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Traditions

Elevate and Engage

CSU campuses, including Cal State Monterey Bay, will be open Jan. 22-26. 

We have a wide variety of resources and support programs available to students during the first week of the semester. In addition to Welcome Back Week activities, students are invited to participate in a special Elevate and Engage event series, featuring a variety of recreational activities, career workshops, speakers, and interactive experiences on and off campus.

Additionally, please click here to view hours of operations for student services that will continue to remain open during this week.

Check back here for updated and new programs. Find more event and registration details on MyRaft.

Community

Inspirational Speakers

Personal Enhancement

Mental Refresh

Monday, January 22

Recreational Reading & Therapy Dogs

Time: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Location: Library
Audience: All Students

Come to the library and check out the recreational reading collection on the second floor. You can visit with therapy dogs each afternoon, and we’ll have mindfulness coloring pages, puzzles, and other relaxing activities available.

The library also has over 1,000 feature and documentary films you can stream for free through SWANK Digital Campus.


Dean Speaker Series

Dr. James Hussar, Improving Your Academic Writing

Time: 10 to 10:30 a.m.
Location: World Theater
Audience: All Students

This mini-series will highlight CSU Monterey Bay's college deans as they explore topics of interest related to their academic and personal pursuits. This program aims to provide intentional engagement with our esteemed college deans as you learn more about their professional and academic journeys.


Mountain Bike Skills Clinic and Ride

Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Recreation Front Desk, Building 12
Audience: All Students

Join Recreation for a mountain bike skills clinic to work on your balance control and stability. We will then go for a ride to practice your skills in the Fort Ord National Monument.

Coastal Bike Ride

Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 
Location: Recreation Front Desk, Building 12 
Audience: All Students

Have you ever ridden the rec trail to Monterey? Join Recreation on a ride from campus to Monterey along the beautiful coastal trail. We take a lunch break at one of the many scenic spots before riding back home. Free bike and helmet rental will be included. We lead "No Drop Rides", which means that you will never be left behind, EVER.

Dean Speaker Series

Dr. Tom Horvath, Leaving Indiana

Time: 11 to 11:30 a.m.
Location: World Theater
Audience: All Students

This mini-series will highlight CSU Monterey Bay's college deans as they explore topics of interest related to their academic and personal pursuits. This program aims to provide intentional engagement with our esteemed college deans as you learn more about their professional and academic journeys.

Resume Workshop

Time: 12 - 1 p.m.
Location: OSU Room 208
Audience: All Students

Craft Your Perfect Resume Workshop: Join us for a hands-on session tailored to elevate your resume game! Learn essential tips, formatting hacks, and key strategies to create a standout resume that gets noticed. Get expert guidance to showcase your skills and accomplishments effectively. Walk away with a polished resume that opens doors to your dream career!

Cover Letter Workshop

Time: 1 - 2 p.m.
Location: OSU Room 210
Audience: All Students

Mastering Cover Letters Workshop: Dive into the art of crafting compelling cover letters! Join us for an interactive session where you'll learn to captivate employers, personalize your pitch, and highlight your unique value. Gain insider tips on structure, tone, and content to make your application stand out. Unlock the secrets to writing cover letters that land interviews.


Speedway Showdown: Welcome Back Mario Kart Tourney 

Time: 3 - 5 p.m.
Location: OSU Rookery & Game Room
Audience: All Students

Join us for an exhilarating Mario Kart tournament featuring classic tracks and multiplayer mayhem. Participate or cheer on your friends and witness the crowning of the Mario Kart Champion during the trophy presentation. Don't miss the chance to kick off the semester with high-speed fun and friendly competition!


Open Rec: Basketball 

Time: 4 - 7 p.m.
Location: Otter Sports Center
Audience: All Students

The Otter Sports Center is open and it will be set up for individuals to play pick-up basketball or use the free weight area and break a sweat.


5's X'TREME Softball

Time: 7 - 10 p.m.
Location: Otter Sports Complex, Softball Field
Audience: All Students

"You Otter Play".. Come join Recreation - Intramural Sports community and play Softball. 5's X'Treme Softball is 5-on-5-on-5, meaning you need only 5players. Meet new people, join a community and have fun.

