Individuals can enjoy free food and music while networking in a relaxed, informal setting with local industry partners, CSTEM faculty and military-connected students.

CSUSM represents the highest per capita concentration of student veterans in the CSU system, housing nearly 500 veterans and serving more than 1,800 military-connected students who make up 11% of the university’s student body.

CSUSM also earned the 2026-2027 Military Friendly School designation, receiving a Gold Award for its work on behalf of military-connected students and their families.

Media Contact

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

CSUSM Giving Day is for everyone who loves CSUSM to join together in support of the university and maximize their impact through a matching gift for 24 hours, from midnight-11:59 p.m.

Last year’s Giving Day raised $828,397 from 2,444 gifts in just 24 hours. The total raised was $80,000 more than the record set in the previous year.

Every gift impacts the students as they strive toward their goal of a CSUSM degree. The more support from alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends, the more students' lives are changed and impacted.

Every gift counts toward the university’s “Blueprint for the Future” fundraising campaign, the largest in CSUSM’s history.

Find more information on the Giving Day FAQ webpage.

Media Contact

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

In our annual magazine, we share the stories of alumni who have used their CSUSM experiences to build thriving careers. Be sure to check out the new and improved Steps digital experience, which includes videos. Just click on the play buttons to view videos and click the highlighted yellow text to explore linked webpages.

Stories include:

‘CSUSM Is My Heart’: CSU Leader Harbors Deep Affection for the School That Shaped Her

Water Wise: As Head of Smart Irrigation Company, Alumnus Doing His Part to Save Earth's Most Precious Resource

Going Off Script: Alumna Shows How Unexpected Opportunity Can Lead to Great Success in TV News Industry

Code Game: Lessons Learned at CSUSM Helps Computer Science Grad Earn Spot on Prestigious Forbes List

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

Cal State San Marcos student Naeem Miller was honored at the

Miller, a junior pursuing a degree in electrical engineering, has served as vice president of the San Diego North County NAACP Youth Council and as a political action chair for the Youth Council. His advocacy includes voting rights, environmental justice, gun violence prevention and youth civic engagement. His work with Clean Earth 4 Kids and his participation in legislative advocacy at the California State Capitol further demonstrate his commitment to creating meaningful change.

Miller also amplifies youth voices, drives meaningful community engagement and his leadership embodies the highest ideals of service and advocacy.

“Naeem seemingly challenges narrow perceptions of what student leadership looks like and reminds us that our students are not simply preparing to become leaders after graduation; many are already leading and making a difference today,” said Kevane Coleman, emeritus board member of CSUSM’s Black Faculty and Staff Association.

Media Contact

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

CSUSM was one of five schools from the California State University system to make the list.

U.S. Veterans Magazine annually recognizes spotlight employers, schools and supplier programs that demonstrate a meaningful commitment to serving the military community.

CSUSM represents the highest per capita concentration of student veterans in the CSU system, housing nearly 500 veterans and serving more than 1,800 military-connected students who make up 11% of the university’s student body.

CSUSM also earned the 2026-2027 Military Friendly School designation, receiving a Gold Award for its work on behalf of military-connected students and their families.

Media Contact

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

• Brian Hiro’s story “Professor Elevates Samoan Language Culture as Consultant for 'Moana 2'” won in the Writing: Writing > Profile (1,000+ Words) category. 
• Marcus Torres’ cover design for Steps magazine “CSUSM's Blueprint for Success: Different By Design” won in the Design > Illustrations category.

CASE District VII represents professionals and institutions in the Western region of the United States, including Arizona, California, Guam, Hawaii, Nevada, Northern Mariana Islands and Utah.

Earlier this year, CSUSM’s University Advancement division received four CASE awards.

CASE is a global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement – alumni relations, communications, development, marketing and advancement services – and championing education to transform lives and society.

Media Contact

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

To apply, students must be nominated by a single institution through their campus representative; schools may submit up to four annual nominations, or up to six if they include transfer or veteran students.

This scholarship covers eligible undergraduate expenses for tuition, fees, books and room and board up to $7,500 per academic year for up to two years.

Visit the Barry Goldwater Foundation Scholarship website for more information on eligibility and applying.

After reviewing the steps and eligibility, students may contact campus representative Robert Iafe with questions.

The internal campus deadline to apply is Nov. 15.

Media Contact

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

But after finding support and a community to feed her interests, she quickly became an accomplished psychology student, activist, leader and researcher.

Aquino’s work was recognized this month as she was presented with the President’s Student Champion Award for Inclusive Excellence and Diversity at the 14th annual All Peoples Luncheon on Oct. 27. CSUSM annually honors a student with this award, which is given to an individual who has advanced diversity, educational equity and social justice to create a more inclusive and empowering campus.

“What stands out about Yolotzin is her commitment to using her education and leadership to create opportunities for others,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “She came to CSUSM wondering where she belonged. Today, she is helping other students find their place and their voice.”

Movimiento Estudiantil Chicanx de Aztlán, also known as MEChA, is a Chicanx- and Latinx-based student organization that advocates for political consciousness, cultural awareness, history and higher education. After some encouragement from a faculty mentor, Marcelo Garzo Montalvo, Aquino founded and is now co-president of MEChA de CSUSM.

Through MEChA, Aquino has helped inform campus policy development involving immigration-impacted students and held cultural and political education workshops to inform others and build a sense of belonging in the community through volunteer work and support. MEChA has helped mixed status and undocumented students through college life while advocating for them when they need support. Many students are aware of wanting or needing help, but struggle to find out how to do it on their own. Aquino, with a little help from the people around her, created this community to make a difference on campus and in the community around her.

