professor Jeff Jarvis - took top honors and is the Jazz Champion of California for the second year in a row! Exercise Science Student Marine Brissot Wins National Scholar AwardThe American Kinesiology Association (AKA) gives a national scholar award to a handful of individuals who are recommended by department faculty. These students show exceptional academic excellence and leadership skills. It’s no wonder that Kinesiology student Marine Brissot was selected for this prestigious honor for CSULB. Brissot is graduating this spring with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Biology. She will attend Northwestern University’s School of Medicine to pursue her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree starting in the fall. Chem-E-Car Teams Win First and Third Place at 2026 AIChE Western Regional ConferenceThe CSULB Chem-E-Car teams won first and third place at the 2026 AIChE Western Regional Conference, under the guidance of Professor Ji-Hwan Kang in our Chemical Engineering Department. CSULB is the returning champion having won the 2025 regional competition. The 2026 team will be competing at the national competition again in the fall. Congratulations to the Winners of the Annual CSU Student Research CompetitionIn spring 2026, San José State University hosted the 40th Annual California State University Student Research Competition. This prestigious, three-day statewide event showcased outstanding research, scholarship, and creative work by undergraduate and graduate students from all academic disciplines across the CSU’s 22 campuses. Dr. Caitlin Murdock Awarded 2026 ACLS FellowshipThe Graduate Studies (GS) office is proud to announce that Dr. Caitlin Murdock, GS Faculty Director and Graduate Advisor/Professor of History, has been awarded a 2026 ACLS Fellowship by the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS). The ACLS Fellowship Program is the organization’s longest running program and supports outstanding scholarship in the humanities and social sciences. Dr. Murdock is one of 63 scholars selected from a pool of over 2,000 applicants through a multi-stage peer review process. ACLS Fellowships provide up to $60,000 to support scholars for six to 12 months of full-time research and writing. Awardees who are independent scholars, adjunct faculty, or have teaching-intensive roles receive an additional stipend between $3,000 and $6,000. Dr. Murdock’s research on Radiant Health: Nuclear Radiation and the Politics of Public Health in Twentieth-Century Central Europe explores how and why popular understandings of the relationship of radiation to public health have changed so dramatically. Graduate Studies Announces, Celebrates 2026-2027 Graduate Fellowship AwardeesThe Graduate Fellowship (GF) provides financial support ($9,000) to master’s and doctoral students who contribute to the public good in their field of study either via scholarship, research, and creative efforts or via active engagement in programs or activities. Graduate Fellows are nominated by a faculty member and selected by their college. The 2026-2027 awardees are: Olivia Wissa (MS in Mathematics for Educators), Abraham Orozco Munoz (MS in Chemistry), Sage Greenstein (MS in Criminology and Criminal Justice), Annette Alvare (Master of Social Work), Chelsea Acevedo (MS in Counseling, Student Development in Higher Education), Journee Harvey (MS in Counseling, Student Development in Higher Education), Odeta Rivera (MA in Political Science), Saad Abdullah Malik (MS in Aerospace Engineering), Nicole Reyes Camacho (MA in Psychological Research), Amanda Mitton (MM in Music, Choral Conducting), Eliana Perez-Heininger (MM in Music, Instrumental Performance); Emma Gonzalez (MFA in Creative Writing); and Miguel Montano (MS in Electrical Engineering). They were honored along with the 2025-2026 GF Fellows at the Graduate Fellowship reception on Tuesday, April 28. Ehsan Madadi Receives $200k NSF GrantAssistant Professor Ehsan Madadi from the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department received $200,000 from the National Science Foundation to study multiscale dynamics of molecular mixing and chemical reaction in multiphase systems. The applications of this work include power generation, refrigeration, and electronics cooling. This grant was awarded under the new Emerging Research Institution (ERI) category. Graduate Student Amber Peek Earns Top Distinctions Across Research CompetitionsCSULB biochemistry graduate student Amber Peek has had an outstanding semester, earning top distinctions across multiple research competitions. Peek received the Don Eden Graduate Research Award (CSUBIOTECH), placed first in both the CSULB Student Research Competition and the CSU Student Research Competition, and placed first at the CSULB Grad Slam and second in the CSU Grad Slam. These accomplishments reflect Amber’s exceptional talent, discipline, and growth at CSULB, supported by the mentorship of Dr. Deepali Bhandari and Dr. Jiae Lee. Amber’s success also highlights the strength of CSULB’s research and graduate training environment. Health Care Management Students Finish Fourth in NationFour graduate students in the Health Care Management program represented CSULB at the finals of the UCLA Center for Healthcare Management Case Competition, finishing fourth out of 92 teams from around the country. David Martinez, Ruchi Narkar, Mia Cabrera, and Elizabeth Kavianian were among eight teams invited to Los Angeles to present their analysis of a real-world management challenge to healthcare industry leaders. The group advanced through the semi-finals before finishing behind Xavier University, which took first place. Organizers said CSULB is the first CSU team in the competition's history to advance to the finals.
