The rankings focus on college access for less-wealthy students and affordability after financial aid. Using factors such as Pell Grant enrollment and expected access based on admissions, test scores, and family income. 

CSUSM is also 23rd out of 215 colleges in the magazine’s “2026 Best Colleges for Your Tuition (and Tax) Dollars: West” and 50th out of 100 colleges in its list of “America’s Best Four-Year Hispanic-Serving Colleges.” 

Last month, CSUSM placed 31^st in the country in SmartAsset’s 2026 student of America’s Best Value Public Universities.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

This interdisciplinary minor will explore the scientific, psychological and philosophical dimensions of mindfulness and its impact on well-being.

A total of 17 units are required for the minor in mindfulness:

• PSYC 100 – Introduction to Psychology (3 units)
• KINE 150 – Foundations in Mindfulness (1 unit)
• KINE 310 – Social and Emotional Health (3 units)
• PSYC 344 – Positive Psychology (3 units)
• SOC 425 – Sociological Mindfulness (4 units)
• UNIV 495C – University Internship (3 units) 

With a focus on mindfulness, well-being and contemplative practices, this interdisciplinary minor aims to provide students with both theoretical foundations and practical methods. The minor requires completing an internship, which overlaps with the student fellowship requirement.

For more information, please contact Ranjeeta Basu at rbasu@csusm.edu. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The paper details findings that suggest complex interactions among visual feedback, hand dominance, age and tremor dynamics in Parkinson’s disease. The paper was co-authored by Ana Carolina Brisola Brizzi, Shirley Ferreira Campos, Melina Paula Sales, Fabrício Duarte de Almeida, Wellington Pedroso, and Rodrigo Cunha de Mello Pedreiro. 

Pinto Neto has written and published more than 60 peer-reviewed papers.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Robinson is an assistant professor of nursing at CSUSM specializing in hospice and palliative care. She has been a board-certified member since 2011. Her scholarship promotes comprehensive care for critically ill patients and their families.

Kohlbry, a professor emerita, is a former director of university relations and research at the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care. She also has significant experience in curriculum development and putting palliative care education into practice across academic fields.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

As often happens, the talk turned to careers. Goldberg told the couple (their names turned out to be Chuck and Kim) that she was a longtime music professor at Cal State San Marcos. The couple told Goldberg that they both worked in the cybersecurity field.

When Goldberg’s face betrayed that she knew nothing about cybersecurity, Chuck and Kim launched into a brief introduction. As Goldberg listened to them, it occurred to her that she might have a personal story that at least touched on cybersecurity. She recounted it to them, and after she was done, Chuck and Kim had to pick their jaws up off the floor.

“They were like, ‘Oh my God, you are going to become famous,’ ” Goldberg recalled.  

Within weeks, Goldberg had been introduced to the organizers of the biggest cybersecurity event in the nation, the RSA Conference in San Francisco, and she was invited not just to appear, but to be a keynote speaker. Soon after that, Jen Easterly, then the director of the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (commonly known as CISA), approached Goldberg and asked her to join an upcoming lecture circuit.

Goldberg’s life hasn’t been the same since that chance encounter in La Jolla. Now, she’s in the process of achieving an even greater level of exposure.

She turned her amazing tale into her first book (non-textbook category), “Notes of Deception: How a Quartet of American Musicians Outwitted the KGB,” released Aug. 25 by HarperCollins, one of the largest book publishers in the world. The book – co-written with Vince Houghton, director of the National Security Agency’s National Cryptologic Museum – chronicles an almost-too-bizarre-to-be-believed episode from the mid-1980s, years before Goldberg joined the faculty at CSUSM.

“I had been sitting on the story for decades,” she said. “I didn’t realize the extent to which people would be really interested.”

More than four decades ago, Goldberg was a saxophonist for the Klezmer Conservatory Band (KCB), a Boston-based group that played mostly Yiddish music. This was during the height of the Cold War, when the United States and the Soviet Union were locked in a battle of nuclear brinkmanship.

Through a newspaper article, the KCB became aware of a musical group in the Soviet republic of Georgia called the Phantom Orchestra, composed mainly of so-called refuseniks (the term for Jewish people who were denied permission to emigrate by the Soviet government) but also Catholic and human-rights activists and artists. The Phantom Orchestra was using music to circulate their story to the Western world, and the KGB (Soviet state police) increasingly viewed the musicians as a threat.

Urged on by locals in their Boston suburb, Goldberg and three of her bandmates decided to travel to the USSR to meet with the orchestra in a show of solidarity. But there was one big catch.

“The caveat was that this had to be undercover, a secret mission,” Goldberg said. “We couldn't tell anybody about it, except for our parents and if we had a boyfriend or girlfriend. Not only that, but in order to take information in and out, we had to have a secret code because we couldn't walk in with people's names and addresses. They would get in trouble.”

Goldberg had the perfect secret code in mind. As musicians, of course, the KCB would be bringing sheet music to Georgia. What if they were to use that as a cipher – effectively obscure their hidden messages in plain sight?

“So it looks just like piano music, but actually it’s directions on how to get to someone’s apartment because their phones were disconnected,” she said.

Goldberg and her bandmates felt thrilled by their proposed deception, by the notion that they would be acting like real-life spies. After the first in-depth interrogation by the KGB, however, their headiness turned to fear. Yet they made it into the Soviet Union with their code undetected, and once they met the members of the Phantom Orchestra, they grew more emboldened.

“We gained so much confidence from them,” Goldberg said. “We became less afraid of the KGB and more defiant, and that helped our ability to manage a difficult situation and what potentially was a very dangerous situation.”

After spending eight days behind the Iron Curtain, Goldberg and Co. tricked the KGB on their way out as well. Then they went to work, lobbying members of Congress and playing concerts to raise awareness of the refuseniks’ plight. Their advocacy ultimately factored into the negotiations between President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on easing Cold War tensions, and the USSR finally dissolved in 1991.

“Once people started being able to emigrate, of course, our story faded into the woodwork of history,” Goldberg said.

“Notes of Deception” is her latest, boldest attempt to change that. A self-described “pack rat,” she saved all the archival information – reports, news clippings, photos – from the spy mission, suspecting that it could prove useful someday. But none of it emerged until 2022, when the accidental meeting with Chuck and Kim yielded the cybersecurity conference speaking gig, which in turn yielded an exclusive feature about the saga in Wired magazine that attracted widespread attention.

Goldberg decided that she wanted to tell her story in her own words. She had written much of a manuscript – using a sabbatical to piece it together – but was struggling to find a literary agent.

