Published: Monday, 23 August 2021
Written by Alicia Casey, ASI Communications Assistant
Hello Beach community and welcome to a new semester! It’s great to have you back with us this fall. Ready to get the most out of this term? Join ASI for fall Week of Welcome (WoW) and Cultural Welcomes. Now is the time to get involved with campus programs and communities.
WoW is a series of events aimed at introducing students to Long Beach State’s student organizations, clubs and resources. It runs Monday, Aug. 30 through Thursday, Sept. 2, from noon to 4 p.m. There will be club sports, cultural groups, Greek life, university resources, religious organizations, community service programs and special interest clubs to check out on select days. This year, WoW will be in-person in the Central Quad following COVID-19 guidelines. To learn more about the event schedule, safety information, participating organizations and frequently asked questions, visit asicsulb.org/calendar
Following WoW are Cultural Welcomes where students can get connected with various cultural communities at The Beach. The events are being held in virtual and hybrid formats (details will be provided upon registration) and are scheduled for Monday, Sept. 13 through Friday, Sept. 17, from 4 to 6 p.m. The program is being put on by the Student Life & Development (SLD), Dean of Students Office, Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), the Division of Student Affairs (DSA) and the Student Orientation, Advising and Registration Organization (SOAR).
Cultural Welcomes represent five events to support the following communities: Asian/Asian American community, Black/Pan African community, LGBTQIA+ community, Latinx and Chicanx community, and Native American and Pacific Islander communities.
"The goal of Cultural Welcomes is to help students find their community with students, faculty and staff from similar backgrounds," said Dean of Students, Dr. Piya Bose. "We all need people to understand our cultures, our backgrounds, our histories."
Dr. Bose has been a facilitator and participant for Cultural Welcomes in the past. She says the array of useful information about campus resources, chances to meet new people and get connected to supportive communities are the highlights of the week of events.
Participants will have the opportunity to engage with the program through Zoom or hybrid formats. Included will be large group presentations, small group breakout sessions, guest speakers from specific cultural backgrounds, and community outreach rooms.
Each event will allow students to learn about campus resources and meet others within their cultural communities. Events will also introduce students to cultural resource centers at the university and let them ask questions about available involvement opportunities within their groups.
Before the event kicks off, students can browse through cultural organizations on BeachSync through their Single-Sigle-On accounts. The search engine will bring up over 350 student clubs and resources to check out. For more information on Cultural Welcomes, visit the ASI event calendar dates for the events.
"There is something for everyone," Dr. Bose said, "and if students can’t find what they’re looking for, we’ll help them create a new organization!"
