Matchmaking

Toni Rodriguez, right, a junior psychology major, signs up to be a bone marrow donor Monday afternoon outside the University Student Union. Be the Match, a bone marrow registry that sponsored the drive, says patients are more likely to be matched with a donor if the two are the same race and ethnicity, according to Account Executive Anna Marie Cruz. Be the Match chose to come to Cal State Long Beach in search of a more diverse pool of students.

Watercolors

Janna Bock, a senior illustration major, paints a watercolor Tuesday morning outside the Molecular Science building. Bock was doing an assignment for Martha Collins’ watercolor painting class. She said that she picked this spot because she liked the light on the leaves and the juxtaposition of the organic and structure (behind is the Hall of Science) forms.

Pool tables are back!

Ian Catbagan, first photo, plays a round of pool with his friend Leslie Mape, second photo, Monday afternoon at the University Student Union. Associated Students Inc. reopened the Games Center on the first floor this week after it was closed in January due to water damage, said ASI Communication Coordinator Christina Esparza. “I was excited,” Catbagan, a freshman mechanical engineering major, said. “I kissed the [pool] table because the felt was new.”

Because you're worth it

Shin Wei, a sophomore pre-nursing major, tries the new L’Oreal Go 360 Clean product face wash Wednesday morning outside the East Turnaround inside the L’Oreal van. Cal State Long Beach was one of 10 markets that L’Oreal was traveling to in order to promote its new product, Go 360 Clean. There are four Go 360 Clean products for four different kinds of skin, and each bottle includes a small sponge to clean one’s face, said Melissa Hovey, a Legacy Marketing Partner representative and director of the college tour.

New kid on the block

Phi Gamma Delta field secretaries John Vaughn (left) and Nate Carney (middle) speak to freshman psychology major Will Cardona (right) on Tuesday afternoon outside the Liberal Arts 5 building. The fraternity, which focuses on education, is trying to establish its own chapter at Cal State Long Beach, Carney said. All members must have a 3.0 GPA and can earn $250 in their first semester after joining.

Student union pool tables restored

Workers from J&J Designs work Monday afternoon to restore the pool tables at the University Student Union. The USU was damaged by flooding in January. The entire cost of the restoration is covered by insurance, said Associated Students Inc. Communications Coordinator Christina Esparza. Ezparza said they hope to open the rest of the first floor after spring break.

Restoring the union

Andre Phan, a senior computer science major, works to hook up new computers in the computer terminal bank Wednesday at the University Student Union by Robeks. The terminals were removed following the water damage in January. Phan's co-worker, David Kleen, said that they were reusing the computers and monitors from a former computer lab in the union. The computer lab had been dismantled and crews were building a preview room for the new Student Recreation and Wellness Center.

The circle of justice

Students from Dr. Lori Baralt's (wearing dark red) women and environmental justice class were discussing chapter four of New Perspectives on Environmental Justice: Gender, Sexuality and Activism, which covered black women's leadership in environmental justice movements. Some of the case studies discussed how minorities lived near hazardous areas and were fighting to close landfills or prevent new ones from being developed. Baralt said that it was the first time she held class outside.

Bottom image: student Nicoal Sheen discusses her thoughts about the readings.

Physical and emotional scars

(From left) Aaron Robinson films Andrew Baron-Vartian and Matt Jaurequi Tuesday afternoon outside the McIntosh Humanities Building. The three of them, all junior film majors, were producing a film for their diverse media class using a physical or emotional scar. In the film, Baron-Vartian plays a football player who was sidelined following a season-ending injury, his “physical” scar, and relives the memory as he watches Jaurequi play football, his “emotional” scar.

Painting the Pyramid

Dave Wrathall, a Cal State Long Beach alumnus, puts the finishing touches on his painting, tentatively titled "Cal State Long Beach." The piece was painted using acrylic paints on canvas. Wrathall said that he had wanted to paint the Walter Pyramid for a long time now and the piece was an appreciation for the place where he has been the most creative. Wrathall celebrates his second anniversary of painting on campus on March 24.