Enter Houghton, the NSA official who had heard about Goldberg’s speeches and read the Wired article. As a historian of cryptology, he was dumbfounded that the tale of Goldberg’s band was unknown to him. He contacted Goldberg, and they hit it off. After Goldberg described her book project, Houghton told her she might have a better chance of getting it published if she recruited a co-author who could sprinkle in more historical context.

“I was like, ‘Hey, Vince, how about you? Do you want to take this on with me?’ ” Goldberg said.

Houghton agreed, and with him on board as an experienced writer (one of his colorful titles is “Nuking the Moon: And Other Intelligence Schemes and Military Plots Left on the Drawing Board”) a bidding war ensued to publish the book.

Now it’s here, and the reception has been enthusiastic. People magazine published an extended excerpt last month, and the Wall Street Journal reviewed the book (among many other outlets). Goldberg already has been interviewed by multiple podcasts and TV stations, and she spoke on a panel at the recent KPBS book festival in San Diego. She also has embarked on a national book tour that will extend through May (she’s able to do it because she has entered the Faculty Early Retirement Program, having taught her final class last spring).

Asked what she hopes readers take away from the book, Goldberg said: “What we did was a little over the top in terms of making a difference in people's lives, but advocacy absolutely makes a difference. Every single day there's something that you can do to change someone's life in a little way. Also, music is a very powerful language in terms of communicating, but also self-empowerment. It's really important for people to have music or the arts or even sports, to have something that they can hold on to that takes them out of their brains to reconnect, recharge and be mindful.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Young also recently co-authored an open-access publication titled “Social Work on Mars: A Narrative Foresight Analysis.” The paper, co-authored by Jonathan B. Singer, explores how social work might change if people were to live on Mars in the future and how technology and ethics can shape or create stories about the future.

Young, who has been at CSUSM since 2015, received his Ph.D. from Virginia Commonwealth University and has a variety of work experience from nonprofit administration to mental health. His research focuses on comprehending and incorporating new media literacies into social work education.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The summit is from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 14 at the USU Ballroom and features keynote speaker Daniel G. Solórzano, a professor of social science and comparative education at UCLA.

The HSI Summit will serve as an opportunity for professional development, a deeper understanding of HSI responsibilities and the generation of collaborative solutions that benefit both the campus and the broader community. 

The summit brings together faculty, staff, administrators, students and partners from other institutions to engage in meaningful conversations and explore how HSI can promote student achievement and create an inclusive environment where students can thrive.

The event is free and open to all. Register online.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Fisher joins CSUSM at an important moment in the university’s fundraising efforts, as it advances its ambitious “Blueprint for the Future” fundraising campaign. The $200 million campaign has reached 87% of its goal, reflecting the extraordinary momentum of faculty and staff grants, as well as the generosity of CSUSM’s alumni, donors and community partners, positioning the university for an exciting next chapter of growth and impact. 

Fisher joins CSUSM from the University of Arizona, where she has served in various development roles since 2019, including most recently, nearly four years as a vice president of development, leading centralized and college-embedded advancement teams supporting a broad portfolio of academic and university programs. She brings more than 25 years of leadership experience spanning higher education philanthropy, nonprofit management and community service. 

“I am overjoyed by the opportunity to join President Neufeldt and the CSUSM team,” Fisher said. “As a first-generation college student myself, student success and social mobility connect deeply to every chapter of my life, and it will be an honor to lead advancement at this amazing university.” 

As vice president of development at the University of Arizona, Fisher has partnered with donors, faculty and university leaders to advance philanthropic initiatives supporting student success, research innovation and community engagement. She has led development teams across multiple colleges and university programs, while cultivating and stewarding a portfolio of major and principal gift donors. She has also played an integral role in planning and executing the university’s current multibillion-dollar fundraising campaign. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Andy to CSUSM at such an important time in the university’s history,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “Her experience as a successful advancement leader, combined with her background as a nonprofit CEO and her deep commitment to student success, makes her an exceptional addition to our leadership team. Andy understands the transformative power of education personally and professionally, and I look forward to partnering with her as we continue building the philanthropic support necessary to advance our university’s vision and create even greater opportunities for our students.” 

Before her career in higher education philanthropy, Fisher spent nearly 25 years in the nonprofit sector, culminating in her role as CEO of the Centre County Youth Service Bureau in central Pennsylvania. She led an organization with more than 90 employees and 14 programs serving children, youth and families across eight sites. During her tenure, she helped grow the organization’s private giving and donor retention efforts and worked closely with community organizations, government leaders and elected officials on issues affecting children and families. 

Fisher said her experience working directly with families and communities continues to shape her approach to philanthropy. 

“I know firsthand the difference that opportunity and support can make in a person’s life,” Fisher said. “I am especially drawn to CSUSM because of its extraordinary commitment to social mobility and its focus on helping students achieve their dreams. I look forward to building strong relationships with our alumni, donors, Foundation Board, campus community and regional partners to help advance that mission.” 

In her new role, Fisher will lead CSUSM’s University Advancement division, including development, alumni engagement, events and conference services, government relations and advancement operations. She will work closely with Neufeldt, university leadership and the CSUSM Foundation Board to strengthen philanthropic partnerships and support the university’s strategic priorities. 

Fisher holds a master’s degree in criminal justice from Shippensburg University and a bachelor’s in administration of justice from Pennsylvania State University. She began her career in human services after being hired in 1994 to implement a federally funded residential program for homeless youth. 

Fisher’s appointment marks the next chapter in CSUSM’s efforts to build upon its strong foundation of philanthropic and community support and expand opportunities for students and the region. She will begin her new role at CSUSM later this month. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

President Ellen Neufeldt expressed excitement and optimism about the new academic year during her annual convocation address to faculty and staff last Thursday.

Neufeldt highlighted many of the university’s achievements over the past year, including progress on CSUSM’s fundraising campaign “Blueprint for the Future,” the largest capital campaign in university history.

“One year ago, we were preparing to publicly launch the most ambitious fundraising campaign in our university’s history,” Neufeldt said. “Today, our ‘Blueprint for the Future’ campaign has reached over $173 million toward our $200 million goal. That’s 87% of our goal!”

Neufeldt also highlighted some of the gifts that have been received this year, including:

• $10 million from Hunter Industries and the Hunter family toward the naming of the Hunter Hall of Science and Engineering;
• $3 million toward the CSU National Center for Social Mobility at CSUSM; and
• $1 million from the Prebys Foundation to provide stipends for students to pursue research opportunities and strengthen the region’s STEM workforce.

New housing, dining facility open

Celebration was in the air on Aug. 3, as hundreds gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the opening of Black Oak Hall and Kwíila Dining.

Black Oak Hall is CSUSM’s fourth housing community, and Kwíila Dining is the university’s second dining facility. Kwíila, the Luiseño word for “acorn,” was chosen to honor the local tribal heritage and the land on which CSUSM resides.

