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Junior defensive specialist Laurel Barsocchini shows hustle putting 7 digs on defense in in LBSU's 3-0 victory over UC Irvine at the Walter Pyramid on. Nov. 1.
CHARLOTTE LOCICERO/Long Beach Current
President of American Indian Student Council, Mia Nuñez, kinesiology major getting ready to stake signs out for Native American Heritage Month on Oct. 30.
5 Native American Heritage Month events coming to CSULB
BY ETHAN BROWN News Assistant
Tribal appreciation, celebration and remembrance highlight five events taking place on campus for Native American Heritage Month.
The CA Genocide Flag Project Nov. 3 | Upper Campus FO2 East Lawn | 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
This installation and teach-in, hosted by the American Indian Student Council and the Office of Belonging and Inclusion, welcomes students to create artistic demonstrations that will remain up all November and bring awareness to the genocide of California’s native people throughout history.
Native American Heritage Month Kickoff Nov. 4 | Speakers Platform | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
All are welcome to stop by and celebrate the first week of Native American Heritage Month by
Land acknowLedgment
experiencing cordage making and different styles of singing and dancing across Turtle Island.
Puvungna Fall Celebration
Nov. 15 | Puvungna | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
A celebration of Native California Indigenous communities, cultures and creative expressions come together at Puvungna through the living traditions of songs, dances, stories, interactive workshops and films.
Pow Wow 101: Social Dance Workshop
Nov. 19 | Karl Anatol Center | 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. No previous dance experience is required for this event on the first floor of the Academic Services building; learning these dances will have you ready for the 53rd Annual Pow Wow at Puvungna on March 14 and 15, 2026.
Movie Night
Nov. 20 | Karl Anatol Center | 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Students can head back to the Anatol Center the following night to enjoy a film focusing on Native American Indigenous Peoples.
Here at the Long Beach Current we acknowledge that the school we report on is located on the sacred site of Puvungna, “the gathering place.” We are on the land of the Tongva/Gabrieleño and the Acjachemen/Juaneño Nations who have lived and continue to live here.
We also acknowledge the Gabrieleño/Tongva (pronounced: GABRIEL-EN-YO/TONG – VAH) and Acjachamen/Juaneño (pronounced: AH-HACH-AH-MEN/JUAN-EN-YO) as the traditional custodians of the Los Angeles region along with the Chumash (pronounced: CHOO-MOSH) to the north and west, and the Tataviam (pronounced: TAH-TAH-VEE-YUM) and Cahuilla (pronounced: KAH-WEE-YAH) Nations to the east.
We respect and value the many ways the Tongva/Acjachemen cultural heritage and beliefs continue to have significance to the living people and remind us about the sacred and spiritual relationship that has always existed here at what we now call California State University Long Beach.
editoriaLs: All opinions expressed in the columns, letters and cartoons in the issue are those of the writers or artists. The opinions of the Long Beach Current are expressed only in unsigned editorials and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the journalism department or the views of all staff members. All such editorials are written by the editorial board of the Long Beach Current.
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While six universities including Long Beach State won't be able to be apart of the automatic admission program, high school students are still welcomed to apply the traditional way.
Newsom signs bill for automatic CSU admission: CSULB and 5 campuses excluded
BY JAYDEN SANDSTROM News Assistant
On Oct. 6, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 640, which expands the California State University Direct Admission Program to give automatic acceptance to high school students who complete the A–G requirements and maintain at least a 2.5 GPA.
The law will take effect on Jan. 1, 2026, and the program is scheduled to launch in fall 2026 for students applying for fall 2027.
Currently, six campuses are too full to participate, including:
• Long Beach State
• Cal State Fullerton
• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• Cal Poly Pomona
• San Diego State
• San Jose State
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment Management April Grommo oversees admissions, outreach, registration, records and financial aid for the California State University system.
“We’re working with 16 Cal State campuses, all of which are not impacted and have the capacity to serve additional students,” Grommo said, “Cal State
Long Beach was not selected because it is impacted in all majors at both the freshman and transfer levels.”
The state chancellor’s office and the advocacy and state relations team worked very closely with State Sen. Christopher Cabaldon’s office on the legislation, Grommo said.
“We should make it as seamless for our students to go from 12th grade to the next stage of their education as it was for them to go from sixth grade to seventh grade. Direct admission removes the application hurdle that stops some students from going to college, and relieves the fear that they won’t get in anywhere,” Sen. Cabaldon said in a press release on Sept. 10, the day the bill passed.
The Long Beach Current reached out to Sen. Cabaldon for a comment on the bill, but he was unavailable.
In a statement by the CSU on the passing of SB 640, they stated, “We appreciate Senator Cabaldon’s leadership and partnership in ensuring that this important legislation will increase access to the CSU.”
According to Grommo, the legislation was promoted by several initiatives that had been in place within the CSU system, one of which was the Long Beach Promise.
The CSU also did a pilot program on direct admissions last fall, working with 23 districts within the Riverside County Office of Education. These programs inspired the bill and its language.
Numerous studies have shown that applying to college is one of the most stressful experiences for students, and these direct admissions aim to alleviate that burden, Grommo said.
