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

Perron is leading a three-year, $1,085,815 project supported by the Laboratory for Physical Sciences, targeting one of the most demanding areas in modern science: quantum information science and technology (QIST).  

The effort builds on a previous Department of Energy RENEW award that equipped CSU undergraduate faculty to integrate quantum concepts into their courses. Now Perron is tackling the next barrier: getting students hands-on experience with the technology itself. 

"Most undergraduate QIST education is theoretical or textbook-focused," Perron said. "While simulations and cloud-accessible systems are valuable, the quantum sector also needs scientists and engineers with hands-on experience operating these systems. Because quantum technology is expensive and typically limited to research and industry settings, most students don't have access to that kind of training." 

Perron’s team is developing a curriculum that teaches core QIST lab competencies without requiring access to a full quantum system. The model will draw on data from quantum industry stakeholders to define workforce needs, then design and test the curriculum at CSUSM and partner institutions, measuring its effectiveness from the perspectives of students, faculty and potential employers. 

While Perron’s project focuses on preparing students for emerging careers in quantum science, other newly funded CSUSM projects are reimagining how students engage with mathematics and biology from the start of their academic journeys. 

"It's exciting to see our faculty leading nationally competitive projects that connect research and teaching in powerful ways," said Charles De Leone, dean of graduate studies and research. "These grants reflect what's possible at an institution like ours, where faculty are deeply invested in student success and bring that commitment into cutting-edge work." 

Additional projects funded this academic year include: 

• Rethinking the gateway to calculus 
  A $173,098 grant from the National Science Foundation supports a collaborative project led by mathematics professor Kimberly Ayers, in partnership with Florida International University, Clark College and the University of Virginia. The project introduces a more interactive model for teaching introductory calculus, a course that serves as a gateway to most STEM majors but has some of the highest failure and withdrawal rates nationally in undergraduate education. 
  Rather than lecture-centered instruction, students work in small groups to solve problems and explain their thinking out loud, building procedural skills alongside the mathematical confidence that research shows is essential to staying in STEM. The collaboration across four institutions allows the team to test the approach across different student populations and refine what works.
• Putting field research into the biology curriculum 
  Funded with a $499,970 grant from the National Science Foundation, a project led by biology professors Mallory Rice, George Vourlitis and Jane Kim will embed hands-on, community-driven scientific research directly into biology courses at CSUSM. Students will investigate biological questions about how urban development is affecting wildlife and natural resources across North San Diego County.
• Building the region’s behavioral and mental health workforce 
  CSUSM received a $450,000 grant from the County of San Diego to help strengthen the region’s health and human services workforce through a partnership with the county’s Health and Human Services Agency and San Diego State University.
• Preparing future public health leaders 
  Kim Pulvers, a professor of psychology, and Richard Armenta, an associate professor of kinesiology, received a competitive renewal award for the Research & Action for Community Health (REACH): CSUSM/UCSD Smoke and Vape Free Scholars Program in partnership with UC San Diego. The program trains undergraduate and master’s students to address tobacco-related health disparities through research, community engagement and public health workforce development. Since the program’s launch in 2022, scholars have presented their work more than 30 times, published nine papers and gone on to graduate programs and health-related careers. This $1,331,620 grant is funded by the California Tobacco-Related Disease Research Program. 

“What’s especially meaningful about these projects is the way they connect research, teaching and workforce preparation,” De Leone said. 

Research funding is an integral part of CSUSM’s “Blueprint for the Future” fundraising campaign, helping advance the university’s $200 million goal through both philanthropy and grants. 

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

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

Helmantoler had planned to major in speech-language pathology, but a part-time job leading art classes for children shifted her direction entirely. 

“I realized I loved working with a group of kids and creating that classroom environment,” said Helmantoler, president of the Future Educators Association (FEA), an organization for aspiring teachers at Cal State San Marcos. 

This week, Helmantoler will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies, and this fall she will begin a multiple subject credential program to teach transitional kindergarten. 

Her involvement in FEA has been supported by Project R.I.S.E. (short for Recruiting Inclusive, Supportive Educators), a CSUSM initiative aimed at strengthening Southern California’s educator pipeline.   

Jared Leeds is on a similar path, one he has envisioned since childhood. 

“I remember playing teacher when I was in kindergarten,” said Leeds, who is pursuing a single-subject credential in English and plans to teach literature to middle and high school students. 

“It’s an interest that has always stayed with me. There’s something profound about building trust with students and knowing you can make an impact, whether it’s big or small. It’s a fulfilling career path.” 

Project R.I.S.E. also has shaped Leeds’ experience. Through program events, he connected with high school students exploring teaching, as well as educators who shared their perspectives and career journeys. 

The initiative is generously funded by SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, which provided an initial $40,000 grant to launch Project R.I.S.E. last year and has since committed an additional $120,000 to expand the program. 

“Supporting future educators is an investment in the future of our communities,” said Kristin Crellin, senior vice president at SchoolsFirst FCU and a CSUSM Foundation Board director. “Programs like Project R.I.S.E. create pathways for students to become teachers who will make a lasting difference for generations to come.” 

With this investment, Project R.I.S.E. hosted 400 high school students and their teachers at the Future Educators Summit, offering 14 sessions ranging from student panels and campus tours to hands-on classroom activities. It also organized mock interviews with school administrators for CSUSM students and launched its first College and Career Readiness Summit, bringing together regional educators to co-develop pathways that better support students from high school through college and into careers in education. 

“SchoolsFirst FCU makes this work possible,” said Cassiopeia Guthrie, Project R.I.S.E. faculty fellow and Distinguished Teacher in Residence. “It allows us to create opportunities for students at every stage, from bringing high school students to campus to helping credential candidates cover essential costs like testing and certification fees, while helping build a more diverse educator workforce.” 

Support from SchoolsFirst FCU helps students like Helmantoler and Leeds become educators who will shape and inspire the next generation. It also contributes to CSUSM’s Blueprint for the Future fundraising campaign to raise $200 million in philanthropy and research funding.  

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

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

“You need to find something to stay active,” Tony said.

He picked up gardening, building raised beds as his first woodworking project since his youth.

“They were a little rough,” he said with a laugh, but now they harvest baskets of potatoes, carrots, onions, snap peas and more.

Even seeds that accidentally fell to the ground took root, turning into tomato vines. The Jacksons’ Fallbrook home also has avocado, citrus and pomegranate trees, along with native plants that Sue carefully manages.

It’s a fitting next chapter for a couple who always has put in the work.

Retirement also gave the Jacksons more time for philanthropy.

Tony first visited Cal State San Marcos in 2011, and one thing stood out to him immediately: a dedicated office for student veterans.

“That was impressive,” he said, “to see resources for a group with unique experiences.”

This would motivate him to serve on the CSUSM Foundation Board for 13 years.

Today, he and Sue continue to support student veterans through the Major General Anthony L. Jackson Veterans Endowed Scholarship. They also support ACE Scholars Services and men’s and women’s basketball.

Using QCDs Instead of Cash to Support Students

The Jacksons’ approach to giving recently evolved.

Tony had heard of qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) from individual retirement accounts (IRAs), but he didn’t take advantage of the strategy until last year.

“We love what CSUSM is doing and knew we were going to give,” he said. “QCDs were just the wisest way to do it.”

A QCD allows individuals age 70½ or older to make a distribution from their IRA directly to a nonprofit like the CSUSM Foundation. The distribution counts toward any required minimum distribution (RMD) but doesn’t count as income, thus avoiding income tax. That can help lower overall tax liability, reduce Medicare premiums and avoid certain income-based phaseouts. Individuals can give up to $111,000 per year this way, even if their RMD is lower.

Still, for the Jacksons, the strategy is secondary.

“I remember what it was like to be a struggling student,” Tony said.

As a former student-athlete on scholarship at San Jose State, he knows personally what a difference philanthropy can make.

“Sue and I have more than we need,” he said. “How can we share that and help the generations behind us? It’s the right thing to do.”

For the Jacksons, giving to CSUSM is about more than tax efficiency. It’s about investing in students, strengthening the community they’ve long called home and continuing a lifetime of service.

Interested in QCDs?

For information on QCDs and other tax-smart ways to give, contact P. Vien Walker, director of planned giving, at 760-750-8138 or vwalker@csusm.edu, or visit plannedgiving.csusm.edu.

Every contribution to CSUSM brings the university closer to its Blueprint for the Future campaign goal to raise $200 million in philanthropy and research funding.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

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

It wasn’t until she had a conversation with Robert Iafe, one of her biochemistry and chemistry professors, that she gained the confidence to pursue it.

“He was the first professor where I actually went to his office hours and we talked human to human instead of purely professional,” Newell said. “We talked about issues I had going on in my life at the time, struggles with self-doubt and feeling like maybe I want to do medicine but I'm not sure if I can. And he was really supportive of me. I felt like if Dr. Iafe believes in me, then why don’t I believe in myself?

“My conversations with him played a formative role in me changing the trajectory to end up where I am now.”

That would be UC San Diego, where Newell is a first-year medical student. And now that she’s in medical school, Newell is working to help other undergraduate students understand that they belong in the medical field.

It’s what led Newell back to CSUSM on April 18 to participate in the university’s second annual North County Aspiring Medical Professionals Conference (NCAMP). The conference, a one-day event for CSUSM and community college students, is supported by a grant through the California Medicine Scholars Program. CSUSM is a partner in the grant, which is led locally by UCSD.

“The purpose of the conference is to help students learn about the different steps that are needed on their pathway to medical school,” said Richard Armenta, who is the associate director of the Center for Training, Research and Educational Excellence (CTREE) and leads CSUSM’s efforts on the grant. “We have workshops on applying to medical school, transferring to four-year universities and just helping students think about the different things they need to do to be successful in getting into medical school.

“We want students to be able to be here and know that we have the resources and support for them to become medical students and future doctors.”

The conference this year drew about 80 participants, primarily from CSUSM, Palomar College and MiraCosta College. In addition to hearing from Newell and other medical students, participants got firsthand experience with clinical skills, including ultrasounds and medical evaluations.