Located at 303 Campus View Drive, the seven-story Black Oak Hall features 555 beds – 390 of which are considered affordable thanks to funding from the Higher Education Student Housing Grant program established by Senate Bill 169. Just steps away, the 10,000-square-foot Kwíila Dining serves a variety of locally sourced foods and allows students to foster connection outside of class.

New coffee spot

El Kafecito, a local coffee shop with multiple locations, opened its sixth spot on Aug. 24 in the space vacated by Campus Coffee, whose owners retired after more than 20 years.

El Kafecito is owned by Rodrigo Rodriguez, a former CSUSM soccer player. A Valley Center native, Rodriguez started the company with a small, drive-through coffee hut in Vista in 2021, when he was just 21 years old.

El Kafecito specializes in Mexican and Hispanic-inspired flavors that, Rodriguez said, “bring something unique to the traditional coffee experience.” Its signature flavors include dulce de leche, horchata, mazapán, café de la olla, tres leches and Mexican mocha, though it also offers traditional favorites such as vanilla, caramel and mocha. El Kafecito also serves pastries and other food items.

CSUSM named to best colleges list

CSUSM was named to the “Best Colleges in America 2026” list by Money magazine. The university received a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5.

The list, which includes 735 colleges, showcases the country’s top values, based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries and more.

Weeks of Welcome

The annual Weeks of Welcome, which started Aug. 28, includes dozens of events for students to meet new people and kick off the academic year.

Visit the Weeks of Welcome calendar for a complete schedule.

Arts & Lectures fall series

The university’s longstanding Arts & Lectures series recently released its fall lineup. This season boasts a diverse selection of eight events.

Attendees can reserve tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website.

Summer highlights

• CSUSM hosted “The Power of Us” Southwest Riverside County Community Breakfast on June 30, bringing together local business, government, education and community leaders to explore how partnerships are shaping the region’s educational and economic future.
• Howard Chan, the learning experience designer for the Innovation Hub, was recognized as one of the San Diego Business Journal's Asian American Pacific Islander Leaders of Influence for 2026.
• The Safety, Health & Sustainability department was recognized by a national organization for its program that allows students to borrow lab coats for academic use.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The event, which was sponsored by North City, included remarks from, among others, President Ellen Neufeldt, Provost Carl Kemnitz, Vice President of Student Affairs Viridiana Diaz and Tristan Bugnot, the president and CEO for Associated Students, Inc.

“At Cal State San Marcos, we understand that the student experience stretches far beyond the classroom,” Diaz told attendees, which included family members of new students. “Students are the heartbeat of the Division of Student Affairs. Our professional staff is committed to offering intentional learning and development opportunities that stimulate self-discovery and personal growth, and I have no doubt that you’ll find that CSUSM will play such an impactful role in your lives.

“This is truly a place that not only helps students change the trajectory of their own lives, but also has a positive ripple effect on their families, friends and communities.”

As is tradition at New Student and Family Convocation, each student received a challenge coin from a family member or friend.

“We’re excited and appreciative that our kids are coming into their own and finding their niche, and the challenge coin ceremony is symbolic of that,” said Tony Reece, a family ambassador whose daughter Marisa transferred to CSUSM last year.

Relive some of the highlights from the two ceremonies in the New Student and Family Convocation photo slideshow.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

The far-reaching grant will supply UC Berkeley and its partner institutions’ advanced quantum research hub with $37.5 million in funding over the next five years to address three priority research challenges: discovering and realizing the power of quantum computation, understanding nature through the lens of quantum information science, and developing quantum technologies and their applications.

“For more than four decades, NSF has been laying the foundational groundwork of research and discovery that is powering today’s modern quantum computing, sensing and communication,” said Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director. “It’s time for focused activities to leverage that base of knowledge to drive us even farther forward to the benefit of all Americans. The NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes are a next step for us in understanding the quantum world we live in.”

The renewal of the NSF CIQC will feature several new initiatives. Cal State San Marcos and Cal State East Bay will anchor plans to establish systemwide degree programs in quantum information science, and the Computer History Museum and Berkeley Oral History Center will document the history of quantum computing in real time as it unfolds.

“We pride ourselves on creating exceptional opportunities for our students and connecting them with cutting-edge work that is shaping the future.” said Charles De Leone, dean of graduate studies and research at CSUSM. “Being part of the CIQC is a great example of that commitment. This partnership gives our students access to a field that is rapidly advancing and creates opportunities they might not find at many other universities. We’re proud to be part of this effort and to help prepare the next generation of California’s quantum workforce.”

“By uniting world-renowned research institutions and partnering with the California State University system, the CIQC will not only address long-term challenges in quantum computing, it will also expand access to education and career pathways,” said Justin Perron, a physics professor at CSUSM. “This effort builds on CSUSM’s leadership in quantum education and workforce development, and we are excited to work with our CIQC partners to build California’s quantum future at such a pivotal time.”

The NSF CIQC was founded in 2020, as one of the five original NSF Quantum Leap Challenge Institutes motivated by the National Quantum Initiative Act’s call to strengthen America’s scientific leadership in foundational quantum information research.

True to the nature of quantum information science, the institute is multidisciplinary, combining expertise in chemistry, computer science, engineering, mathematics and physics. Researchers explore how to harness quantum systems to create next-generation technologies for sensors, computing and communications.

Through collaborative efforts over the past six years, the institute’s researchers have stress-tested claims of quantum computers that outperform classical ones, stimulating aggressive development by the quantum industry. By asking how quantum information evolves within physical systems, they discovered new kinds of phase transitions and established rigorous insights on the structure of quantum matter. They also advanced frontier research on neutral-atom platforms for quantum computing, setting the stage for the current explosion of activity and investment in such systems.

“The renewal and expansion of the NSF CIQC is a momentous event for the field of quantum science and for the quantum ecosystem in the state of California,” said Shimon Kolkowitz, the Herst Chair in Physics at UC Berkeley. “This center enables and enhances large-scale academic collaboration on basic quantum research at a pivotal moment for the field.”

By linking leading quantum research teams and educational initiatives across the state of California, the NSF CIQC serves as the backbone of an integrated, statewide ecosystem. UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, Stanford University and the California Institute of Technology are core research partners.

The renewal of the institute recognizes the growing energy around quantum and builds on the long history of exceptional quantum research in California. Notably, the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to UC Berkeley Professor Emeritus John Clarke, together with his former postdoctoral fellow Michel Devoret and graduate student John Martinis (both now on the UC Santa Barbara faculty), for quantum tunneling experiments that lay the groundwork for today’s superconducting quantum computers.

