Vanessa Acuña never misses an opportunity to attend Cal State Fullerton Angels Night. A proud alum, she loves to see how Titan pride brings the community together.
“Events like these are important because they show just how many people have connections to Cal State Fullerton,” said Acuña, who serves as vice president of student alumni engagement for the Alumni Association. “Seeing people and families come back to support the university makes you feel part of the Titan family.”
Acuña was among 2,000 alumni and community members who attended Cal State Fullerton Angels Night at Angel Stadium. Hosted by the Alumni Association, the event provides students, staff, faculty and alumni with an opportunity to celebrate their connection to CSUF as they cheer on the Los Angeles Angels.
The event is also a nod to CSUF’s baseball history and its tradition of preparing athletes for major league careers. Several Titan alumni have played for the Angels over the years, including Kurt Suzuki, Michael Lorenzen, Chad Wallach and Dustin Garneau.
The event kicked off in the Titan Village, where attendees took pictures with Tuffy, networked with fellow Titans and received a co-branded Los Angeles Angels/CSUF jersey.
“This is our 8th year partnering with the Angels to bring together family and friends. It’s a great opportunity to showcase our Titan pride and strong alumni network in support of Angels baseball and the Alumni Association,” said Bill Cole, assistant vice president for alumni engagement.
Before the Angels took the field against the Arizona Diamondbacks, CSUF President Ronald Rochon threw the ceremonial first pitch, and fans enjoyed a performance by the 2025 national champion CSUF Dance Team, which placed first in the D1 pom category at this year’s Universal Dance Association College Cheerleading & Dance Team National Championship.
During the game, fans honored the military service of student veteran and CSUF alum Anthony Nava Camacho ’25 (B.A. business administration-information systems).
For Kimberlee Smith-Grime, events like Angels Night are the perfect opportunity to celebrate her family’s Titan legacy. Her mother graduated from Cal State Fullerton in the 1960s, Smith-Grime earned her degree in business administration in 1985 and her daughter graduated in the late 1990s.
To stay connected with her alma mater, Smith-Grime joined the Alumni Association board of directors, which represents more than 344,000 alumni through programs, initiatives and service on advisory committees.
“It’s important for alumni to stay involved with their network, but beyond that, the Alumni Association encourages alumni to get involved with current students and recent graduates, so that they can mentor them and help them succeed in their careers,” said Smith-Grime. “Alumni events are a great way to give back to the community and foster future engagement.”