NEWS & UPDATESPresident Loren J. Blanchard on Leading CSULB with 'As Much Heart as I Possibly Can'President Loren J. Blanchard sat down with Susan Jacobs, director of content development, to discuss his approach to leadership and what taking the helm at CSULB means to him. A Heartfelt Send-off for the Class of 2026There's a hum of excitement as CSULB gets ready for Commencement, yet it’s a bittersweet time for those who’ve taught, coached, guided, and mentored our graduates through the college experience. As more than 10,000 students take their final exams and one last photo by their favorite campus landmark, a few in our Beach community, who have run alongside them to help them stay the course, share their best wishes. Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership Announces 2026 Faculty Stipend RecipientsTo advance our vision of having an ethics module in every CSULB course, 24 $3,000 stipends are being granted to faculty for integrating 3-hour ethics modules into their courses. The Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership has awarded over $657,000 in Ethics Across the Curriculum stipends since the program was initiated in 2005. Check out the full list of recipients on the Ukleja Center webpage. Physical Therapy and Engineering Collaborate on Assessing Ankle InjuriesAnkle sprains are among the most common musculoskeletal injuries, affecting athletes, military personnel, and the general population alike. They are also the leading cause of emergency department visits for musculoskeletal trauma and have a high socioeconomic impact. That is why an expert team of collaborators comprising students, faculty, and staff from the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) and Hung Family College of Engineering (HFCOE) are working together to create a device that would improve how ankle injuries are assessed. Professor Jolan Smith on Training Future Teachers to Advocate for Marginalized Families in Special EdJolan Smith is deeply motivated to prepare her students to support children with disabilities. The associate professor in advanced studies in education and counseling specializes in families whose kids are in special education, with a focus on Black families and children. Smith is also training the next generation of underrepresented educators, serving as the faculty advisor for the Mary Jane Patterson Scholarships on campus, and the lead for the Future Black Educators (FBE) Network. ATS Summer Faculty Workshops Schedule Now AvailableVisit ATS Events and Workshops for the full schedule. Don't miss these unique offerings that take a deeper dive into essential topics: Beach Bytes Faculty Showcase Improving Your Online Course Bots and Beyond: AI Awareness and Ethics Where Astronomy Meets the Dance Floor: CSULB’s Boldest New CoursePhysics and Astronomy Professor Joel Zinn and Dance Professor Rebecca Bryant are developing a new course, tentatively titled Galactic Bodies in Motion (ASTR 330/DANCE 330). The two received a grant to workshop a dual-disciplinary curriculum that uses movement to teach astronomy. CSULB Grad Slam Winners Take Home Cash Prizes – Lauren Muñoz and Amber Peek Represent The Beach at the CSU-Wide Grad SlamThe Graduate Center hosted the Grad Slam viewing party on Monday, April 20, announcing the 2026 CSULB Grad Slam Competition winners! The Grad Slam Competition is a space to showcase and celebrate graduate students and their creative activities in a 3-minute video. Winners received cash prizes: first place ($500), second place ($300), and third place ($200). The two first place winners competed in the 6th Annual CSU-Wide Grad Slam, with Amber Peek winning second place! We congratulate all the winners and participants! This year's winners are:
STEM Category:
CSULB Makes It Easier for Students to Manage MoneyAs part of a campuswide initiative, new financial literacy services are helping Beach students understand how to balance income vs. expenses, how to stretch their FAFSA refunds, how to save and invest money, and how to access free resources that are available to them. To date, hundreds of CSULB students have already interacted with these new programs. New Interfaith Leadership Certificate Helps Professionals Develop Communication SkillsCSULB's new Certificate in Interfaith Leadership is a fully online program designed for working professionals seeking to develop conflict resolution skills and navigate communication across religious and secular perspectives. Each of the two 8-week courses can be taken individually or together, with classes beginning on June 22. The deadline to apply is June 19, 2026. Visit the certificate program webpage to learn more and register. Inside CSULB's Workshops with IKEAA group of designers from IKEA, the international furniture store, visited an industrial design studio class at CSULB this semester. About 35 fourth-year students from the class participated in a four-week engagement with designers and executives from IKEA. The goal was to give students an insider’s perspective on physical, digital, and graphical experiences customers have within the retail environment. The students also learned what the professional standards and market trends are at one of the world’s leading companies in furniture, home accessories, and residential design. Submissions Open for June INSIDE Academic Affairs NewsletterSubmit items for our June edition by June 1. Please email submissions to AA Communications. Submissions should be brief and include a related hyperlink. Please note, we cannot guarantee that all submitted items will be published. However, submission items can be used to share in other channels (i.e. social media, news story, etc.). More Faculty & Staff ResourcesFind more campus resources online. aa-communication@csulb.edu | 562.985.5587 |
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