Under the leadership of Chair Simon Kuo, retired vice president of corporate quality at Viasat, and Vice Chair Kristin Crellin, senior vice president at SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the Foundation Board advances philanthropic investments that support student success and academic excellence. 

The new directors join the board at a time of significant progress at CSUSM. The university is ranked No. 1 in the nation on the CollegeNET Social Mobility Index and is expecting a record 17,500 students this year. This momentum extends to Blueprint for the Future, CSUSM’s comprehensive campaign to advance student success, research and the university’s impact across the region. To date, the campaign has reached 86% of its $200 million goal in philanthropic and research funding. 

“I am pleased to welcome this new cohort of directors to the CSUSM Foundation Board,” Kuo said. “As CSUSM continues to evolve, their experience and leadership will help us harness the power of philanthropy to change the trajectory of students’ lives. I look forward to working with our new directors as we build on this progress and continue advancing the goals of Blueprint for the Future.” 

The Foundation Board’s newly elected directors are: 

Barbara Fischer  

Fischer is an attorney at Fischer & Ritchey LLP, a law firm that focuses on estate planning, business formation and planning, nonprofit formation, operations and compliance, and charitable and gift planning. She earned a master’s degree in legislative affairs at George Washington University and worked for two U.S. senators and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives as a legislative assistant. She then obtained a law degree from California Western School of Law and is a partner with her daughter in their law practice. 

Kevin Harkenrider  

Harkenrider retired from Viasat in August after a 19-year career with the company, most recently serving as executive vice president and chief corporate officer. Previous roles with Viasat included chief operating officer, president of commercial networks and president of satellite services. His background spans more than 40 years in diverse industries such as shipbuilding, information technology, electronics manufacturing and telecommunications. He earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. 

Greg Hunter 

Hunter is the CEO of Hunter Industries, an irrigation manufacturing company founded in San Marcos in 1982. A mechanical engineering graduate of Cornell University, he has spent his career helping advance innovative irrigation and outdoor solutions while continuing his family’s legacy of leadership at Hunter Industries. He also has a strong commitment to community service, having served for more than a decade on the Board of Managers of the Jackie Robinson Family YMCA in San Diego, including four years as chairman. A lifelong learner, he enjoys challenging himself academically and has been taking advanced mathematics courses at CSUSM. 

The Foundation Board’s newly appointed directors are: 

Rebeca Perren 

The new faculty representative, Perren is a CSUSM marketing professor whose work focuses on business education, emerging technology, consumer behavior and marketplace equity. An award-winning educator and researcher, she has led community-engaged student initiatives, including an internship program and a student-run digital marketing agency serving regional nonprofits. Nationally, she serves on the American Marketing Association Foundation Board of Advisors, which she will chair in 2027-28, and is an inaugural member of the PhD Project Advisory Council, advancing diversity and representation in business education. 

Rae Lynch (’27) 

A student representative, Lynch is a CSUSM senior majoring in communication with a minor in biological sciences. Passionate about science and healthcare, she plans to pursue a career in sales or marketing within the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industries. As an intern with CSUSM University Communications, she supports social media management and contributes stories to the CSUSM NewsCenter. She is also a member of the Student Philanthropy Council. 

Ashley Ortiz (’27) 

A student representative, Ortiz is a CSUSM senior studying global supply chain management. She hopes to pursue a career in procurement, production, logistics or demand planning, where she can leverage data, collaboration and strategic decision-making to improve business operations. She also serves as the director of student outreach for the Global Supply Chain Management Society and is a member of the Student Philanthropy Council.  

Julianna Hunt (’28) 

A student representative and shadow director, Hunt is a CSUSM junior pursuing studies in the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences (CHABSS). Following graduation, she plans to attend law school, with the goal of building a career in corporate law. She serves as a community adviser with CSUSM Housing and as a student assistant for the CSUSM Innovation Hub. She is also a member of the Student Philanthropy Council and the Delta Zeta sorority. 

About the California State University San Marcos Foundation Board 

The California State University San Marcos Foundation Board is composed of community leaders and philanthropists who cultivate and encourage charitable investment in the university, build meaningful regional relationships and encourage a culture of philanthropy. All gifts to the university are accepted and administered by the California State University San Marcos Foundation, an official 501(c)(3) auxiliary organization of CSUSM.  

This season boasts a diverse selection of eight events as the university hosts renowned guest speakers and performances.

Attendees can reserve tickets online via the Arts & Lectures website now.

Movement Mystics: Alchemy, Resilience and Transformation

Sept. 18, 7 p.m., Arts Building 111

This captivating dance performance celebrates the richness of Brazilian culture through timeless feminine stories and symbols. Inspired by Brazil's many dance traditions, it explores themes of strength, transformation and the wisdom carried within the body.

Drawing from world mythology, Yoruba beliefs, Jungian psychology, Clarissa Pinkola Estés' “Wild Woman” archetype and the vibrant rhythms of Brazil, the performance uses movement to honor the past, express the present and connect with something deeper.

More than a celebration of culture, this work is a personal journey. It explores how dance can help us navigate life's biggest challenges and reconnect with our inner strength.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

CHABSS Networking Night: Transformative Leadership and Social Change

Oct. 7, 5 p.m., USU Ballroom

Join CSUSM students, alumni, artists and community leaders for an evening of ideas, creativity and connection. The event will highlight how leadership emerges through the arts, media, public service and civic engagement.

Enjoy appetizers, drinks, live music and an inspiring panel of alumni and community leaders sharing how their work creates meaningful social impact. The evening will conclude with structured networking designed to foster meaningful conversations, explore career paths and build lasting connections.

Whether you’re seeking mentorship, expanding your professional network or discovering new opportunities, this event offers an engaging space to learn, connect and be inspired by those shaping the future of our communities.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: Free

Community: Free

‘The Canary Code’: Designing Workplaces Where Different Minds Thrive

Oct. 12, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom

Our ability to thrive in the workplace is highly dependent on how we relate to one another. Ludmila Praslova, author of “The Canary Code: A Guide to Neurodiversity, Dignity and Intersectional Belonging at Work,” shares insights on how we can prioritize neuroinclusivity in the workplace to foster connection and a sense of belonging.

Praslova draws from her perspective as a first-generation academic and a neurodivergent woman. She is a professor of industrial-organizational psychology at Vanguard University in Orange County and a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Psychology Today and Forbes.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

‘You’re No Indian’

Oct. 26, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom

Come attend a screening of “You’re No Indian,” which is not just a film – it’s a call to action. At the heart of this 2025 documentary lies a battle for identity and justice, where militias storm casinos, graves are pillaged for DNA evidence and even proven lineage cannot save individuals from disenrollment.

