Rachel Guevara
My experience at CSULB has been amazingly rewarding. I have met the most wonderful people, experienced many new things, and gained lifelong lessons. When I first came to campus, I had no idea where to start. I felt confused, but one thing I knew for sure - I wanted to seize my opportunities.
One of the opportunities I had was to work on campus under Support Services. It was my first job coming from high school and I am very grateful for how they prioritized school and worked around my schedule. I met my first support group there, which expanded my perspective of the university, and gave me helpful advice on things to do and explore. Throughout my years at CSULB, I also grabbed the opportunity to participate in numerous organizations where I met friends who became like family (for example: the Pilipino American Coalition), encouraged me to help the community (American Red Cross), and introduced me to the world of public accounting (Accounting Society).
CSULB has truly become my second home. I experienced so much and would not change a thing.
Honestly, I have a funny story for the reason I chose CSULB. When I started applying to colleges, I wanted to attend a one far from home. I wanted to explore new areas and meet lots of people. As a high school student who recently moved to the United States, my idea of far was anything more than 5 miles in diameter from home. Thus, I applied to four CSUs I considered far. Fortunately, I got accepted to all of them. When it was time to make a decision, the main factor that helped me choose was the EOP (Educational Opportunity Program). I applied to EOP during high school and got accepted into two CSUs. I got into the program at CSU Dominguez and of course Long Beach. Living in the Carson area and having two colleges to choose from, I chose Long Beach State because it was farther from home compared to CSUDH.
Since my first campus tour, I have fallen in love with the Beach. CSULB was one of the best decisions I made and I am very proud of being a 49er.
Throughout my years at CSULB, I tried to be involved with organizations as much as I could. Among the organizations I take pride the most valuable were becoming a member of Student Center for Professional Development (SCPD) and Asian American of Pacific Islander (AAPI) Initiative. SCPD helped me develop the skills I need for my future career whether it was through their workshops or participating in mentoring programs. The workshops helped with professional skills and increased my knowledge of the recruiting process. I learned to further improve my interviewing skills, and networking abilities through the mentorship opportunity. My mentor encouraged me to apply for an internship to help strengthen my resume and so I did. This past year, I got accepted and interned as an accounting intern in Long Beach.
When it comes to AAPI Initiative, it gave me the chance to give back to the community by helping out with campus tours, college fairs, and other events with the goal of increasing college access rates in underserved communities. I learned so much by talking to other volunteers as well with the high school students. It was a valuable experience, which kept me grounded. Shout-out to all of our volunteers, especially Annabelle Arciva for introducing me to this initiative! I hope to participate more in future outreach and create more memories with everyone.
As a student majoring in Accountancy, I long ago mapped out my postgraduate plan. I want to obtain a job in an accounting firm and study and pass the CPA exam. It would be a dream come true to see all my hard work come together.
Favorite Professor: Karl Squitier, Jamie Apostol, and Glenn Zucman
Favorite class: IS 301 Business Communication with Angela Aleiss and ACCT 201 Elementary Financial Accounting with Simon Pearlman
Favorite Spot on Campus: The round tables in between the HHS2 and HHS1 buildings. I like how I get to relax there under the umbrella and watch the squirrels run.
Activities and Organizations: Accounting Society, Student Center for Professional Development, Asian American Pacific Islander Initiative
Quote: “You are successful the moment you start moving toward a worthwhile goal.”
-Rachel Guevarra (self)
