Real Students… Real Stories
Every year, the College of Continuing and Professional Education (CCPE) at CSULB helps over 20,000 students strive to improve their life and career opportunities through our courses and programs. Each one of these students has a story. Read about what motivated the students below to strive to attain their education and career goals.
Christopher Yonan
Project Management Essentials
Christopher recently completed the Project Management Essentials certificate program at CSULB, which provides participants with a solid foundation in the proven concepts, tools, and techniques that are vital for achieving effective project management and career success. Christopher holds a B.A. in Political Science from Arizona State University and currently works as a Business Analyst in the Pension and Health Plan department of the Screen Actors Guild.
Linda Lange
Internet Crime and Identity Theft Certificate Program
Online criminals, beware: Linda Lange, a self-described Internet safety advocate, is on the watch. Linda started a website and blog called CyberSafetyTalk.com about a year ago because she wanted to be involved in building awareness about Internet crime. She was first exposed to Internet crime and prevention through running an online store for six years and working with a web applications security firm in the Bay Area for three years.
Nick La Rosa
Global Logistics Specialist and Marine Terminal Operations Professional Programs
After graduating with a BA in Sociology from CSULB, Nick La Rosa decided to enroll in the Global Logistics Specialist (GLS) program at the Center for International Trade and Transportation at CSULB. “Growing up with my father, who has been in the industry his whole life, I knew I wanted to work in the transportation industry,” Nick said. “Even though I grew up around the industry, there was so much that was still unknown, so I was motivated to learn more.”
Lisa Frenchie
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts Degree Completion Program
After graduating from high school, Lisa Frenchie enrolled at CSULB and began taking undergraduate courses. During her junior year, she gave birth to a daughter, Evonne, and wasn’t able to finish her degree. A little over a year ago, Lisa heard a radio advertisement for the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts (BALA) degree completion program at CSULB. “I thought, this is great! I can go back to finish what I started,” Lisa said, explaining that she then found the program online and applied, and was accepted about two months later. After four semesters in the program, she graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in May 2012.
Read more of Lisa's story here.
Bridget Campos
Collections Management for Costume and Textiles, Professional Designation Program
While working full-time as a librarian, Bridget Campos was introduced to CCPE’s Collections Management for Costume and Textiles program by her co-worker, Tawny Sherrill, who is the founding committee member of the program. Bridget thought she wouldn’t have time to complete the program, but when she discovered that it is offered entirely online and that she could complete the classes at her own pace, she decided to enroll. She believes the certificate will help her land a job in museum collections.
Fahad Din
Master of Science in Health Care Administration and Global Logistics Specialist Programs
After graduating from USC with a degree in Information Systems and a minor in Corporate Finance, Fahad Din started looking at graduate programs with the goal of enhancing his academic knowledge. He was looking for a program that would provide him with business acumen while diversifying his knowledge in another field, so he decided on the Master of Science in Health Care Administration (MSHCA) degree program at CSULB. He later enrolled in the Global Logistics Specialist (GLS) program because he knew it would help him is his job as a Business Sales Analyst at a global life science company.
Rodney Paguyo
Courtroom Presentation of Evidence course, Basic Applied Forensic Science Program
As a Laboratory Technician at Automotive Collision Consultants, Rodney assists in reconstructing accidents and dealing with fraud and insurance claims. His supervisor learned about the Basics Applied Forensic Science certificate program at CSULB and recommended that Rodney take the Courtroom Presentation of Evidence class, as it directly relates to their industry. When asked what motivated him to enroll in the class while he was working part-time and getting his Associate’s degree, Rodney said that he knew the class would help him in his career. Rodney hopes to gain success in the Industrial Technology field and travel the world.
Sokchanda Im
Global Logistics Specialist Professional Designation Program
Sokchanda (“Sokie”) Im recently graduated from CSULB with three Bachelor of Science degrees and a professional designation as a Global Logistics Specialist (GLS). She has been working at a full-time job in the logistics industry for a year and a half, and has managed to balance her work, social life, and classes while earning her degrees. Sokie now holds Bachelor of Science degrees in International Business, Management, and Supply Chain Operations Management, in addition to her GLS designation. Thanks in part to the GLS program, Sokie works full-time as a pricing analyst at Vanguard Logistics.
Reba Birmingham
It’s Never Too Late to Finish Your Degree
Reba Birmingham is a student in the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts degree completion program at CSULB. She is also an attorney at Long Beach Law, Inc., and is a past president of Women Lawyers of Long Beach. You might ask, “How did she get to be an attorney without having a Bachelor’s degree?” Reba went to Pacific Coast University, where she was valedictorian of her graduating class, which only required an AA degree. Reba was a single mom at the time and had a lot of responsibilities, so she never got around to finishing her Bachelor’s degree. “Now that my son has his Master’s degree, I figured it’s time to get my Bachelor’s degree,” Reba said.