More than 10,000 people have been disenrolled from their tribes in recent years, eviscerated from their communities and families. Research confirms disenrollment’s relationship to tribal gaming and even the corruption of tribal politicians. Not only does it result in financial ruin for the disenrolled, but immeasurable psychological harm when they are now told “you’re no Indian.”

This film exposes the dark intersection of power, greed and cultural erasure. It’s a powerful stand for those whose voices have been silenced, urging viewers to join a growing movement for truth and accountability.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

The Power of Transformation: From Gang Life to Community Leadership

Nov. 3, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom

Luis J. Rodriguez – an award-winning poet, acclaimed author and community activist – draws from his own life and shares how he overcame gang involvement to become a leading voice for hope, healing and social justice. His inspiring story reminds us that people can change, communities can heal and everyone deserves the chance to build a better future.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

Pasifika in Entertainment: Navigating Culture, Language and Performing Arts in Disney’s Live-Action ‘Moana’

Nov. 16, 6 p.m., USU Ballroom

The release of Disney’s live-action “Moana” film this summer involved local expertise and talent from CSUSM and the surrounding area. Attendees will learn about the making of the film through the perspectives of the Oceanic Cultural Trust, a group created by the film company to serve as cultural consultants on Oceanic language and performing arts. 

CSUSM professor Grant Muāgututi'a served as the lead cultural consultant for the film. His work focuses on the need for Oceanic language conservation efforts through mainstream popular media, independent documentary film, community partnership programming and higher education institutions both locally and abroad. He and others involved in the film will reflect on their roles in making the live-action film. 

Members of the Oceanic Cultural Trust and actors from the film will engage the audience with behind-the-scenes stories and live musical and dance performances to inspire everyone to reimagine how grassroots cultural arts education can shape more inclusive experiences of higher education and impact popular media representations.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

Capturing Complexity: Theater as a Means of Self-Exploration and Reconciliation

Nov. 17, 6 p.m., Arts 111

Join us for a staged-reading presentation of “Pride: Mortal BEINGS part 1,” a one-person play written and performed by Terrell Donnell Sledge, a San Diego actor, writer, director, advocate, empowerment coach and CSUSM theatre arts lecturer. The story is an alternative telling of the fall of Lucifer – from Lucifer's perspective – hinging on the questions of free will, love, loyalty, suffering, suicide, forgiveness and redemption.

After the performance, Sledge will be joined by Stephanie Sledge – an artist, associate clinical social worker and CSUSM alumna – for a conversation about narrative representation and creative expression for self-exploration and healing. Stephanie will interview Terrell about the process of writing the play as a form of self-preservation when he was navigating academic environments prone to stereotyping and erasure of Black male identity. Guests will depart with the building blocks for harnessing their own creativity as a therapeutic tool.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

Serenades, Fantasies and Songs: Camarada With Aaron Humble, Tenor

Nov. 19, noon, Arts 111

Camarada, a resident ensemble at The Conrad in La Jolla, will present a unique concert spotlighting the remarkable tenor of CSUSM professor Aaron Humble. This diverse and engaging program takes audiences on a journey through the history of music, spanning from the Baroque era to the 20th century.

The instrumental portion includes works by Baroque master Telemann, Romantic composer Robert Fuchs and contemporary composer Ian Clarke. Vocal selections will highlight lyrical and expressive works by Benjamin Britten, Italian opera composers Gaetano Donizetti and Ruggero Leoncavallo, and an exquisite French masterpiece by Georges Hüe. Performers include Beth Ross Buckley, flute; David Buckley, violin; Travis Maril, viola; and Dana Burnett, piano.

Join us for an inspiring midday concert as we explore the world of vocal chamber music and more.

CSUSM students: Free

Faculty/staff/alumni: $5

Community: $10

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Funded through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act and administered by the San Diego Workforce Partnership, the initiative brings together San Diego State University, CSUSM and education and workforce partners throughout San Diego County. SDSU serves as the lead institution, with CSUSM receiving a funded subaward to lead implementation efforts serving North County.

Through the initiative, the CSUSM Career Center will expand career navigation, workforce-readiness programming, employer engagement and work-based learning opportunities for eligible in-school youth ages 14-21. The program will prioritize young people who face barriers to education and employment, including low-income students, students with disabilities, former foster youth, English learners, justice-involved youth and students experiencing housing or food insecurity.

CSUSM participants will receive individualized career support while gaining access to career exploration, skill development, mentoring, internships and other work-based learning experiences. Eligible participants also will be able to earn $30 per hour while completing certain approved workforce-development activities, helping reduce the financial barriers that can prevent students from participating in career-building experiences.

The initiative will build upon CSUSM's existing Career Center infrastructure and partnerships across North County, including relationships with employers, community colleges, K-12 partners and campus programs serving students with barriers. CSUSM also will integrate existing campus resources and supportive services to help participants address challenges that could interfere with their educational and career goals.

“This investment gives us an opportunity to go beyond simply connecting students to jobs and provide the kind of comprehensive support that can change a student's career trajectory,” said Yasmine Farley, director of the CSUSM Career Center. “We're able to combine career guidance, paid skill development, work-based learning and supportive services while leveraging the partnerships that already exist throughout CSUSM and North County. Most importantly, we're directing those resources toward young people who may otherwise face significant barriers to accessing these opportunities.”

The regional partnership also includes the San Diego Community College District, Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, San Diego Unified School District and Southwestern College, creating a coordinated approach that reaches students across K-12, community college and university settings rather than limiting services to four-year university students.

For CSUSM, the grant also represents an investment in the university's role as a workforce and economic development partner for North San Diego County. By connecting students with employers and educational pathways throughout the region, the initiative aims to strengthen the transition from education to meaningful employment while developing skills needed in an increasingly technology- and AI-integrated workforce.

To learn more or see if you qualify for the program, contact the Career Center at careers@csusm.edu.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

• be healthy and endurance-trained men and women ages 18-50 years old
• consistently run every week (25-30 miles per week)
• have a body-mass index less than or equal to 30 kg/m
• not take medications that may affect substrate metabolism

You will complete three days of exercise protocols: VO2 max, moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) and high-intensity interval training (HIlT). Substrate metabolism, fitness levels and perceptual responses will be measured in the study, which will take place in Academic Hall. You will receive $25 in compensation per completed session, and up to $75 for all three.

For more details, email Ryan Pinter (pinte001@csusm.edu), Madison Hall (hall286@csusm.edu) or Todd Astorino (astorino@csusm.edu).

SmartAsset, a financial technology company, evaluated more than 500 public colleges and universities in the United States to identify the best values. Schools with an average cost of attendance below the median for similar institutions were assigned composite scores based on graduation rates and median earnings 10 years after first enrollment. The 50 highest-scoring schools were named America’s best-value public universities.