“I think they really enjoyed it, especially the interactive session,” said Newell, who graduated from CSUSM in 2021. “I didn't use an ultrasound until I got to medical school, so a lot of them had never used it before and never seen it before. They got to see their blood vessels and the inside of their eye. It's very illuminating for them. Especially as undergrads, I remember you feel so far removed from that kind of thing unless you have a special job, which is hard to get. So it was nice to give them that perspective of the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Newell was joined at the conference by two fellow CSUSM alumni who are in medical school at UCSD: Vince Adair and Austin Powell. Seeing people from a similar background is an important part of showing current CSUSM and community college students that they, too, can successfully navigate the path to medical school.

“It took me until almost the end of undergrad to build up my confidence and say, ‘Yes, I want to pursue medical school. I want to be a physician. And I believe that I can do it,’ ” Newell said. “I feel like if there had been something like NCAMP back then, I could have gone and actually mingled with medical students and realized, ‘Oh, they’re just regular people. They don't have some special thing that I don't have.’ I think that could have helped build my confidence earlier.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

Topping-out ceremonies are a long-standing construction tradition, typically marked by the signing of the final structural beam before it is lifted into place. At CSUSM, the moment carried deeper meaning, as it honored the university’s commitment to building new and accessible pathways for students in the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (CSTEM).

“I feel a deep sense of gratitude for the momentum that brought us to this point,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “This facility is social mobility in action. It’s about providing access for students, many of whom are the first in their families to go to college, stepping into fields that are shaping the future.”

Built for Growth

Opening in fall 2027, Hunter Hall represents a significant investment in CSUSM’s trajectory as one of the fastest-growing campuses in the California State University system. Once complete, the approximately 70,000-square-foot, three-story facility will feature state-of-the-art laboratories, a robotics suite and collaborative learning spaces designed to meet the region's increasing demand for engineering talent.

Hunter Hall will allow CSUSM to expand engineering enrollment from 500 to nearly 2,000 students and launch a new program in industrial and systems engineering, building on existing offerings in electrical, software and computer engineering.

The expansion comes at a critical time for San Diego, one of the nation's fastest-growing technology and innovation hubs, where the need for skilled engineers continues to outpace supply. With eight in 10 CSUSM graduates remaining in the region after graduation, Hunter Hall is positioned to directly strengthen the local workforce pipeline.

A Transformational Gift

The project has been made possible in part by a transformational $10 million gift from Hunter Industries, one of the largest contributions in university history.

“It’s an exciting moment to see this building coming to fruition,” said Greg Hunter, CEO of Hunter Industries. “We’re proud to support a project that will have both a lasting impact on students and be a source of talent in our community.”

The gift has helped propel CSUSM's Blueprint for the Future fundraising campaign to 82% of its $200 million goal, underscoring broad support for a university dedicated to student success, social mobility and community engagement.

“Hunter Hall creates the conditions for the kind of collaboration our students will experience in their careers,” said Jackie Trischman, dean of CSTEM. “We’re grateful to Hunter Industries and other partners for making this possible and for helping us prepare our students to contribute to innovation across our region.”

For more information on funding and naming opportunities for Hunter Hall, contact Mike Helé, director of philanthropy, at 760-750-8401 or mhele@csusm.edu.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

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

She wasn't sure if her project would become a children's book, an animated series or something else entirely.

"I was thrilled to be accepted," Robinson says. “As a writer and illustrator, my business is different than the others. I came in knowing how to tell a story. REP taught me how to run a business, from unit pricing and supply chains to profit margins and trademark protection.”

Andreina Leal-Carrillo had a different reason for joining REP. Her business, The Repair Tech Inc., a heating, air conditioning and appliance services company, had already been running for 12 years. She could see where she wanted to take it. What she needed were the tools to get there and a way to show her business partner that expansion was worth pursuing. 

"I wanted to take it to the next level," Leal-Carrillo says. "I was hoping for affirmation that it was possible and for my business partner to believe in my vision as well.”

Today, both women give back as mentors to fellow REP participants, drawing on their own experiences to help the next cohort of entrepreneurs thrive.

Supporting entrepreneurs through every step 

Offered through CSUSM’s Innovation Hub, REP is a 10-month experience designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs from low-to-moderate income communities as they navigate the realities of starting and growing a small business. 

“At CSUSM, we see entrepreneurship as a pathway to opportunity,” said Paola Ometto REP faculty liaison and a management professor in the College of Business Administration. “REP connects entrepreneurs to the tools, networks and support they need to grow, strengthening both their businesses and the communities they serve.” 

Made possible in part through funding from Wells Fargo, REP begins with six weeks of business training covering the tools, concepts and principles relevant to launching and growing a successful venture. It is followed by a community connection event, where participants meet with community partners offering legal, financial and business support services. 

In later phases, CSUSM business students work alongside participants as part of a senior experience project, lending their skills in branding, marketing and operations. 

For Robinson, the students researched crowdfunding platforms and successful campaigns for other picture books.  

For Leal-Carrillo, a highlight of REP was mindset coaching, which helped her and her business partner align on a shared vision for growth.  

"Whether you're just starting out or your business has been running for a while, this program helps you see where your company is going and how you can take it further," Leal-Carrillo said. “It's so fun to come back to REP events and see other businesses thrive.”

Bringing the community together 

On April 18, REP will host its Community Connect Event at the CSUSM Innovation Hub, where the current cohort of delegates will have the opportunity to meet with local organizations offering services and resources tailored to small business owners.

“I am honored to represent Wells Fargo in sponsoring this impactful initiative,” said Laura MacKinnon Chapman, senior social impact & sustainability specialist for Wells Fargo. “Small businesses are the backbone of the economy. Whether they’re just getting started, looking to expand or need coaching to sustain, our initiatives, funding and grant programs help provide small business owners with the resources they need — because we know that when they thrive, communities thrive, too.”

Operation HOPE will be among those in attendance, bringing its expertise and resources directly to the entrepreneurs in the room. 

“At Operation HOPE, our mission is to expand access to opportunity through financial education and empowerment,” said Monica Carlos, financial wellbeing coach, Operation HOPE Powered by Wells Fargo. “We’re honored to support REP, as their commitment to entrepreneurship aligns with our belief that financial literacy is the foundation for building sustainable businesses and stronger communities.”

The event reflects what REP does throughout the entire program: create moments where the right people and the right resources find each other, so that every entrepreneur has a chance to make their mark.

Every contribution to CSUSM brings the university closer to its Blueprint for the Future campaign goal to raise $200 million in philanthropy and research funding.

About REP 

REP is part of the Urban Poverty and Business Initiative network, a model founded at the University of Notre Dame and now supported by 42 partner organizations across the United States and internationally. 

To learn more about the program or get involved as a guest speaker, community resource or participant, visit the Resilient Entrepreneur Program at the CSUSM Innovation Hub. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

The role requires empathy and openness. As Tastad explains, it’s about being able to “swing into a patient’s space” and meet people wherever they are in their spiritual beliefs.  

That approach has earned him the 2025 Doris A. Howell Award for Advancing Palliative Care from the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care. 

As chaplain and coordinator of the Advance Care Planning program at Sharp HealthCare, Tastad helps patients and families navigate complex medical decisions with attention to their values, beliefs and goals. His work places him at the intersection of spiritual care, ethics and medicine, both at the bedside and within healthcare systems across San Diego County. 

The award includes a $25,000 gift — funded by The Shiley Foundation and its president Darlene Marcos Shiley — to an organization chosen by the awardee. This year, the gift will support the bereavement department at Sharp HospiceCare.  

Beyond his work with patients and their families, Tastad has been a steady presence in the region’s palliative care community. He has served on hospital bioethics committees and has been active with local and statewide organizations working to expand access to palliative care and advance care planning through public policy, national speaking engagements and community education.  

Tastad was nominated by three leaders in the palliative care field who cited his decades of service, mentorship and leadership. One nominator, Jennifer Moore Ballentine, CEO of the Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, said his philosophy of care reflects a rare blend of humility and presence.

“I can think of no one I would rather have ‘swing into my space’ to offer company, comfort and care in any grief or trouble or, indeed, at the end of my life,” Ballentine said. 

Tastad will receive the award during the welcome reception for the 2026 National Symposium for Academic Palliative Care Education and Research on June 4 at the University Student Union on the Cal State San Marcos campus. 

The Howell award is named after the late Dr. Doris Howell, a legendary physician and pioneer in pediatric hematology, oncology and community medicine who in 1977 founded San Diego Hospice and the Institute for Palliative Medicine.  

The announcement was made Friday, Feb. 6, following the 2026 National Social Mobility Symposium, hosted at CSUSM and livestreamed to audiences across the United States. The symposium annually convenes thought leaders and policymakers focused on how higher education can continue to be a driving force for students’ upward social mobility.

Social mobility refers to the improvement of an individual’s socioeconomic status compared to previous generations. More than half of CSUSM students are first-generation college graduates. Late last fall, CSUSM was ranked No. 1 in CollegeNET’s Social Mobility Index for the second time in four years. Eight CSU campuses rank in the top 20 of the index.

“Cal State San Marcos is honored to serve as the home of the CSU National Center for Social Mobility,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “This recognition reflects years of intentional work by our faculty, staff and students – and a deep commitment to being a university of place, with social mobility at the center of our mission.”

CSUSM has secured $3 million in philanthropic donations to establish the center, including from the Stone Brewing Fund for Social Mobility, the Epstein Family Foundation and an anonymous donor – with each donating $1 million to the project. CSUSM Foundation Board Chair Simon Kuo presented a ceremonial check to CSU and CSUSM leadership Friday.

The center is seeking additional philanthropic partners to ensure its sustained impact. Contact Jocelyn Wyndham, associate vice president of development, at jwyndham@csusm.edu for more information on partnership opportunities.

