Swimsuit Edition - DIG Magazine

TOUR OF LONG BEACHEVERY PEDAL COUNTSCoined as being the most bike friendlycity in the U.S., Long Beach is home toa flourishing bike culture and its streetsare no strangers to spinning wheels. Thanksto Tony Cruz, U.S. Olympian and ProfessionalCyclist, the LB bike movement has been gainingmomentum.Named Bike Ambassador in 2009, Cruz createdthe Bike Long Beach website to bring informationand bike culture to the masses.Four years ago he decided to put into motionthe Tour of Long Beach, a charity ride promisingfun and fulfillment for pedal pushers andphilanthropists alike. The charity ride supportsPediatric Cancer research at Miller Children’sHospital.“He wanted to share his love for cycling and tie itinto the community by giving back to the cancerfoundation,” said Jocelyn Neely, Marketingand Event Coordinator Intern at Long BeachMemorial Hospital.The event offers four different races so thatriders, young and old, can participate.Among the options for those looking to hit thestreets are the free Family Fun Ride for kids,families and youth groups of all ages, the Tour ofLong Beach 31-mile ride, and Metric Century 62-mile ride. The “Big Ride,” or Cruz Gran Fondo isthe lengthiest option, spanning 100 miles downthe coast from Long Beach to Laguna Beach.8The growing event promises to draw in a largercrowd than ever this time around.“The first year we had around 1,200 participants,this year we expect over 3,000 to come out forthe races,” said Brett Beck, Senior DevelopmentOfficer at Miller Children’s HospitalLast year the tour raised $225,000 for thecause and this year Wells Fargo, the presentingsponsor, is providing a jump-start by donating agenerous $50,000.“This year we hope to raise $300,000 forpediatric cancer research,” Beck said.There are several volunteer opportunities forthose who may not want to participate in the ride,but want to be involved in the cause. Volunteerscan help participants register, hand out goodybags at the end of the race, and help serve food.“Volunteering is a great way to give back tothe community, and with this huge of an event,volunteers are who make this event possible,”Neely said.The event is an opportunity to pay it forward, butalso promises to provide a day of fun for bothnon-participants and participants alike. All raceslead to a full-day bike festival that includes liveentertainment, food, vendors and a craft beergarden to take the edge off post-race.The Beachwood & Friends Craft Beer Gardenfeatures the chance to sample more than 20BY SARAH BOGY AND ALISON TRUAXbrews, including the local flavors of the BelmontBrewing Company and Beachwood Brewingamong a dozen local craft breweries from allacross the southland.Twenty bucks gets you a five-ounce souvenirglass and ten tastings at the beer garden’s entry.As an added incentive, “Every rider whoregisters will get a free beer tasting at the beergarden,” Neely said.The free festival is held at the Pike at RainbowHarbor downtown and is a celebration of allthings cycling and a feel-good way to spend aSaturday. Prices to register for the ridesvary from individual to group rates rangingbetween $55 and $120. Registration is availableon the Tour of Long Beach website and will beopen until the day of the event. For those whowant to gear up and practice, there is also anoptional bike training happening every weekendup until the day of the event with US OlympianTony Cruz.

AamberHickmanWalterMendezLinhNguyenCampusCoutureGET UP CLOSE ANDPERSONAL WITHCSULB’S STUDENTDESIGNERSBYNayeli CarrilloJulie ChungIf you have not yet attended the annual Campus Couture fashion show, this year is your chance to witness firsthand the talent at the Cal State LongBeach fashion department.The CSULB Campus Couture fashion show is the largest student-run event on campus showcasing the end-of-year collections of junior and seniordesign majors. The event is an opportunity for the designers to share their garments with family, friends and the campus community.The fashion show is the culminating event of a fashion class, which requires all garments to meet specific standards before hitting the catwalk. Theshow is guaranteed to have topnotch student-made pieces with the best student models showing off the collections.We sat down with three student designers, with completely different design styles, to give you a glimpse of what to expect from the show.in Rags II Rhythms fashion show for four years ina row, she is a design assistant for junior designcompany Self Esteem, and she has also wonsecond place out of 75 contestants in OrangeCounty Fashion Week.Hickman attributes her accomplishments to“never standing still, and always trying to findout where [she] fits in, in design.” Her missionas a designer is to create wearable clothes thatwomen can feel unique in.