Letter to the Student Body
Dear CSUSB students,
As college students at Cal State San Bernardino, we have noticed a lack of student engagement on our campus. We are addressing this issue because we have found that our students show a general dissatisfaction with their college experience. The college experience shapes people and having a positive one can change the course of many people lives, by giving them the opportunity to network with others, develop new skills, and become a part of a community. Having been on campus for years and seeing no change, we’d like to convince the student body that a lack of student involvement on our campus is an important issue that needs to be addressed, to make campus life more enjoyable for all students.
Because Cal State San Bernardino is a commuter school, there is a lack of encouragement and incentive to become involved on campus. Many people at commuter schools are more focused on their lives outside of school, on work, family, and other obligations. They are less likely to stay on campus for events, especially events that don’t cater to their interests. Other campuses, such as San Diego State and Arizona State University, that are residential schools, encourage more involvement, community, and school pride. This motivates students to find ways to get involved, which leads to them networking more and making greater connections, giving them a more fruitful college experience.
Networking has many benefits, both personally and career-wise, in that it provides students with opportunities to connect with others and form friendships. According to the article, “The Advantages of Networking” by the American Optometric Association, networking has many benefits, including higher self-esteem, increase in credibility in your field, opportunities for promotion, and sharing of information between you and your colleagues. This is essential as you move forward in your career, as it can help you get your foot in the door for various jobs.
Taking part in activities such as dances and festivals hosted by the school can encourage students to step out of their comfort zone and meet new people. While participating in events on campus such as job fairs can help students make those necessary connections in the workplace.
Becoming part of a community benefits students in a variety of ways. According to the Huffington Post article “The Five Benefits of Community”, states that “Communities, by their very nature, contain a diversity of opinion, ideas, and knowledge that you would never encounter alone. Just being in proximity of such a whirlwind of ideas means that you’re constantly challenging yourself to think creatively and constantly reconsider what you know.” By being exposed to other’s ideas, you gain a broader perspective of the world and can better formulate your own ideas. This is beneficial because it expands on your previous knowledge and can help you throughout your life, in decision-making and engaging with others in the world.
Engaging in campus life can make the college experience more enjoyable overall. After having provided you with all this information, we encourage you to do your research on how to get involved on campus, whether that be in a big or small way. You could join Greek life, you could volunteer at an event, or you could join a club, to name a few. We hope that we have inspired you to take steps to become more engaged in the CSUSB community.
Sincerely,
Betsabe Berdusco
Camelia L. Baker
Life in the Public 