Farah Hammam is an incoming third-year psychology major who transferred from Orange Coast College to Long Beach State, a choice she made after she saw how diverse the campus population is.
Hammam moved to Long Beach five years ago from Egypt, where she was born and raised, due to political reasons. So diversity was especially important for her.
“Here, for me to be able to say how I feel, if I don’t like the president or don’t like something he’s done, being able to share it on social media, it’s a big thing,” Hammam said. “I don’t feel that someone will hurt me or bother me over here.”
Another difference between Egypt and the U.S., Hammam said, is that people here work while enrolled in higher education. Hammam soon realized that she enjoyed the independence of having a job and became a Registered Behavioral Technician to work with children who have developmental disorders.
She helps them with their speech and teaches them how to make eye contact.
“I’ve been working with kids for a while,” Hammam said. “It’s so much fun and it’s rewarding.”
While Hammam is considering pursuing a doctorate in psychology, she knows that working with children is something she would be happy to continue doing. Before that, Hammam has to navigate her undergraduate schooling as a transfer student, something that has not been easy.
At first, Hamman had to determine what classes to enroll in, which proved confusing when she would be blocked from enrolling in certain classes within her department.
It also didn’t help that the admissions office registered her as an international student, something Hammam had to solve quickly to make sure she did not pay international student tuition fees by the time the fall semester began.
Despite the complications these past months, Hammam remains excited about attending CSULB and eventually being on campus to attend in-person classes. In the meantime, Hammam plans to join the Muslim Students Association at CSULB.
“I want to raise awareness about the middle east,” Hammam said. “This is one of my goals.”
Hammam also wants to build herself a platform at CSULB to speak about autism and mental health. For Hamman, it is all about working for what she wants.
“You need to strive for the best,” Hammam said.
Taylor Triplett is an incoming third-year transfer student from Orange Coast College. He is a business administration major who hopes to apply his degree in the technology field.
Though it took Triplett some time to determine what he wanted to major in, business administration was a field he had seen his family work in since he was a child.
“My parents are both small business owners,” Triplett said. “My mom used to own a pet shop. My dad owns a pond-themed construction business. I actually work with them.”
An Inland Empire native, Triplett moved out at 18 with his friend when they received an affordable opportunity to live in Long Beach. It was a decision Triplett said he feels proud of to this day because leaving home meant a chance to learn how to be self-sufficient.
Still, Triplett visits his family often. Though he splits his time with his family back home for work or, as he joked, if he needs household items like paper towels, Triplett knows he wants to eventually transition into living in Long Beach permanently while at school.
Long Beach State will be Triplett’s first time in a university setting. After three years at community colleges where students commuted, attended classes and left, he is ready for a change of pace.
“I have been looking forward to being on campus and being around other people who are excited to be on campus,” Triplett said. “I am looking forward to the community and [the university] mindset.”
This change does come with some concerns for Triplett, especially since classes will be conducted virtually this semester.
Though he has experience with online instruction, knowing that all of his classes will be virtual poses problems like instructor accessibility. Without the ease of in-person classes, Triplett said that trying to speak with his professors individually directly after class may not be the same in a virtual setting.
“I have to stay on top of it,” Triplett said.
When CSULB does return to in-person instruction across all departments, Triplett knows he will have the opportunity to continue working on himself.
“I like to try and keep improving, whether it’s in my academics or any sort of activity in my life, and keep making changes through hard work and determination.”
Rocio Mares is a third-year sociology major at Long Beach State, the school she knew she was going to attend long before she was accepted.
“I remember walking around and getting lost,” Mares said, recalling a time she and a friend visited the campus. “So we started walking towards the Go Beach [sign] and I looked around, turning to my friend and said, ‘This is where I’m coming. I have a feeling I should come here. I should work my butt off for Long Beach.’”
It was not just Mares who was accepted at CSULB, but her sister as well. While the two share this accomplishment, Mares has different goals than her sister.
“I want people to know who I am,” Mares said. “You’re getting yourself connections, getting to know people.”
The path to CSULB was not always easy for Mares. When she started at Mt. San Antonio College, the community college she transferred from, she was a full-time student who was failing one of her classes.
Mares had turned in a poorly written paper to one of her instructors, Mario Yagoda, who noticed the lack of effort. He pointed it out to her, but after, he told Mares something she had never heard before.
“You have potential,” Yagoda said.
Mares was motivated to work harder and later, in a sociology class to fulfill a general education requirement, formed a connection with her instructor. While she always thought she would do something within the field of criminal justice, she discovered she enjoyed sociology.
Between these two instructors, Mares knew what she wanted to do one day.
“I want to teach in the future [at] colleges to inspire other students to go for their dreams,” Mares said. “I want to inspire others to further their education.”
Her hope to be an inspiration to others, she decided, does not have to wait until then.
Mares said she wants to connect with her peers at CSULB to be a resource if anyone needs help. She and her sister are first-generation college students, so Mares plans to set an example for her other siblings as well.
Despite her busy schedule with work and school, Mares is prepared to handle it all.
“If I feel something, it’s going to happen,” Mares said.