“I feel like a woman should be able to choose ifshe wants to be feminine or edgy,” Hickman said.She added that her ready-to-wear garmentsprovide women with those options.Hickman gives us a sneak peak of one of her pieces that will be in the show. By Amatullah GuyotWith her perfectly fitted blazer, tailoredshirt and jeans, a bold necklace, andbeautifully curled hair, there were onlythree words to describe Aamber Hickman.Cool, calm and collected.Originally from Corona, senior clothing majorand marketing minor Hickman discovered herpassion for drawing at 5 years old. She realizedat an early age that she loved drawing clothesand immediately began learning how to sew herfreshmen year of high school.After learning how to sew under Ms. Maggi,her fashion teacher who she stated was herinspiration to pursue design, Hickman made herfirst pair of snowflake-printed pajama pants thatconvinced her, “I’m going to be a designer!”Although Hickman refused to be labeled as aprofessional, she has been a featured designerAlthough Hickman enjoys wearing simple basicsfor her personal style, her designs alwaysremain sophisticated. For Campus Couture, shehas decided to take a more romantic and freespiritedapproach.Hickman’s eight-piece, resort-wear inspiredline can be described as “resort-retreat meetsshipwreck-chic.” Many of her garments sport aflowing, fun and feminine style with bright popsof color that she created herself.When it comes to design, Hickman discoveredher specialty is color.“I hope that the people in the audience can see[during the show], but there’s a lot of hand-dyed textilesthat I think worked out really well in my pieces.”9

In designing women’s ready-to-wear, Hickmanstrives to cater to women’s needs while makingthe garments marketable.“It’s hard though as a student in my departmentbecause you see so many showstoppers withvolume here and sequins there, and you haveto wonder ‘dang, am I doing enough?’” Hickmansaid. “But I mean this is who I am and peoplecan relate to me, so I love that.”Hickman explains how design is a “labor of love,”because you cannot survive those sleeplessnights without being passionate about it.As she lists the endless difficulties of beinga designer, from backstage pressures to theconstant designing and sewing process,Hickman smiles as she says, “I still lovedesigning though and it’s so worth it.”Behind all the glitz and glam, Hickman describeshow people don’t realize that fashion design isone of the most labor-intensive fields. She jokesabout how jealous she is of non-fashion designstudents, describing them as always looking“happy, shiny and clean.”Njoki Maina models one ofHickman’s former designs By Alfred ReynoAt only 23, Walter Mendez’s sharp eye forelegant and luxurious high end women’swear and most recent menswearcollections has caught the attention of high endfashionistas including television personalitiessuch as actor Jesse McCartney, television hostJeannie Mae and America’s Next Top ModelRaina Hein.Sitting across from him you would never guessthat apart from finishing his CSULB career thissemester and designing his own line, he stillmanages to find time to work on his website andsocial media. He confidently asserts, “This iswhat I want to do so badly that it gives me theenergy.”Along with creating his own line, Walter iscurrently working on his senior project, which isto showcase eight of his garments in the show.The show provides student fashion coordinatorsthe opportunity to interact with sponsors whiledesigners get exposure with judges from theindustry such as LA Fashion Week’s founder,This beautiful, pink gown will be part ofMendez’s collection for Campus Couture.By Alexandria Bailey10Mikey Kouffman. In fact, if chosen for the bestcollection in the show, Walter would be allowedto show his collection at LA Fall Fashion Weekas part of the Emerging Designers Show.With four years of experience, his skills indesign have helped him stand out in the LAarea, winning him honors such as “The NextBig Designer Award” by the World NetworksCommittee, an exclusive networking alliancecreated by Louisine Karibian. What makesWalter truly stand out is the clarity of his goals.He knew in freshman year of college that hewanted to be a designer, and staying positivehelped him come a long way since.When designing for his women’s line, Walteraims for women wearing his pieces to feelelegant and chic. The structure and softsilhouettes allow women to be confidentknowing they have the proper support, and yetfeel feminine and sophisticated.Being raised in the small community ofManhattan Beach, the ocean has always beena huge influence in the flowing silhouettes andnatural tones of the Walter Collection.Mendez on set at the Style PR Showroom.Growing up here where his personal styleaesthetic isn’t prominent, he strives for hispieces to reflect his desire to make New Yorkhigh fashion accessible in the west coast. Helaughs as he confesses, “I feel like I am a NewYork kid trapped in L.A.”From the onset of his CSULB career, fashionmerchandising professor and Campus Coutureadvisor Dr. Suzanne Marshall was instantlydrawn to Walter’s friendly attitude. Sheemphasizes how “he doesn’t settle for just goodenough but always goes the extra mile.”Recently, he was chosen along with fellowdesigner Linh Nguyen to create an outfit forStyle Network TV host Jeannie Mai to wear onher Emmy nominated show “How do I look?” Asfar as his menswear line is concerned, AFI leadsinger Davey Havok and Disney actors DavidHenrie and Adam Irigoyen have all been spottedrocking Walter’s sophisticated yet comfortablesuit jackets in magazine editorials and the redcarpet, confirming that Walter is not just talentedbut adaptable.