“MEChA has become the definition of what CSUSM hopes that students achieve,” Aquino said. “We have advanced the university’s goals in social justice by bringing to light social inequities among students and we follow through by helping guide new university policy. We have brought various underserved student groups together by collaborating on events and workshops. We have provided leadership to local high school students and have encouraged and guided them in their college applications, and we have promoted and upheld inclusive excellence not only through our existence as an organization but by also standing up for students who did not feel that their voice would be listened to.”

MEChA was not only the thing that allowed Aquino to break out of her shell. Through her involvement in MEChA, Aquino was offered positions on the Rapid Response Team at CSUSM and as an Undergraduate Representative for the Hispanic-Serving Institute Planning Committee. The Rapid Response Team is a presidentially appointed team that develops campus policy to support and advocate for undocumented and mixed-status students. Aquino helped develop campus alerts for immigration enforcement on campus and contributed to the creation of the HSI summit agenda, events and a student panel.

Aquino is also a lead student researcher in the Community Well-being and Prevention Research Lab. While guiding other students, she develops her own research, which is centered around the Hispanic population and underserved communities. Her research is her own found way to fuel her power to change and advocate for those who cannot themselves. She puts her role as a student and leader toward her work and uses her voice to speak out and bring awareness.

Aquino has been involved in extensive research through her role as an undergraduate student researcher at the National Latino Research Center and she is a McNair Scholar, which is helping her to prepare to apply to Ph.D. programs. She also has experience as an EMT working night shifts during her sophomore year, all while balancing full-time coursework, family and friends, advocacy work and well-being.

After Aquino graduates in May, she plans to pursue her doctorate as she works toward her goal of becoming a professor and having her own community and health psychology research lab. But her impact on CSUSM will be deeply remembered, valued and built upon even after her graduation.

“I don’t think I would be where I am now without going to CSUSM,” Aquino said.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

The event will feature a formal ceremony, a moderated student veteran panel and Q&A, and a catered reception. It is open to all CSUSM students, faculty, staff and community members.

CSUSM represents the highest per capita concentration of student veterans in the CSU system, housing nearly 500 veterans and serving more than 1,800 military-connected students who make up 11% of the university’s student body.

CSUSM also earned the 2026-2027 Military Friendly School designation, receiving a Gold Award for its work on behalf of military-connected students and their families.

Media Contact

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

GradFest is an opportunity for students to get their caps and gowns, CSUSM alumni gear and much more. 

Students also can have their pictures taken by DiFranco Photography. 

Commencement Office representatives will be available to answer questions.

Visit the Fall GradFest website for more information. 

Media Contact

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

“My parents were super thankful I got a scholarship and excited that they could go to my games,” said Stratton, a power forward from Chula Vista. “And as much as I enjoy basketball, I know there’s life after sports, and I appreciate that CSUSM provides student-athletes with the resources to succeed at both.”

Stratton came to Cal State San Marcos after competing at a community college. He chose CSUSM because it allowed him to continue playing the sport he loves while earning a degree in finance. 

For second-year student-athlete Portia Polo, scholarship support has provided a different kind of opportunity: the freedom to focus fully on school and sports. Polo came to CSUSM from Washington state with plans to study public health while competing for the Cougars. 

“Thanks to athletic and academic scholarships, I can focus on sports and school without the stress of making ends meet,” Polo said. “A scholarship is not just financial assistance; it’s a vote of confidence in my potential.” 

Stories like Stratton’s and Polo’s inspired Cougar supporters to step up in a big way. CSUSM Foundation Board Director Carleen Kreider and College of Business Administration lecturer Dick Lansing established a matching gift challenge to expand scholarship opportunities for basketball student-athletes. 

Scholarships Create Opportunity 

As a NCAA Division II program and member of the California Collegiate Athletic Association, CSUSM competes in one of the strongest conferences in the nation. Cougar student-athletes balance practices, travel and competition while working toward their degrees and preparing for careers beyond athletics. 

Yet compared with many conference peers, the CSUSM men's and women's basketball programs remain among the lowest funded in scholarship support. Additional scholarship resources help the university recruit and retain talented student-athletes while making a CSUSM education more accessible. 

“When you meet these student-athletes, you understand why this matters,” Kreider said. “They're talented, driven and committed to their education. We want them to feel supported financially and emotionally by a community that believes in them.” 

“Scholarships give student-athletes the opportunity to earn a degree while competing at a high level,” Lansing added. “When we invest in them, we're impacting their futures, their families, our university and our community.” 

Join Us This Season 

As the Cougars prepare to tip off a new basketball season, fans have another opportunity to support student-athlete success. 

Whether you're cheering from the stands at the Sports Center or making a gift to scholarships, your support helps students like Stratton and Polo pursue their academic and athletic goals at CSUSM. 

Check out the men's basketball schedule and women's basketball schedule, attend a game, and show your support for Cougar student-athletes. 

All gifts count toward CSUSM’s Blueprint for the Future fundraising campaign. 

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, communications specialist

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

Patel, who represents the 76th Assembly District that includes San Marcos, presented a $1 million check to ASI during an event on campus Thursday. CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt was in attendance, along with multiple ASI leaders.