The dual admission program is also being extended under SB 640 until the 2035–36 academic year. It was previously set to expire during the 2026- 27 academic year.
The dual admission program is open to students who are enrolling in a California community college and have not earned college credit since finishing high school or earning a GED.
Through this program, students sign an agreement that guarantees admission to a CSU campus and a degree program of their choice.
According to Grommo, part of the CSU system’s long-term priorities is equitable access.
“We really feel that we provide an excellent education at an affordable value proposition, and we want students to know about that opportunity and that they have the opportunity to go straight to a four-year university in the state,”
Grommo said. “In our pilot program last year, we saw that many students didn’t realize they were CSU-eligible and assumed they needed to start at a community college when they were fully prepared to start at a CSU.”
The program’s infrastructure is still being developed at the state level, but school districts will collaborate with the chancellor’s office to provide a list of eligible students.
Those students will receive letters mailed to their registered addresses. The chancellor’s office aims to send them before Oct. 1, when Cal State applications open, while helping districts identify all eligible students.
While universities such as CSULB may not be participating in the program, Grommo emphasized that many CSU campuses have partnerships with local districts since the system’s universities are regionally serving institutions.
Priority is typically given to local students.
“We are excited by this program. The pilot program in Riverside County has really paved the way for this, and we are excited to work with all school districts and scale this up, and to make sure that students and families know that the CSU is an opportunity for their future,” Grommo said.
DANTE ESTRADA/Long Beach Current
CSULB earns top award in closing transfer equity gap for Black, Latinx students
BY ETHAN BROWN News Assistant
Long Beach State garnered distinction as the 2025 Pathway Champions of Transfer and Transfer Equity by the Campaign for College Opportunity nonprofit organization on Oct. 23.
The award is given to California community colleges and California State Universities that work tirelessly to create seamless “pathways” to student success. CSULB received two special prizes.
The Beach was a Pathway Champion of Transfer due to the extraordinarily high number of “Associate Degree for Transfer” students they admitted for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Placing third out of the 23 CSU institutions, 60% of transfer students who joined The Beach were Associate Degrees for Transfer, on a guaranteed pathway, far exceeding the systemwide average of 44%.
CSULB was one of four CSUs to receive the general transfer accolade, along with Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Los Angeles and San Diego State.
An ADT recipient differs from a graduate with an associate degree because it allows them to gain automatic junior standing upon transferring into a similar program at a CSU.
It is known as a “degree with a guarantee,” according to Marisa Johnson, director of policy impact at the Campaign for College Opportunity.
“Campuses like CSULB [are provid-
ing] community college students with a clear and timely road to a bachelor’s degree,” she added.
To be eligible for Campaign for College Opportunity recognition, campuses must:
• Have, in the past year, at least 50% of their undergraduate transfers from California community colleges be ADT recipients.
• Of those ADT recipients, at least 50% must be enrolled in a guaranteed pathway.
The second award given to Long Beach State for addressing systemic barriers that block opportunities for students was the Pathway Champion of Transfer Equity distinction.
The equity award was judged with the same focus on ADTs, but refers to Black and Latinx transfers—many of whom are first-generation college-goers and an integral part of the pipeline.
Black ADTs on a guaranteed pathway at The Beach classifies as the second-best
among the 23 campuses, with a rate of 57% and significantly above the systemwide average of 39%.
At CSULB, 59% of Latinx ADTs are on a guaranteed pathway, ranking fourth in the CSU system and far surpassing the 45% average. Of all Latinx transfers, more than half were ADTs in 2024.
The Beach Transfer Transition Center, located in the Shakarian Student Success Center, is more than prepared to supply all Beach transfers with the resources they need to succeed.
“Many of the resources they want to use may have a name that is different from what they knew it as at their transfer institution,” said Kerilyn Counter, academic adviser and Beach Transfer Transition Center employee.
How to stay on track academically, how to find their place in a larger campus and how to connect with peers and make friends are frequently asked questions that BTTC Ambassadors and staff are ready to answer.
The transfer center makes a variety of referrals tailored to the needs of transfer students—whether that be student support services, such as Financial Aid and Scholarships, or college-based advising centers such as ATLAS in the College of Liberal Arts.
Long Beach City College was also a Pathway Champion of Transfer and Transfer Equity at the community college level, and stands out as a reliable transfer pipeline to CSULB.
LBCC placed third out of 113 California community colleges in ADTs awarded and tied for third in ADT percentage among all undergraduate degrees at 66%, 21% higher than the average.
69% of Black associate degree earners received ADTs, which is the second-highest in the state.
“California has set a goal that 40% of working-age residents have a bachelor’s degree by 2030,” Johnson said. “This is impossible to meet without transfer students.”
DANTE ESTRADA/Long Beach Current
CSULB recognized as a top transfer champion for Black students and Latinx students by the Campaign for College Opportunity.
JPR Department hosts screening of award-winning faculty, alumni-made documentary
BY ANNA KUCHISON News Assistant
On Thursday, Oct. 30, the dimming lights of Lecture Hall 151 gave way to silence as students, staff and guests settled in for a screening of “Reporting From Uvalde.”
The documentary explores how journalists covering the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting, which left 19 fourth graders and two teachers dead, carried the burden of trauma and grief long after the cameras shut off.