ILinh Nguyen is one of the many designers showcasing a collection at this year’s Campus Couture fashion show. By Amatullah Guyott’s hard to keep a straight face while talkingwith Linh Nguyen, especially when herhilarious personality is hard to ignore.She immediately starts the interview by talkingabout her 2-year-old pit bull that she lovesas if he were her own child, and her love forbasketball despite how much “[she sucks] at it.”A simple glance at Nguyen’s senior collectionfor the fashion show is enough to know that hertalent as a designer is undeniable. Nguyen is asenior clothing textiles major and merchandisingminor who currently works as a raw materialsassistant at Volcom, has a background inphotography, and has won the “How Do I Look”contest along with Mendez.And although it is so apparent how experiencedNguyen is, no one would ever guess it with herhumble attitude.Nguyen’s mother taught her how to use thesewing machine when she was only 7 years old,so that she could make her own Barbie doll’sclothes. As Nguyen learned how to make herfirst dress in the fourth grade, she began makingher own Halloween costumes and has eversince.Through the process of discovering her passionfor fashion design, Nguyen realized that sheloved designing because “there is so muchmore to fashion than what is on the surface andwhat people think.”Although Nguyen described her personal styleas being lazy, her collection for the show isanything but.“I’ve made a lot more un-wearable [garments forthe show],” said Nguyen. “I love historical fashionand so I tried to tie in certain elements from thatinto my recent designs.”Inspired by the Elizabethan era, many ofNguyen’s garments have exaggeratedsilhouettes with structural designs that emulateQueen Elizabeth’s extravagant garments.Nguyen made sure to take this opportunity touse different design techniques and her creativeideas.“I feel like this [show] is my last chance to dowhatever I want, and so I’ve tried to incorporatethings that I wouldn’t really get to do once Igraduate,” said Nguyen.What may set Nguyen apart from other studentdesigners is her meticulousness. While manydesigners might despise the pattern-makingand sewing process, Nguyen lights up as shetalks about creating her garments from sketchto finish.“The thing that matters to me the most as adesigner are the little details,” said Nguyen. “Ialways want the inside of my garments to lookas nice as the outside, even if people don’talways notice it.”Although many aspiring designers strive to havetheir own label, Nguyen clarifies that is not thelifestyle she wants to lead.“I think it would be too much of a burden onmyself, so I would love to work for someone thatalready caters to my aesthetics,” said Nguyen.As Nguyen reminisces her freshmen year,she advises, “Beginning designers should putthemselves out there more because I reallyregret not doing that when I first started [design].You have to start marketing yourself…and itnever hurts to try.”Nguyen’s designs for the show definitely cannotbe found anywhere else because they are theepitome of “one-of-a-kind.”Make sure you catch her, Mendez and Hickmanon the runway on Friday, March 10, 2013 at theCarpenter Performing Arts Center at 7pm.For tickets and information visit or call theFamily Consumer Sciences Department at562-985-4484.Senior Erin Barker tries on one of Nguyen’sQueen Elizabeth-inspired dresses.Photo By Amatullah Guyot11

S W I M S U I TE D I T I O NHOT SUMMER TRENDSBY ARIELLA RAMSAND ANTHONY GARZAPHOTOS BY KARINA CORNEJO12

Sure, we loved Kate Upton on the coverof Sports Illustrated in her itty-bitty stringbikini, but what’s the point in talking aboutsuits if you have nowhere to wear them?This is why we love our CSULB students morethan Kate-- they have the hot trends and localspots. After all, this is The Beach!As far as the ladies are concerned, last summerwe saw a lot of Victoria’s Secret playing in thesand. But as the girls from A Bikini A Day haveshowed us, this summer is all about showingsome cheek, and doing it in neon, fringe or print.For the fellas, longer trunks are a thing of thepast. This summer, big brands are wheeling anddealing patterns, bright colors and a shorter leg—talk about kicking it old school.So, here’s what we’ve got for you: a list of whatto wear, and where to wear it, as recommendedby our own CSULB students.Lindsey Kaplan, a 21 year-old savvy FashionMerchandising senior, insists on bright neon andfringe suits for the summer.