CSUN Families Front and Center at the Faculty and Staff Summer Celebration

  • The always-popular Matty the Matador greets a very young Matador at the SRC.

    A younger guest smiles as she fist bumps Matty the Matador. Photo by David J. Hawkins.

  • Attendees dance with President Erika D. Beck and Matty the Matador on the dance floor.

    Guests show their best moves on the dance floor while others watch from a distance. Photo by David J. Hawkins.

  • President Erika D. Beck stands at the podium and gives a thumbs up while she thanks the staff and faculty.

    President Beck gives a thumbs up as she welcomes and thanks the staff and faculty at the opening of the event. Photo by David J. Hawkins.

  • President Erika D. Beck is wearing large star-shaped glasses and is standing with another employee holding an emoji prop in front of a green screen in the photo booth.

    President Erika D. Beck poses with Judith Gomez, another attendee, with props at the photo booth. Photo by David J. Hawkins.

  • A young climber takes on the SRC Rock Wall as others watch below.

    Summer Celebration guests tackle the SRC Rock Wall, a popular indoor climbing and bouldering wall that’s open year-round to students, faculty, staff, alumni and guests. Photo by David J. Hawkins.

  • President Beck carries Ryan Conlogue's son while she greets the family.

    President Beck greets IT staff member Ryan Conlogue and family at the annual Summer Celebration. Photo by David J. Hawkins.

  • Guests stand around the prize drawing table and enter their tickets into the boxes.

    Attendees enter their tickets into the prize drawing boxes set up in one corner of the MatArena. Photo by David J. Hawkins.

  • Two players play table tennis on the third floor of the Student Recreation Center.

    Two players competitively play table tennis on the third floor of the Student Recreation Center. Photo by David J. Hawkins.

  • Numerous tables fill the MatArena in the Student Recreation Center and guests sit, eat and chat amongst themselves.

    Attendees and their families chat amongst themselves and enjoy the food provided in the MatArena. Photo by David J. Hawkins.

CSUN faculty, staff and their family members were treated to an afternoon of food and games at the annual Summer Celebration, in recognition of and gratitude for their unwavering dedication to Matador students. The event was held at the Student Recreation Center (SRC) on July 20. Attendees enjoyed dancing, a photo booth and climbing the SRC’s rock wall. The popular event returned after being on hiatus for the past two years.

The event was supported by The University Corporation, the University Student Union and the CSUN Foundation. The celebration included a food drive, and guests were encouraged to donate canned goods or personal hygiene items in support of the CSUN Food Pantry.

President Erika D. Beck welcomed guests at the beginning of the event in the MatArena, one of the SRC’s larger rooms on the second floor, with brief welcoming remarks, and she thanked the staff and faculty.

“Thank you for all of the incredible work that you facilitate every day,” Beck said. “Thank you for the ingenuity, the passion and the creativity with which you do it, and today we get to celebrate all of that.”

Beck then led the crowd in a line dance on the dance floor. Other activities took place in the adjacent Red Ring Courts, where basketball, hula hoop contests, Giant Jenga and more were available. Food and drinks also were served. Approximately 900 people attended the celebration, according to organizers. A prize raffle at the end of the event included a $50 gift card to the CSUN Campus Store, Hollywood Bowl concert tickets and a Bronze Level Membership for The Soraya’s 2022-23 season.

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