The documentary was directed by Raya Torres, a 2024 CSULB alumna and current reporter at KOLD Tucson, and produced by Jesús Ayala, a journalism professor and 20-year industry veteran.
The event featured an opening red carpet reception, a screening of the film and a Q&A session with Torres, Ayala and Stephanie Mendez, one of the reporters featured in the documentary.
Eyewitness News reporter Sid Garcia moderated the Q&A.
Fourth-year journalism student Justin Stock and event attendee Oscar Marquez felt it was important to attend and support the film.
“As someone who wants to be a journalist in the future, I wanted to learn how they deal with trauma,” Stock said.
Marquez emphasized the film’s significance in showcasing the experiences of journalists.
“I think it is so important to just be able to expand the voices of journalists and go beyond just what we hear in the news,” Marquez said.
In an interview leading up to the screening, Ayala shared how he and Torres, a former student of his, decided to collaborate on making the film together.
“She told me, ‘I’m a journalism major, but I’m also a psychology minor, and I know you’re an expert in journalism and trauma, so I was thinking about maybe doing something in that field.’” Ayala said.
Ayala told Torres he was going to Uvalde to research the journalists who covered the shooting and their experi-
CHARLOTTE LOCICERO/Long Beach Current
ences.
“At first, I thought it was a long shot for Raya to be able to come with me, but she was determined and she got the funding from ASI to come and make this film,” he said.
In an interview leading up to the event, Torres shared why she felt so strongly about creating this project, following participating in a podcast about people who had survived school shootings for her internship.
“It was a very heavy discussion, and afterwards we reassured each other that our feelings about covering that event were valid,” Torres said. “Just two days after I did that podcast, the Uvalde shooting happened. We often talk about how the subjects of news stories are affected, but we never ask about the journalists.”
Torres said she hoped that the students attending the screening would help future journalists learn how to
manage the emotions that come with entering the field.
“I hope students take away that trauma in this field is very real and pursuing it is tough to navigate,” Torres said. “But they are not alone in feeling trauma. In order to do our job, we need to find a way to navigate these emotions.”
Torres shared two moments that particularly stood out to her.
One was when a reporter teared up and had to cut back to the news anchors after hearing the screams of the parents who had just learned that their children had been killed.
The other was when a reporter accompanied a relative of two of the deceased children to their graves and told the reporter that he had died with them that day.
Following the screening, the four reporters participated in a Q&A session, emphasizing the importance of maintaining humanity in journalism.
Stephanie Mendez, a reporter who spent a year in Uvalde as part of the ABC News Uvalde 365 initiative, shared a story about going out to lunch at a local Mexican restaurant with one of the teachers from Robb Elementary School.
Together they talked over their plates of chile rellenos and chilaquiles, not as a reporter and interviewee, but as two people getting to know each other and seeing each other’s humanity.
Mendez said the schoolteacher shared parts of her story from that day before the shooting.
“It is important to approach stories, not from the perspective of someone trying to capitalize on people, but as a journalist who wants to get the humanity of a story’s core right,” Mendez said following the event. “I would love for people here today to come away with this realization that it’s so important as journalists to be humane and sympathetic and empathetic and ethical in our work.”
From left to right: Sid Garcia, Stephanie Mendez, Raya Torres and Jesús Ayala answer questions from the audience about their experiences dealing with trauma reporting as journalists on Oct. 30.
ARTS & LIFE
Community in numbers: Exploring CSULB Divest
BY JOSHUA FLORES News Assistant
The CSULB Divest group meeting opened with a land acknowledgment followed by a summary of the “current situation” at Long Beach State.
Students from various organizations discussed tuition hikes and other increased costs, including the University Student Union fee, books, housing and the rising cost of living.
They also mentioned the cost of parking, the lack of ADA accessibility and general accessibility on campus, as well as the increased presence of ICE in communities and fewer safe spaces available for students, including the cultural centers.
CSULB Divest hosted a “Campus Community Town Hall” event on Oct. 21, where students, staff and faculty were encouraged to speak on issues the coalition claims affect Long Beach State students as a whole: parking, USU construction, basic needs and tuition hikes.
The town hall was the latest in a series of meetings that CSULB Divest has hosted this semester.
CSULB Divest, a coalition of student activists, comprises of 13 student organizations and has approximately 800 members who collaborate to advocate for change on campus regarding divestment, accessibility, student resources and more.
CSULB Divest is not an official campus organization but rather a collaborative effort by student activist organizations to organize and spread their message of inclusivity and change through action and protest.
Fourth-year political science major Amadeo Rubalcaba, member of the coalition and La F.U.E.R.Z.A Student Association, attended the town hall. Rubalcaba currently lives with his aunt in Long Beach, away from his immediate family.
“One of the biggest [issues] is resource centers,” Rubalcaba said. “Last year I was in the dorms, this year I wasn’t ... allowed access to the dorms, which affected a lot of my ability to get to school
and find solid housing. The big thing that comes with the resource centers is being able to keep my food warm, [and] keep the space for me to keep my stuff safe throughout the day.”
More on-campus organizations continue to align with CSULB Divest, encompassing a range of groups from cultural clubs to activist organizations.