“Forever 21 and even Target have some prettycheap bright or printed suits,” she says. “I think,though, this summer will be all about the fringe.You can easily find one on 2nd Street at Diane’sSwimwear or online.”According to our research, skimpier suits arealso a rising fad.You thought last summer showed some tush?Just wait until the end of finals roll around, thebeach will be booty-licious.Bow Tie bottoms just hit the market, leakinga little cheek as a people-watching present.Brazilian cut bikinis are common in Hawaii, andnow that they’ve floated over to the mainland,it’s time to put our insecurities away and strut ourstuff. Are we right, or are we right?As far as bottoms go for the dudes, instead ofthe usual 20” pant leg for men, you might beseeing 18”, or less. Who knew your thigh wasso sexy?Bennett Lefebvre, CSULB senior, prefers towear Quicksilver’s Diamond Dobby material.“Stretch fabrics that are light and dry fast are thebest,” he says. “Personally, I’m going with brightcolors this summer. And I’ll be wearing trunkswith a leg that cuts above the knee.”If you want a local spot to play some volleyball,feel free to head to the nets behind the BelmontPlaza Olympic Pool in Long Beach or the southside of the Huntington Beach pier. Or, simplylounge at the highly recommended Seal Beachor at Horny Corner.Summer school’s got you down? Heck- juststrip down to that suit and find a grassy hill oncampus. We won’t mind (but security might…sexy police, anyone?).Now stop reading and throw on a suit, the beachis waiting. No, not this one. The one with sand.Jasmine Hamilton, Kate Hespenheide, Marisol Samayoa, Miles Thompson, Matt Sappington lounge and play volleyball in the Lymon Lough Fountainin front of Brotman Hall.13

Summer Lovin’The Temperature Rises and the Clothing FallsBy Lyzette Salway and Brianna Fountain-FennellAs the days get longer and theweather gets warmer, yourclothes and inhibitions are sureto become looser. And with summerright around the corner, there areplenty of no-strings-attached flings inyour future, if you so choose jealousfits, passive-aggressive tweets, andarguing in public are all perfectlyvalid reasons to avoid getting intoa monogamous relationship. Infact, college students are known togenerally favor casual hookups overold-fashioned romance.But what exactly is a hookup?Everyone has his/her own idea ofwhat constitutes as a hookup (BillClinton, I’m looking at you), but for thepurpose of this article, a hookup is anyphysical contact between two people,commitment-free of course.With more free time, students havethe chance to partake in the usualsummertime activities, like loungingon the beach, socializing at bonfiresand parties, and taking road trips torandom destinations.Cal State Long Beach lecturer MarcelMorales, who teaches sociology ofsexuality, said people hook up all thetime, regardless of the season, butsummertime provides an environmentthat fosters sexual exploration.“Sexuality is more omnipresent [duringthe summer]” Morales said. “Peoplewear less [clothing], the heat goes up,and people have more free time.”Avoiding emotions at all costs is thefirst rule of casual hookups. Thingsmay quickly turn sour the moment oneperson starts to catch feelings.Before moving to Long Beach,communications major Shene McCoyhad a summer fling with a guy fromback home in Oakland. She eventuallyrealized that they didn’t have the sameintentions.“Feelings came on fast,” McCoy said.“He couldn’t let go, but I was happy toleave him back home.”McCoy admitted she’s looking forwardto where this summer may take her.But she had one bit of advice.“Know what you are getting into sofeelings won’t get involved,” McCoysaid. “[And] don’t limit yourself to oneperson.”Alcohol is another way to complicateyour sexy time. Yes, beer pong andMonday-through-Sunday fun-days area big part of summer festivities, but abad case of beer-goggles may haveyou pillow talking with someone whoisn’t even your type.Kinesiology major Kenny Famuyiroadmitted that alcohol was involvedwhen he hooked up with his co-workerone summer during a party.“I drink way more in the summer. Peopleseem to be more relaxed and social,”Famuyiro said.You should always try to limit alcoholto just one or two drinks. You willremember more of your summer,and more importantly, more of yoursummer hookups.Famuyiro’s fling ended up lastingthroughout the summer, until workended. “It’s still cool to see her everysummer, but it was a fling and nothingmore,” Famuyiro said.Morales said that alcohol consumptionand sex is a risky combination, andeven puts your safe-sex practices injeopardy.“One thing you need to ask yourselfis, ‘would I normally do this?’” Moralessaid.Casual hook ups aren’t supposed tobe stressful, but you should alwaysremember the possibilities of contractinga sexually transmitted disease.According to the California Departmentof Public Health, STDs are mostcommon among men and womenin Long Beach who are between theages of 15 and 24 years old. CSULBStudent Health Services provides STDtesting and treatment for students.Lectures aside, summer break is intendedto give students a few worry-freemonths that include sleeping in, justmake sure you’re okay with who you’rewaking up next to.14

