By Miguel Magana

Staff Writer

The University Student Union kicked off its Grand Opening with cheers and glee from all aspects of the San Marcos community.

The grand opening is being called “The Beat: See it! Hear it! Feel it!” because of it’s “heartbeat” function to the campus. The union has brought together students, clubs and other organizations to create more sense of a community. Students have expressed the USU gives more of a college feeling to the campus.

“The USU is a great spot for commuters on campus to hang out between classes and get some lunch or snacks! I love going in the USU because it’s really nice and comfortable,” commuter,  student Savanah McPhillips, said.

Sigma Chi member Jared Johnson said that despite the food prices, the USU is the focal point of the campus and makes Cal State San Marcos feel more like a university. “I went to the Frozen movie and felt like everyone enjoyed it,” he said.

The showing of Disney’s Frozen was one of twelve events of the USU’s two week Grand Opening Festivities.

“Since I had never seen Frozen, it was really cool to be able to go to the USU with not only fellow classmates but with members of the community.

It was a definitely a success,” women’s golfer, Casanadra Stevenson said, with over 300 people showing up to attend the film.

Initially, USUAB had anticipated 100 attendants for the event. The amphitheater was nearly as filled for the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony where student athletics, Greek life, student organizations, faculty, staff, alumni and community members gathered in anticipation.

The USU has enjoyed tremendous success thus far with their grand opening events. These have included Commuter Appreciation Day, where students that drive to school were given food as they explored the new USU Commuter Lounge. Another was the Art fUSUion event, where a local artist led an art class which kicked off this new program on campus. There also was USU Unplugged, which will also become a series, where students played acoustic songs.

A full list of the remaining events can be found on the University Student Union website at http://www.csusm.edu/usu/grand_opening/index.html#Past%20Events.