CSUSM was one of 13 California universities to make the list, which was topped by the University of Florida at No. 1.

Earlier this summer, CSUSM received 4.5 out of a possible five stars on Money magazine's list of “Best Colleges in America" for 2026.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

Since 2004, Campus Coffee had been a beloved CSUSM cafe and eatery, serving warm cups of joe and sweet treats on the plaza outside Science Hall 1 – on the opposite side of campus and two big flights of stairs away from Starbucks and other food and drink vendors. It was a place where the owners greeted you with a smile and often knew your name – and your coffee order.

Now, about six months after those owners (Tim and Sandra Sabbatini) decided to retire, a new establishment will inherit the legacy of Campus Coffee.

This month, the prime real estate will be taken over by El Kafecito, a local coffee shop that already has locations in San Marcos, Vista, Escondido, Valley Center and San Diego. Its sixth spot is scheduled for a soft opening on Aug. 24, with the full launch on Aug. 31, the first day of the new school year.

El Kafecito is owned by Rodrigo Rodriguez, a CSUSM alumnus and former Cougars soccer player. A Valley Center native, Rodriguez started the company with a small, drive-through coffee hut in Vista in 2021, when he was just 21 years old. His entrepreneurial spirit was inspired by working alongside his parents in their family business.

“I remember stopping at Campus Coffee before a long lecture or between classes, so I understand how something as simple as a good cup of coffee can become part of students’ daily routine,” Rodriguez said. “Being able to return to CSUSM, this time as a local business owner, feels like a full-circle moment.”

El Kafecito specializes in Mexican and Hispanic-inspired flavors that, Rodriguez said, “bring something unique to the traditional coffee experience.” Its signature flavors include dulce de leche, horchata, mazapán, café de la olla, tres leches and Mexican mocha, though it also offers traditional favorites such as vanilla, caramel and mocha.

El Kafecito also serves pastries and other food items, with customer favorites including churro cupcakes, Mexican-inspired cinnamon rolls and stuffed conchas.

“Our goal is to create a place where everyone can find something they enjoy while introducing CSUSM to flavors that represent my culture and the community,” Rodriguez said.

The selection of El Kafecito to replace Campus Coffee stemmed from the work of the CSUSM Corporation in collaboration with the Student Culinary Council (SCC), a body created last spring to strengthen the connection between students and campus dining. Responding to students’ expressed desire for a new coffee stand on the far end of campus, the SCC helped identify potential vendors, participated in interviews and evaluated each candidate based on its vision, quality and alignment with campus culture.

“What makes this selection so special is that Rodrigo is a CSUSM alumnus who is passionate to serve the campus community,” said Anthony Romero, who leads the SCC. “His commitment to quality coffee, building community and creating meaningful connections makes Rodrigo and El Kafecito the clear choice for the new coffee stand at CSUSM.”

Rodriguez, who now lives in San Marcos and spends his days shuttling between locations, said he can’t wait to get started.

“My goal is not simply to sell coffee on campus,” he said. “I want to build a connection with the CSUSM community and make El Kafecito feel like it belongs to the students, faculty, staff and Cougar family. As a former student and student-athlete, I’m excited about the opportunity to give back to a campus that was an important part of my own journey.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Black Oak Hall is CSUSM’s fourth housing community, and Kwíila Dining is the university’s second dining facility. Kwíila, the Luiseño word for “acorn,” was chosen to honor the local tribal heritage and the land on which CSUSM resides.

More than 200 people – including local and state dignitaries, CSUSM Foundation Board members, students, faculty, staff, and construction officials – attended the ceremony.

Located at 303 Campus View Drive, the seven-story Black Oak Hall features 555 beds – 390 of which are considered affordable thanks to funding from the Higher Education Student Housing Grant program established by Senate Bill 169. Just steps away, the 10,000-square-foot Kwíila Dining will serve a variety of locally sourced foods and allow students to foster connection outside of class. 

The project also reflects CSUSM's commitment to sustainability, from its LEED Gold certification ambition and renewable energy systems to the use of native landscaping and sustainable building materials. 

President Ellen Neufeldt said the project will serve CSUSM students – more than half of whom are the first in their families to attend college – while advancing the university's mission of social mobility. 

“When housing is affordable, close to campus and connected to a supportive community, students have more time to study, participate in campus life, build relationships with faculty and peers, and ultimately persist to graduation,” Neufeldt said during the ceremony. “That is why today's celebration matters.” 

In addition to Neufeldt, others who spoke were Tristan Bugnot, president of Associated Students, Inc.; Patrick Henning, chief deputy treasurer in the State Treasurer’s Office; San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones; Viridiana Diaz, CSUSM's vice president for Student Affairs; Richard King of project designer Gensler and Eric Halverson of builder McCarthy Building Companies; Deanne Ellison, associate vice president of business development and executive director of the CSUSM Corporation; and Travis Douglas, executive director of CSUSM Housing and Residential Education.

The emcee of the ceremony was Leon Wyden Jr., CSUSM's vice president of Finance and Administrative Services and chief financial officer.

During her speech, Jones issued a proclamation in support of the housing and dining project. After the ribbon-cutting, guests were invited into Kwíila Dining for the first meal, with food provided by Sodexo, the vendor for the facility. Students gave tours of the new dorm rooms in Black Oak Hall.

The project was funded in part by $91 million received from Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature.

Construction on the site of a former parking lot for University Village Apartments, CSUSM’s original housing complex, began in 2024. Students will begin moving in later this month.

Bugnot said the new facility perfectly illustrates CSUSM's culture of care, which was a big part of the reason why he chose to attend the university over other institutions.

“As ASI president, I think a lot about what students need in order to thrive,” he said. “Students need access. Students need affordability. Students need spaces that make them feel seen and supported. Black Oak Hall and Kwíila Dining move us closer to that vision. We are creating something that you probably can’t get anywhere else in the world: the San Marcos experience.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

The list, which includes 735 colleges, showcases the country’s top values, based on graduation rates, cost of attendance, financial aid, alumni salaries and more.

For the fourth year in a row, Money presented its picks on a five-star scale to demonstrate colleges' relative performance without a numbered ranking, which the magazine says can often overstate small differences between relatively similar schools. CSUSM received 4.5 stars for the second consecutive year.

CSUSM was also on Money's list of “Best Public Colleges,” "Best Colleges in the West" and "Best Colleges with High Acceptance Rates."

All 22 California State University schools made the list, including six that earned five stars.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

But something happened along the way. The history courses sparked Acevedo’s interest in a manner that his other GE courses did not. The material ran so much deeper than the rote memorization of names and dates that he associated with history.

“My professors at CSUSM also made me feel smart, giving me invaluable feedback on my work and my progress as a student,” Acevedo said.