The ASI Cougar Pantry provides CSUSM students experiencing food insecurity with access to nutritious food and other essential resources. The state investment will help strengthen the pantry’s infrastructure, expand its capacity and allow it to better meet the needs of students across the campus community.

“Cal State San Marcos students are working hard to build their futures, and hunger should never stand in the way of that,” Patel said. “The ASI Cougar Pantry is a lifeline for students who may be balancing classes, work, rising living costs and other responsibilities. As chair of the Assembly Education Committee, I’m proud to support this investment right here in our community so more students have the resources and stability they need to stay focused, succeed and reach graduation.”

The $1 million in funding will add capacity to the pantry, which has seen higher traffic since the August opening of Black Oak Hall, an affordable student housing project that added 555 new beds to the campus footprint. The money will improve critical back-of-house infrastructure, including commercial refrigeration and freezer systems, food storage and handling equipment, shelving, operational equipment, and essential supplies needed to safely receive, store and distribute a greater volume and variety of food.

The ASI Cougar Pantry serves more than 300 students per day and distributes more than 11,000 pounds of food per week.

“As a second-year student at CSUSM, visiting the ASI Cougar Pantry has been something I have looked forward to every week since my very first week on campus,” said Tristan Bugnot, ASI president. “Not only have I personally experienced the relief of knowing where my next meal will come from, but I have also been able to focus on what matters most: being a student. Now, as president, having the opportunity to volunteer at the pantry has given me an even greater appreciation for the dedication, compassion and hard work that our ASI Cougar Pantry team puts in every single day to support our students.

“This incredible $1 million donation is more than just a financial contribution; it is an investment in our students, their futures and their ability to succeed.”

In response to a survey showing that more than half of CSUSM students faced food insecurity, ASI passed a resolution 10 years ago in support of creating a food pantry on campus. Weekly food distribution began in 2017, followed the next year by the opening of a physical space.

Since 2017, the ASI Cougar Pantry has supplied free fresh produce, pantry staples and essential groceries to students on a weekly basis through its main pantry, and more recently through additional satellite refrigerators across campus.

“Our ASI Cougar Pantry is a critical link in our students’ pathway to achieving social mobility; we know that students cannot thrive academically when their basic needs are unmet,” said Annie Macias, ASI’s executive director. “By serving so many students each day, the Cougar Pantry provides the nourishment, stability and dignity they need to stay focused on their education and build a brighter future.”

CSUSM beat five other nominees, including San Diego Community College District, San Diego State and three private developers.

Black Oak Hall and Kwíila Dining opened in August. 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.

Circulate Planning & Policy celebrated the winners of the 2026 Momentum Awards on Oct. 23 at NOVA SD in downtown San Diego. The annual awards celebrate leaders and projects advancing safer streets, public transit and sustainable growth across San Diego and California.

Media Contact

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

Huerta, best known as the co-founder of the United Farm Workers union in the 1960s, inspired generations of CSUSM students, faculty and staff with her passionate advocacy for the rights and dignity of migrant laborers and all immigrants.

“Dolores Huerta’s contributions remind us that the farmworker movement was built through the courage, sacrifice and collective action of countless individuals and families,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “Farmworkers helped shape California’s economy and our understanding of civil rights, and their legacy remains deeply connected to Cal State San Marcos and the communities we serve.”

It was Huerta who coined the phrase “Si se puede,” which translates to “Yes, we can” and used to occupy a prominent place on the stairs leading to the plaza outside the University Student Union. The saying has become an indelible one for countless CSUSM students, more than half of whom are the first in their families to graduate from college.

Huerta visited CSUSM at least three times during her life: in 1997 for the dedication of the former Chavez Plaza, in 2006 for a speech to students about civil rights and in 2015 for an Arts and Lectures presentation about fighting for social justice in a global economy. The last of those visits attracted about 1,000 people and was organized by sociology professor Xuan Santos.

To honor Huerta and her influence on the campus, CSUSM in 2020 named after her the Extended Learning Building office of the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), which helps students from migrant and seasonal farmworker backgrounds succeed in a university setting. The recognition took the physical form of a brushed aluminum plaque calling Huerta a “human rights activist,” featuring a photo of her on one of her campus visits and proclaiming that “because of Ms. Huerta’s advocacy, numerous California laws have aimed to improve the working conditions of farmworkers, affording rights and protections to immigrants.”

CSUSM also contributed to a memory book that the California State University gave to Huerta as part of a larger systemwide tribute.

“As an undergraduate at Cal State Northridge in the 1970s, I was encouraged by Dolores Huerta, who was emblematic of the civil rights struggles of the day,” Minerva Gonzalez, the longtime director of CAMP at CSUSM, said after the dedication in 2020. “She inspired me and countless college students to be involved in the farmworker movement. The historical impact of her efforts helped to create CAMP and is ever present in its programming. CAMP students are taught about their cultural legacy and understand the importance of having a voice and creating a CAMP family to support one another.

“Dolores Huerta will always be front and center of what we do.”

A year after the CAMP dedication, Huerta was further honored when Ann Hunter-Welborn, a staunch supporter of CSUSM since its founding, and her husband, David Welborn, donated $26,000 to the university to establish the Dolores Huerta endowed scholarship. Each year, one CAMP student receives a $1,000 scholarship to assist them in their education.

Huerta led strikes and boycotts in the 1960s and ’70s that unionized many California table-grape growers. In the process, she changed laws and the lives of thousands of migrant laborers while also being arrested 22 times. She was an ally of leaders like former California Gov. Jerry Brown, former New York Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and President Barack Obama, who awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, in 2012.

