February 2024: Accomplishments of the CSULB community
Ryan Keller named January Employee of the Month
Ryan Keller, an operating systems administrator in the Division of Information Technology, has been named Employee of the Month for January.
Keller splits his responsibilities between being a PeopleSoft administrator and telecommunications technical lead. He has worked as a CSULB employee for nearly 20 years, plugging in phones for the campus phone switch upgrade in his first position in 2004. Over the years, he has served as a field technician, telecommunications assistant and a telecommunications analyst/programmer.
“Words cannot express the gratitude I have for Ryan Keller,” said Bryon Jackson, associate vice president of technology solutions and innovations. “His work on the reimagining telephone service at The Beach was beyond invaluable. Nearly all the work to accomplish the new IT Bundle billing process that replaced the monthly telephone bill was Ryan’s design and programming.”
Multiple music alumni win Grammy Award as members of vocal ensemble
Five alumni from CSULB’s vocal music programs are part of a musical ensemble that contributed to a Grammy-winning album this year in the Best New Age, Ambient or Chant album category.
Tonality is a featured a capella group on Carla Patullo’s latest album, “So She Howls,” which won the Grammy. The alumni who are part of Tonality are Anna Crumley ‘22, Cassandra Duschane ‘21, Natalie Gonzalez ‘21, David Morales ‘17 and Mariah Rae Maglalang ‘20. They attended the Grammy Awards on Feb. 4.
Tonality has been nominated for a Grammy before, for “Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals” in “A Change is Gonna Come” during the 2023 awards.
CSULB ranks No. 2 in country for clinical, counseling and applied psychology
CSULB has been recognized as No. 2 in the nation for best master’s degree in clinical, counseling and applied psychology programs.
BestColleges.com, an online resource for college planning and advice, gave The Beach high marks in metrics tracking affordability, student outcomes, flexibility/accessibility, and ease of admissions. The metrics were taken from the site’s annual College Choice and Admission Survey, reflecting the top preferences and priorities of students from across the country.
The Beach ranks among top 50 most applied to colleges in the country
CSULB recently ranked No. 5 in the top 50 “Most Applied to Colleges in 2023,” according to College Transitions. The higher-education publication and admission counseling service described The Beach as “one of the most applied to colleges because of high ratings for the campus, athletics and student life.” The site mentioned that the class of 2025 saw an overall acceptance rate of 31.2%.
OCC President Angelica Suarez ’93, ’96 wins NASPA President’s Award
Angelica Suarez ’93, ’96, president of Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, was honored with the President’s Award by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Region VI. It was the first time a community college president had been honored with the prestigious award, which is a special recognition given to a college or university president who has, over a sustained period, advanced the quality of student life on campus by supporting student affairs staff and programs.
Suarez obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology from CSULB in 1993, and a master’s degree in counseling from the College of Education in 1996. She received the award during NASPA’s Western Regional Conference in Las Vegas in November.
The Beach wins 26 COAST awards
The CSU Council on Ocean Affairs & Technology (COAST) awarded 26 Beach students during the 2022-23 academic year. A distinguished prize, COAST integrates system-wide resources and promotes interdisciplinary multi-campus collaborations to advance our knowledge of coastal and marine resources and the processes that affect them.
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