Greetings! Welcome to Beach Magazine, Cal State Long Beach’s new publication, which replaces Beach Review. Beach Magazine reflects the more dynamic and contemporary approach being taken in print and expanded online editions to share the significant accomplishments and impact CSULB has on campus and beyond our borders. We must connect, share and inspire our alumni and friends with our constantly evolving stories in a manner that matches our accomplishments and impact.

We are proud to be a diverse, student-centered, globally engaged public university offering a high-value education. We are proud that what we do matters. We know that we transform and change lives. We know that our students succeed as they compete with the best in the nation for jobs or places in graduate school—they succeed because our students are among the best in the nation. The measure of a university is the quality of the students who graduate and what those students achieve, the impact each has beyond the 321 acres of this campus.

CSULB matters because we have over 286,000 alumni and, in May, we graduated approximately 9,000 students, which again was among the largest graduating classes in the country. CSULB matters because we received more than 83,500 applications for admission for fall 2014, among the top five in the nation. We will welcome 9,000 new students to our campus, including local students who are admitted as part of the Long Beach College Education Promise. CSULB matters because we were named once again as a “100 Best Values in Public Colleges” by Kiplinger’s; “Top 10” in awarding bachelor’s degrees to minority students by Diverse Issues in Higher Education; and “Top 10” in both the number of bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees awarded to Hispanics. CSULB matters because we have the premier President’s Scholars Program in the state, which will be celebrating its 20th birthday next year. CSULB matters because of our intercollegiate athletics program, which has won the Big West Commissioner’s Cup four of the last five years, and, even more impressive, is that every one of our teams has surpassed the minimum Academic Performance Rate, one of only two schools in California to achieve this distinction. These are truly student-athletes.

CSULB matters because it is an institution with a passion for knowledge. You have heard that we say we are a “teaching intensive, research and creative activity-driven university.” I believe we are a discovery-driven university, which is why we are among the nation’s best universities.

As you probably know, after 26 years on campus serving in various positions, I will be retiring at the end of this academic year. It has been a privilege to serve as Cal State Long Beach’s president for the past year. The support I received from the faculty, students, staff, alumni, and friends of the university has been incredible. I know that I am a better person for having been part of the Long Beach family.

Our new president, Jane Conoley, begins her duties this summer. Dr. Conoley’s combination of leadership experience, vision and values make her an excellent choice to follow the outstanding leadership of former Presidents Robert Maxson and King Alexander. Under President Conoley’s leadership, CSULB will continue to be “among the nation’s best” universities.

Go Beach!

Donald J. Para