“Dolores Huerta was an inspirational human being and woman,” CSUSM history professor Carmen Nava said. “She loved students; she gave of herself by loving other people, and it came across when you talked with her. She was not about self-aggrandizement, about being famous or wearing fancy clothes – she was about making connections and helping other people.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, communications specialist

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

Kappa Sigma is holding a fundraiser this week in the name of Jason Beyer, a double CSUSM alumnus who was diagnosed early this month with porocarcinoma, a rare form of skin cancer. At Beyer’s request, donations will benefit the National Organization of Rare Diseases (NORD), which aims to improve the health and well-being of people with rare diseases by driving advances in care, research and policy.

The fundraiser ends on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 10 p.m., and donations can be made at the CrowdChange website.

“I am very grateful for the fraternity’s efforts,” Beyer said. “Being in Kappa Sigma is for a lifetime. This fundraiser will help provide much-needed funding for future grants for researchers of rare disorders and cancers. It will go a long way to help numerous other people and families from the rare disorder community.” 

Beyer joined Kappa Sigma while he was an undergraduate student at CSUSM. In 2016, the fraternity held a fundraiser to support him while he was undergoing chemotherapy for testicular cancer.

Beyer earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2021 and a Master of Social Work degree in 2024.

The Kappa Sigma fundraiser is part of the national organization’s annual Military Heroes Campaign, which supports ongoing care for military veterans and their families. Beyer is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.

He leads a localized version of the national Veterans History Project, an initiative by which the Library of Congress collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand recollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through more recent conflicts and peacekeeping missions, so future generations can hear directly from veterans and better understand what they saw, did and felt during their service. His project involves the oral histories being archived both at the Library of Congress and the CSUSM library’s special collections department.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, communications specialist
bhiro@csusm.edu | Office: 760-750-7306

CSUSM was trailing Cal State Monterey Bay in the final inning of the first game of a doubleheader when one of Albayati's teammates hit a bases-loaded home run for a walk-off Cougars victory. The whole team erupted in celebration. Except for Albayati. There wasn’t time for her to rejoice just yet.

Albayati sprinted from the softball field back to the locker room to change attire. Now dressed in a baseball uniform, she ran all the way back down to the bullpen of CSUSM’s baseball field.

With only a few minutes to warm up, Albayati stretched her arm and made her way to the mound. She would be pitching the final inning of the CSUSM baseball team’s game against Sonoma State to aid its short-handed pitching roster. Her softball teammates had followed her down to the baseball field and lined up at the center-field fence, cheering as she threw her first pitch.

Albayati ended up throwing 24 pitches against seven batters, allowing only one run. Although the baseball team lost, her help was much needed for a beleaguered pitching staff.

“It was hectic, but it was awesome,” said Albayati, a business management major who will graduate in December. “My whole softball team was cheering for me as well as all the baseball guys.”

The day didn’t end there for Albayati, however. She hurriedly returned to the locker room to change back into her softball uniform for the second half of the doubleheader.

CSUSM’s softball team won that game, too, allowing Albayati finally to celebrate a historic moment in which she became the first person in NCAA Division II history to play in a softball and baseball game on the same day. The feat sparked national attention, including media coverage from Major League Baseball, ESPN and The Atlantic, among other outlets.

Baseball hardly was new to Albayati. She has been playing the sport since she was 3 years old. Growing up in Anaheim, she played Little League baseball with her twin brother, Diego.

She then made the step up to travel ball, perfecting her swing and sharpening her pitching form. She primarily played first and third base in addition to pitching. Baseball was her priority; softball didn’t come into the picture until many years later.

When it came time for high school baseball tryouts, Albayati made the varsity team as a freshman. She wasn’t fazed by competing with boys. She was used to being one of the rare girls in the sport. Plus, she had the support and encouragement of her brother through it all.

“Sometimes I'd hear someone say something weird or inappropriate, but then she throws one, two, three strikes and they quiet down,” Diego said.

Albayati and her brother attended different high schools and often played against each other. They agreed that it was always a friendly rivalry.

With Albayati pitching for Anaheim High School, it was exciting when her brother would come up to bat. His friends would egg him on to get a hit, but Albayati never made it easy.

“It’s all business when she's on the mound,” Diego said. “Her competitive spirit really comes out when she's pitching. Her style is very focused, very ‘I'm here to get things done.’ ”

Albayati started playing travel softball only a year before college in hopes of getting recruited. The transition came naturally, and the coaches at CSUSM recognized her talent.

Albayati was an immediate contributor to CSUSM’s softball success, helping the Cougars reach the NCAA Division II championship as a freshman in 2023. She proceeded to improve each year, culminating in a senior season in which she set the California Collegiate Athletic Association single-season records for batting average (.517), doubles (26), RBIs (80) and slugging percentage (.914). She received a long list of postseason accolades, including CCAA Female Athlete of the Year and being voted to two All-America teams.

Albayati’s efforts helped CSUSM return to the NCAA D-II championship, where the Cougars advanced to the semifinals before being eliminated.

“She's really an outstanding softball player, a great teammate and a good student,” CSUSM softball coach A.J. Robinson said. “This season, she played the way seniors should play: the best she has in her career.”

But Albayati didn’t stop playing baseball just because she was excelling at softball. She furthered her baseball career as a member of the women’s national team for USA Baseball during the summers of 2022-24. She primarily played outfield and made a few pitching appearances each season.

