Building Community Connections
Ensuring all students, alumni, and families receive the most up-to-date and essential information about the university is at the forefront of efforts to unify CSULB’s many distinct communities. Robust relationships with on-campus and community partners are sustained through these communications, and continuously pave the way for student opportunity and growth.
On the largest scale, our University Relations and Development (URD) team — The Beach’s multidimensional advancement division tasked with strengthening philanthropy and advocacy — acts as the linchpin in our connection to all university stakeholders, casting a wide net in brand- and community-building. In 2023, URD launched new efforts that help unite these various networks through communication and relationship-building, modeling a community of belonging in the process — a core tenet of Beach 2030’s mission to build community at CSULB.
Projects like their Beach Monthly newsletter deliver relevant news stories to a vast audience of brand ambassadors, alumni, parents, and university friends. Through this publication, the communications team elevated the art of “knowing your audience” to a futuristic level, where all stories value the voices and well-being of those sharing different experiences.
URD’s Alumni Engagement’s new BEACH Volunteers program invites CSULB alumni and community partners to engage with one another and represent The Beach during exciting events, like a speaker series or Commencement. Tapping into a network of more than 380,000 Beach alumni, the platform has recruited volunteers for 19 activities since its launch in March 2023, securing helpers for more than 417 shifts. In all, 180 alumni have participated so far.
By opening our campus to all, alumni and students can connect through experiences and the intellectual pursuits of those who have gone to build a career after college.
Through The Beach’s comprehensive No Barriers campaign, URD amplified the university’s commitment to diversity, equity, and the well-being of our students. For this initiative, a print piece and online page were developed, highlighting funding opportunities that remove gaps in student experiences and support learners on their way to a degree. The campaign’s website features generous funds and scholarships that raise awareness, challenge inequities, and advance opportunities for Beach students.
Being a model of a diverse, equitable, and respectful campus is a cornerstone of CSULB’s efforts to build community. At The Beach, fostering intentional relationships with the tribal groups originating from the region is one example of how URD leaders are helping move the university toward that goal. Located on the traditional land of the indigenous tribe of the Gabrielino/Tongva/Kizh and Acjachemen/Juaneno, Cal State Long Beach has long recognized the university’s connection to the history and original people of the region. A multi-acre site on the west side of the university campus is considered by many as the only undeveloped remnant of Puvungna, once a large and thriving village that continues to hold significance for a number of tribal groups and is actively used for ceremonies and gatherings. To guarantee continued positive and respectful relationships to these groups, URD in 2023 hired a director of tribal relations to help steward connections and ensure they remain long-lasting.
Through equitable news, interactivity, and student and community bonds, our University Relations and Development team cultivates an open and collaborative campus, uniting CSULB supporters from all corners under our shared values and collective vision for the future.