About the Center

The CSU National Center for Social Mobility at CSUSM, which is scheduled to launch in the 2026-27 academic year, is designed as a collaborative effort to advance student success and economic mobility practices in higher education at a national scale.

“At its core, the center addresses one of the most urgent questions facing higher education today: How do we move from promising practices to proven systems that deliver results at scale?” CSU Chancellor Mildred García said.

The social mobility center will serve as a national leader and convener in redefining student success beyond college access to include persistence, completion and career outcomes.

The center will be based on three core pillars:

• Leading with best practices, including the identification, testing and scaling of strategies that remove barriers to graduation.
• Shaping the national dialogue, such as championing comprehensive student support as the foundation of upward mobility.
• Serving as a national hub for collaboration, which involves building partnerships with policymakers, educators, community organizations and industry.

This center will provide avenues to participate in faculty-led research, innovation grants and fellowships; access to shared tools, data and best practices; and new paid internships and career-building opportunities for students.

“At a time when higher education is being asked to demonstrate its value, the CSU is responding with action – by measuring outcomes, closing equity gaps and preparing the graduates who power our economy and enrich communities,” said Wenda Fong, trustee and past chair of the CSU Board of Trustees. “On behalf of the Board of Trustees, we are proud to support this center and the leadership of Cal State San Marcos in advancing this work nationwide. It’s a dream come true.”

The announcement of the social mobility center was the culmination of the 2026 National Social Mobility Symposium, which this year took the format of a joint in-person event and webinar. With a theme of “Workforce and Economic Mobility: Higher Education’s Role in Driving Opportunity,” the program featured dynamic experts from across the country, addressing employer expectations, talent pipelines, systemic barriers to career readiness, and national policy and innovation driving mobility.

The change in focus was shaped by her deep involvement in Associated Students, Inc., where she serves as the chair and chief of staff of CSUSM’s student government. Through ASI, Chavez joined Lobby Corps, an advocacy-focused volunteer group, and later traveled to Sacramento for the California Higher Education Student Summit, where she met with state legislators alongside students from across the CSU system.

But the final realization of where her career was headed came from an internship opportunity. It was through ASI that Chavez met Zach Bunshaft, CSUSM’s director of government relations at the time.

“Interning with Zach and seeing how higher education policies at the state level affected our campus was so impactful,” Chavez said. “These opportunities, being part of ASI and interning with Zach, changed the trajectory of my life and what I want to do.”

CSUSM’s emphasis on internships proved transformational for Chavez. It not only prepared her for the professional world, it helped her discover the type of work that she’s truly passionate about.

During her time as a government relations intern last spring, Chavez researched legislative officials to strengthen CSUSM’s advocacy efforts, engaged with policymakers at key events and explored ways to enhance student support across the region.

As the internship was nearing its end, Bunshaft met with Chavez to review the experience. When Bunshaft asked about Chavez’s future goals, she told him how much she enjoyed the internship and how the experiences she had were the types of spaces she wanted to be in.

The timing was perfect. Bunshaft had just learned about another internship opportunity with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office. Bunshaft mentored Chavez throughout the hiring process, and she was hired as an external affairs intern for Newsom’s San Diego regional office. Her responsibilities included everything from supporting outreach efforts to drafting briefs and assisting with newsletters.

“Illeana is a thoughtful, driven and reliable leader with an incredibly bright future,” said Bunshaft, who left CSUSM in December to become Newsom’s Southern California regional director of external affairs. “She has the innate ability to see the big picture and work together with others to inspire and achieve common goals.

“I’ve had the pleasure of watching her confidence and skills grow with each new opportunity she enthusiastically embraces. I’m excited to see all that she will continue to accomplish in her academics, career and public service journey.”

Chavez completed the internship with Newsom’s office in December. As she begins her final semester at CSUSM, she’s already looking ahead to the fall. She’s in the process of applying for graduate school to pursue a master’s in public policy or public administration (Cal State Fullerton, Sacramento State and San Diego State are her top choices).

She’ll take the lessons she learned in her internships with her to grad school and beyond. She knows the internship process can be intimidating for students, but she has seen firsthand how it pays off.

“The connections that we make in these internships, you never know where they're going to lead you,” she said. “I never imagined that doing an unpaid internship with Zach was going to lead me to the governor's office.

“Whether it's paid or unpaid, there are so many opportunities. No matter what, even if it seems like you are the most unqualified person in the room to do that job, just go for it. You never know what can come of that opportunity.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

But before putting the finishing touches on your list of New Year’s resolutions, let’s take a look back at some of the most-talked-about stories of 2025.

Hunter Industries Gives Transformational $10M Donation for ISE Building

In September, CSUSM announced a transformational $10 million philanthropic investment from Hunter Industries, one of the largest gifts in university history. The donation is supporting the construction of CSUSM’s new Hunter Hall of Science and Engineering, a cornerstone of the university’s commitment to preparing the next generation of engineers and scientists.

Perfect Chemistry: Campus Wedding 16 Years in the Making

If getting married at one’s place of employment seems unconventional, it shouldn’t to those who know biology professor Elinne Becket and chemistry professor Robert Iafe. The passion they have for their students is the same passion they have for the university, so it makes sense that the tied the knot on campus at the McMahan House on campus.

CSUSM Kicks Off Historic $200 Million Fundraising Campaign

Through the largest fundraising campaign in university history, CSUSM is aiming to raise $200 million to support student success and power the region’s future. The university officially launched its “Blueprint for the Future” campaign on Sept. 19. It’s an effort that combines philanthropy with grants and research funding. The campaign’s theme reflects both the physical growth on campus and the forward momentum building at CSUSM. 

Professor Elevates Samoan Language, Culture as Consultant for "Moana 2"

Professor Grant Muāgututiʻa never could have dreamed that linguistics would take him to the shores of Oʻahu as he rubbed elbows with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and other stars of the Disney glitterati before the world premiere of the animated film “Moana 2” in 2024. Indeed, Muāgututiʻa was more than a little caught off guard when the filmmaking team behind the sequel to the wildly popular movie “Moana” from 2016 contacted him out of the blue two years ago.

Construction of New Wellness and Rec Center Underway

CSUSM held a Construction Kickoff on Nov. 12 to celebrate construction being underway for the Student Wellness and Recreation Center (SWRC), which is expected to open by summer 2027. CSUSM is partnering with Sea Breeze Properties – developers of North City, which includes CSUSM’s North Commons, The QUAD and the Extended Learning Building – on the SWRC, which will be the latest addition to campus life.

Faith, Resilience Help Athlete Through Life-Threatening Crisis

It all started with a headache. A seemingly normal ailment, but Malachi Wright doesn’t get headaches. And he definitely doesn’t get headaches that force him to leave work early or have him confined to the couch and throwing up for three straight days. That's when his mom, Ivonne Mancilla, knew this was something more. Wright spent the next 40 days in the hospital, undergoing three brain surgeries with no idea what the future would bring. But Wright defied all odds. 

Alumna Finds Purpose in Advocacy for Native Children and Families

As Maya Goodblanket reflects on her time as a student, she vividly remembers the day she found the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center at Cal State San Marcos. Little did she know that she was meeting mentors that day who would help her achieve the career she has today. Goodblanket, a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, serves as an Indian Child Welfare Act court advocate for the Valley Center-based Indian Health Council, which provides health and wellness services for American Indian communities in north San Diego County. 

Ask the Expert: A Scientific Perspective on the L.A. Fires

When the hills above Los Angeles exploded in flames early last month, Matt Rahn snapped into action. Rahn, though, isn’t a firefighter who was called into duty to help battle what became one of the biggest and most destructive fires in California history. Rather, he’s a wildfire researcher at Cal State San Marcos who, in 2019, created a unique degree program called Wildfire Science and the Urban Interface. He’s also the executive director of the Wildfire Conservancy, a nonprofit research foundation dedicated to serving the state’s firefighters and protecting its communities.

Cougar Care Network Marks 10 Years as a Campus Hub for Connection

Built on listening first and guiding without judgment, the Cougar Care Network enters its second decade as a trusted stop for students seeking practical help, community and a path forward. The Cougar Care Network (CCN) launched in fall 2015 as part of Cal State San Marcos’ Early Support Initiative within the Student Outreach and Referral (SOAR) program. 

Chronic Illness a Journey of Strength, Self-Discovery ... and Salt

The first time Emmi van Zoest rode in an ambulance was in May 2024. She was in the middle of her 10:30 a.m. Communication 200 class when she realized her vision and hearing were failing. She couldn't keep her legs or arms straight and she couldn’t speak. The full memory is hazy, but she found herself sitting outside of Crash’s Market in the University Student Union with a handful of salt packets and on a Facetime call with her parents, who live in Tennessee. This experience didn’t come out of nowhere. She has postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, a chronic condition that she has lived with since her junior year of high school.  

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

Few would guess that he is the CEO of Hunter Industries, a global organization and the largest private employer in San Marcos – or that the company is also a longtime philanthropic partner to CSUSM and is recognized on the campus founders’ seal.

To them, he’s just Greg, a student who slips into class with the ease that comes from sharing four semesters with his classmates.

“Greg is effortlessly humble, which is so refreshing,” fellow student Travis Bourdon said. “We knew he was a professional but had no idea of the scope. He fits right in, has made friends and encourages us to think about complex concepts differently.”

A lifelong learner and Cornell University graduate, Hunter enrolled at CSUSM to challenge himself and strengthen his analytical skills. But the experience quickly became something more as he found himself inspired and motivated by the students around him.

“Their grit, backgrounds and excellence impress me, as does the passion and engagement of the faculty,” Hunter said. “CSUSM is a special place with a clear commitment to advancing social mobility and student success across the region. It means a great deal to continue my family’s legacy of support.”

This experience, combined with the family’s longstanding commitment to CSUSM, inspired a transformational $10 million gift to fund a new STEM facility. Recently approved by the CSU Board of Trustees, the building will be named Hunter Hall of Science and Engineering and is scheduled to open in fall 2027. Hunter Hall will boost engineering enrollment from 500 to nearly 2,000 students, strengthen the region’s workforce pipeline and support economic growth.