In 2024, she hit a three-run home run to help Team USA snap Japan’s 39-game winning streak during the World Cup. She was the starting pitcher in the gold-medal game in which Japan avenged its loss. The U.S. walked away with the silver medal, its first medal in 10 years.

Playing for USA Baseball allowed Albayati to make friends from across the country, many of whom she is still close with today.

“Growing up being the only girl on a baseball team and then suddenly getting to play with a team full of girls who have the same story and background as you is awesome. I loved it,” Albayati said.

Albayati’s baseball prowess led to another milestone last November: being selected in the first round of the inaugural Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) draft.

“I was just so excited to be able to get paid to play a game I love and become a pioneer for this new era of baseball,” she said. “And I have a lot of friends who got drafted, too, so being able to do this with people I know is just amazing.”

Albayati’s CSUSM softball teammates even held a watch party on draft day, sharing in the excitement of the big news.

“We were all so proud of her,” said Czar Fleischman, Albayati’s close friend on the team and roommate for the last four years.

The WPBL’s six-week season started in August and featured four teams: Boston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, with Albayati playing for San Francisco.

Albayati's mindset and discipline have made her a role model for not only the women on her team but for girls playing softball and baseball across the country. Many parents and young girls have reached out to her on social media to tell her how inspiring her story is to young female athletes hoping to follow in her footsteps.

Albayati eventually wants to use her business management degree to work for Major League Baseball or help her parents run the family business, Albayati Realty and Mortgage Group. But for now, the WPBL is her focus.

Albayati’s parents had a mural painted on the side of their business to celebrate her accomplishments. For Albayati, though, it’s less about making history than about playing the sport she loves.

“I just fell in love with the game,” she said, “and never stopped playing.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

Ortiz faced significant pressure from her family responsibilities. That included helping to pay for the college living expenses of her twin sister, Leslie, because financial aid didn’t cover all of Leslie’s housing costs. Ortiz struggled under the challenges of helping to provide for her family. The weight of those duties affected her personally and academically, and she failed several classes during her first year at CSUSM.

Ortiz knew something had to change – and she made it happen. Now, she will be graduating in December with a bachelor’s degree in supply chain management.

Attending CSUSM was not originally part of Ortiz’s plan. Growing up in Vista, Leslie wanted to stay local, while Ortiz wanted to go somewhere farther from home. Both sisters knew that one of them needed to stay close to help the family. When Leslie decided to attend UC Riverside, Ortiz knew she would stay in North County.

As Ortiz was trying to find her footing during her first year, she aspired to be like her outgoing sister.

“My twin sister was always my voice,” Ortiz said. “She was the outgoing one. In high school, she had this big group of people and I had my two friends, and I always wanted to be like her.”

Ortiz saw the college experience that other students were having and yearned to be like them. She wanted to meet people, go out and have fun, but she didn’t have that luxury. She thought that her responsibilities at home came first. And with Leslie away, most responsibilities were hers.

At the same time, her family faced financial difficulties.

“We were about to lose our house,” Ortiz said.

It was a difficult time for Ortiz and her family. This was during the pandemic, and her grandfather passed away due to COVID.

It would have been easy for Ortiz to let her challenges and experiences define her college life. Instead, she decided to make a change. She found solace in her Catholic faith. She began reaching out to people around her, taking up leadership positions and joining organizations that pushed her out of her comfort zone. As a member of the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), she met a fellow student named Itsarely Palma Castillo.

“Itsarely has been the reason why I've moved so far in life,” Ortiz said.

Ortiz became close with Palma Castillo because they had a similar background and because Ortiz saw everything that Palma Castillo had achieved. This became motivation for Ortiz, who applied for volunteer positions and grew more comfortable being with people who were struggling and knew what she was going through.

“What impresses me most about Ashley is her ability to bring people together around a shared mission,” said Palma Castillo, who graduated from CSUSM in May. “She has this bright light within her that seeps into everything she does, from her hard work and ambition to the drive she brings to every opportunity. Ashley has flourished into a resilient, confident and intentional leader who leads with both heart and purpose.”

Ortiz’s involvement around campus helped her build her résumé while encouraging other students. She started to foster community; she often finds herself drawn to people with experiences like hers, which ties back to her Latinx culture.

“In these places where I feel like I don't belong, there's always someone who has a similar story to me,” Ortiz said. “So I think that's why community is the best thing.”

Ortiz’s transformation has been shaped by friends, mentors and professors. One faculty member in particular, business professor Ben Cherry, had a huge impact.

During her study abroad experience, Ortiz received a handwritten note from Cherry expressing how proud he was of her and her accomplishments. He encouraged her to be proud of herself for how much she had grown.

“I can’t recall a student who has worked more jobs, been as involved and smiles as much as Ashley does,” Cherry said. “Her personal story is remarkable and shows what a positive attitude, mixed with personal determination and a will to learn, can do to forge a new trajectory in one’s life.”

Ortiz recalled becoming emotional when Cherry told her she was already doing too much and that she needed to make time for herself as she was trying to help him with social media.

“I haven’t heard that in so many years,” Ortiz said.

A first-generation student, Ortiz always knew she wanted to attend college because it could help provide a better life.

“My dad always says education is something that they can't take away from you,” Ortiz said.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, assistant director of editorial and external affairs

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

That work came to fruition on Oct. 21 when the APIDA Student Center celebrated its grand opening.

Located in University Student Union 3600, the APIDA Student Center serves to educate, perpetuate and celebrate APIDA cultures within the CSUSM community while supporting student success to graduation and beyond.

