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Office of the ProvostJune 9, 2026 Updates on events, resources, & achievements. ANNOUNCEMENTSNew Dean brings 20 years of inclusive leadership to Health and Human Services
Dr. Wade-Berg arrives from Kennesaw State University in Georgia, where she served as a professor in the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, bringing more than two decades of experience in higher education, nonprofit leadership, and equity initiatives. Dr. Wade-Berg shared, “It is an honor to step into this role and partner with such an exceptional community of faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders. I look forward to building on the college’s strong foundation to advance a shared vision and cannot wait to begin this new chapter together.” New Dean of the College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Nicol brings extensive experience in academic leadership, scholarship, and student success. She currently serves as Associate Dean for Personnel and Curriculum in the College of Liberal Arts at California State University, Long Beach. With more than 20 years of experience in higher education, her work strengthens academic programs, centers faculty and student success, and advances inclusive excellence for ALL students. Dr. Nicol shared, “I am honored and humbled by this appointment, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our faculty, staff, students, and Provost Scissum Gunn for entrusting me with this responsibility. I am committed to listening, leading with integrity and equity-mindedness, and ensuring that the College of Liberal Arts continues to be a place where every member of our community can thrive.” New Dean of Graduate Studies
Dr. Perrone brings extensive experience in graduate education leadership, student success, and strategic academic planning. She currently serves as Interim Dean of Graduate Studies at California State University, Long Beach. With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education, her work has strengthened advising infrastructure, improved thesis and dissertation processes, and expanded pathways to advanced degrees for students across disciplines. Dr. Perrone shared, “I am honored and excited to serve as the next Dean of Graduate Studies at Cal State Long Beach. Graduate education plays a vital role in advancing research, innovation, and opportunity, and I look forward to continuing our work to support graduate students, strengthen pathways to advanced degrees, and foster a culture where all can thrive. It is a privilege to continue serving The Beach community in this role.” Provost Karyn Scissum Gunn receives inaugural Dr. Jane Close Conoley Leadership Award
The Dr. Jane Close Conoley Leadership Award was established in 2025 to commemorate President Emerita Dr. Conoley’s impact as the university’s first woman president and her enduring commitment to inclusion, opportunity, and respect for all. The award recognizes individuals whose leadership reflects these values and advances meaningful progress toward equity and belonging at The Beach. “I am truly humbled and honored to receive this award,” said Dr. Scissum Gunn. “This recognition reflects the collective work of so many across our campus who are committed to creating a community where ALL students can thrive. Inclusive excellence is not the work of one person – it is the shared responsibility and promise of all of us at The Beach.” CSULB announces 2025-26 Graduate Award winnersFaculty from each college nominated graduate students for the Graduate Dean’s List of University Scholars & Artists and Graduate Student Honors. The Graduate Dean’s List is CSULB’s highest graduate student honor, recognizing the top 1% of graduate students for exceptional academic performance, leadership, and scholarly or creative accomplishments. This year, 43 graduate students earned prestigious Dean’s List awards. 100 graduate students received Honors. EVENTSJune 16 - LifeMatters: Coping With Grief and Loss June 18 - AI Crash Course: Tips, Tricks, and Assistants June 20 - Kintsugi Saturday Workshop June 26 – Lunch & Learn: Truth, Community, Healing, and Transformation July 5 - Tanabata Festival July 9 - Caption and manage videos in Canvas with Kaltura July 10 - Evening Music in the Garden Through July 10 - INSIGHTS 2026 Exhibitions at Kleefeld Museum POINTS OF PRIDEDr. Richard Marcus selected for ISGAP Faculty Fellowship and ISGAP-Cambridge Scholar-in-ResidenceCongratulations to Dr. Richard Marcus, professor in the Department of Global Studies and co-director of the Beach Institute for Dialogue and Community, on his selection for the ISGAP Faculty Fellowship Training Program, including his appointment as Scholar-in-Residence at the ISGAP–Cambridge Summer Institute at Churchill College, University of Cambridge. This competitive fellowship brings together a select cohort of scholars for two years, advancing research, education, and leadership to address contemporary antisemitism in higher education. As part of the fellowship, Dr. Marcus will participate as a Scholar-in-Residence in the 2026 ISGAP-Cambridge Summer Institute for Curriculum Development in Critical Contemporary Antisemitism Studies, held at the Møller Institute, Churchill College, University of Cambridge. Dr. Marcus will join leading international scholars and policymakers for an intensive two-week institute on the Cambridge campus dedicated to mapping and decoding the global rise in antisemitism and Holocaust distortion. Through this opportunity, Dr. Marcus will continue developing work that advances dialogue, education, and community-building efforts that support thoughtful engagement, mutual understanding, and respectful exchange across difference at The Beach. CECS student team places first at AI-based Hardware Attacks ChallengeA student team from Computer Engineering and