Updates on in-depth student research proposals, upcoming cultural events and further details regarding the Beach Investment Group (BIG) partnership occurred during The ASI Business and Finance Committee meeting November 27.
The grant applications considered were Iranian Student Association – Yalda Night, Ashley Chu – exploring second-generation Vietnamese trauma and Alexander Contreras – understanding the role of rheological properties in propellant mixing and more.
The senate voted 6-0-1 for Yalda Night, 6-0-0 for Contreras’ Mechanical Engineering research proposal and 6-0-0 for Chu’s second generation Vietnamese-American trauma research.
Zhina Shirdel, president and founder of the Iranian Student Association expressed excitement to share this cultural event with students on campus.
“This is a great opportunity to invite students from different backgrounds to familiarize themselves with our culture. We hope this becomes an annual adaptation of Iranian culture on campus in the upcoming years to keep the tradition alive,” Shirdel said.
Yalda Night is a traditional celebration in Iranian culture, marking the longest night of the year and essentially celebrating the rebirth of the sun and light. The celebration was on Dec. 1 from 6-9 p.m.
Alexander Contreras presented his student research proposal to receive a grant for researching the wettability of different polymers that are part of solid rocket fuel for Dr. Joseph Kalman, an assistant professor for mechanical engineering on campus.
Contreras will use a barometer at the UCI campus for this research. While he was not able to receive parking passes for his personal transportation, he received $420 in funds to complete his research by May 2024.
Ashley Chu sent in a video statement and won her opportunity to conduct research on Vietnamese Americans dealing with second-generation trauma. She will learn how to identify the effects of trauma passed down from generation to generation while identifying the mental health needs for these individuals.
Chu received a funding amount of $800 for research related expenses like data collection, incentives and for encrypted USB data storage.
Alvin Tu, Vice President of Finance, not only hosted the meeting, but shared recent reports about the ASI board.
The BIG (Beach Investment Group), on campus holds a responsibility for managing over half a million dollars worth of portfolios on behalf of three non-profit clients, CSULB Research Foundation (the Seegers Fund), Forty-Niner Shops, Inc. (the 49er SMIF Fund) and CFA Society of Orange County (the CFAOC SMIF Portfolio)
Due to further details on investment and how that affects the beach shops on campus, BIG plans to move a quarter million dollars in funds to support students on campus.
The finance committee passed with a motion of 5-1-0.
Tu compared the Morgan Stanley, an investment group, and BIG, which performing better than Morgan Stanley. This comparison was included for people understand that BIG is performing at a great level like Morgan Stanley, which is a good sign with generating money.
They build those funds over time, which ties into the beach Shops and benefit students.
“This partnership aligns with our commitment to providing students with valuable learning experiences, promoting financial literacy, and ensuring the long-term financial stability of ASI. We believe that this collaboration will create a win-win situation for students, ASI, and the broader CSULB community,” Tu said.
The Business and Finance Committee meets biweekly on Tuesdays – 3:30 p.m at the USU room 234.