Speakers at the grand opening event included Allura Murray-Cruz, the assistant director of the center; Viridiana Diaz, vice president of Student Affairs; and Theresa Suarez, a sociology professor who was the project director and principal investigator for a project called Unifying APIDA Communities Together, or U-ACT.

All students are welcome to participate and engage with the APIDA Student Center. Learn more about getting involved.

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

Dominguez’s paper, titled “Mass-Independent Oxygen Isotope Fractionation Driven by Energetic-Particle Irradiation of Icy Solids,” was published last week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The PNAS is a peer-reviewed multidisciplinary journal that has existed since 1915 and is one of the most cited scientific journals in the world.

“It means a huge deal to me,” Dominguez said. “It’s very difficult to get a paper accepted into PNAS. I’m proud of this paper and its findings because they have broad implications for a number of fields, including physical chemistry, astrophysics and planetary science. It’s a major contribution to science. In some ways, it represents a synthesis of my graduate school training and postdoctoral work.”

Dominguez’s research team – which included CSUSM undergraduate students, CSUSM physics lecturer Caroline Caplan and scientists from UCLA and Washington University in St. Louis – discovered that energetic particles striking icy mineral surfaces can change the proportions of different types of oxygen atoms in an unusual pattern. These changes, known as mass-independent oxygen isotope fractionation (MIF), have usually been linked to chemical reactions involving gases, particularly those that form ozone. The new experiments show that similar changes can occur when energetic particles strike solid minerals covered in water ice, even at extremely cold temperatures of 10 kelvin (about minus-263 degrees Celsius).

Dominguez and his fellow researchers used specialized laboratory equipment to recreate some of the extremely cold, low-pressure conditions found in space. They placed water ice on surfaces made of silica and alumina, then bombarded the samples with energetic electrons.

To see how the oxygen isotopes changed, they used a technique at UCLA called secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), which measures the isotopic composition of materials. The results showed that the relative amounts of oxygen isotopes changed significantly. The researchers also discovered that radiation could alter a mineral's surface in ways that lasted even after the radiation stopped. If water ice later came into contact with the altered surface, additional chemical reactions could take place that would not normally occur at 10 kelvin.

“One of the great mysteries in planetary science is why the sun and the rocky planets, including Earth, have different proportions of oxygen isotopes,” Dominguez said. “Oxygen comes in several forms, called isotopes, and their relative abundances act like chemical fingerprints that tell us about the history and origins of planetary materials. Like ‘CSI’ for the solar system.

“Our research has discovered a previously unrecognized process that can alter these fingerprints. We demonstrated that when energetic particles strike tiny mineral grains coated with ice, they can trigger chemical reactions that change the relative abundances of oxygen isotopes in the solids. These are conditions similar to those found in the cold environments of interstellar space where the raw materials that eventually formed our solar system originated. This process could also be relevant for understanding the permanently shadowed regions of the moon where water ice has been detected and are also exposed to galactic cosmic rays.”

What makes the discovery particularly exciting, Dominguez said, is that the effects of radiation can persist long after the exposure itself. In essence, dust grains can retain a chemical memory of their exposure to radiation, which can influence their chemistry when they later encounter water ice.

“The real-world significance is that we have identified a new piece of the puzzle of how Earth and the other planets may have acquired their oxygen isotopic compositions,” he said. “Our findings suggest that processes occurring on microscopic dust grains, potentially millions of years before the planets formed, may have helped establish the chemical signatures we measure in meteorites and planetary materials today.

“This research does not yet tell us how important this process was in forming our particular solar system, but it provides a new mechanism that scientists can now investigate to better understand the origins of planets and better understand astronomical observations that detect isotopes of oxygen.”

One of the CSUSM students who participated in the early stages of the research project recently completed a doctoral program at UCLA. The recipient of the President’s Outstanding Graduate Award in 2020, Lauren Tafla now works at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Dominguez has been a professor at CSUSM since 2011. He first conceived of the experiment that led to his PNAS paper 10 years ago, and his interest in mass-independent isotope chemistry dates back to his years as a postdoctoral fellow at UC San Diego almost two decades ago.

At 8 years old, I cried out for my father as I was pushed to the ground, unable to reach him. His voice cut through the chaos, telling me to stay back as he was grabbed and detained by a group of men. In that moment, the image I had always held of him – strong and unbreakable – shattered. As he was taken away by immigration officers, he left me with the words, “Cuida a tu mamá y a tus hermanos.” Take care of your mother and your siblings. Those words are etched into my memory.

I was left with feelings of abandonment, anger and sadness, but also with a deep sense of responsibility. I made a promise to myself that I would pursue higher education, not only to honor my father’s words, but to access the opportunities my parents never had.

With my father gone, I stepped into a new role within my family. I worked alongside my mom, cleaning houses and salons late into the night, witnessing the physical and emotional toll that labor took on her. Yet through it all, she remained unwavering in her belief that my education mattered.

Because of her strength and sacrifice, I entered college with a clear sense of purpose. I wanted to learn as much as possible, not just for myself, but for my family and community.

At family gatherings, I shared stories about college life – the projects I worked on, the organizations I joined and the people I met. Seeing my family’s pride and knowing I could inspire younger relatives to pursue their own education became one of my greatest motivations.

At Cal State San Marcos, the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) became my foundation. CAMP provided me with mentorship, friendship and a sense of belonging that transformed my college experience. From there, I became an Orientation Team leader for New Student and Family Programs, helping students and their families navigate the transition into college.