The Muslim Student Association, the Pakistani Student Association and the Middle Eastern and North African Student Association are among the newest organizations to join.
The 11 organizations currently aligned with CSULB Divest:
• Students for Justice in Palestine (@sjpatcsulb)
La F.U.E.R.Z.A Student Association (@lafuerzacsulb)
• Anakbayan Long Beach
• (@anakbayanlb)
• For Undocumented and Empowered Leaders (@fuelsulb)
• Chicanx/Latinx Studies Student Association (@csulbchls)
• Women’s, Gender and Sexuality
Studies Student Association
• (@wgsssa)
• Muslim Student Association
• (@msacsulb)
• Pakistani Student Association
• (@psacsulb)
• Middle Eastern and North African Student Association (@mena.csulb)
• Students for Socialism
• Students for Quality Education
• (@sqelongbeach)
Following opening discussions at the town hall, attendees participated in an open forum, where they voiced their personal struggles and concerns.
Another topic of contention was that the locations for the new cultural resource centers at the new USU are not expected to be completed until summer 2028.
CSULB Divest asserts that the new resource centers will be smaller than the current ones and that no student feedback was considered when designing the designated spaces.
According to the Future U FAQ page, Associated Students, Inc. stated that it
conducted an Alternative Consultation campaign, engaging with the campus community over 17,000 times through surveys and other means.
According to ASI, 70% of the 7,555 respondents saw moderate to high value in renovating and expanding the USU.
Students from CSULB Divest also voiced frustration over food on campus, claiming there is no access to affordable options. They said the USU construction only heightened these issues.
In addition to organizing events and fundraising, CSULB Divest has also launched its own publication, “The People’s Current.” They released their first issue in early October.
The publication serves as a platform for organizations or individuals aligned with CSULB Divest to express their views or address problems related to each issue’s theme. All articles and artwork are anonymous due to a perceived threat to privacy for the contributors.
CHARLOTTE LOCICERO/Long Beach Current
Organizing and divestment were some of the main topics discussed during the Students for Socialism Club meeting on Oct. 20.
EDDY CERMENO/Long Beach Current
Long Beach State students look through thrifted clothing, handmade jewelry and trinkets from student vendors at the ThriftOr-Treat Halloween night market event at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center patio on Thursday, Oct. 30. Some students were dressed in Halloween costumes for the costume contest portion of the event.
Treat yo’self! Thrift Club shares Halloween spirit
BY NI BALINESS Arts and Life Assistant
From gangster SpongeBob to Coraline, students dressed in their best costumes and treated themselves to clothes, accessories and jewelry at Thrift Club’s “Thrift or Treat” event on Oct. 30.
Vendors took center stage on the patio of the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, selling accessories such as phone charms, handmade bracelets and keychains, while others sold handbags and clothing.
Jenna Le, owner of Little Muddy, sold ceramic cups, pots and incense holders. Le, who is a vendor at Good Time Cafe, said they saw Thrift Club there and decided to vendor at “Thrift or Treat.”
Le was excited to show off their incense holder, which featured many glazes and colors.
Although they understand it’s a business, Le said getting to connect with others about ceramics is the best part of being a vendor.
“I always love to chat with people,” Le said. “I feel like selling stuff is more about social interaction than about making money.”
As students tried on clothing and took pictures at the photo booth, fourthyear fashion design student and vendor Joycie Montillo showcased her ’20s and ’50s-inspired outfits.
“As a commuter student, I’ve always wanted to find community here and Thrift Club is a perfect way for that, especially in the creative scene,” Montillo said.
Montillo found inspiration for her business, Toti Montillo, from using Indigenous and Mexican American motifs for her pleated skirts and 1920s-style flapper buttons and brooches.
“I want them [customers] to know that there’s always going to be Mexican Americans thriving in the creative
scene,” Montillo said.
Sharing her booth was third-year environmental science major Guadalupe Olivares-Mendoza, who owns Gupe’s Crafts. Along with racks of clothing, she sold handmade jewelry and hair clips.
Using her charms collection, Olivares-Mendoza created a special Halloween line for the event.
“I don’t like to make the same things and I like the idea that one thing is unique,” Olivares-Mendoza said.
As the night progressed, more students arrived in costume, and others stopped by booths to search for their next best find.
One student who captivated others with his costume was fourth-year art photography major Adrian Calderon.
Wielding a glowing lightsaber, the cosplayer showcased his smooth moves as he performed his stunt. His costume inspiration came from Star Wars’ Ahsoka series.
“I won a Halloween contest, so I thought I’d try and do it
again,” Calderon said.
Sharing Calderon’s enthusiasm for the contest, students gathered to see other costumes. From a cringe maid to a student slathered in green paint to represent a reptile, only five finalists got to strut down the runway.
With loud cheers and applause, Calderon took home first place. Students dressed as a pirate and Denji from “Chainsaw Man” took second and third place.
Event coordinator and president of Thrift Club, Samuel Moreno, hoped the event would stimulate fun and community among students.
The event also emphasized the importance of supporting small businesses over fast fashion brands.
“Having opportunities for students to hang out [is] number one,” Moreno said. “Encouraging people to buy second hand from student vendors—not only is it not going to fast fashion companies [but] it’s going to the students, which is even better.”