Summer School (Yes or No?)By Chie UrakiAre you ready for summerbreak or summerschool? CSULB offersmore than 700 day and eveningcourses during SummerSessions. CSULB students andnon-CSULB students can enrollthe class and earn up to 13 unitstoward a degree. While somestudents like summer courses,other students are not willinggive up their summer freedom togain a few units. There are manypros and cons when choosingwhether to take summer classor not.Smaller classesSince most students are onvacation and usually fewerstudents enroll the summer class,students will experience a smallclass atmosphere. This couldhelp them to participate in theclass and might be easy tointeract with the professor. Juniorinternational studies and politicalscience major Jonathan Floressaid he prefers smaller classesduring the summer. “Smaller sizeclass makes everything a littlebit more personal, especiallybetween the professor and thestudents, as well as it is morehelpful since everyone wouldfeel the need to participate,”Flores said.so professors sometimes arenot able to cover all materialsthat students are supposed tolearn during a regular semester.Some students like it becausethe material is condensed inorder to finish quickly, but otherstudents feel as if it is too rushed.“The short term class is a littlebit difficult since we sometimesneed to learn what we see in asemester in a couple of weeksand can get stressful,” Floressaid.Class expensesThe enrollment fee is the bigconcern for both parents andstudents during the summersession. This can be a dealbreaker because of the $299per-unit fee, an $85 parkingfee and additional UniversityStudent Union fees.Eliminating summer plansEnrolling in a full summer sessionmeans you might sacrifice yourentire summer break. SeniorEnglish education major DaleGima takes her vacation timeseriously: “I believe that anybreaks that a student can takewill greatly improve their mentalhealth, and allow them toperform better during the regularschool year.”Senior theater arts major Miho Nakamura studies at Belmont Pier. Photo By Chie UrakiShort-term classSummer classes run fewer weeksthan that of the regular semester,15

WHATS UNDERYOUR GOWN?By Gemma Matin and Simone GullbergGraduating students will soon take an importantwalk at the commencement ceremony at CalState Long Beach. A walk that is reflective ofhard work and marks the beginning of a newchapter.Now, the question is: what’ll be under yourgown?“I’ve been to graduation ceremonies before atCSULB and there’s one thing they all have incommon: little shade and lots of sun,” KristinaKochan, Fashion merchandising senior andhead coordinator of Campus Couture said.So, if you want to avoid soaking in sweat, thenleave your polyester dress at home and opt fora cotton fabric.“[Polyester] can leave you sweaty and stickyand praying for the ceremony to end…quickly,”Kochan said.Considering that the color of the CSULB gown isblack, you should probably avoid orange, “if youtake photos with your gown open, you’ll look like ahot Halloween mess,” Kochan said.Unless, of course, that is the look you are going for- or your graduation ceremony is delayed till October31.After avoiding looking like a sweaty Halloweenmess, you might want to consider a factor that candecide if you’ll make it or break it.“The last thing you want is to trip on your own feet in16front of the whole school, and their grandmothers,”Krista Hunter, L.A. based fashion designer and stylistsaid.Jamie Carr chooses what to wear under hergown wisely. Photo By Nina LodicoTo avoid being stuck in the grass while yourfriends get their diploma, or falling on stage, agood piece of advice is to “be conservative inthe height of your heels,” Hunter said.Cayla Langhammer, senior communicationsmajor, isn’t concerned about falling over.However, she has considered the damp stickygrounds of the ceremony.‘’I’m going to wear wedges, I don’t want my feetto sink into the grass.’’Anthony Garza, senior Journalism major, hasa customized suit he ordered weeks ahead ofthe ceremony. As the first person in his family tograduate, it’s important for him to look the partunder his gown for the cameras.He says he has matured throughout college,“wearing a two-button suit is way more mature.”He chose to drop a button from his suit jacketsince his high school graduation. ‘‘A three-buttonsuit is something you would wear to prom.”Joshua Pulido, senior communication major,hasn’t given much thought about the outfit he’llbe wearing. Pulido missed the ceremonial walkat his high school graduation.“I fell a sleep in front of everybody. People werepoking me to wake up but I just didn’t,” he said.“So this will be my first graduation walk.”Instead of thinking about what to wear, he hasbeen thinking about drinking a lot of caffeine.Graduating students have different takes on theimportance of their graduation outfits and whatthey’ll wear under their gowns.Whatever you decide to wear for the ceremony,try to plan ahead of time so as to avoid trippingfiascos, falling asleep or festive-looking outfitdisasters.

