Center turns 20

Since 1975, the Cesar Chavez Student Center has been the hub of student life at SF State.

Daily, thousands of students stop there to visit the many organizations that call the student center home, listen to speakers and bands or just socialize and grab a bite to eat.

This week, the center is celebrating a birthday.

"It's where everything happens on campus," said Mary Keller, manager of the student center. "To get across campus, students have to go through the student center."

Wednesday, Sept. 13 will mark the 20th anniversary of the student center. The staff and the businesses in the building have planned many events to celebrate the occasion and to educate the community about the center's rich history.

The celebration will be going on all day with live music, special presentations, contests and a 20 percent sale on everything in The Bookstore.

"This celebration is for the students here," said Jeff Stott, the entertainment manager for the Depot. "The student center reflects the vibrancy of this campus."

Student organizations and Associated Students will be hosting an open house for students to get acquainted with the services offered.

Beginning at 10:30 a.m., the La Raza student organization will hold an orientation at Malcom X Plaza with information tables from 10 different Latino organizations.

"There's going to be lots going on all day," said Sandra Vega, a coordinator for La Raza.

The celebration officially gets underway at 12:30 p.m. with a proclamation from San Francisco Supervisor Mabel Teng at Jack Adams Hall and a special award to be given to the employees of the student center.

There will be live music from Caribeando, a Latin Caribbean quartet, and a ceremonial cake cutting with slices for everyone.

Following the cake cutting, students will be getting into their bell-bottoms and platform shoes for a '70s fashion show at Jack Adams Hall. $250 in prizes will be given out for the winners. The grand prize will be a $100 gift certificate from Wasteland Clothing. Music will be provided by campus radio statio KSFS.

"It's gonna be a great time for the students," Stott said. "We got some San Francisco clubs to donate free club passes for the runners-up in the fashion show."

On Wednesday afternoon, the celebration will move to the Depot stage and art gallery, where there will be more live music and an opening reception for the 20th anniversary retrospective.

The retrospective will include photographs, videos and archival materials documenting the history of the student center.

After the opening, everybody present will be able to enjoy a night of jazz. Randolph Argulles will be performing in the lobby of the art gallery, followed by a jazz duo featuring Barry Nelson and Sean Carson.

"This is the students' building, and this celebration is for them," said Keller. "I hope they will come out and help us celebrate."

[ back to Golden Gater Online September 12, 1995 ]

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