“We are deeply grateful to the Hunter family and Hunter Industries for this extraordinary gift,” President Ellen Neufeldt said. “Greg’s experience in the classroom gives him a unique perspective on our students, many of whom are the first in their families to graduate from college. Hunter Hall will be a landmark addition to campus, providing state-of-the-art STEM facilities, fueling regional innovation and strengthening pathways for future graduates.”

The Hunter family has helped shape CSUSM’s history for three generations – including Greg’s grandparents, parents and aunt, Ann Hunter-Wellborn, who served on CSUSM's University Council before the campus was founded and has continued to advocate for many student success programs. Over the years, Hunter Industries has supported several pivotal projects, including the Clarke Field House, University Student Union, Hunter Design Lab and state-of-the-art physics laboratories. The company also provides internships, mentorship and faculty support, and employs many CSUSM alumni.

As for balancing coursework and running a global company, Greg approaches his studies with the same focus and dedication that define his leadership.

“Greg is an exceptional student,” mathematics professor Hanson Smith said. “He even makes time for office hours, which is remarkable for someone who is also a CEO. Students are typically career-focused. Greg already has an extraordinary career, yet he’s here because he loves learning, which is likely what makes him such an effective leader.”

With the Hunter gift, CSUSM’s “Blueprint for the Future” campaign – the university’s most ambitious fundraising effort – has raised nearly 80% of its $200 million goal. The campaign reflects the university’s continued growth and its commitment to advancing social mobility across the region. Explore Blueprint for the Future to see how CSUSM is different by design.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

The funding is half of a $900,000 grant that the county was awarded from Health Career Connection (HCC), a national nonprofit working to expand opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds and inspire a new generation of health leaders. The grant is designed to facilitate collaboration between the county’s Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) and partner organizations including CSUSM and San Diego State, which received the other $450,000.

The new HCC grant funds will support the Live Well Center for Innovation and Leadership, a county academic-practice partnership with SDSU and its expansion to include CSUSM. It also complements existing HHSA initiatives to drive meaningful progress in workforce development across the region. 

CSUSM and the College of Education, Health and Human Services (CEHHS) will utilize the money to achieve three primary outcomes:

• the creation of the CSUSM Center for Health Workforce Solutions;
• under that center, the creation of a Live Well San Diego/CSUSM Academic Health Department;
• continued collaborations in North County around the behavioral and mental health workforce, including an annual symposium and associated strategic action groups.

“This grant will be transformative for our students and the region in addressing behavioral and mental health workforce shortages,” said Jennifer Ostergren, dean of CEHHS. “It reflects our ongoing commitment to collaborate with community partners to support the needs of the region.”

The grant-funded initiative will work in tandem with CSUSM’s new Scholars in Wellness and Innovation Fast-Track (SWIFT) Health Programs, an accelerated, three-year bachelor’s program for students interested in preparing for mental and behavioral health professional opportunities. SWIFT was created from a historic $10 million grant to CSUSM from Price Philanthropies Foundation last year.

San Diego County faces a worsening health and human services workforce shortage due to workers getting older and retiring or leaving for other jobs. According to a 2022 San Diego Workforce Partnership report, the region needs to double its behavioral health workforce by 2027. Beyond behavioral health, there is a persistent demand for other licensed professionals, including nurses, therapists and social workers. 

A national model in academic-practice partnership, the Live Well Center for Innovation and Leadership was the first of its kind in California when it launched in 2022.  

The total raised on Dec. 2 was $80,000 more than the previous record set last year.

Giving Day is part of Giving Tuesday, an international day focused on philanthropy.

The Giving Day highlights included:

• A number of matches were met, including $200,000 from the Epstein family, $10,000 from SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, $5,000 from North City and more than $100,000 in individual area frontline matches, benefiting 132 campus programs.
• 56 ambassadors brought in 329 gifts.
• Students made 318 gifts.
• Nearly one in five gifts came from alumni, who supported 119 programs, departments, colleges or scholarships.

Every gift counts toward the university’s “Blueprint for the Future” fundraising campaign, the largest in CSUSM’s history. The campaign’s theme reflects both the physical growth on campus and the forward momentum building at CSUSM as one of the CSU system’s fastest-growing campuses. Founded in 1989, CSUSM serves 17,000 students and is proud to be ranked No. 1 in the nation for advancing social mobility.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

“It’s incredibly meaningful to give students with intellectual disabilities an inclusive college experience,” Brooks said. “My greatest hope was to obtain funding to expand our cohort size and ensure the long-term sustainability of this program. These grants make that vision a reality.” 

Funding at this level is highly competitive nationwide, yet faculty and staff at CSUSM like Brooks continue to stand out, securing awards that support innovative projects and create transformational experiences for students. 

“Our faculty and staff are pursuing some of the most-sought-after grants in the nation, alongside leading institutions,” said Charles De Leone, dean of graduate studies and research. “It’s exciting to see their ideas recognized and to watch how their work enriches our students’ experiences, strengthens our campus and serves our broader community.” 

Examples of projects funded this academic year include: 

• Supporting chemistry and biochemistry students: A $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation will fund student scholarships in chemistry and biochemistry as well as a Vertical Mentoring Learning Community (VMLC). Led by Robert Iafe, Afra Panahi and Aswad Allen, the program blends mentoring, research opportunities and priority enrollment for up to 30 students each year, with eight first-year students eligible for renewable $15,000 scholarships.
• Making exercise more accessible: Kinesiology professor Todd Astorino received a $442,590 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to explore how reduced exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT) – two short 20-second sprints within a 10-minute workout – can improve health and make exercise more attainable for inactive adults.
• Expanding mobile making in local schools: Funded by the National Science Foundation, this project led by Edward Price, April Nelson and Sinem Siyahhan of the Center for Research and Engagement in STEM Education (CRESE) expands the university’s Mobile Making program. Through after-school “making” clubs across North County, undergraduate STEM ambassadors bring hands-on activities and equipment to schools, libraries and community centers.
• Helping students with intellectual disabilities experience college: Brooks and psychology professor Allison Jobin received $2.5 million in grants to expand Aspiring Scholars with full-time staff, a dedicated campus space and additional peer mentors.
• Adding water refill stations: A grant from CalRecycle will enable CSUSM to reach its goal to have a water refill station on every floor of every building. Led by Juliana Goodlaw-Morris, director of sustainability and climate justice, in partnership with Facilities Development & Management, this grant will fund 10 new water refill stations and replace five older stations across campus. The project’s progress will be measured through station usage, recycling volumes and waste audits. 

“Each of these projects reflect the spirit of innovation and collaboration at CSUSM,” De Leone said. “They also give students meaningful opportunities to engage in hands-on research that prepares them for their future careers.” 

Research funding is an integral part of CSUSM’s “Blueprint for the Future” campaign, helping advance the university’s $200 million goal through both philanthropy and grants.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

“We never heard about people going to college,” said Barrera, who earned a bachelor's degree in human development in 2018 and a master's in public health in 2024. “If it weren’t for Upward Bound, I wouldn’t have known it was a possibility for me.”

Through Upward Bound, a program that helps low-income and first-generation high school students prepare for college, Barrera received academic support, mentoring and help with applications.  

When Barrera arrived at Cal State San Marcos, she discovered a community that was both welcoming and unfamiliar.

“I met an international student for the first time," she said. "Back home, everyone is Hispanic. It was so interesting to be in a place that celebrated diversity. The campus and the student life centers showed me that there’s a place for everyone.” 

After earning her bachelor’s, Barrera began working in health-related fields and discovered a passion for research. Returning to CSUSM for her master's helped her refine that passion and find belonging.

“That’s when I really felt seen as a Mexican-American researcher,” Barrera said.

Receiving a scholarship from the CSUSM Alumni Association was another milestone.

“The money was helpful, but more importantly, being selected was super validating,” she said.

Today, Barrera works at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Wash., and hopes to pursue a doctorate in public health. As an employee benefit, she was able to create a will and decided to include a $10,000 scholarship for public health students at CSUSM.

“Making a will was so easy, a lot easier than I thought, and I’m extremely grateful to be in this position to give back,” Barrera said.

Supporting students like her and the public health field is at the heart of Barrera's motivation to give. Asked what she’d tell future recipients of her scholarship, she doesn’t hesitate.

“You received this scholarship for a reason," she said. "There are people out there who see your potential and have invested in it. Lean into that and trust your capabilities to do incredible things. Keep going!”

How You Can Support Future Students in Your Estate Plan

Barrera’s story is a powerful example of how anyone, at any age, can help future students thrive.

Gifts in estate plans – through wills, trusts or retirement accounts – can be changed by the donor at any time, and there are many possible planned giving options to suit your needs. Gifts at all levels make a difference for students.

“I want young people to know it’s easier than they think,” Barrera said. “Even with modest assets, you can still set up a planned gift. You don’t have to wait until later in life.”

To learn more about planned gifts, contact P. Vien Walker, director of planned giving, at 760-750-8138 or vwalker@csusm.edu, or visit plannedgiving.csusm.edu.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

As it often goes, he didn’t hear back from one of the groups he reached out to – True Concord Voices and Orchestra based out of Tucson, Ariz.

On a gig months later in Santa Fe, N.M., the Cal State San Marcos associate professor of music was approached by a fellow tenor explaining how a group in Tucson needed another tenor for an upcoming project. Humble booked the trip and enjoyed a week of recording and camaraderie.

“The first conversation I had with the conductor was him sort of sheepishly saying, ‘Hey, I’m really sorry that I never responded, but I do really like your audition materials and we’d love to have you sing with the group,' ” said Humble, who is co-chair of the music department and also filling the role of director of the dance studies program.

About six years later, a weeklong recording session with True Concord resulted in “A Dream So Bright: Choral Music of Jake Runestad,” which debuted in August 2024 at No. 2 on Billboard’s Classical Albums chart. Three months later, the recording was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance, a realization of a lifelong dream for Humble.