Hot Purple

Ion Yamazaki, a junior art major, looks at Herman Herrera's "Hot Purple" piece Monday afternoon at the Dennis W. Dutzi Gallery at Cal State Long Beach. "Hot Purple" is part of the Bold New World exhibition. It was painted with spray paint on canvas. Herrera said that he was attempting to create a link between design, color, figurative work, and graffiti. Herrera said he had a model sit for three 20-minute sessions and used a large brush, creating a significantly less detailed piece. Bold New World runs until Thursday evening.

Playing parkour

Scott Chan, a freshman kinesiology major, jumps over a planter Wednesday afternoon in the East Turnaround area. He said he was doing parkour, moving from point A to B as fluidly and as fast as possible. Chan and his friend Tyler Sanchez vaulted over the handicap ramp, did back flips, and scaled walls throughout the afternoon.

Coins for cancer awareness

Michael MacGregor, left, a senior communications major, donates his spare change on Monday afternoon. Kathleen Errington, sophomore chemistry major, right, and the Colleges Against Cancer organization were doing a coin drive outside the Liberal Arts 5 building. It was to raise money for the annual Relay for Life event, where participants take 24 hours to walk around a track, raise money and eat free food. This year will be the first annual Relay for Life at Cal State Long Beach, which will take place April 23-24 at the CSULB track. The organization has already raised more than $2,000, said Errington.

This post was edited at 8:32 a.m. on March 3. The Relay for Life is not a race and this year's event will be the first annual one.

Smashing the standard

Katie Gaston, a senior communications major and vice president of HeadSTRONG, smashes a scale Thursday afternoon during the HeadSTRONG “Smashing of the Scales” event at the Friendship Walk. HeadSTRONG’s goal for the event was to promote healthy lifestyles and awareness of eating disorders, said vice president Katie Gaston, a senior communications major.

Daring to DREAM

Tanya Alverz, a junior marketing major, makes a T-shirt on Wednesday afternoon to support the DREAM Act at the Friendship Walk. The DREAM Act would provide certain immigrant children to apply for a Green Card. Requirements include having entered the U.S. before the age of 16, having resided in the U.S for five years, and acquiring a high school diploma. Alverz said she supported the DREAM Act because "I think it would give the opportunity [for those people] to lead a normal life."

More Than Numbers Flashmob

ASI President Chris Chavez, center, and other students pose Wednesday afternoon for a photo during the “More than Numbers Flashmob” event in the University Student Union. The pose was in the shape of a number one (see above image). Chavez said that the flashmob was part of a larger campaign and concentrated effort with other student governments to mobilize students to rally against further student cuts. “We are more than numbers!” Chavez said to the crowd. “We are Long Beach!”

HeadSTRONG "Genes" Day

ASI Senator-at-large Isai Valdez, a senior criminal justice major, paints a pair of jeans during HeadSTRONG’s “Be Comfortable in your ‘Genes’ Day” event on Monday afternoon. HeadSTRONG displayed the pairs of jeans, which featured slogans like “Real women have curves,” on the Friendship Walk throughout the afternoon. “I know a lot of people who deal with self-image issues,” Valdez said. “This event is a good way to get [the message] out there that it’s not all about self-image.”

Chalk cleanup

Jon Root, a facilities management worker, picks up chalk outside the University Student Union on Tuesday afternoon. People drew pictures and wrote statements all throughout campus. Root said that he would have to file a work order to clean up all the chalk and did not know how much it would cost to clean it up.

Mold mission

Mark Farrell, a carpenter from Cal State Long Beach Facilities Management, cuts into the basement walls in the Social Services and Public Administration building Tuesday morning. According to Farrell, the walls had to be dried out to prevent mold after moisture seeped into them during a rainstorm that swept through campus last weekend.

Ready for rain

Hannah Paton, a sophomore and double major in communications studies and Spanish, waits in the rain for her friend to come to go to their next class. “I never think to bring an umbrella because I have an early morning class and the weather is never the same in the afternoon than it is in the morning,” Paton said.