Computer Science won first place at the AI-based Hardware Attacks Challenge at the 2026 IEEE International Symposium on Hardware Oriented Security and Trust in Washington, D.C. The student team was comprised of Marissa Marcarelli, Paris Talebi, and Hasala Seneviranthne, and was advised by Professor Amin Rezaei. Design student wins Steelcase Competition and Bergmeyer ScholarshipThird-year interior design student Yanira Rivas Ramos has put CSULB at the top of one of the nation's most competitive design competitions. Ramos won first place in the 2025 Steelcase NEXT Student Design Competition, outperforming 1,700 students from 89 interior design programs across the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and did so as the only undergraduate finalist. Ramos was also named the 2026 Bergmeyer Scholarship recipient, a $6,000 award recognizing leadership potential in interior design, architecture, and related fields. She completed her Steelcase entry alongside two other course projects in the same semester under the mentorship of Professor Eduardo Pérez of the Department of Design. Faculty honored with President's Achievement AwardsPresident's Awards for Outstanding Faculty Achievement have been distributed in recognition of sustained excellence in teaching, service, research, creative activity, administration, and student success initiatives. The 2025-26 honorees represent five colleges across campus: Banafsheh Behzad, Ming Chen, Jessica Robinson, and Reo Song from the College of Business; Lindsay Pérez Huber from the College of Education; Niloofar Bavarian, Tiffany Brown, Christine Scott-Hayward, and Kamiar Alaei from the College of Health & Human Services; H. Isabella Lanza and Richard Marcus from the College of Liberal Arts; Lijuan Li from the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics; and Jermie Arnold from the College of the Arts. PR students place in top 14 at national Bateman Case Study CompetitionFour College of Liberal Arts students earned honorable mention in this year's Bateman Case Study Competition, placing in the top 14 of 46 teams representing public relations programs across the nation. Makenzy Bowen, team lead and director of editing; Jakki Padilla, director of research and writing; Isabela Zuniga, director of outreach and research; and Valerie Perez, director of creative, developed their campaign from November 2025 through March 2026 under the guidance of Professor Krista Coriaty and industry professional Shani Crooks. The team reached more than 10,000 key publics and extended outreach across the CSU system — a milestone the group described as significant to their work. The Bateman Competition is one of the premier student case study competitions in the public relations field. CSULB students launch literary journal for disenfranchised voicesDarya Jafarinejad, a fourth-year creative writing student, and Christine Nader '25 have founded Wild Tongues Journal, a feminist journal in association with CSULB’s Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department dedicated to amplifying nonmainstream voices, identities, and perspectives. Taking inspiration from intersectional feminist scholar Gloria Anzaldúa, the journal provides a space for work rooted in women of color and transnational feminist traditions. Celebrating the Distinguished Thesis, Project, and Dissertation awardees for their excellenceThe Distinguished Thesis, Project, and Dissertation awards are given to graduate students whose culminating activity is deemed to be of high clarity, rigor, originality, creativity, and impact. Each college nominates one candidate per category, with recipients receiving a certificate, $100, and recognition in the Commencement program and library records. Congratulations to the recipients!
NEWS & UPDATESCSULB Commencement draws thousands as new era beginsOver five days of ceremonies, nearly 10,000 new grads assembled at George Allen Field to celebrate their accomplishments with family and friends, as well as the faculty and staff members who helped them along the way from the day they first enrolled to the moment they joined the ranks of Beach alumni. Lunch & Learn: Truth, Community, Healing, and TransformationJoin the Truth, Community, Healing, and Transformation (TCHT) campus office for a lunch and learn session to learn more about CSULB’s designation as a TCHT campus and the ongoing efforts connected to this work. Participants will learn about our campus and community efforts and how you can get involved. Register to attend. CHHS shares Class of 2026 student spotlightsThe College of Health and Human Services wanted to know how graduating seniors felt about their last year at CSULB and how it has shaped their success professionally, academically, and personally. They asked seniors to submit their stories sharing the incredible work they did in relation to overcoming challenges, advancing social justice, and serving their community. HFCOE hosts spring Dean’s Advisory Council meetingThe HFCOE held its spring Dean's Advisory Council meeting on May 28. There were 27 members in attendance, including engineering executives from Applied Medical, Boeing, Northrup Grumman, Raytheon, AWS, LA Metro, Dreamworks, Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, and others. The discussion centered around the state of the represented industries and the HFCOE, and projects of mutual benefit moving forward. Caption and manage videos in Canvas with Kaltura
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Provost Karyn Scissum Gunn announced on May 13 that Dr. Donna Nicol will serve as the next Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, effective July 1, 2026.
Provost Karyn Scissum Gunn announced on May 26 that Dr. Dina Perrone will serve as the next Dean of Graduate Studies, effective July 1, 2026.
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