True Concord didn't win when the Grammys were held last February. But the experience of recording and, months later, riding the wave of the highest nomination for a recording artist is one that Humble puts high on his list of career accomplishments.

And it came with the group that previously had ignored his inquiries.

“It’s up there in the top for sure,” said Humble, who has performed at such iconic venues as the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and the Library of Congress. “It’s not something you can will to happen because you’re relying on democracy. You’re relying on the members of the (Recording) Academy, the majority of whom I don’t know. And so it does feel like this sort of grassroots recognition of an accomplishment.”

In his career as a solo artist, Humble has performed in opera, recital, concert and chamber music venues, enjoying solo appearances with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and the Boston Pops. During his tenure singing with Cantus out of Minneapolis, he sang more than 800 concerts and recorded 10 albums with one of the nation’s premier vocal ensembles.

CSUSM's School of Arts is making a concerted effort to hire and encourage its faculty to stay active in their respective industries.

Ching-Ming Cheng, music co-chair, gives piano concerts both solo and with renowned performers routinely. She just completed a fall series of concerts with cellist Paul Tseng and harpist Vanessa Fountain throughout San Diego County, including on campus and at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

“Part of it is to feed my artistic soul and sort of keep that fire burning,” Humble said. “Creative activity is part of our scholarship as applied faulty in the arts, so that’s part of it. But in terms of teaching, it also helps me stay relevant. I’m teaching students how to practice, how to perform, and if I stop doing it, I won’t be as good at teaching that.”

Originally from northeast Ohio, Humble was the director of choral activities at Minnesota State University, Mankato before coming to CSUSM. A graduate of Millikin University in Illinois, he has a Doctor of Music degree in vocal performance and literature from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

Humble and his husband, Xu Zou, have a home in New York primarily for Zou’s work there. Their main residence is in South Park with their two cats, Chopstick and Toothpick.

Humble and Cheng are in the process of proposing a music recording and production degree program in the music department. Music technology is currently a minor.

“I think that will bring a whole different set of students here as well,” Humble said. “And for the students who are really looking for that ramp into a vocation, into a career, that’s a great degree for them.”

His dream is to host a music therapy program at CSUSM. There are no such programs in San Diego, an area rich with the therapeutic power of music.

Humble directs the university choir, which is an SATB (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) ensemble that is open to students of all majors and other members of the campus community. The choir does not require an audition.

Humble slowly has been building small group opportunities for students who are looking for more advanced repertoire. That’s innovation.

For him, it’s about finding the right pace and fit while pushing the students to discover new opportunities within themselves. That’s acceleration and cultivation, the key tenets behind CSUSM’s Blueprint for the Future fundraising campaign, in which the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences lists “Anchoring the Arts” as one of its two initiatives.

“I don’t know if we’re quite there yet, but we’re close,” he said. “It’s just nice to give those students who want that extra challenge with harder repertoire, with things that are a little more on the art music side of things and might challenge students in a way that those kids want but other students don’t want. To have space for them to do that.”

The concert that the music department is working on this semester is about belonging and unity.

Earlier this semester, Humble wasn’t feeling well at choir rehearsal while recovering from getting vaccinated. He ended up having a great rehearsal and left feeling much better.

It reminded him that he hears the same from students often. They may arrive to campus in a bad mood but leave their interactions upbeat and ready to go on with their day.

Being on the receiving end of that community of care is a gentle reminder that he and other faculty often provide the same.

“People need those safe spaces more than ever and those moments of community,” Humble said. “I feel really fortunate that I get to teach in a place that wants that for all of our students. And that I get to make music and build that community in an artistic environment with my students as well.”

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

“From a young age, I helped my family assimilate into our new environment, filling in gaps wherever I was needed as a first-generation Mexican American.” said Chambers, now a Master of Social Work (MSW) student at Cal State San Marcos. “I became their translator, doctor, lawyer and social worker. These experiences shaped why I want to do this work.”

She carried that sense of purpose into every role she has served – including preschool teacher, nanny and YMCA educator – and she saw firsthand how communication gaps between parents and schools can affect a child’s success. 

“That made me want to be part of the solution,” she said. “I want to help families and children feel supported.”

Now in graduate school – something that once felt out of reach as the first in her family to attend college – Chambers recently took part in an innovative Interprofessional Education (IPE) event hosted by the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care, which is part of a larger palliative care initiative funded by the Hearst Foundations.

Palliative care brings together a team of health professionals to provide holistic treatment for individuals with serious illnesses. IPE focuses on training students to work together in this collaborative model.

Designed by CSUSM faculty from multiple disciplines, CSUSM’s IPE program places students from nursing, kinesiology, speech-language pathology and social work together to analyze a case study and develop a comprehensive plan of care. The goal is to help students think collaboratively while gaining an authentic understanding of what teamwork looks like in real clinical settings.

“Graduate school can feel siloed since we focus on our own programs,” Chambers said. “This event brings students from multiple disciplines together under one roof to learn from each other and realize how much stronger we are when we collaborate.”

In this year’s exercise, Chambers’ team worked on a family-centered case study involving a medically complex 8-year-old boy living with his grandparents. 

“These cases remind us that families don’t exist in isolation,” she said. “When a child is struggling, it’s not just on the grandparents or the teacher. There’s a whole network of people who can help. Our job is to strengthen that network.”

“Students will be expected to collaborate with other professions when they enter practice,” said Katie Robinson, assistant professor of nursing. “But as with every other practice competency, we have to teach them why, show them how and guide them through practicing it themselves. And now that we've worked out such an effective IPE model, it's exciting to think about expanding across the campus – and beyond.”

Since spring 2023, the institute has hosted five immersive IPE days, with participation now reaching 150–200 students across the College of Education, Health and Human Services.

“Alumni from previous events have shared how this event helped shape their transition into the workforce,” said Lorene Ibbestson, a social work lecturer. “It gave them confidence in their professional abilities and a deeper appreciation for how collaboration across disciplines can create meaningful change.”

Now, thanks to a generous $200,000 grant from the Hearst Foundations, CSUSM’s IPE program will continue to grow, with plans to:

• launch a new IPE event in spring 2026 focused on health policy, including students from psychology, sociology and political science;
• build a similar IPE model at Fresno State and ultimately other CSU campuses;
• explore cross-campus collaborations with UC San Diego medical students and Clinical Pastoral Education programs.

For students like Chambers, these simulated experiences are invaluable in helping them prepare for meaningful careers.  

For CSUSM, the Hearst Foundations’ generous support not only strengthens IPE but also moves the university closer to its “Blueprint for the Future” campaign goal to raise $200 million in philanthropy and research funding.

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

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

“On top of training up to three hours a day, my major in algorithmic mathematics is very demanding and leaves little time to hold a job,” McGregor said. “I’m grateful for Brooks and Marion Reid’s support and hope to pay it forward someday, especially in math or athletics.”

McGregor's appreciation of the Reids comes from being the recipient of both the Reid Athletic Scholarship and the K. Brooks and Marion Reid Student Achievement Award in Discrete Mathematics. These scholarships are just two of the many ways that the Reids have contributed to Cal State San Marcos over the years.

Founding faculty members Brooks and Marion Reid have been champions of student success since CSUSM’s earliest days. Brooks, a mathematics professor emeritus, and Marion, the university’s founding dean of Kellogg Library and now dean emerita, have contributed to initiatives across campus, from academics and research to athletics. Brooks serves on the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (CSTEM) Advisory Council, staying connected to students like McGregor.

"It was exciting to be part of CSUSM from the very beginning,” the Reids said. “The library and mathematics have always been close to our hearts, and we’re proud of how the university has flourished over the years. We had fulfilling careers here, and giving back is a way to honor that legacy and help future generations thrive.”

In addition to scholarships and mathematics awards, the couple supports the annual Reid Lecture Series, which invites the campus and local community to experience the beauty of mathematics through continued support for programs like the Mathematical Association of America Institutional Membership, the Putnam Mathematics Competition and the San Marcos Informal Mathematics Colloquium.

Thanks to the generosity of donors like Brooks and Marion Reid, CSUSM students have the resources to thrive both academically and personally. Their gifts also contribute to the university’s $200 million “Blueprint for the Future” campaign.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

Long before he was an assistant professor of history at Cal State San Marcos, Amador was a doctoral student at New York’s Stony Brook University who was doing field work for his dissertation in Mexico. Hoping to comb through the historical archive of the people of Temacapulin, a small town northeast of Guadalajara, he was surprised to learn that they didn’t have one. What they had was thousands of documents piled haphazardly into boxes, all too vulnerable to environmental damage in the event of, say, a flood.

Helping to organize the town’s historical record wasn’t part of Amador’s dissertation, but his conscience wouldn’t allow him to return to New York with the papers in such disarray. So he gave himself a crash course in archival studies – which traditionally is more the domain of librarians – and, with the aid of some volunteers from the community, he led an effort in 2022 to whip the archive into shape.

During the three months that Amador was in Temacapulin, word of his project spread to neighboring towns. It just so happened that the Indigenous community of San Juan de la Laguna (La Laguna for short) was in the midst of an effort to organize its own historical documents. The people behind it invited Amador to town, and he discovered that this project involved almost twice as many documents (nearly 20,000), stretching back more than a century earlier, to the late 1600s.

“When I saw that this project was a different beast compared to the first one,” Amador said, “I knew we needed more resources and more help.”

After a hiatus of a few years – during which he finished his dissertation, earned his Ph.D. from Stony Brook and was hired by CSUSM – Amador finally found himself in position to revisit the La Laguna archive. Last spring, he received a $15,000 grant from the Endangered Archives Programme of the British Library, the largest library in the world and the home of such storied pieces as the original Magna Carta.

Over the summer, Amador spent two weeks in La Laguna, and the funding not only paid for his trip, but allowed him to purchase laptops and hire and train five members of the community as full-time workers on the 10-week project.

