Advancing Equity at The Beach

The Catalyst for Change Endowment supports Beach students who serve as changemakers through social justice, are members of a recognized Black student organization and meet select criteria by offering scholarships and paid internships. Sponsored by the Beach community and the Brotman-Skoff family, the endowment was created in memory of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless other Black men and women who have suffered or died because of police brutality.

The Beach’s Black Cultural Resource Center benefits the cultural growth and development of the university’s Black and African American community. Funds from the annual Black Alumni Scholarship support the center’s mission, champion mentorships to facilitate degree completion and bolster scholarships for tuition, study abroad opportunities and other educational pursuits.

Established at the Long Beach Community Foundation, the Matthew & Roberta Jenkins Family Foundation Scholarship provides four-year scholarships to deserving Black students.

California leads the nation in the number of students pursuing their degrees despite challenges in their immigration status. A support fund for the Beach’s Dream Success Center provides resources to undocumented students, who lack access to federal financial aid and federally funded research and internship opportunities. Additional funds that support their academic success include the Norma Stoltz Chinchilla Scholarship for Undocumented Students, named after a professor emeritus of Sociology and Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies, and the annual Wings of Hope fundraising gala and auction.

The university’s College of Education and the Long Beach Unified School District’s Teachers for Urban Schools Initiative recruits, prepares and places teachers of color — particularly male Black teachers — who reflect the demographics and experiences of students. Its support fund bolsters outreach and recruitment efforts, while the Mary Jane Patterson Scholarship focuses on educators who are interested in teaching in urban classrooms. 

A partnership between the City of Long Beach, Long Beach Unified School District, Long Beach City College and Cal State Long Beach, Long Beach College Promise provides a pathway to higher education to LBUSD students who maintain good standing from an early age, regardless of economic barriers. The program facilitates access by offering college tours for grade-school children, AP courses for high school students, a tuition-free first year at LBCC and, through a Beach support fund, guaranteed admission to Cal State Long Beach to all qualified applicants.

A Beach fund for the university’s Basic Needs Program addresses immediate inequities in the basic needs of its most vulnerable students, including temporary displacement, housing insecurity, emergencies, food insecurity and financial crises. The ASI Beach Pantry, a component of the BNP, provides food items for students to take home.

Roughly half of foster youth fail to earn a high school diploma or a GED, while only three percent of those who reach a four-year university graduate. Through its support fund, the Guardian Scholars Program helps current and former foster youth achieve their educational goals by providing academic and financial aid advising, mentorship, skills assessment, math and writing labs and other resources to ensure college retention and graduation.

A Beach fund for the Women's and Gender Equity Center helps to create an equitable learning environment through advocacy, community building, education and self-empowerment, with support services for expectant and parenting students, affinity support groups and special events designed to support women in their careers. Additional funds that support gender equity at The Beach include those from Women & Philanthropy, which awards scholarships to re-entry students or those whose majors require participation in costly or time-intensive activities, and which connects donors with opportunities to mentor students.

The Beach’s Bob Murphy Access Center helps students with disabilities reach their educational goals through special programs, alternative testing accommodations, deaf and hard-of-hearing support services, a technology and accessibility resource lab, a job placement assistance program and more. A support fund helps purchase specialized equipment and assistive software and technology needed for academic and professional success.

Women and underserved communities still lack representation in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workforce. Through its support fund, STEM Advantage provides eligible applicants with paid internships, mentorships, scholarships and professional development workshops. 

The Google Bridge Program works to increase the number of physics PhDs awarded to underrepresented students identified as Black, Latinx and Indigenous. A support fund backs a transitional master of science program that targets students who lack necessary coursework, research experience or guidance to successfully apply for and complete a physics PhD program.

The Beach is one of 14 CSU campuses offering Project Rebound, which assists formerly incarcerated individuals as they seek to reintegrate into higher education. A Beach fund earmarked for this program offers critical support connecting these students with resources and ensuring their basic needs are met as they pursue their degree.