Clear skies, friendly faces and free goodies welcomed students at the Central Quad at Cal State Long Beach on Wednesday.
Associated Students Inc. kicked off the semester with the “Week of Welcome,” which is a biannual event held every second week of the fall and spring semesters. The event offers students opportunities to learn and get involved on campus.
More than 300 student clubs and organizations including, fraternities and sororities, encourage students to join.
Sunny Scarbrough, a human resources management major and a member of the sailing club, said that the club is run by students.
“We teach everybody who joins — anybody could join,” Scarbrough said. “Eventually they can become pretty good racers.”
Alpha Phi Omega, a national coeducational service fraternity, provides members with the opportunity to develop leadership skills, establish meaningful relationships and provide service to the campus or the community, according to the fraternity’s website.
Political science major Melanie Jones said that students interested in Alpha Phi Omega should expect to have their leadership skills grow since there are many opportunities to develop those skills.
“I know mine did,” Jones said. “I used to be really shy, and this organization actually helped bring my personality out more. You’ll gain so many friends, everyone here is such a genuinely nice person.”
Students sampled food from various booths and indulged their sweet tooth with cotton candy from the InterVarsity club. Food trucks, such as The Grilled Cheese Truck and Canvas Food Truck and Catering, were available to students.
Maga Perez, a future international business major applying to CSULB, said she enjoyed the festivities today with friends.
“I signed up for the volleyball and photo club,” Perez said. “I’ve gotten water bottles, pencils, pens and candy — but they gave me way too much candy.”
Week of Welcome will continue with the fair Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Festivities will end with Smorgasport on Friday night from 7 p.m. until midnight.