That was more than two decades ago. Intending to major in communication, Acevedo switched to history, graduated with a history degree in 2004 and ultimately became a professor himself – with an ambition to emulate in his teaching the way he was taught at CSUSM.

It seems to be working. Now an associate professor and coordinator of history, political science and American studies at Hudson County Community College (HCCC) in Jersey City, N.J., Acevedo last month received the Distinguished Faculty Award from the New Jersey Council of County Colleges – an honor that covers all faculty across the state’s 18 community colleges. He was recognized for his “profound influence on students academically and professionally inside and outside the classroom.”

Acevedo co-founded the Hudson Oral History Project, through which he guides student interns in interviewing residents, community leaders and business owners to document the history and rapid changes of Jersey City’s Journal Square area. He also helped establish the HCCC Department of Cultural Affairs, which provides free arts and enrichment programming for students and the people of Hudson County.

“When I was notified I got the award, it felt quite rewarding,” he said. “Sometimes it is easy to lose sight of the impact you have on students, especially when doing the work of preparing lessons or confronting challenges like the influence of AI on education. So to receive an award like this was definitely a reminder that the daily commitment to help students grow as learners and thinkers is so worthwhile.”

A Fallbrook native, Acevedo chose CSUSM because of the proximity to home and the intimate learning environment compared to other California State University schools that he considered. Once he switched his major to history, he came under the tutelage of multiple faculty mentors, most notably Alyssa Sepinwall.

Sepinwall invited Acevedo to be part of CSUSM’s Faculty Mentoring Program, which since 1991 has paired first-generation students like Acevedo in a one-on-one mentoring relationship with a faculty member to increase retention rates. At Sepinwall’s suggestion, he attended an academic history conference in Newport Beach that he calls a turning point because it exposed him to what history professors do outside the classroom.

“Dr. Sepinwall also brought in guest speakers and made sure her students got engaged with history beyond just completing our assignments,” Acevedo said. “And she gave me invaluable guidance when I applied to grad school, spelling out in no uncertain terms the challenges of the academic job market, but also pushing me to pursue my dreams. Along the way, she has been my go-to person for all things history.”

Sepinwall’s influence was such that, during his senior year, Acevedo nominated her for the President’s Award for Innovation in Teaching, which she won in 2004. Her admiration for her former student is equally strong.

“I am so impressed by all of Tony's successes since he graduated from CSUSM,” Sepinwall said. “He took everything he was taught here and built on it in his own way to become a superstar teacher. I learn so many things from him when we talk about teaching – and watching him become a state and national leader in history pedagogy, for community colleges and others, makes me tremendously proud as his former Faculty Mentoring Program mentor.”

After graduating from CSUSM, Acevedo earned a master’s degree in history from San Diego State and worked there as a graduate teaching associate. He also taught a history course at CSUSM for a former professor, Darel Engen (another major influence), when Engen was on paternity leave. Hired by HCCC in 2013, he lives in New York City, where he’s in the dissertation phase of achieving a Ph.D. in world history from St. John’s University.

Acevedo particularly values the experience of teaching at a community college.

“Most of my students are first-generation students, and getting to be part of their journey feels special, because for many of them, as for myself, receiving a college degree can be transformational,” he said. “I also can relate to the ways my students have to balance lots of real-life responsibilities, such as heavy work schedules, with their pursuit of a college education, and I am continually impressed by their grit and perseverance.

“Most of my students are also non-history majors taking history courses to fulfill a requirement, so I especially love reading student evaluations that start with ‘I didn’t like history before’ or ‘History was never my favorite subject’ before they explain how much they enjoyed the class.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

The Student Lab Coat Checkout Program was honored last weekend in Austin, Texas at the annual conference of the Campus Safety, Health and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA). The program received three CSHEMA Innovation Awards.

Launched last spring, the lab coat program is a collaboration among SHS, the University Library and the chemistry and biochemistry department. Currently enrolled CSUSM students can borrow coats from the library for free for up to 16 weeks, with the items available on a first-come, first-served basis. The program served 241 students last semester.

Marissa Acosta, Vanessa Rivera and Victor Franco Bolanos from SHS worked with three employees in the library’s User Services department – Alysa Hernandez, Kelly Ann Sam and Leslie Hovland – to make the partnership a success.

Acosta said the program was created to address a barrier to equitable laboratory safety: access to proper personal protective equipment (PPE), specifically lab coats.

“Before the program, some students faced financial challenges when purchasing a lab coat,” said Acosta, who received the awards in person on June 19. “This inequity directly affected student readiness for laboratory participation and created preventable obstacles to maintaining a consistent and accessible culture of safety.”

Based in Wisconsin, CSHEMA is the pre-eminent leadership organization representing the environmental health and safety (EHS) profession in campus environments.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Aaron Hye, peer outreach and student engagement coordinator in the Office of Inclusive Excellence, developed the initiative. The initial workshop gathered leaders across CSUSM for a four-hour discussion and a series of meaningful, skill-building exercises focused on student-centered care.

“The only requirement to participate is to be vulnerable,” Hye said.

Hye said the workshop taught people to view others through an individual lens.

“People have backstories,” he said. “People have histories and people have baggage they come with, so when you deal with people, you have that in mind.”

Early feedback has underscored the value of establishing a shared framework grounded in empathy, accountability and cross-campus collaboration. Hye said he hopes to host more of these workshops in the future.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

Over the past 12 months, Cal State San Marcos celebrated several fundraising milestones.

Last fall, the university publicly launched Blueprint for the Future, an ambitious campaign to raise $200 million in philanthropy and research funding. Today, the campaign has reached 84% of its goal thanks to the generosity of donors, alumni and community partners.

CSUSM also recorded its second-highest fundraising year in campus history, reflecting a growing culture of philanthropy across the university.

"Every gift creates a new opportunity for a CSUSM student," CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. "Our donors believe in the potential of our students and the power of higher education to change lives and strengthen our region’s economic prosperity. Their generosity is creating opportunities for social mobility today while shaping the future of our university for generations to come."

Building the Future of Engineering

The largest gift of the 2025-26 academic year, $10 million from Hunter Industries, ranks among the largest philanthropic contributions in university history. The investment builds on a decades-long partnership between the university and the Hunter family and will support the future Hunter Hall of Science and Engineering.

Opening in spring 2028, the 70,000-square-foot, three-story facility will feature advanced laboratories, a robotics suite and collaborative learning spaces designed to prepare students for careers in engineering and advanced technology.

Hunter Hall will expand CSUSM's engineering capacity, increasing enrollment from approximately 500 to nearly 2,000 students while enabling the launch of a new industrial and systems engineering program.