GOT A CASE OF THE GRADUATION BLUES?HERE’S THE CURE.BY MATTHEW SOUSA AND CORTNEY LONGIt’s the end of exams, homework and finals.It’s the beginning of the rest of your life, in themost cliché sense of the phrase, and can onlymean one thing: graduation.Every graduating senior dreads the inevitablequestion, “So what are your plans aftergraduation?” Generally, the plan is to find theillusive, “instant adult” pill that will supply youwith a stuffed bank account, a full-time job anda chic apartment by the beach. Surprisingly, thepharmaceutical world is lacking, so studentsmust find other resources available.Never fear, the Career Development Center ishere! From overcoming freshman fears to curingsenioritis, the CDC has tips for college studentsof all class levels to feel prepared for graduation.According to CDC Outreach Coordinator TerriArmstrong, students graduating in today’seconomy have a better head start than when therecession first hit.“Outlook is much higher for finding a job than2008,” Armstrong said. “Employers are lookingfor recent grads.”Preparing a portfolio along with perfectingyour resume, are all essential tools that couldhelp land that perfect job. The CDC offersworkshops throughout the year that focus onthese topics along with other relevant areas,such as interview techniques, networking tipsand resume reviews.According to Armstrong, it’s crucial for studentsto be proactive in their search for employmentand demonstrate a strong work ethic rather thanmaintaining consistent A’s.According to Manuel Perez, the director of theCDC, students have all the resources they needto pursue a career of their taste. He said thebest time to apply for an internship is in the fallsemester but students should start looking asearly as their freshman year.“Internships have increased by up to 40% bythis time last year,” said Perez. “It’s mainly dueto a turn in the job market and more employerslooking for interns, and we encourage studentsnot to waste time.”Still feeling overwhelmed, graduates? Hereare a few graduate success stories to staveoff the May anxiety attacks, because contraryto popular belief, not all students immediatelymove back into their childhood room and startflipping burgers for $8 an hour after graduating.2012 Cal State Long Beach graduate KathyXayasomloth managed to find a full-time job atLong Beach Sports Rehabilitation & PhysicalTherapy and remains living on her own.“It was tough right after graduation,” she said.“I was really scared I would have to move backhome. Even though my job isn’t in my degreefield, it’s at least a job that helps pay the bills andallows me to keep my independence, somethingthat was really important to me while I was atcollege.”Another 2012 graduate, Nicole Rodriguezmoved to Hollywood for a full-time job at ZEFR,a YouTube production company that offerstech support for content owners and brands. Afilm and electronic arts major, Nicole used herconnections to get a job within her major quicklyafter graduating.“Life after graduation was intimidating,” she said.“All of a sudden I had to go to work and makemoney instead of just show up to class. Being anadult is weird. I’m still getting used to it.”Grads, before you start popping Prozacs foryour mid-mid-life crisis, take a step back. Youjust completed the hardest four (or seven, if youhad Van Wilder aspirations) years of your life.Take pride in your accomplishments and use allresources available to get to where you want tobe in life.GraDBucketlistCap and gown…check. Family in the audience…check. Last minute graduation partydecorating…check. The anticipation for graduation grows more and more intense astime progresses towards the long awaited commencement ceremony.Sarah Whiteford & Joshua EsquedaNow that the school year is coming to anend, make sure to make the most out ofyour college career. Use this short bucketlist to create some memories that you will alwayslook back on with a smile.COMMIT A RANDOM FUN ACTWith the abundance of random things to doaround campus, there are so many things to dothat is out of the ordinary. The water fountain infront of the Brotman Hall looks pretty temptingto jump in on a hot day. A last minute dip inthe fountain couldn’t hurt! It’s also a graduationtradition to jump in with your gown.PROVE A CSULB URBAN LEGENDIt’s been told time after time that the grassy hillfacing the SSPA building is called 4.0 Hill. Legendhas it that if you roll down the hill the first day ofthe semester, you will get a 4.0 that semester. Itmight be a bit too late to receive that grade pointaverage, but why not be spontaneous and try it?Avoid trees at every cost.DRINKS ALL AROUNDThere is sometimes a sense of emptinesswhen the semester is over. There’s also thoseselect people you wish you had gotten to know,but never did. To avoid that, invite them to theNugget for a beer or two and get to know thembefore graduation.SHOW YOUR SCHOOL SPIRIT AT A 49ERSPORTING EVENTSSurprisingly there are many students that go theirentire academic careers without going to a universitysporting event. For example, baseball season runsuntil May 25. It’s fun and a good way to relax withfriends and forget about the stress of finals. For afull schedule, go to longbeachstate.com.17