Tuesday, January 23

Recreational Reading & Therapy Dogs

Time: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Location: Library
Audience: All Students

Come to the library and check out the recreational reading collection on the second floor. You can visit with therapy dogs each afternoon, and we’ll have mindfulness coloring pages, puzzles, and other relaxing activities available.

The library also has over 1,000 feature and documentary films you can stream for free through SWANK Digital Campus.

Professional Headshots

Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: OSU Room 210
Audience: All Students

Are you in need of a professional headshot for your LinkedIn account? Take this opportunity to receive a headshot for free in advance of the on-campus job fair.


Leadership Workshop

Time: 12 to 2 p.m.
Location: Recreation Front Desk, Building 12, Student Center
Audience: All Students

Join Recreation for a leadership workshop at the Challenge Course! Discover your leadership style and how to put it into practice with an adventure-based activity on the low ropes. Meet in building 12 at the recreation desk and walk to the challenge course together.

Find Your Voice Through Associated Students

Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Location: OSU 310
Audience: All Students

Meet our current Associated Students officers and learn more about how you can get involved in Associated Students and run for office for the 2024-2025 academic year.

Wellness for YOU

Time: 3 to 4 p.m.
Location: Health and Wellness, Building 80, Conference Room
Audience: All Students

Learn more about the 7 Dimensions of Wellness that encourage students to seek stability within all dimensions to support healthy living. This session will also provide you with on-campus resources that support all dimensions of wellness.


Open Recreation Volleyball

Time: 4 to 7 p.m.
Location: Otter Sports Center
Audience: All Students

The Otter Sports Center is open and it will be set up for individuals to play pick-up volleyball or use the free weight area and break a sweat.


Sunset Hike

Time: 4:45 to 6:30 p.m.
Location: Recreation Desk, Building 12, Student Center
Audience: All Students

Join the Adventure Education Leaders of Recreation in a free sunset hike to the beach! Have you always wanted to catch a sunset but you don't know where to go? Join us as we hike to the beach and weather permitting, catch an amazing sunset together. We will then head back before the beach closes, 30 minutes after sunset, to head back to campus. We look forward to having you join us.


RAFTin' and CRAFTin'

Time: 5 to 7 p.m.
Location: Building 12 West Lounge
Audience: All Students

Feeling artsy? Come on over to create, craft, and connect with your fellow Otters! We'll provide the supplies, you provide the creativity.

5's X'TREME Softball

Time: 7 - 10 p.m.
Location: Otter Sports Complex, Softball Field
Audience: All Students

"You Otter Play".. Come join Recreation - Intramural Sports community and play Softball. 5's X'Treme Softball is 5-on-5-on-5, meaning you need only 5players. Meet new people, join a community and have fun.

Wednesday, January 24

Recreational Reading & Therapy Dogs

Time: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Location: Library
Audience: All Students

Come to the library and check out the recreational reading collection on the second floor. You can visit with therapy dogs each afternoon, and we’ll have mindfulness coloring pages, puzzles, and other relaxing activities available.

The library also has over 1,000 feature and documentary films you can stream for free through SWANK Digital Campus.

SDAC's Calming Corner Open Hours

Time: 9 a.m to 4 p.m.
Location: Heath and Wellness Building 80
Audience: All Students

Come and enjoy a quiet space to unwind in our Calming Corner, located in the Student Accessibility and Disability Center, Building 80, Room 104. Low lighting, zen gardening, sand play, coloring, fidget toys, beanless bag chairs, and more.

How to Find a Summer Internship

Time: 10 to 11 a.m.
Location: Otter Student Union 210
Audience: All Students

Are you interested in using the summer to grow professionally while getting paid, but you have not idea how to get started in the process? This is the workshop for you.

Mushroom Hike

Time: 10 to 11 a.m.
Location: Alumni Visitor Center
Audience: All Students

Join us for a mushroom hike through the trails on campus between the AVC and the university center. Along the way, we will identify different types of mushrooms.

Low Ropes Adventure

Time: 10 to 11 a.m.
Location: Challenge Course: Behind Library (Meet in Building 12, Student Center, Recreation Front Desk)
Audience: All Students

Join Recreation in a low ropes adventure! Meet your campus community and work together on our low ropes course. Meet in building 12 at the recreation desk and walk to the challenge course together.