Leading the Nation in Social Mobility

Backed by $3 million in philanthropic support, the university will become home to the CSU National Center for Social Mobility, a hub for research, innovation and collaboration that will share evidence-based practices across all 22 CSU campuses and beyond.

The center builds on CSUSM's longstanding commitment to expanding opportunity. Earlier this year, CSUSM was ranked No. 1 in the nation for social mobility for the second time in four years by the CollegeNET Social Mobility Index.

Stewarding Donor Investments

The university also celebrated the continued growth of its endowment. This year, CSUSM earned systemwide recognition for investment performance, achieving the highest five-year rate of return among CSU campuses, tying for the top one-year return and ranking second in 10-year performance.

Fueling Research and Innovation

Faculty research is also advancing Blueprint for the Future. Physics professor Justin Perron is leading a three-year, federally funded initiative to give undergraduates hands-on training in quantum information science and technology. Additional funding is supporting research in mathematics, biology, mental health and public health.

Record-Breaking Giving Day

The momentum behind Blueprint for the Future extends far beyond transformational gifts. It is powered by thousands of alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends who believe in the promise of CSUSM.

That collective generosity was on full display during the university's most successful Giving Day to date. In just 24 hours, supporters contributed $828,397 through 2,444 gifts, setting a new university record. Alumni also continue to play an increasingly important role in the campaign, now representing 32% of all Blueprint for the Future donors.

A new building. A national center. Thousands of lives transformed. That's the vision behind Blueprint for the Future, and every gift brings CSUSM closer to reaching the goal to raise $200 million in philanthropy and research funding.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314

This spring, Clerihan graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and she's planning to launch her own construction billing business in the community she now calls home. She credits her professors at CSUSM at Temecula for encouraging her to pursue her educational and entrepreneurial dreams.

“I was never that student who enjoyed school, but at CSUSM at Temecula, I found myself on the dean’s list and looking forward to going to class,” Clerihan said. “My parents were amazed by the change in me.” 

Her story was highlighted by CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt at “The Power of Us” Southwest Riverside County Community Breakfast on June 30. The event brought together local business, government, education and community leaders to explore how partnerships are shaping the region’s educational and economic future. 

Sponsored by the Pechanga Band of Indians, the event was emceed by CSUSM Foundation Board directors Alisha Wilkins and Esther Phahla, both Temecula residents and local business owners with deep ties to the region. 

Before Neufeldt took the stage, Riverside County Third District Supervisor Chuck Washington reflected on the partnership that has shaped CSUSM’s presence in Southwest Riverside County. 

“It started with a simple but ambitious idea: bringing expanded higher education opportunities closer to the families of Southwest Riverside County,” Washington said. “Cal State San Marcos has listened to our communities, understood our workforce needs and invested in programs that reflect our local priorities.”  

Meeting Students Where They Are 

CSUSM established its Temecula campus in 2008 and has expanded to include two locations, with programs in nursing, software engineering, teacher credentialing and business administration. That commitment received a major boost in 2024 when Riverside County invested $5.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding to enhance technology, equipment and academic programs.  

Today, more than 20% of CSUSM’s nearly 17,000 students come from Riverside County. Students attend classes on the university’s main campus in San Marcos, at CSUSM’s Temecula locations, online or through a combination of locations. 

Expanding access to higher education is central to CSUSM’s mission of advancing social mobility. Last fall, the university again was recognized as the nation’s top university for social mobility by CollegeNET, reflecting its success in helping students improve their economic opportunities through earning a degree. 

“Beyond the ranking, social mobility is a student like Alyssa, who thought she would have to drop out and instead earned her business degree,” Neufeldt said. “It's a first-generation student becoming an engineer. A working parent becoming a nurse. A transfer student becoming a teacher. That's what social mobility looks like.” 

Collaborating Across the Region 

In her remarks, Neufeldt emphasized that expanding access to higher education requires collaboration among schools, colleges, employers and community partners. 

She highlighted the university's participation in Riverside County's Direct Admission initiative, the first countywide partnership of its kind with the California State University system, as well as CSUSM's Alliance partnerships with more than two dozen school districts and tribal nations. 

“The message to students is simple,” Neufeldt said. “You belong here. You can do this. College is not something that happens to other people. It is for you.” 

Aligning Education with Workforce Needs 

Neufeldt also showcased several programs developed in response to workforce needs identified by employers throughout Southwest Riverside County. 

Among them is an accelerated software engineering pathway created in partnership with MSJC, Temecula Valley Unified School District and Murrieta Valley Unified School District. The innovative model allows students to begin coursework in high school, earn college credit through MSJC and complete a CSUSM bachelor's degree on an accelerated timeline. The program is now expanding to include Lake Elsinore Unified School District. 

The university is also strengthening healthcare pathways. CSUSM produces more nurses than any other campus in the California State University system and has graduated nearly 4,000 nurses over the past decade. The university is developing a concurrent nursing agreement with MSJC that would allow students to earn their RN and BSN degrees simultaneously. 

“A skilled workforce is essential to the economic vitality of this region, and we are working conscientiously with our education partners and community leaders to create and deliver the right mix of programs that meet the needs of these communities,” said Godfrey Gibbison, CSUSM’s dean of Extended Learning and associate vice president for international programs.  

Additional programs under development include integrated studies, early childhood education and clinical laboratory science, a high-demand healthcare profession identified by regional employers as one of their most difficult positions to fill. 

“Every one of these programs starts with the same question,” Neufeldt said. “What does this region need? And how can we help meet that need?” 

Looking Ahead 

Neufeldt noted that CSUSM's work in Southwest Riverside County continues to evolve, with plans to further expand into MSJC University Center. 

"This gathering represents something that is a hallmark of Southwest Riverside County: the belief that progress happens through partnership," she said. "Real change happens when we work together." 

For students like Clerihan, those opportunities can be life-changing: a degree, a business and a future in the community she loves. 

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

During the academy, students heard from cybersecurity experts, participated in cybersecurity skills workshops, had tours of the CSUSM Instructional and Information Technology Services department and cybersecurity firms, and connected with professionals during a networking and showcasing event for their final projects.

Facilitated by Howard Chan, learning experience designer for the Innovation Hub, the program was created to connect students to emerging industries like cybersecurity, biotechnology and AI through hands-on learning and real-world engagement.

The Innovation Hub’s blend of education and application – as well as support from industry sponsors Extreme Networks, Halcyon, SHI, SentinelOne, VectorUSA and Guidepoint Security – gave students the ability to explore the field of digital defense and gain valuable experience. Thanks to a generous donation from Haiku, students also had access to the learning platform that empowers individuals to master cybersecurity through an immersive and engaging experience.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim assistant director of editorial and external affairs
ebreier@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7314