“I never imagined I’d end up in this field, but it truly offers incredible opportunities,” he said. “I get to meet new people and develop skills in an area where, surprisingly, historians often know nothing about – archives. You’d think that’s odd, like chemists not learning about the equipment in their own labs. Now that I’m doing this work, I realize just how striking that gap is between what historians do and the archival side of their profession.”

Amador streamlined and accelerated a process that had progressed in fits and starts since his initial visit to La Laguna three years earlier. In helping gather the materials, he found that many of them were stored in unfavorable conditions, such as sacks, cardboard boxes and bound together with string. Many also were marked with water stains.

As the group surveyed and created an inventory of the documents, they encountered samples both mundane (countless tax receipts) and captivating. One example was a paper record of a legal battle in the early 20^th century between a town resident and an immigrant from Lebanon.

“How did a man from Lebanon end up in this little town?” Amador said. “That whole story sounds fascinating. Discovering history through these documents is, in a way, truly thrilling.”

Beyond just the work itself, the biggest challenge that Amador faced was gaining the trust of an Indigenous community that traditionally has had a fraught relationship with the local government and the outside world at large.

“With me coming from the United States, people wondered, ‘What are his priorities? Why is he here helping us? What’s in it for him?’ ” he said. “It really came down to open communication – reassuring them that I’m doing this because I love the work and involving them in the process as much as possible.”

As the grant-funded initiative wraps up this fall, Amador is considering a return to La Laguna in January to review the finished product in person. And as the domino effect continues, the second project might lead to a third one.

Another nearby Indigenous community heard about the work Amador led in La Laguna and requested his support for its archival project, which features more digitized material instead of old, yellowing papers. For that one, which remains in the preliminary stages, he is coordinating with classically trained archivists, namely Sean Visintainer and Jennifer Ho of the CSUSM University Library. He’s also talking with Visintainer and Ho about the possibility of introducing and teaching a history course in archival studies.

“I really did stumble into this type of work. I still am even hesitant to call myself an archivist,” Amador said. “I'm learning so much, and there's still so much for me to learn. But it does seem like this is where my career is headed – bringing archival studies and history together in some way.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

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

Goodblanket was nervous about checking out the CICSC. She didn’t know anyone on campus and was unsure about going inside. But she mustered the courage to open the door, and all of her anxiety disappeared as she was instantly welcomed.  

Little did she know that she was meeting mentors that day who would help her achieve the career she has today. Through intentional support from faculty and staff and inclusive spaces like the CICSC, CSUSM equips students to lead with identity, purpose and impact. 

“I was looking for that connection to my culture, and I found it on campus,” said Goodblanket, who received a bachelor’s degree in psychological science and a Master of Social Work at CSUSM. “I'm an out-of-state Native. My tribe is from Oklahoma, so I always am searching to reconnect with tribal communities and tribal culture.” 

Goodblanket, a member of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma, serves as an Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) court advocate for the Valley Center-based Indian Health Council, which provides health and wellness services for American Indian communities in north San Diego County. Any families involved in a child welfare case, such as a juvenile dependency proceeding, can rely on Goodblanket for support. 

"I work with moms and dads who are struggling with a variety of challenges," Goodblanket said. "One is substance abuse. My job is to support families in doing what they need to do to reunite with their kids if they’re not currently in a place to have them back. I also work with caregivers and family members who have taken placement of the children." 

Goodblanket’s cultural connection is at the heart of her advocacy. Under the ICWA, child welfare agencies must prioritize placing American Indian children with relatives or within their tribal communities whenever possible.  

“Natives are still removed at a disproportionate rate by child welfare services,” Goodblanket said. "When children are disconnected from their culture, their long-term outcomes aren't as strong as those who remain connected. That’s why the cultural component is such a vital part of the work I do." 

As a student, Goodblanket participated in CSUSM’s inaugural “Beyond the Stereotype" campaign to raise awareness about cultural appropriation and the harm caused by stereotypes. Goodblanket and other students were featured on posters across campus that challenged common misconceptions about underrepresented groups. She emphasized the need to raise awareness about issues like missing and murdered Indigenous women and the harmful sexualization of Native women through stereotypes and costumes, which contribute to broader societal perceptions and injustice. 

"Maya demonstrates how education driven by purpose and cultural knowledge creates lasting change,” said Joely Proudfit, chair of the American Indian studies department and director of the CICSC. “CSUSM remains grateful for her transformative impact, particularly through her leadership in the award-winning 'Beyond the Stereotype' campaign, where she challenged cultural appropriation with authenticity and understanding.” 

Goodblanket didn’t expect the campaign to have such a large impact, and its widespread presence across campus was surprising but meaningful.  

"I think it was really important to take that stance and just stand up,” she said. “And I think that's what college is all about.” 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

Diagnosed with hepatitis C, very unusual for a child that young, Jaenisch had been told by doctors that if he didn’t get a liver transplant, he wouldn’t live past 30. That disturbing prediction had hung over his adolescence and early adulthood like a black cloud, casting a pall over every doctor’s appointment and health episode.  

Now here it was, 2016, the year when Jaenisch turned 30, and the doctor’s assessment was feeling eerily prescient. He had not been able to procure a new liver, and his condition was deteriorating rapidly. To borrow his gallows humor, he was as “yellow as a Simpsons character” because of jaundice. He collectively spent more than six weeks in the hospital as a result of various complications from end-stage liver disease.  

“Every single day that year, I had a 30 to 60 percent chance of dying,” Jaenisch said.  

That he didn’t die, that he received a liver transplant on Dec. 3 (only a few months before his 31^st birthday), Jaenisch considers to be nothing short of a miracle. Given the gift of fresh life in his fourth decade, he elected to devote it to ensuring that no one else has to go through the ordeal that he did. 

Three years later, Jaenisch returned to Cal State San Marcos – the university where he had earned a bachelor’s degree in social sciences in 2008 – to pursue a master’s in public health. He now works as the director of education and outreach for Open Biopharma Research and Training Institute, a Carlsbad nonprofit whose mission is to reduce the cost of pharmaceuticals like the ones that helped keep him alive while he waited for the miracle liver.  

More significantly, Jaenisch is a tireless patient advocate, dedicating countless hours to multiple organizations that share a goal of ending the scourge of hep C. He has transformed adversity into community impact, leveraging his CSUSM education to improve lives and strengthen public health across the state.  

“Richard is truly a special person,” said Carrie Frenette, the executive director of global medical affairs for Gilead Sciences and Jaenisch’s liver doctor for nine years starting in 2012.  

“I can’t think of anyone else who has so much expertise and understanding in their medical problems, advocates for themselves and then goes on to advocate for others. Honestly, it made it so easy to care for him, and it made it mean even more when he got his transplant and was healthy again.” 

'I don’t know how you are still alive...’ 

It all started with brown pee. 

Jaenisch was a normal suburban kid growing up in Rancho Bernardo. When he was 12, his parents signed him up for a summer tennis camp. It was a sweltering day and he didn’t drink a lot of water; when he returned home and went to the bathroom, his urine was dark.  

His father took him to Rady Children’s Hospital, where he was put through a battery of tests on his kidneys, spleen and liver. The diagnosis of hepatitis C virus (HCV) stunned them, as did the subsequent wallop of bad news: After the rest of the family was tested, it was discovered that he contracted the infection at birth from his mother, who also was found to have HCV.   

Nothing, though, could have prepared Jaenisch for the haunting prognostication of liver transplant or death.  

“That shook me to my core,” he said. “My childhood was fundamentally changed. And my mom heard that, too, because she was in the room. It’s awkward hearing your own future from your child’s diagnosis. We shared a very odd relationship in that way.” 

At the time, in the late 1990s, there was no cure for HCV, only experimental treatments with low success rates and punishing side effects. Jaenisch’s mom started the drugs – interferon and ribavirin – almost immediately, but as a child, Jaenisch wasn’t eligible. The primary impact of HCV on his teenage years was that he was forced to cease participation in all sports and PE classes (because the disease can be transmitted through blood) and he began to suffer from a type of brain fog named hepatic encephalopathy (HE).   

After graduating from Rancho Bernardo High School, he attended Palomar College for two years, then transferred to CSUSM. There, he threw himself into classes in economics, history and political science – not only to satiate his hunger for knowledge but also to distract himself from the fear that constantly lingered at the back of his mind.  

“I wanted to live as much of my life as I could before everything hit the fan,” Jaenisch said. “Because I knew what was coming. When someone gives you a death sentence, you remember it, to say the least.” 

Jaenisch graduated from CSUSM in December 2008. Only a few weeks later, the trouble started. He attempted to begin the same treatment program his mom had undergone, but because of denials by his mom's employer, he wasn’t able to do so for about nine months.  

Once the snags finally had been resolved, the 12-week regimen of interferon and ribavirin didn’t work. He experienced all the negative effects of the drugs – in his case, painful inflammation and wild emotional swings – without any decrease in his body’s viral load. A second round at double the dosage early in 2010 similarly yielded no response.  

By this point, more than a decade after his HCV first had been discovered, Jaenisch had descended to the most serious stage on the scale that measures liver fibrosis, or scarring. F0 equates to no fibrosis, F1 is mild, F2 is moderate, and so on. He was at F4, which indicates the presence of cirrhosis, a condition in which the liver is extensively scarred and permanently damaged.   

Jaenisch had reached the dreaded end-stage liver disease, which essentially meant that the ticking of his clock was only accelerating. All the while, he was encountering roadblocks in his career. He had hoped to enter the niche field of traffic economics, but graduating into the Great Recession scuttled that plan. For a time, he held a job in tech support that he found unfulfilling. 

The work that did bring Jaenisch joy was for a group that offered before- and after-school services for elementary and middle schools in the Poway district of his youth. He envisioned a long-term future in that field but was stymied by both the ailing economy (which led to layoffs) and his illness (he claims he was a victim of disability discrimination but chose to spend his remaining time trying to get better rather than pursue a case.)   

While he tried to piece together enough work to retain his vital health insurance, Jaenisch’s health continued to deteriorate. In 2014, two years into her stint as his liver doctor, Frenette proffered a grim evaluation. 

