Cal State Monterey Bay’s 16-18 graduate programs, including the teaching credential program and the marine science program, were featured at the second annual grad fair in the Otter Student Union ballroom last week.
There are two grad fairs throughout the school year. One focuses solely on CSUMB’s graduate programs, while the other invites outside schools to present their graduate programs to interested students.
Rhonda Mercadal-Evans, executive director of the Center for Experiential Learning and Innovation, said the graduate fair is important for students exploring options both at CSUMB and other schools.
“A lot of the students say they want to go on to grad school, but they didn’t know we have grad programs here,” Mercadal-Evans said. “We decided every year that we would do this to offer students an opportunity to see what we have, and what we need to get because they’re desiring for that program to be on campus.”
Mercandal-Evans says the most popular graduate program is the master’s in social work, but all of the programs offered are valuable.
“All our grad programs are awesome,” she said. “We don’t have fluffy ones. These are ones that are necessary, like marine science or environmental.”
Jenny Martinez, a career advisor at CSUMB, said students can learn more about pursuing a graduate degree by speaking with their career advisor.
“It’s a lot about exploration and just talking about it,” she said. “You can also go on the CSUMB website to see if anything fits your interests.”
Martinez emphasized the importance of the grad fair as an opportunity for students to connect with professionals and get their questions answered.
“You can come and make contact and talk to them, which is a great way to start the process,” she said. “There’s more support around you.”
Anastasia Swann, a third-year molecular biology major, wants to pursue a Ph.D. in medical genetics at Harvard, Case Western Reserve University or the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She found the grad fair helpful for students seeking to advance their education to a higher level.
“Prospective grad students are left to their own devices to try to find stuff,” she said. “Grad fairs are really helpful because you’re able to have an easier time accessing that information rather than having to find it [on] your own.”
Swann knew about CSUMB’s graduate programs but was unaware of the specific offerings. She acknowledged that balancing classes and researching graduate school can be overwhelming but encouraged students to seek support.
“It’s really easy to get discouraged,” she said. “It’s important to latch on to your friends and talk to different support programs across campus. There are so many other people that share similar experiences. It’s really important to stay connected so that you can all support each other in that process.”