StudentSPOTLIGHT:Karole ForemanBy: Floyd LinzieKarole Foreman is one of the hardest-working MFA theater students at CalState Long Beach. Walking down the hallway of the theater departmentwhile rolling around her books and materials from the intro to acting classshe teaches, Foreman is always on the go. What keeps her busy, other than theever demanding MFA program, is all of her extracurricular activities. Betweenmaking her big screen debut in the Jack Robinson biopic ‘42’ starringHarrison Ford, or her recent national ad for Ameritrade, this girl is on fire!Hard work has definitely paid off for the actress, who says she has looked backplenty of times along this journey. With just a few short weeks until her trip toBangladesh to teach the arts to young girls, Foreman sat down with Dig to discussher success as an actress and writer.Karole Foreman made her big screendebut this year in ‘42.’Q: When did you know you wanted to bean actress?A: I never really thought about doinganything else, it was just something I did!Even when I was a kid, when we lived inNavy housing I used to get all the kidstogether and put on shows with them. Thenit dawned on me, oh my God! People makea living off of this?Q: How do you approach your work beforegoing into a role?A: The foundation to a lot of my work,where I feel most comfortable, is doingtheater on stage. It’s my love. It’s mypassion and seems to come easiest to me.For me, character work begins in research.It’s those basic questions you get in anacting 101 class. Your needs, hopes,desires and fearsQ: Tell me more about your character in‘42’ and the relationship she has to JackieRobinson.A: The character was Mrs. Duff Harriswho was an actual historical figure…Ifinally found an obituary of her. She was anEnglish teacher and journalist who startedoff as a reporter in Daytona Beach andbecame an editor of that paper. She wasconsidered pretty affluent at this time, andthat’s a story you don’t hear about often.She and her husband housed Jackie and18his wife Rachel when they were doingthe exposition games in Daytona Beachbecause he couldn’t stay with the whitebaseball players in the hotels and so shewas one of the people who housed themduring that period. They wanted Jackie tobe someplace where he felt he was beingrespected and cared for.Q: What is your proudest work you’vedone on stage?A: Doing Caroline in ‘Caroline, or Change’up at ACPA. That to me was one of themost exciting things I’ve done personallyand professionally, it was one of the mostchallenging things I’ve done artistically.Q: Your national ad for Ameritrade recentlymade its debut, what was it like shootingthe commercial?A: The guy that directed it also directedLemony Snicket’s . He bought his wholefilm team…but he did it like a stage playand there were no special effects, so itwas all stage craft. They hand painted allthe scenery and all of the props were built.So whenever something would shift in thescenery they would push the set piece on.One shot! We rehearsed that thing for twodays!Q: As an African American actress, haveyou ever been type casted?A: Early on, you’re always going to havesomeone saying you can’t do somethingbecause of this, this and this. And I loveproving people wrong; I think that’s justmy personality. I decided to use it as anadvantage because as an actor you’realways trying to look for something touse toward our advantage. I think I madea decision early that I wasn’t going tomake it an excuse to keep me from doingsomething or making myself available toan experience.Q: You also wrote the award winningplaywright ‘Princess and the Black EyedPea?’A: My partner and I got letters from StevenSondheim, congratulating us and invitingus to New York. That was an excitingexperience! I came to the theater one dayand there was a line around the buildingand I was like ‘what are all these peoplewaiting for?’ The producer called and said‘we are going to move you to the biggertheater space,’ and that sold out too.Q: Do you have any advice for youngactors?A: Support is really great, weather if it’sfrom your family or a community of people.You gotta do the training, you gotta do thework. If you’re looking for a short cut oreasy way or direct line, there is none. Youhave to think of this as a business.

parting wordsfrom the kingPRESIDENT ALEXANDER BIDS FAREWELL TO CSULBBy Vivian Gatica And Daniel GoldsbaryPresident F. King Alexander speaks to Dig and gives advice for all students. Photo By Natalie BouroumandAs President F. King Alexander preparesto depart to Louisiana State Universityin June, he leaves behind a legacy ofexcellence, countless memories, and a tightknituniversity community at Cal State LongBeach.“CSULB is a wonderful family, and we’vegotten through some difficult times together,”he said. “We’ve done it as well or better thananybody else.”Alexander hopes that this year’s graduates willcome back and support their former classmates,and congratulates them on the academicmilestone they have achieved. He urges themto take risks as they venture on in their careerpaths.