Take the Bus with Us to the Monterey Bay Aquarium

Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Location: Alumni Visitor Center
Audience: All Students

After getting your free Monterey Bay Aquarium ticket from the Otter Student Union in OSU 306, join Orientation Leaders in learning how to navigate the Monterey Salinas Transit System (MST) to Cannery Row. The route will take you from CSUMB to Cannery Row where you can explore shops, restaurants, and the world-renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium. 

Manage Your Time More Effectively

Time: 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Otter Student Union, Room 208
Audience: All Students

Learn more about how to better manage your daily tasks and tips and tools you can use to be masters in time management.

Low Ropes Adventure

Time: 11:45 am to 1:15 pm
Location: Challenge Course: Behind Library (Meet in Building 12, Student Center, Recreation Front Desk)
Audience: All Students

Join Recreation in a low ropes adventure! Meet your campus community and work together on our low ropes course. Meet in building 12 at the recreation desk and walk to the challenge course together.

Low Ropes Adventure

Time: 1:30 to 3:00 p.m.
Location: Challenge Course: Behind Library (Meet in Building 12, Student Center, Recreation Front Desk)
Audience: All Students

Join Recreation in a low ropes adventure! Meet your campus community and work together on our low ropes course. Meet in building 12 at the recreation desk and walk to the challenge course together.

Students with Disabilities: Life after CSUMB/Disability Employment Accommodations

Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Location: Otter Student Union, Room 210
Audience: All Students

Want to learn more about disability accommodations in employment? Come to our workshop to answer these questions and more: *What is a reasonable employment accommodation and how is it determined? *Types of employment accommodations *When to disclose the need for an accommodation *What to provide to your employer for documentation

Food Bank of Monterey County Produce Truck

Time: 12 to 2 p.m.
Location: Parking Lot 16
Audience: All Students

Stop by on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month to get a bag of FREE produce from the Food Bank of Monterey County! All organic and local produce is provided to students for free! First come, first served.

Find Your Voice Through Associated Students

Time: 4 to 5 p.m.
Location: Otter Student Union 310
Audience: All Students

Meet our current Associated Students officers and learn more about how you can get involved in Associated Students and run for office for the 2024-2025 academic year.


5's X'TREME Softball Tournament

Time: 7 to 10 p.m.
Location: Otter Sports Complex, Softball Field
Audience: All Students

"You Otter Play".. Come join Recreation - Intramural Sports community and play Softball. 5's X'Treme Softball is 5-on-5-on-5, so come meet new people, join a community, and have fun.

Thursday, January 25

Informational Interview Workshop

Time: 10 to 11 a.m.
Location: Otter Student Union
Audience: All Students

Find Your Voice Through Associated Students 

Time: 1 to 2 p.m.
Location: Otter Student Union 310
Audience: All Students

Meet our current Associated Students officers and learn more about how you can get involved in Associated Students and run for office for the 2024-2025 academic year.

High Ropes Adventure

Time: 1 to 4 p.m.
Location: Challenge Course (Meet in Building 12, Student Center Recreation Front Desk)
Audience: All Students

Join Recreation for High Ropes Adventure at the Challenge Course! Discover new heights and challenge your limits. Meet in Building 12 at the Recreation desk and walk to the challenge course together.

Math and Science Study Skills

Time: 3 to 4 p.m.
Location: Otter Student Union
Audience: All Students

Strengthen your study and exam preparation skills for math and science courses.

Financial Wellbeing

Time: 4 to 5 p.m.
Location: Otter Student Union
Audience: All Students

Financial Literacy includes developing a budget, managing debt, building credit, and managing your student loans are among some of the financial responsibilities you are negotiating with. To better understand these topics, we suggest attending this session and learning more about gaining confidence in your financial well-being.

Evening Camping in the Quad

Time: 5 to 10 p.m.
Location: Building 12, Student Center, Recreation Front Desk
Audience: All Students

Who wants to go camping? Join Recreation and we can lead you on a car camping trip here at CSUMB! We will provide all the equipment and leadership. You will need to bring your personal clothing as well as personal hygiene and any personal items/necessities. We will have some activities before tucking into our tents for the night. We hope you are as excited as we are to share in this experience. Registration is limited so sign up now.

AS Trivia Night

Time: 6 to 7 p.m.
Location: Otter Express
Audience: All Students

Associated Students Trivia Nights are back from the semester! Come test your knowledge either solo or up to teams of 4 for a chance to win a variety of prizes. AS Trivia nights will occur on Thursdays throughout the semester.