“She said, ‘I don’t know how you are still alive with this liver,’ ” Jaenisch recalled. “She showed me pictures and was like, ‘Your liver is an old shoe. It is not doing what it’s supposed to do. But you’re still functioning.’ ” 

Every moment of optimism, it seemed, was followed by a stroke of misfortune. He began taking a new drug called Sovaldi (a direct-acting antiviral, or DAA) that was considered a game-changer for HCV patients in that it had an 86% cure rate in six months. Sure enough, Jaenisch’s viral load was approaching zero and his liver was curing. But then he contracted a C. diff bacterial infection (the suspect: spoiled food from a restaurant), which caused acute liver failure and brought his HVC roaring back.  

He later tried another second-generation DAA – Harvoni – that sounded promising but failed in the last week of treatment. As his liver continued to deteriorate, in 2016 he became too sick for treatment and, following a now-common hospitalization, an ER physician gave him outdated medical advice, which resulted in a case of sepsis that nearly killed him. 

End-stage liver disease is typically a rapid descent lasting as little as two years. For Jaenisch, it was an eight-year slog, from age 22 to 30.  

“He was in and out of the hospital multiple times, and he nearly didn’t make it to transplant multiple times,” Frenette said. “I can’t imagine anyone going through it with the courage and strength that he did.” 

Even after the liver transplant, Jaenisch wasn’t out of the woods. The operation addressed the issue of the failing liver, but it didn’t eradicate the HCV (the virus lives in the bloodstream). Frenette advised a treatment plan of Sovaldi, Zepatier and ribavirin, and that pharmaceutical concoction proved to be a magical formula.  

In September 2017, 18 years after the fateful diagnosis, Jaenisch was cured. 

“Honestly, I cried,” Frenette said. “He had been through so much, and to finally get rid of this awful virus that he had lived with his entire life and had caused his liver to fail … I don’t have words.” 

‘I have to be more than a self-advocate' 

It was during one of his dozens of hospital stays that Jaenisch decided on the next course of his life, provided he would live long enough to choose.  

In the fall of 2014, he had been admitted to Sharp Memorial Hospital after the HCV returned via his C. diff infection. His medical team was struggling to lower his levels of bilirubin, a substance found in bile that was causing jaundice, the yellowing of the skin now so familiar to Jaenisch. He knew that ultraviolet rays help break down bilirubin, so he convinced the nurses to bring him outside for an hour a day at peak sun. As he had theorized, his bilirubin numbers declined. 

“It was at that point where I was like, ‘I have to be more than a self-advocate. If I can survive through transplant, I need to go to a Master of Public Health program,’ ” Jaenisch said. “I realized that that path would help me better understand how to become an advocate not only for myself but also for others.” 

His commitment would be nurtured in an environment like CSUSM, as he was accepted into its accelerated MPH program. His time back at the university overlapped with the pandemic, which he took advantage of by choosing as his thesis topic the emergency use authorization of COVID-19 tests.  

“He was very inquisitive and passionate,” said Asherlev Santos, an associate professor of public health and Jaenisch’s thesis adviser. “Sometimes that passion was more visible than the evidence of the inquiry, but all came from a place of helping others in some sort of need. He used his personal and professional experience to spur on what he did for his MPH degree.” 

His master’s allowed him to land his job at Open Biopharma, but it’s passion that mostly fuels Jaenisch in his advocacy connected to HCV. In 2016, while his body was still racked with the disease, he traveled to Sacramento with an organization known as CalHEP to talk to state legislators and raise awareness about viral hepatitis.  

The next year, when Congress was preparing to vote on a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Jaenisch enlisted in the fight. He told his story of overcoming HCV in half a dozen TV interviews, worked at a call center, wrote letters – he did so much that the American Liver Foundation named him its liver champion of the year.  

“I wanted to preserve the things that help people get access to health care,” he said. “Because to me, it saved my life.” 

He also has volunteered for state and local groups such as End the Epidemics, the California Department of Public Health and the Eliminate Hepatitis C San Diego County Initiative. Their shared objective (in line with a goal established by the World Health Organization) is to eliminate hep C by 2030, which means a reduction of new infections by 90% and deaths by 65%. 

And the barriers are much lower than they used to be. Jaenisch says his family spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on treatment and other expenses to keep him alive. Today, treatment could run as cheap as a few hundred dollars, and that’s for more effective drugs, too.  

“I was raised in a middle-class suburban household, and I wouldn’t have known I had hep C if I didn’t pee a brown color,” Jaenisch said. “I’ve always maintained that I think we’re missing a lot of people, and I keep trying to push for us to find them and knock this virus out. We’re taking a lot of steps, and eventually we’ll get there.” 

Thanks to Jaenisch’s focus on access and innovation, those steps are becoming strides – toward a healthier, more equitable future for all. 

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

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

“It’s almost like you could take a Fully Employed MBA class schedule and go, ‘OK, yep, you’ve tapped finance, you’ve tapped accounting, marketing, leadership,’ ” Lutz said. “Somehow, I have to wear one of those hats at any given point in my job.” 

Founded in the wake of a tragic act of domestic violence, Kathy’s Legacy Foundation honors the memory of Kathy Scharbarth, who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2011. The nonprofit supports children and pets impacted by domestic violence – offering comfort, stability and hope through its two signature programs. 

Lutz, who joined the organization in 2019 after earning an MBA from Cal State San Marcos, thrives on the variety and challenges of nonprofit work. Her time at CSUSM helped her develop a deeper understanding of her strengths and areas for growth, while also fostering connections that continue to support her in her role today.  

“CSUSM helped me focus on what I felt like my strong suits were and what I liked and didn't like,” Lutz said. “The personal connections I made at CSUSM have become invaluable professional resources.”  

Years after graduating, Lutz came full circle when she collaborated with CSUSM business students on their Senior Experience project for Kathy’s Legacy. Although the project was ultimately cut short due to the pandemic, Lutz felt a strong connection to the students because she had completed similar projects while earning her MBA. 

“The project was marketing-focused, and we were working to try to reach donors who resonate with our mission, " Lutz said. “I was bummed that we didn't get to finish in person together, but I loved getting to work with them as someone who has gone through the same experience. It was great, and we got some amazing materials in return.” 

Lutz first connected with Kathy’s Legacy when a friend asked if she’d be interested in consulting on an event for the organization. She was immediately drawn to the mission and soon after was hired full time as a program manager. In the ensuing years, she steadily took on more responsibility, stepping into the role of co-executive director in 2024.  

“I feel like jumping in wholeheartedly and putting everything I had into Kathy’s Legacy led me to where I am today," Lutz said.  

The foundation’s work centers on two initiatives: the Silver Lining program, which helps children heal from the trauma of losing a parent to domestic violence, and the Lady’s Legacy program, which was inspired by Scharbarth’s yellow labrador, Lady, who was present when Scharbarth was killed. Lady became a symbol of the often-overlooked impact of domestic violence on pets.  

Lutz now helps coordinate multiple fundraising events throughout the year, including the annual Kathy’s Legacy Golf Tournament held at Twin Oaks Golf Course in San Marcos.  

The work isn’t easy, but Lutz says the impact is clear at the quarterly events Kathy’s Legacy hosts. There she sees firsthand how the organization is changing the lives of the children they support.  

“We had one boy who was not doing well during COVID and even long after the pandemic would wear a mask and have his hood up,” Lutz said. “But in the past year, the hood has come off and he’s smiling and engaging, which means something we’re doing is working.  

“I love that we can be that beacon of light and that reliability that these kids don't have anywhere else.”  

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

As a boy, his career aspiration was to be on a SWAT team. As a student at Cal State San Marcos, though his academic track early on was kinesiology, he gravitated to the theater and began auditioning for every high-pressure stage role possible. 

So when Collier was at a crossroads in his post-graduate life and his stepfather figure suggested that he explore firefighting, perhaps the most surprising aspect is that Collier had never thought of it himself. Who, after all, is more willing to charge headlong into a risky situation than a firefighter? 

“I’m the person who will stop their car on the side of a busy road to help somebody rather than driving on,” Collier said. “That’s just what I do. It’s what’s in me. So for me, this job is a hand-in-glove fit.” 

Collier was speaking from a common area inside San Diego Fire Station 43, which is in Otay Mesa and has been his home away from home for the past year. On this day in late April, he had donned his gear several times to go on calls in the station’s primary engine with his firehouse colleagues – a firefighter paramedic, an engineer and a captain.  

The calls were fairly routine. Because Station 43 is in a lightly developed neighborhood only a few miles north of the Mexico border, most of the emergencies that its crews respond to are vegetation fires, car fires and incidents at the border itself – often people sustaining injuries as they try to cross into California illegally.  

Collier, 29, is less than four years into his firefighting career, which translates into this current assignment far from the heart of San Diego. He has to gradually work his way up the ranks and into more plum stations.  

But Collier still loves where he is and what he’s doing. He gladly will show off for visitors every nook and cranny of Station 43 – from the exercise space where he gets to incorporate one of his favorite activities (weightlifting) into his work hours, to the kitchen where he frequently cooks meals for the whole house, to the cherry-red fire engine that he has come to know every inch of like the back of his hand.   

“Becoming a firefighter is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” he said. “It’s not an easy job. When the stuff hits the fan, it sprays everywhere. But it’s also one of the most rewarding things you can do.” 

It was at CSUSM that Collier discovered the stability and self-confidence that made life as a firefighter seem realistic. He grew up in the foster system and entered the university having attended an astounding 17 different schools before he even reached high school, Olympian in Chula Vista. He arrived at CSUSM with the assistance of ACE Scholars Services, the university’s program for former foster youth. 

Collier switched his major from kinesiology to visual performing arts and threw himself into theater with abandon, ultimately starring in seven shows during his five years as a student.  