While I set out to support others, it was their encouragement that reignited my own passion. I will always remember the affirmations I received, especially from Spanish-speaking families who told me, “Tienes mucha experiencia y pasión; tendrás éxito en tu futuro.” You have the experience and the passion; you will succeed in your future.

Looking back, I am amazed by the connections I built and the lives I was able to impact. One moment stands out vividly. While volunteering at Cougar Question Mart, I helped a student find their way to Cougar Central. As I was leaving, they stopped me to thank me, not just for the directions, but for translating for their parents during orientation. They shared how meaningful it was for their family to experience a Spanish-language tour, meet the university president and feel included. That moment reinforced how powerful even small acts of service can be.

Receiving the Gezai Berhane Overall Orientation Teamer of the Year award affirmed the impact of that work and the community that helped me grow into it. This experience shaped my leadership and helped me build a strong support system that included peers, mentors, professors, sorority sisters and staff, all of whom became my CSUSM family.

This community supported me through one of the most transformative periods of my life. During this time, I began to explore my identity with honesty and courage. That journey led me to make the difficult decision to come out to my family. It was not a single moment, but months of reflection, fear, hope and preparation.

When I chose to live authentically, I believed it was worth the risk. However, the response was painful. I was told that if I chose this path, I would no longer be welcomed home. Leaving came with a deep ache, one that lingered long after I walked away. Even as I found stability and purpose on campus, I was meeting my younger siblings in parking lots to exchange holiday gifts. My definition of home began to change, but my commitment to growth never wavered.

Amid that pain, I had to learn how to rebuild a sense of belonging for myself. The community I found at CSUSM became more than just a support system. It became my stability. Through my involvement, leadership roles and the people who chose to stand beside me, I began to understand that family is defined not only by where you come from, but also by who continues to show up for you. I started to rebuild not just my sense of home, but my understanding of it, finding comfort in the communities and connections I had cultivated along the way.

That experience ultimately reshaped the way I view belonging, resilience and leadership. It changed how I approach being a leader. It pushed me to be more intentional, empathetic and committed to creating spaces where others feel seen, supported and valued. I realized that the same support and inclusion I once needed were the very things I could now provide to those around me.

College was once my finish line. Today, it is my foundation. The promise I made to care for my family has transformed into a purpose driven by intention, service and authenticity.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration last May, I now aspire to become a project manager in the tech industry, where I can apply my experiences to create a meaningful impact. More than anything, I am committed to continuing to serve my community and creating opportunities for others, just as others once did for me.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

The free concert is at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 3 in Arts Building 111. It will include masterpieces by Beethoven and Camille Saint-Saens.

Cheng joined CSUSM as an assistant professor of music in 2011. In 2021, she received the CSUSM President’s Outstanding Faculty Award for Service Leadership. In 2023, she was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame.

Tseng is the music director of the San Diego Music Society.

Cheng and Tseng will also be performing on Sunday, Nov. 8 at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

Media Contact

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

CSUSM invites all members of the campus community to participate in the following events.

Native Night by the Nest: Celebrating One Year of Community

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 6-8 p.m., USU Ballroom

Kick off Native American Heritage Month and experience Native art, music and food as the American Indian Student Center celebrates its first anniversary. The event will include a welcome and blessing, mural presentation, bird singing, shared community meal, bracelet making, photo booth and giveaways.

Veterans Day: Tukwut Talks With Chris Devers

Tuesday, Nov. 10, noon-1 p.m., American Indian Student Center (USU 3400B)

Screening of ‘Maara’yam: The Yuhaaviatam Story’

Thursday, Nov. 12, 6-8 p.m., USU Ballroom

Join a viewing of this documentary, which tells the story of the Maara'yam (Serrano) people of Southern California.

Tukwut Talks With Chris Eyre

Thursday, Dec. 3, noon-1 p.m., American Indian Student Center (USU 3400B)

Join a talk with the Native film director and producer, whose work includes the TV show “Dark Winds.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, assistant director of editorial and external affairs

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

This webinar is open to all CSUSM students, faculty and staff. No registration is required. Additional information about UPD policies, contact information and other campus services can be accessed by visiting www.csusm.edu/police.

Born in Cupertino, the very heart of Silicon Valley, to a father who worked for a global electronics giant, he was a software wizard by his teenage years, to the extent that he taught teachers in high school how to use technology. By his freshman year at Cal State San Marcos, his programming skills were so strong that he was serving as a teaching assistant for computer science courses that he hadn’t even taken yet.

When van de Ven secured a job fresh out of college with Calsense, a Carlsbad company that produces smart irrigation products, he was motivated more by software than sustainability. He derived significant satisfaction from seeing customers use devices that he had helped design and build.

Not until he had worked at Calsense for several years did van de Ven experience his eureka moment. He knew computer science and computer engineering like the back of his hand. What he didn’t know as much about was water.

“I had an epiphany that we save billions of gallons of water every year, and it completely changed my whole mindset in terms of what we do and why we do it,” van de Ven said. “All of the sudden, I don’t just get pride from people using the product. Now I get pride that we are helping to conserve this incredibly precious resource.”

That epiphany played a sizable role in transforming a career into something more like a calling. After more than a decade as an engineer for Calsense, van de Ven was elevated to president in 2016 and CEO in 2020. After another decade leading the company during a period of substantial growth, this past spring he chose to make the transition to becoming chair of its board of directors and chief technology officer. While he now ensures that Calsense remains on the cutting edge of innovation, two external hires he brought on last year will guide the day-to-day operations of the business.