5's Kickball Tournament

Time: 7 to 10 p.m.
Location: Otter Sports Complex, Softball Field
Audience: All Students

"You Otter Play".. Come join Recreation - Intramural Sports community and play Kickball. 5's Kickball is 5-on-5-on-5, so come meet new people, join a community and have fun.

Friday, January 26

Recreational Reading & Therapy Dogs

Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Location: Library
Audience: All Students

Come to the library and check out the recreational reading collection on the second floor. You can visit with therapy dogs each afternoon, and we’ll have mindfulness coloring pages, puzzles, and other relaxing activities available.

The library also has over 1,000 feature and documentary films you can stream for free through SWANK Digital Campus.

Community Engagement: Casa de Noche Buena Shelter

Time: 9:45 a.m. to noon
Location: Casa de Noche Buena Shelter, Seaside CA
Audience: All Students

Join Community Engagement in supporting Casa de Noche Buena Shelter for Women and Families, This service opportunity will get you engaged with our local community by working with the first homeless shelter for women and families with children on the Monterey Peninsula. Transportation is provided, but space is limited so register today!

Register

Morning Camping in the Quad

Time: 12 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Location: Meet at Recreation Front Desk, Building 12
Audience: All Students

Who wants to go camping? Join Recreation and we can lead you on a car camping trip to here at CSUMB!

We will provide all the equipment, leadership. You will need to bring your personal clothing for the , as well as personal hygiene and any personal items/necessities. We will will have some activities before tucking into our tents for the night. Ee hope you are as excited as we are to share in this experience. Registration is limited so sign up now.

Mushroom Hike

Time: 10 to 11 a.m.
Location: Alumni Visitor Center
Audience: All Students

Rain or shine, join us for a mushroom hike through the trails on campus between the AVC and the university center. Along the way, we will identify different types of mushrooms.

MTB Ride

Time: 12 to 4 p.m.
Location: Building 12, Student Center, Recreation Desk
Audience: All Students

Join Recreation for our free Friday Mountain Bike Rides. You will get a free bike rental and a helmet. We lead "No Drop Rides", which means that you will never be left behind, EVER. We will take you on a ride from the Otter Cycle Center to the Fort Ord National Monument only 1.5 miles away. With over 82 miles of trails, each ride will be different and tailored to the group's ability. 

The Rookery Open Game Room Hours

Time: 2 to 3 p.m.
Location: The Rookery, Otter Student Union
Audience: All Students

Come down to the Otter Student Union where The Rookery, our very own game room is located. Open game room hours will include a variety of board games, video games, Dance Dance Revolution and other arcade games!

Register

Open Recreation: Volleyball

Time: 4 to 7 p.m.
Location: Otter Sports Center
Audience: All Students

The Otter Sports Center is open and it will be set up for individuals to play pick-up volleyball or use the free weight area and break a sweat.

Parenting Student Mixer

Time: 5 to 7 p.m.
Location: Recreation Center, Building 12 East Lounge
Audience: Parenting Students

Attention all Parenting Students!!! Please join Basic Needs and The Family Friendly Student Organization for the Parenting Student Mixer. The mixer will include a child-friendly menu, an introduction to the available resources for parenting students on campus and in the community, and an opportunity to meet other parents and their families. Parenting students will also have an opportunity to sign up for monthly case management support, apply for cal-fresh or a basic needs paid internship, and much more! After the mixer, all parenting students and their families are invited to walk over to the Winter Formal Dance, a new CSUMB campus tradition!

Kid Zone

Time: 8 to 11 p.m.
Location: Otter Student Union
Audience: Parenting Students

A family-friendly kid zone is available so you can enjoy and dance the night away at the Winter Formal Ball.

Register

Student Services Operation Hours

Basic Needs

Monday - Friday: 9 a.m to 4 p.m

Campus Health Center

Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Financial Aid

Monday-Friday: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Library

Sunday: 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Monday - Thursday: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Friday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m to 5 p.m.

Makerspace

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Personal Growth & Counseling Center

Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.;  1 to 5 p.m.

Recreation

Monday - Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Student Disability & Accessibility Center

Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; 2 to 5 p.m.

Student Engagement and Leadership Development

Monday - Friday: 9 a.m to 4 p.m.