Koester will talk about "The Journey to Student Success." Her talk will include the university's achievements of the past year and the goals for the coming year.

The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast reception on the lawn in front of the Oviatt Library, followed by Koester's speech at 9 a.m.

Koester's convocation is just the first in a month-long series of events planned to celebrate the start of the fall semester, which begins Tuesday, Sept. 5.

In addition to freshmen and new faculty orientations, there will be individual department and college welcomes as well as the university-wide annual "Welcome Picnic" for students on Thursday, Sept. 7. The picnic consists of two events, at 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., on the lawn on the west side of the campus next to Bayramian Hall.

Other activities include a "Pajama Jam" from 8 to 11 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 1, and a "Dive in Movie" from 6 to 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 6, for students living in university housing; the grand opening of the recently renovated University Student Union from 2 to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 12; a "Matador BBQ" from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Matador Square on Wednesday, Sept. 13; and the "A.S. Big Show," a concert, from 3 to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30.

Throughout the month students can attend soccer and volleyball games, take part in workshops on keeping their finances healthy and on note taking and study skills or visit a variety of open houses.

California State University, Northridge has 33,000 full- and part-time students and offers 62 bachelor's and 50 master's degrees as well as 28 teaching credential programs. Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest single-campus universities in the nation and the only four-year public university in the San Fernando Valley. The university serves as the intellectual, economic and cultural heart of the Valley and beyond.