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Just back from coaching at the Paris Olympics, Long Beach State track and field head coach LaTanya Sheffield received the 2024 Legacy Award from the Mayor's Fund for Long Beach at a ceremony aboard the Queen Mary Aug. 15. The Legacy Award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the community. An Olympian herself, Sheffield was celebrated for her dedication to mentoring young athletes and recognized for her remarkable career in athletics. At this year's Summer Olympic Games, Sheffield led Team USA women’s track and field team, which took home seven gold, five silver and four bronze medals, helping the team win the most medals with 34 overall. Originally focused on education, the Mayor’s Fund has expanded to address a broader range of community needs, making Sheffield’s Legacy Award a testament to her enduring impact on both the sport and the Long Beach community.  

College of Liberal Arts Dean Deborah Thien has been selected as a member of the 2024-2025 cohort for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities' Becoming a Provost Academy (BAPA). Offered in partnership with the American Academic Leadership Institute, the yearlong leadership development program began at the 2024 Summer Meeting for Academic and Student Affairs Leaders in Denver. BAPA prepares seasoned academic affairs administrators to become effective provosts through comprehensive training, networking and mentoring. Since 2016, 40 BAPA participants have become provosts, with 10 advancing to presidents or chancellors. Thien has been with Cal State Long Beach’s College of Liberal Arts since 2006, when she joined the as an assistant professor. She has been CLA dean since 2022. 

Distinguished alumnus Felton Williams '72, ‘75 received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award July 27. A former president and longtime member of the Long Beach Unified School District Board of Education, Williams has an impressive academic and professional background. In addition to his role as assistant to the associate dean of instructional services at �°������ϲ�����, Williams also served as dean of counseling services at Sacramento City College and dean of business and social science at Long Beach City College. He earned his Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration, both from �°������ϲ�����. Williams began his career at �°������ϲ����� while still a student there, contributing to the design and implementation of the first computer-assisted registration system and to the graduate program in public policy and administration. He also served in the U.S. Army, receiving an honorable discharge at the rank of E5. Williams retired in 2007.