California State University, Long Beach President Jane Close Conoley received a Trailblazer Award in higher education from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Long Beach chapter last Thursday.
“President Conoley was nominated for her work at the university and for continuing and enhancing relationship, service and support to the Long Beach NAACP and the community at large,” said Naoimi Rainey, president of the NAACP Long Beach chapter and a CSULB alumna.
The event, honoring the 36th Founders Celebration and 75th anniversary, was held to recognize local leadership and raise funds. President Conoley was one of several awardees, which included LBUSD Superintendent Christopher Steinhauser and community organizer Justin Rudd.
“I am honored to receive the Long Beach Branch NAACP’s Higher Education Award and humbled to be among such accomplished and inspiring awardees,” Conoley said in a press release. “The recognition of my work serves as confirmation that education makes a profound difference in the lives of individuals and the well-being of communities.”
Live tweeting from the event, President Conoley posed with other awardees, recognized scholarship recipients and was “delighted” to meet a CSULB student from the Long Beach branch.