ARTS & LIFE
Monster Mash Campus Dash brings costumes, candy and campus know-how together
BY JASON GREEN Arts and Life Assistant
As Halloween approached, the Monster Mash Campus Dash welcomed the campus into the season with a campus-wide trick-or-treat event featuring treats, small themed bags and a raffle.
Presented by New Students and Family Programs, Beach Transfer Transition Center and GenExel, students were given a paper with various locations on campus to visit and receive a stamp.
Students had to make five stops to get pizza during the event’s Haunted Hangout.
These stops provided departments, programs and resources, such as Counseling and Psychological Services, Basic Needs and Beach XP, with the opportunity to share information with students in a festive manner.
One stop along the dash was the University Library, where students could visit the Special Collections and University Archives as an extra bonus location to receive more raffle tickets.
University Archivist Heather Steele Gajewski said while no item in their collection was considered spooky, there were some that caught her by surprise.
While going through a collection of personal items belonging to Dorothy Laureen Walsh, the first chairperson of the Department of Nursing from 1956 to 1970, Gajewski found a doll.
“Before it was processed or before anything was gone through, I didn’t expect there to be this, she was laying face down, this doll here. It’s a little doll in a nursing out a handmade nursing outfit,” Gajewski said. “You just don’t expect to see a doll when you mostly handle books and papers, you know.”
Luckily, Gajewski found the doll adorable.
Besides the doll, she also mentioned a 3D bust of former CSULB President Robert Maxson, who served from 1994 to 2006, displayed in a fish tank.
“We took the fish tank lid off, and the plastic bags fell away, and there was just a head,” Gajewski said.
The engineering department created the piece in the ’90s, made using early 3D printing technology.
“It was definitely a jump scare,” Gajewski said.
Maythe Alderete Biseño a Financial Aid technician from the Financial Aid and Scholarships office was also out at the event reminding students to get in their FAFSA or California Dream Act applications by the priority deadline, which is March 2nd.
Through the event, students had the opportunity to learn about the location of campus resources, as seen in the case of first-year Interdisciplinary Spanish major Jessica Becerra, who dressed as a pirate.
“I actually did learn where the Learning Center was. I [have] never been inside it but I am looking for tutoring, so now I know where it is,” Becerra said.
JASON GREEN/Long Beach Current
This doll, pictured on Oct. 30, wearing a handmade nursing outfit from the archives belonged to Drothy Walsh, the first chairperson of Department of Nursing from 1956 to 1970.
Campus community celebrates 50 years of ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’
BY CHRISTIAN ROBLEDO Contributor
After performing poorly in the eyes of critics and the public, the movie was only shown at midnight, attracting a more eccentric and unconventional audience.
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” first screened in London on Aug. 14, 1975, with its American premiere following shortly after on Sept. 26, 1975.
It was this late-night phenomenon, combined with the clear countercultural elements of the piece, that allowed the film to become a cult classic in the hearts of the marginalized.
Over the years, appreciation for the film has only grown as a fanbase developed for the low-budget brainchild of director Jim Sharman and writer and lyricist Richard O’ Brien.
The film, filled with big musical numbers, follows the couple Janet Weiss
and Brad Majors amid the sinfully sexual and maliciously murderous attacks of the wicked Dr. Frank-N-Furter in his attempt to build a man.
Long Beach State students had the chance to join in on the fun on Oct. 30, where the LGBTQ+ Resource Center hosted a “not-so-midnight” showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
Hoping to attract old and new fans alike, the on-campus event took place at 5 p.m. instead of midnight.
One such fan was history major Kimberly Crist, who, not particularly fond of late-night events, found the evening screening to be the perfect time to watch the film for its interesting historical context and representation.
“This is a big tradition that goes back, I think, decades at this point,” Crist said.
“It’s a reminder that queer people have always existed and have always been making art. It’s campy, it’s obscene, and it’s beautiful.”
When discussing the campy aspects of the film, one cannot overlook the fan interactions.
Through practiced traditions and late-night hijinks, what was once just a film became a bonding activity as fans found ways to share the theatrical experience.
From answering rhetorical questions posed during the film to throwing rice during the wedding scene, fans can dress up and celebrate the weird bits that make the feature so special.
Despite its popularity, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is not without its fair share of disapproval, even within modern audiences.
Though she’s a fan, chemistry major Jordan Gonzalez said she understood why people may shy away from the film.
“I think a lot of people wouldn’t like [the film] because [of] its, you know, weird implications,” Gonzalez said. “But I think it’s also pretty like, pivotal ... I think all kinds of people could come and see it, even those who don’t consider themselves queer.”
Those who watch the film may find themselves pleasantly surprised. After all, behind the overtly sexual and glittery
exterior of this classic, some believe a deeper meaning resides.
Assistant director of the LGBTQ+ Resource Center Ash Preston, who organized the event, sees these underlying messages as important to share with students.
“For me, the movie really means community,” Preston said. “The midnight screenings that folks would host, right? Those were community gatherings for our community. [People] come together, [go to] places where they could dress up, express themselves however they wanted, and really [I] just wanted to honor that by bringing that in and showing the film. It’s one of my favorites.”
