The Beach welcomes a new wave of faculty members, bringing fresh perspectives, new talent and innovation to campus. Dante Estrada | Long Beach Current
Over 30 new faculty members have joined Long Beach State this year, including professors in the College of Engineering, College of Business and College of Liberal Arts.
A Navy veteran and L.A. native, Dr. Laura Sandoval joined the College of Engineering this year as an associate professor. Her experience as a mechanic in the Navy set her on the path toward engineering.
“The transition from military to civilian was really tough, but I really think that I succeeded because I had a really good student veteran organization that helped me transition, and I’m hoping to help set something similar up here to support student veterans,” Sandoval said.
This, along with her desire to give back to the Latinx community, is what drew her to become a professor at CSULB.
Like Sandoval, Dr. Robert Mejia, an associate professor in the communications department, also felt a strong personal connection to the campus.
As a CSULB alumnus, Mejia earned his bachelor’s in English and communication, followed by his master’s in communication studies at CSULB, before completing his doctoral degree at the University of Illinois.
Since then, he has taught classes at USC, North Dakota State University and UC Santa Barbara.
“I wanted to return to CSULB because the student population here meant so much to me as an undergraduate student, and it means so much to me as a professor to work at a historically Hispanic-serving institution. Not only that, but the student body consists of many first-generation students who are really paving their own way, and it’s an exciting and energetic thing to be a part of,” Mejia said.
For Dr. Elaine Tamargo, an associate professor in the educational leadership department, the path to the university began in 2024. She had been career counseling at UCLA while finishing up her doctoral degree.
When she saw a vacant position open at CSULB, she decided to apply even though the deadline had already passed.
“I grew up not too far away from Long Beach, and I’ve worked at other Cal States before. I had heard about the education department’s great reputation, which really drew me to apply, and I strongly believe in the Cal State mission of social mobility,” Tamargo said.
CSULB’s Provost, Dr. Karyn Scissum Gunn, is responsible for overseeing all academic affairs through ensuring faculty excellence and advancing student engagement and retention.
The Office of the Provost looks for faculty members who can help shape the academic agenda for years to come. This is done by looking at past achievements and evaluating their potential to continue engaging in excellent instruction and world-class research, Gunn said.
“There are a couple of considerations when we hire faculty each year. The first is called general recruitment, which is designed to identify faculty members who have expertise that complements or strengthens existing curricular offerings.” Gunn said. “If there is a need for a certain program, a series of courses within a program or a particular research agenda, then we try to identify faculty members who can fill those roles.”
Another hiring initiative the university has implemented is the ‘cluster hire,’ which has been in place for the past three years.
According to Gunn, faculty are recruited from a wide range of disciplines based on their research expertise and the ways their interdisciplinary work can collectively address major societal challenges.
The university has faced budget cuts with a 3% decrease in state funding. Gunn said the university has been fortunate that they have not impacted its ability to retain or hire new faculty.
She added that CSULB’s strength within the California State University system has allowed it to navigate the reductions without making staffing sacrifices.
“Despite these challenges, we are committed to continuing to hire faculty [who] reflect the students we serve,” Gunn said.
Editor’s note: This article was updated with a correction on Karyn Scissum Gunn’s name on Oct. 13 at 10:53 a.m.
Editor’s note: This article was updated with another featured image on Oct. 13 at 7:40 a.m.