Calsense, which was founded amid a drought 40 years ago and remains in its original office space in a Carlsbad business park, sells irrigation equipment, with its niche in the municipal and industrial space. Its customers include cities like San Diego, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Irvine, Long Beach and San Ramon; universities such as CSUSM, San Diego State and the University of Texas at Austin; and theme parks like SeaWorld San Diego, Universal Studios Hollywood and Six Flags Magic Mountain. Farther afield, it even manages landscaping for the National Mall in Washington, Yellowstone National Park and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.

“It’s really exciting to see the breadth of customers that we have,” van de Ven said.

Though Calsense measures its clients in the hundreds, the company’s environmental impact is nonetheless massive, with annual savings of billions of gallons of water. Calsense has worked with CSUSM since 2006, two years after van de Ven graduated from the university, and it helps the university save between 30 and 50 million gallons of water per year.

How does Calsense accomplish this? It has a few dozen controllers spread across CSUSM’s campus, and each day they send alerts regarding any issues to be addressed, such as leaks or power outages. The system also is weather-based, meaning that the controllers receive information from online forecasts and their own sensors, and adjust the watering schedule accordingly.

“I’m psyched about not just what we’ve done, but also where we’re going,” van de Ven said. “We have a lot of new, exciting things we’re working on, including re-envisioning the user experience for how people engage with the products.”

As befits his background and skills, van de Ven set out as a computer science student at CSUSM, but he switched his major to business soon after taking a class taught by David Bennett, a highly successful corporate executive who turned to teaching later in life. Bennett educated van de Ven on the tenets of leadership – how to be someone who people want to follow – and also inspired him to think about how, as his career unfolded, to seek to give back to others.

Van de Ven heeded that guidance in a major way. He has forged extensive ties to CSUSM’s College of Business Administration, from serving as a guest speaker in the In the Executive’s Chair and MBA Meet the Leaders program to assisting with CoBA outreach and supporting the Center for Leadership Innovation and Mentorship Building (CLIMB).

“A.J. is passionate about his alma mater, especially CoBA,” said Raj Pillai, the executive director of CLIMB. “It is particularly gratifying to see it come back full circle: When he was a student, he took the In the Executive’s Chair class, and now he is inspiring the next generation of students. He is a wonderful role model for our future alumni.”

Van de Ven’s mentorship of students extends beyond the classroom. Almost a decade ago, he launched an internship program to bolster Calsense’s marketing efforts, and since then he has hired several CSUSM interns who went on to become full-time employees.

The most notable of them is Julia Teske, who started as an intern in August 2018, graduated from CSUSM with a degree in environmental studies that December, then remained with the company on a full-time basis as a marketing associate. Eight years later, Teske has been promoted four times, and her current title (as of February) is product manager. She’s also pursuing an executive MBA degree from a university in Minnesota.

“Really, where I’m at is because of A.J. taking a chance on me when I was still in school, and then as I stayed with the company, giving me more and more opportunities that pushed me out of my comfort zone without throwing me to the wolves,” Teske said. “It has been this beautiful balance of believing in me and pushing me just enough. He’s been such a foundation for my career arc so far.”

A novel way that van de Ven establishes connections with Calsense’s 33 employees is through his personal passion for Legos. He dabbled in the bricks as a child, but it became an obsession soon after he bought his first home, in San Marcos, about 20 years ago. His collection started with a series of Christmas-themed sets and grew exponentially from there.

It now stands at an astonishing 1.2 million bricks. The Legos occupy an entire room in his house – he lives in Olivenhain these days – featuring hundreds of tackle boxes for organization, life-sized bricks as décor and a sprawling stand-up desk for assembly. He has passed the love down to his two children – Lauren, 13, and Landon, 9 – and he believes that the shared hobby has deepened their bond considerably.

Collecting Legos also helps van de Ven manage his ADHD effectively without relying on medication.

“Growing up, I realized that the thing that grounded me the best when I got overly symptomatic was organizing,” he said. “And I discovered that not just the act of building Legos but taking them apart and sorting them by color and piece completely calmed me within minutes.”

To that end, van de Ven stores Lego sets under the desk of his office to bring out when the stress of his job feels overwhelming. Those are in addition to the four large, brightly colored luxury Lego cars on display in his office, the Lego painting on his wall and the Calsense logo (made of Legos, of course) on a bookshelf that was a gift from a CSUSM Senior Experience team that worked with the company following a logo redesign.

So when Calsense hires a new worker, what better way to welcome them than with a Lego set customized to their interests?

“We want to get to know our new hires on a personal level because we feel that that will help them be more effective,” van de Ven said. “It can be hard to break the ice with team members, and Legos are a really cool way to get the conversation started.”

If you’re wondering, yes, it is a personal pain point for van de Ven that Legoland California in Carlsbad – Calsense’s backyard – is not a client of the company. But that also helps explain why Calsense is so successful. Legoland values its longtime irrigation system in the same way that Calsense’s loyal customers value theirs.

In the end, van de Ven and his clients are all striving for the same objective – to borrow a Calsense marketing slogan, they want smart solutions for a thirsty world.

“Our industry isn’t sexy,” he said. “It’s not AI, it’s not robotics, it’s not solar-powered vehicles. But those industries consume. We save.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, communications specialist

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