Those interested in chipping in their two cents for California State University, Long Beach’s (CSULB) new mascot selection have less than a week to do so, as the Wednesday, April 24, deadline approaches.
School organizers encouraged community participation starting this week by presenting six different mascot options.
Alumni, faculty, staff and residents are encouraged to vote via an online poll at asicsulb.org/mascotsearch.
“Associated Students, Inc. accepted mascot ideas from all across the community,” said ASI President Genesis Jara. “Whether it was from a student, alumni, staff or faculty member or just a fan of Long Beach State, submissions were accepted from everyone. We received hundreds of ideas, and to help process the submissions, we convened a mascot review committee made up of leaders from faculty, staff, alumni, coaches, athletes, the community at-large and student government. After convening and scoring the many ideas using the criteria initially outlined, the committee narrowed down the ideas to six categories. We want to encourage everyone to vote in our poll to help us narrow down these ideas further”
The six finalists are:
Kraken
Pelicans
Sharks
Stingrays
Giraffes
The Beach (a no-mascot choice)
After the completion of the community polling period and the official student vote (from May 6 to May 8), student government leaders will forward their final recommendations to CSULB President Jane Close Conoley, and a new mascot will be announced in June. At that point, the campus will begin to work with professionals in the field to bring the mascot concept to life.
“We are excited to see how many people have embraced the mascot-selection process, and we encourage others to do the same,” said Michele Cesca, vice president for University Relations and Development. “This is a unique opportunity– not only to refine our identity and create new traditions that will unify our vast and diverse Beach family, but also to build awareness of everything this vibrant institution has achieved over the course of the past seven remarkable decades.”
