President Erika D. Beck wove her way through the crowd on Bayramian Hall Lawn, shaking hands and sharing smiles at CSUN’s annual President’s Picnic. While the promise of free tacos attracted students to the event, beats from CSUN alumnus Aaron Myers and new connections led them to stay.
The picnic welcomes new transfers and freshmen each year while helping students and professors connect beyond the classroom. To fit busy schedules, the event was offered twice on Thursday — at 11:30 a.m. and again at 5 p.m.
“My favorite part of the university is the students, so this is my favorite when I get to be out and about and say hi,” Beck said.
Sporting cherry-red Matador Converse gifted by CSUN’s Associated Students, Beck said she is looking forward to the new school year with plans to launch student success initiatives and help every student cross the graduation stage in May.
Among the accomplishments she already celebrates this semester is the opening of the new Autodesk Technology Engagement Center.
College students were not the only ones in attendance at the President’s Picnic. A few high school students touring the campus stumbled upon the event as well. Beck was delighted to see young prospective students getting involved on campus early.
“We want to keep them right here in our community,” Beck said.
Beck is not alone in looking forward to the President’s Picnic each year. Jolleen Hartman, Administrative Support Coordinator for Academic Advising, said this event was among her favorites.
“Sometimes this brings, I feel like, everybody together as one,” Hartman said. “Then you can mingle and possibly get to know new people.”
Hartman, who was a volunteer for the event, carried a woven red gingham-lined basket, handing out information and free stickers to students on the lawn.
In the crowd of students, sitting in a circle at the center of it all, was first-year Zoë Dozier. Dozier made the long-distance move from San Francisco to Southern California for CSUN’s theater program.
Only two weeks into her time on campus, Dozier has already made a substantial number of friends. She attended the President’s Picnic with six others, all of whom she met in class. For Dozier, what has made her experience at CSUN more enjoyable has been the number of events hosted on campus.
“There were free tacos,” Dozier said. “I was like, ‘Of course. Let’s go!’”
First-year students Abby Palma and Pym Wongsakanit, both valley locals who commute to campus, said they shared the same excitement about starting the semester. The two met during the Pride Center’s open house, where Wongsakanit explained that her main goal is always to “connect and meet as many people as I can.”
Before class, they also stopped by the lawn for free tacos, where Palma was pleasantly surprised by the DJ. “I lowkey wish he was the DJ at my prom,” she said, as Wongsakanit added that the “vibe is crazy.”
Across from Myer’s DJ booth, the CSUN Mentorship Program welcomed students from its tent, offering peer support to help newcomers adjust to campus life.
First-year mentor Prinzy Savaliya said she joined the program after it helped her tremendously during her own freshman year. “If you have a good mentor with you, your first year gets easy,” she said.
Under the red canopy, third-year mentor Sumedha Uppal greeted first-years as they stopped by. Having served food at the President’s Picnic in previous years, she called her new role behind the mentorship table a “senior perk.”
As students came seeking guidance, Uppal shared her biggest piece of advice.
“Don’t overstress yourself. Don’t get overinvolved. There’s a difference between getting involved and overinvolved,” Uppal said. “It’s good to have some limitations – keep a boundary for yourself.”