Now, 50 years after its release, the creative and eccentric film, along with its messages, continues to live on.
For those who wish to celebrate the 50th anniversary and delve into the alluring oddities of this film, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” can be found on streaming services, including Disney+, Hulu and Amazon Prime.
REHANSA KULATILLEKE/Long Beach Current
The LGBTQ+ Resource Center had their "Not-So-Midnight-Showing" of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" as their last OUTober event on Oct. 30 at Peterson Hall 1 Room 141.
OPINION
How to keep my cool during a presentation?
BY LEYNA VU Opinions Editor
Note: This advice column draws on the insights and experiences of the Current’s staff, offering practical and relatable guidance. As the column grows, we plan to feature questions and stories from our readers, creating a space for honest conversation and shared experiences with a little support when you need it most.
Q: I have a presentation next week, and I am freaking out! Whenever I think about speaking in front of the class and being questioned by my peers shortly thereafter, I start to lose sleep. Any advice on how to keep my cool during such a critical moment?
- Cat’s Got My Tongue
A: As someone who is always anxious,
I get this entirely. One of my biggest fears to date is stuttering uncontrollably as I attempt to explain something to a crowd. It genuinely keeps me up at night.
Surprisingly, I did better when I told myself, “I don’t care.” This sounds counterintuitive because I wouldn’t be nervous if I didn’t actually care, but repeating this a few times in my head before speaking has helped tremendously in keeping my nerves in check.
If you can, ask the professor if you can go first. I know this is a huge leap, but trust me, it works wonders. Even on days when I do not feel sufficiently prepared, I have always performed better when I go first rather than last. And of course, if I went first and did poorly, I would mentally say, “You’re welcome,” to the class.
A week is ample time to hype yourself up before the big day. If you can say your
parts three times in the mirror without messing up, then you should be good to go! Over time, I found that presentations can be enjoyable, as they are essentially a way to showcase your ability to articulate knowledge to your peers.
It helps a lot to remember that the majority of the class is looking down at their computers, most likely trying to remember what they will say in their own presentations.
Jessica Robinson, professor of Supply Chain Management at Long Beach State, said that to overcome the nerves involved with public speaking, you should “approach any presentation as if you’re telling a story… It is easier to remember a story (and backtrack or skip ahead naturally, if needed) than to memorize a presentation.”
However, I recognize that a big source of nervousness comes from the Q&A at the end, which many professors
like to do.
This is easier said than done, but do not panic; more often than not, the questions that your peers ask are for participation credit, so I remind myself that there are no hard feelings if someone asks a difficult question I don’t know the answer to.
The most important thing I discovered is to avoid answering right away. Time passes more quickly in front of the class than sitting down, so think your way through the question, and trust that the right words will come out of your mouth.
With these tips, I have been able to score consistently well on presentations despite severe anxiety, social and otherwise. At the end of the day, we are all students trying to make sense of the gradebook, so please don’t worry too much about what your classmates think.
The Beach anticipates bounce-back season with almost entirely new roster
BY TIMOTHY HESSEN Sports Editor
After transferring to Long Beach State following his freshman season, Derrick Micheal Xzavierro was a bright spot for a struggling Beach team, emerging as a force around the rim and one of the premier rebounders in the Big West.
However, just one year and a disappointing 7-25 campaign later, Xzaverrio finds himself as the lone returning player on a roster made up of 14 new players, in addition to the junior forward.
In building an almost entirely new team, LBSU head coach Chris Acker and his coaching staff have preached the importance of connectivity with this squad, practicing with various lineups throughout the offseason to develop chemistry ahead of the season opener against San Diego State on Nov. 4.
“I think the summer really helped me and us as a team because I basically have a brand new team, so we’re just trying to get connected,” Xzavierro said. “I feel this team is going to be really
MARK SIQUIG/Long Beach Current
LBSU junior forward Derrick Michael Xzavierro had a productive first year with The Beach last season, establishing himself as a top-five rebounder in the Big West. Now, going into this next season, finds himself the lone returner from the previous season.
special this year.”
Taking over an LBSU team that was a year removed from a surprise run to the NCAA March Madness Tournament, Acker’s first year with the program was one to forget.
The Beach finished second to last in the Big West at 10th place with a 7-25 record, and sustained a 15-game losing streak from Jan. 16 to the end of the season.
However, heading into the 2025-2026 season with 14 fresh faces that are new to LBSU fans, the memory of last season’s results is far from Acker’s mind.
“I’m really not worried about what happened last year or rectifying that,” Acker said. “I have the ultimate confidence in my staff and what we’re trying to do every single day, and I hope that confidence permeates through our program with our players.”
Headlining LBSU’s offseason editions are a pair of forwards: Syracuse transfer sophomore Petar Majstorovic, hailing from Sombor, Serbia, and senior Shay Johnson Jr., who previously played under Acker at San Diego State.
LBSU’s offense one year ago was shaped by two volume-scoring guards, Devin Askew and TJ Wainwright, who
both transferred out of The Beach this summer, as the pair accounted for 45% of the team’s field goal attempts.
However, Acker anticipates this team to be a well-balanced attack, which is a style of offense he is used to running.