“Ninety-nine percent of this world’sopportunities are not in your neighborhood,”Alexander said. “Use your education to see theworld.”For incoming and returning students, Alexanderhad a few words of wisdom as the springsemester comes to a close. He stressed that theincoming freshmen need to avoid distractions,and stay focused on their educational goals.He asks that the returning students set a goodexample for the incoming students, so thatthey can all stay true to their goals. Alexanderis proud of what the university has to offerstudents, and encourages them to take fulladvantage of all the opportunities CSULB has.“We would much rather have a campus full ofB+ students doing everything, than A+ studentsdoing nothing,” Alexander said.When speaking of his fondest moments atCal State Long Beach, he kept touching onthe familial bond he shared with the campus.Alexander strongly believes in the student bodyat CSULB, and its ability to be academicallysuccessful.“I think we’ve done a very good job makingstudents feel welcome [on campus] seven daysa week,” he said. “We create a real secondhome for our students.”Alexander enjoys the peaceful environmentand diversity of the students attending CalState Long Beach. He said he will miss thecontagious, laid-back feeling of the CSULBcampus, and most importantly, the people hehas met during his time as university presidentof The Beach.“Our students are the best model I knowfor living, learning, and growing together,”Alexander said. “You can just walk throughcampus at lunch, and it’s like the UnitedNations.”Even though he is leaving, Alexander seesgreat potential at Cal State Long Beach, andthinks the campus is running on a comparativehigh right now. He applauds the high numberof student applications the university hasreceived, and believes that it is due to theacademic reputation that Cal State Long Beachhas built.“We’re in good shape,” Alexander said. “We’vegot a lot of great people at this university, andI’ve been fortunate enough to work with them.”As he begins to say his goodbyes to the campushe has worked at for just over seven years, heacknowledges that this has less to do with him,and more to do with the campus as a wholeand what it believes in as a CSULB family. Hesaid he will continue to be an advocate for thestudents.“It may be a little hot[ter] and muggier where Iwill be, but I’ll still be fighting for our studentsin any capacity that I can,” Alexander said.22

1 12 18-19 277-98-91414-15MAY EVENTS1 Paramore | The Wiltern | 7 pm2 University String QuartetDaniel Recital Hall | 8 pm2 The Rolling Stones | Staples Center | 8 pm3 Dirtbags v. Cal State FullertonCal State Fullerton | 7 pm4 Community Arts Fair and Flea MarketLong Beach Playhouse | 8 am-3pm5 Cinco de Mayo CelebrationOlvera Street | 10 am6 Los Angeles Dodgers v. ArizonaDiamondbacks | Dodgers Stadium | 7:15 pm7 Rain | Pantages Theatre | 8 pm8-9 Pokey Lafarge and the South City ThreeCarpenter Center | 7 pm-9 pm9 Jeff Dunham’s Disorderly Conduct TourTerrace Theatre | 7:30 pm10 Dirtbags v. Hawaii | Blair Field | 6 pm10 Last Day of Classes10 Campus Couture | Carpenter Center | 7 pm11 Long Beach Bikefest TourThe Pike | 9:30 am-4 pm11 Long Beach Comic Con | Long Beach ConventionCenter | 10 am-6 pm12 Mother’s Day13-18 Finals Week14 Sara Bareilles | El Rey Theatre | 8 pm15-16 Stroll & Savor | Belmont Shore 2nd St. |5:30 pm- 9pm17 Dirtbags v. UC Riverside | Blair Field | 6 pm18-19 Long Beach Pride Festival and Parade| Marina Green | 9:30 am-10 pm19 The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra | CarpenterCenter | 7 am- 9am21 The Black Angels | Mayan Theatre | 7pm22-24 Commencement CeremoniesCentral Quad24 Cold War Kids | The Fonda Theatre | 8 pm25 Juanes | Nokia Theatre | 8 pm26 My Brother Marvin | Terrace Theatre | 4 pm27 Memorial Day28 Los Angeles Dodgers v. Anaheim Angels |Dodgers Stadium | 7:10 pm29-30 Imagine DragonsHollywood Palladium | 6:30 pm31 Long Beach Farmers MarketCity Place Center | 10 am- 4pmSUMMER EVENTSLBSO SYMPHONY CLASSICSDate: June 1Times: 7:30p.m.Location: 300 E. Ocean Blvd., LB 90802SWAN LAKEDate: June 1Times: 2p.m. & 7:30p.m.Admission: $28Location: Carpenter Performing Arts CenterWORLD JIU-JITSU CHAMPIONSHIPSDate: June 1 - 3Location: 1250 N. Bellflower Blvd., LB 90815INK & IRON FESTIVALDate: June 7 - 9Location: 1126 Queens Hwy., LB 90802SCUBA SHOW 2013Date: June 8 - 9Location: 300 E. Ocean Blvd., LB 90802Japanese Garden presents Ueki, Pruning of theBlack PinesDATE: June 9Time: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm.USA JUMP ROPE COMPETITIONDate: June 20 - 23Location: 300 E. Ocean Blvd., LB 90802LONG BEACH BAYOU FESTIVALDate: June 22 - 23Times: 11a.m. - 9p.m. Sat; 11a.m. - 8p.m. SunAdmission: $20 in advance or $30 on site foradultsLocation: Rainbow Lagoon ParkSUNSET BOULEVARDDate: July 12 - 28Location: Carpenter Performing Arts Center6200 E. Atherton St., LB 908152013 LA CALENDAR MOTORCYCLE SHOWDate: July 14Location: The Queen Mary 1126 Queens Hwy.Long BeachINTERNATIONAL QUILT FESTIVAL 2013Date: August 2 - 4Location: 300 E. Ocean Blvd., LB 90802BELMONT SHORE STROLL & SAVORDate: August 14 - 15Times: 5:30 PM - 9:00 PMAdmission: $10.00Location: Belmont Shore 2nd Street23

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