Inflection Points

Katie Morlan, left, looks at a piece in Katie Reinman’s and Kelly Hamilton’s “Inflection Points” gallery in the Max L. Gatov East gallery on Sunday evening. Reinman’s purpose is to “emit the inner strength of women” and to show how “women portray themselves in a masculine society,” according to a statement by the artist. Morlan, a senior child development and family studies major, said, “It’s so beautiful; it definitely portrays women in a different light,” explaining that other pieces show women typically as thin and small.

Week of Welcome

Ian Sneed, left, a senior kinesiology major and dressed in a pink dinosaur suit, pretends to choke Steve Gray, a senior marketing major, during the week of welcome festivities. Sneed and Gray are part of Phi Kappa Psi. Sneed said he wants to "make sure everyone has a good time."

Three students work the Colleges Against Cancer table during the week of welcome festivities at the Friendship Walk on Wednesday afternoon: Kathleen Eirington, a sophomore chemistry major; Ashield Cabrera, a sophomore psychology major; and Paige Andersen, a freshman interior design major. Colleges Against Cancer’s mission statement supports and promotes American Cancer Society programs.

Nicoal Sheen, co-founder and co-chair of Cease Animal Torture, works at the CAT table. CAT seeks to educate people about animal cruelty and has an annual Animal Liberation Forum that features speakers, panels, and films. 2010 will be the second annual Animal Liberation Forum.

Computers? We don't need no stinkin' computers!

Connie Dong, a sophomore pre-nursing major, doesn't let the lack of a computer terminal stop her from getting online and using a computer on Wednesday afternoon in the University Student Union. Workers removed the computer terminals following the floods two weeks ago.

Music playing

Kenny Johnson, a sophomore theatre major, strums his Fender Stratocaster guitar outside the University Bookstore on Tuesday afternoon. Johnson says that he practices for 3-4 hours a day on campus and plays a mix of cover and original songs. “I’m not looking to impress anybody,” Johnson said, “but I know they appreciate it.”

Validating the velvet flavor

Joseph Andre Fabozzi, the store manager of YoGo Creations on campus, hands out samples of red velvet cake-flavored yogurt to students on Tuesday afternoon. He said they had just gotten the yogurt flavor that afternoon as a special Valentine’s Day flavor. Ten students participated in the test; nine liked the flavor, while one did not.

Tennis tests

Jasmine Wong, a sophomore liberal studies major, holds out a yardstick during an activity in an introduction to a physical science class lab outside the Peterson Hall 2 building on Monday afternoon. Students were dropping a tennis ball from the second floor and seeing how high it bounced, said Eren Karadayi, the teaching assistant. Earlier, he said that the class had measured shorter bounces and calculated how high it would bounce during the activity and would compare the two.

Juggling

Andrew Romero, a senior mechanical engineering major, juggles at the Friendship Walk on Monday afternoon. Romero is part of Cal State Long Beach’s juggling club, called the Beach Balls, and has been juggling for three years now. Romero said he likes the challenge of juggling and it gives him something to do.

Health care hammering

People gathered on the corner of Seventh Street and Pacific Coast Highway on Tuesday afternoon to protest and call for the Affordable Health Care for America Act to be passed. Many cars honked in support.

Special thanks to Huy Vo for driving the car.

Bookstore blues

Welcome back to school. This is why I don't buy books from the bookstore anymore.

Stealing the ball

Cal State Fullerton's Megan Richardson (23) knocks the ball out of Long Beach State's Melanie Lisnock hands during the second half of a women's basketball game at the Walter Pyramid on Thursday. Fullerton came back to win, 67-60, after overcoming a deficit as large as 17 points.

Something to note: The Fullerton player is definitely Megan Richardson, but she is not credited with any steals in the box score. Katie Avila, who picked up the ball, is credited with one steal.

Check out my Fullerton women's basketball gallery on my Zenfolio for more photos.