As an assistant coach at San Diego State in 2023, Acker helped lead an Aztec team that featured eight players averaging 5.8 points a game or more to the national championship game at the NCAA Tournament.
“I think it’ll be [an offense] by committee,” Acker said. “It will be a situation where we have to have different guys step up throughout the course of the season; we have a lot of guys that know how to put the ball in the basket and I think that will be the key for us to remain unselfish all year.”
To turn the tide for the program and compete in the Big West this season, The Beach will have to majorly improve on the glass.
“We have really smart, competitive, physical guys that all understand the importance of rebounding the basketball,” Acker said. “Not to take anything away from last year’s roster, I just don’t think we had the physicality and experience.”
Xzavierro excelled on the boards individually last season as a top-five rebounder in the Big West with 6.8 rebounds per game and the second-most offensive rebounds at 2.7 per game.
However, his success was not enough to keep The Beach’s rebounding efforts afloat, as LBSU ranked 11th in the conference in rebounds per game.
“Last year, we were kind of tall, but this year we have bigs right now, so hopefully we upgrade in rebounding and we’re not 11th [in the Big West] no more,” Xzavierro said.
In the pursuit of a return to relevancy in the Big West, LBSU will look to repeat its unlikely run to win the conference just two seasons ago.
In the modern transfer portal era of college sports, where year-to-year roster retention is almost a thing of the past, programs seeking wholesale rebuilds, such as LBSU, have better hopes for an immediate turnaround.
“[The conference] is wide open in the sense that nobody knows who anyone has, you have a bunch of new players on every roster,” Acker said. “As coaches, it’s our job to make sure our guys mesh and give them the best chance to win every single night.”
Women’s basketball sets sights on Big West glory
BY BRIANNA APODACA
Sports Assistant
Women’s hoops returns to the Walter Pyramid this November as Long Beach State looks to climb its way to the top of the Big West ladder after a sixth-place finish last season.
LBSU head coach Amy Wright will embark on her third season at the helm for The Beach in hopes of leading the team past the second round of the Big West Tournament for the first time in her tenure.
Wright has always prioritized getting shots up quickly, within eight to 12 seconds into the shot clock, resulting in a potent offense that averaged a conference-leading 68.2 points per game.
Despite The Beach averaging 8.8
steals per game, third most in the conference, LBSU struggled defensively last season, allowing the second most points per game in the Big West at 68.7.
“We gotta defend a little bit more,” Wright said. “We didn’t have any problems scoring except for our last game in the Big West Tournament, but other than that, we gotta slow people down."
LBSU’s season was ended last year by UC Riverside in the first round of the conference tournament, where the Highlanders limited The Beach to shooting just over 25% from the field.
Sophomore JaQuoia Jones-Brown is a rising star point guard for an LBSU team looking to improve this season.
Earning Big West All-American Freshman Team honors last year, Jones-Brown averaged 7.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 34.7% from beyond the arc.
Despite being just 5-foot-6, the
DEVIN MALAST/Long Beach Current
Long Beach State women's basketball looks to improve upon a 16-14 campaign a year ago, as its regular season kicks off on Nov. 7 against University of Wyoming.
undersized guard has shown a willingness to compete on the boards, finishing second on the team in rebounding.
“In the offseason, I’ve been putting in a lot of work with the coaches here and my dad and then just by myself too, just making sure I’m prepared for this upcoming season,” Jones-Brown said.
Another player to watch this season is Kennan Ka. The junior forward was selected as a recipient of the Kay Yow Servant Leader award, an honor that student-athletes receive when they demonstrate leadership, service and positive impact off the court.
Ka has faced numerous challenges
in remaining on the court throughout her time with the program, missing the entire 2023-2024 season and playing in just 20 games last year.
“I’m definitely stepping more into a leadership role this year,” Ka said. “I only played half a season last year due to injury, so I’m excited to be out there on the court and not take anything for granted, just being a two-way player and being the leader my team needs.”
After an exhibition match with Point Loma at the Gold Mine on Saturday, Nov. 1, The Beach will begin its season on the road against Wyoming University on the road on Friday, Nov. 7.
Catching the Wave: Inside the Black and Blue Rivalry
BY TIMOTHY HESSEN Sports Editor
Christened the “Black and Blue Rivalry Series,” the historic battle between Long Beach State and UC Irvine has persisted for 19 years, adding much higher stakes to a showdown that often features some of the best programs the Big West has to offer.
The victor of each year’s series is decided by an intricate point system that spans every common sport the two schools share.
For every game between The Beach and the Anteaters, two points will be added to the total tally for the winner, with a third point given out if the road team wins.
If LBSU and UC Irvine only meet once in a sport’s regular season, then two points will also be awarded to the team that finishes higher in the conference tournament.
A surfboard trophy with an inscription declaring the winning school awaits the victor, provided by Duke’s Huntington Beach.
During the 2024-2025 academic year, the two teams
drew even, while the Anteaters had narrowly won the series the year prior with a 28-26 victory.
With LBSU looking to take the board back this season, this week’s column takes a look back at some of the best moments in last season’s rivalry series.
Anteaters spoil LBSU men’s volleyball win streak.
A sold-out crowd of 4,676 filled the Walter Pyramid on March 28 to see the undefeated men’s volleyball team take on UC Irvine.
However, the Anteaters spoiled The Beach’s attempt at making it 21 straight wins to start the season, sweeping LBSU in a shock to Beach fans despite a game-high 13 kills from outside hitter Skyler Varga.
While LBSU ultimately got the last laugh, winning the national title in 2025, taking down The Beach in front of the largest crowd in the program’s history helped the Anteaters force a draw in last season’s rivalry series.
LBSU women’s water polo knocks UC Irvine out of conference tournament
No. 6 LBSU and No. 7 UC Irvine were separated by just one spot in the national rankings ahead of last
season’s Big West Tournament.
After three tightly contested regular-season meetings, it seemed certain their postseason matchup would come down to its final moments.
Competing in the semifinals of the tournament, LBSU maintained a one-point lead with 43 seconds remaining when a crucial penalty save from senior goalkeeper Chelsea Oliver allowed The Beach’s season to advance.
Women’s track and field saves the series for UC Irvine
Ahead of the 2025 Big West Track and Field Championships at Jack Rose Track, LBSU was on a seven-game win streak in the rivalry series.
Ahead 26-24 after men’s track and field earned two points by finishing higher than the Anteaters, The Beach’s hopes of taking the season series were swiped away by UC Irvine’s dominant women’s track and field team.
While LBSU had a respectable third place, UC Irvine took home the Big West title, wrapping up the 2024-2025 season series at a 26-26 draw.
LBSU defeats UCI in straight sets during Black and Blue Rivalry game
BY BRANDON DYVIG Contributor
Long Beach State women’s volleyball (17-6) took down conference rival UC Irvine (1014) in straight sets in the latest chapter of the “Black and Blue Rivalry Series” behind sophomore setter and two-time Big West Setter of the Week Madi Maxwell’s triple-double on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the Walter Pyramid.
“[Maxwell] did a great job of balancing [the offense], and our offense did a good job of finding those holes in a very solid UCI defense,” LBSU head coach Natalie Reagan said.
After recording the first tripledouble for LBSU since 2012 just two games ago against Cal State Bakersfield, Maxwell repeated her all-around stellar performance with 10 kills, 11 digs and 27 assists to power The Beach to a win on Saturday.
Entering Saturday’s game, UCI boasted an impressive defense, holding opponents to a hitting percentage of .183, the third best rank in the Big West, and 2.5 blocks per set, which ranks fourth in the conference.
Despite that, LBSU’s fearsome offensive attack was able to post a .270 hitting percentage against UCI, and had 17 blocks compared to the Anteaters’ eight.
“Irvine is a great blocking team, and the fact that we out-blocked them is great for us,” Reagan said.
LBSU’s offense was headed by a balanced approach.
The senior middle blocker duo of Nieko Thomas and Rhiann Sheffie led the way with 10 and nine kills each, while freshman opposite hitter and five-time Big West Freshman of the Week Logan King and freshman middle blocker Sidney Hamaker both chipped in with seven kills a piece.
“I think we all leaned on each other today, it’s just a chain reaction,” Thomas said.
The first set began with back-and-
DIEGO PEREZ/Long Beach Current
LBSU star sophomore setter Madi Maxwell leads The Beach to a 3-0 sweep over UC Irvine with her second triple-double of the season on Saturday, Nov. 1 at the Walter Pyramid.
forth play, as Sheffie led the way for The Beach early while the Anteaters spread the offense around, with three players scoring multiple kills within their first 10 points.
Thomas caught fire with four kills in her first five attacks, prompting a UCI timeout at 15-10.
The Beach rode that momentum and extended the lead to 21-13 behind two kills and two blocks by Maxwell, as LBSU would go on to close to the set 25-15.
The Anteaters started the second set strong with three kills in a row from graduate middle blocker Sydnee Rowe, but Thomas and King fired back with two kills of their own to tie up the game at 5-5.
Despite the continued dominance
from LBSU’s middles, as Thomas recorded three blocks in the set, Rowe kept the Anteaters in the set with five of her team-high ten kills.
A 3-0 run from UCI forced a timeout from Reagan, but it failed to stop the bleeding.
UCI remained red hot and extended its run to tie it at 22-22, until Sheffie shut them down with a kill and a block.
Maxwell ended the set with a kill as the crowd erupted after a hard-fought, 25-23 set two win.
Kills by King and junior outside hitter Anabel Kotzakov got The Beach off to a quick 4-1 lead in the third set.
King and Hamaker added two more kills each en route to a six-point LBSU lead.
UCI senior outside hitter Kendra Duffey’s two kills in-a-row gave UCI life, and helped cut the lead to 12-10.
Back-and-forth play on both sides kept the score close, but two more kills by Kotzakov kept The Beach in the lead at 18-16.
Two kills by Maxwell and two service aces in-a-row by freshman libero Izzy Mahaffey gave LBSU a 23-19 lead near the end of the third set.
The Beach closed out the third and final set, 25-22, with Maxwell’s 10th kill of the game to seal the win and her tripledouble.
LBSU will face a major test in its next outing, as it visits Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, the No. 2-ranked team in the Big West, on Friday, Nov. 7.