“What CSUSM gave me is the belief that I can do anything,” said Collier, who graduated in 2018. “I came into college with extreme educational deficiencies. Yet CSUSM had every tool to catch me up and help me succeed. It gave me the environment to grow.” 

Collier intended to pursue a Master of Fine Arts and a doctorate en route to becoming a theater professor, but he admits that he didn’t prepare well enough for his graduate school auditions and was delivered a harsh “reality check.” He was teaching kids at Callan Swim School when his stepdad proposed what turned out to be a fateful visit to the Heartland Fire & Rescue station in El Cajon. He was a reserve firefighter there for a year before entering the San Diego Fire Academy in 2022. 

Now Collier aims to keep climbing the ladder – both literally and figuratively – as a firefighter while not pulling it up behind him. As soon as he joined the fire service, he got involved with community outreach as part of the team tasked with recruiting the next generation of firefighters. And his next goal is to take classes toward becoming an instructor of young firefighters eager to enter the fire service.  

“I feel like that’s my next calling,” he said. “I’m trying to figure out how to give back by motivating and helping others. It gives me joy to see people be uplifted and accomplish things.”  

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

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

Her degree (communication) was unrelated to health care, and Gonzalez had no intention of staying in the field. The main appeal of the job was that it was close to her home and the university.  

Beginning her journey as a program assistant in an entry-level role, Gonzalez quickly developed a fondness for the local nonprofit and its high-minded mission: providing quality health care and wellness services to underserved communities, regardless of income or insurance status. Her early connection to community health mirrored CSUSM’s commitment to accelerating social mobility through leaders who serve with purpose. 

What Gonzalez imagined to be a brief pit stop instead turned into a rewarding career, and over two decades, she climbed the rungs all the way to the top – she was appointed president and CEO in 2020, the same year that North County Health Services was reborn as TrueCare.  

With Gonzalez at the helm, TrueCare has expanded into a regional force with 21 health centers and five women, infants and children (WIC) locations, covering a footprint of more than 42 miles, from Encinitas to Ramona. Her leadership has driven key advancements, including the opening of new health centers, expansion of the mobile fleet and specialty services, implementation of an advanced electronic health record system, rebrand of the organization, and launch of a successful doula program supported by a $2 million federal grant.  

Question: This year marks the five-year anniversary of you becoming the leader of TrueCare. What does that milestone mean to you? 

Michelle Gonzalez: I think it's a reminder of how quickly time flies and how quickly things can change and evolve. It's hard to remember that we were in this worldwide pandemic. It feels like it's been a couple lifetimes. We've had a lot of growth for the organization, and I think at this five-year mark, it just underscores how resilient we are, how much people matter at the core of everything we do – whether it's providers, whether it's patients, whether it's the community, our staff. It's a culmination of the strength of the organization and everything that we've accomplished, which is a lot in the last five years. 

Q: How would you sum up the growth and changes that have occurred since 2020? 

MG: We've expanded our footprint. We've opened new sites, we've added new service lines, we've added acupuncture, we've added podiatry. We've really stabilized our workforce during a time of a lot of shortages and uncertainty. I’m proud of the fact that our provider retention rate is over 90%. We continue to hire at an accelerated pace, and I start there because everything we do, all the growth and all the accomplishments, it always starts with people. Without a solid workforce, we wouldn't be able to achieve anything.  

Our patient population has grown significantly as well. We had a slight decrease post-COVID, but we're back up to almost 70,000 patients. We've rendered more than 350,000 visits in this last year. Our workforce continues to grow. We're over 800 employees now and close to 160 providers. And then our budget has grown significantly, by almost $55 million in the last five years. We've tripled our mobile fleet. In all the areas of the business that you would expect to continue to progress, we're not only progressing, but we're thriving. 

Q: How did your appointment as CEO come about? 

MG: My predecessor went on a leave of absence in January 2020. The board asked me if I would be willing to step in on an interim basis. They were initially planning to do a national search, which I was fully supportive of. I didn't have any aspirations to be a CEO. I sometimes say I'm an accidental CEO. I was working in that interim capacity for several months, and then COVID made its presence known and we had the stay-at-home order. By April, the board had unanimously appointed me to maintain the position full term. After a lot of conversation and some prayer and reflection, I decided to pursue the position, and it's been a fantastic journey, in large part because I have such a great team around me.  

Q: What was the biggest challenge in taking over just as the pandemic was heating up? 

MG: There was so much uncertainty and fear. At one point, we had to close more than half of our clinics, probably 75-80% of our sites, we had to furlough staff. You think you can sort of ease in to becoming a CEO. There was no ease-in period. I remember talking with colleagues in the industry and saying, “How are you handling this? What are you doing?” And I realized very quickly that there's no playbook and everybody was truly figuring it out as they went along. Very early on, I made a conscious decision that I would be the type of leader who was always grounded and surrounded by strong advisers. We offer health care, but I'm not a clinician, so I made certain that we had strong clinical leadership on our team. It was about trying to understand what was unfolding in the world around us and how TrueCare plays an important part and ensuring that we were keeping our workforce intact. We’re back on track now, but it was an incredibly stressful time.  

Q: How did TrueCare pivot during that time and how does the organization look different now than it did in 2020?  

MG: Before the pandemic started, we had pieces of a telehealth or virtual health program. We realized very quickly that it would be crucial to continue to offer services to patients. For many patients, we are their lifeline, and cutting off their health care was not an option. So we were able to stand up a virtual health program in three days. It started off with telehealth visits and as soon as we were able to, we migrated to a video visit platform. We essentially worked around the clock to make sure that we didn't cut off access for patients, but it also gave employees a sense of purpose. And we've continued to build on that virtual health program while staying true to the traditional methods that you would expect to render medicine.  

We also had to pivot when it came to figuring out what our workforce was going to look like. We had to put people on furlough, but we made sure they still got a salary. We really believed that we needed to take care of our people, and a lot of funding from the federal government helped to shore us up. We laid off less than 15 individuals, and we were able to provide them with a severance so that they landed on their feet. I’m proud of that.  

Q: How would you characterize the change in you that turned TrueCare from a short-term job to more of a calling? 

MG: What I found was that people who worked here were very connected to the mission. They weren't here for the money. They were here because they cared about the people and patients that we were serving. The more I learned about the organization, the more in love I became with it and the more I realized, “My gosh, we have to make sure more individuals in the community and more community-based organizations know about what we do because there are so many people in need.”  

There was a misconception about people who were accessing care at community health centers, that they deserved less or they were just poor. I discovered that these are individuals who work very hard and who don't understand the importance of preventative care, and a lot of times don't feel like they're worthy of having access to care. What became a cornerstone of the work I did early on, and has carried on throughout my time here, is making sure everybody understands that access to health care is a right, not a privilege, and we don't care about your walk of life, where you come from or your circumstance. We want to make sure we help everyone who walks through our doors to the very best of our ability.  

Q: Tell me about your background. 

MG: I was born in Virginia, which is where my father is from. My mother is from Guam, and my parents met there while my dad was in the military. I'm half-Chamorro and half-white, and my husband is Mexican. We were childhood sweethearts who met when I was 12 and he was 14. I've had a lot of exposure to his family and culture over the years, and I think that's something that has benefited me very well. Though I'm not Mexican, I'm not Latina, I have such an appreciation for the culture and the people who we serve, which is the predominant background of our patients. 

My family traveled a lot while my dad was in the service. We moved to Vista when I was in third grade, and I've lived in North County pretty much my whole life. I'm also the youngest of seven children and the first in my family to go to college. So I'm a first-generation college graduate.  

Q: Did your parents not encourage college among your siblings? 

MG: We came from very humble beginnings, and I don't think we always understood that college was something within reach. My parents did the best they could to work and provide for us, but it was really the mindset of, you go to school and you get a good job. But my mom would say to me, “You're too smart, Michelle. You need to think about college.” I told her we couldn’t afford college, but she said we'll figure it out, we'll find a way. For most of the time that I was a student, I worked two jobs to put myself through school. I was also an AmeriCorps member, so I was able to receive a grant. But none of it came easy and none of it was without sacrifice or hard work – not just for me, but those around me who supported me. 

Q: What I'm hearing is a story of social mobility.  

MG: Oh, one thousand percent. I think that's why Cal State San Marcos and TrueCare are such great partners. We see health care as a right, not a privilege, and we think it's fundamental and foundational to everything. I think it ties in beautifully with social mobility. And there's so much good that is happening at Cal State San Marcos. There's a lot that we do together, and social mobility is a big part of that.  

Q: One of the main areas in which TrueCare and CSUSM have partnered in recent years is mobile health clinics. How did that come about? 

MG: Once I became CEO and started serving on the University Council, I learned about CSUSM’s interest in having a mobile health unit. I connected with (nursing lecturer) Matt Mincey early on and said, “You don't have to go on this journey alone. We have mobile clinics. We're right here, let's partner, let's figure out how to do this together.” What started out small has expanded into working not just with the mobile team, but also with the School of Nursing, public health, the entire College of Education, Health and Human Services. It’s a great opportunity to give exposure to students and help them understand that health care doesn't just come in a traditional hospital setting, that there's this whole other life of community health. There's a ton of overlap where our interests align nicely with what CSUSM is doing. We go to the same community events, and CSUSM students are able to do outreach, blood pressure screenings, things of that nature. Then, as they move farther along in their studies, when appropriate, they're also able to do internships at TrueCare. 

Q: How would you summarize TrueCare’s model in terms of providing health care?  

MG: One of the things I want to emphasize is that TrueCare will not refuse services to anyone regardless of their ability to pay. What we're focused on is the individual and the family who presents and what services you need, and how we can either provide those directly or connect you with somebody who offers them. At TrueCare, we provide high-quality, compassionate care. Like we always say, “Health inside, welcome in!” 

Q: That seems like such a valuable service in the community – health care you don't have to pay for. 

MG: In today's day and age, it sounds like something very novel. Does that really exist? And the reality is that it does. When you believe in your core that health care is a right and not a privilege, you fight to make that a reality. And that's what we're doing. We're growing in all possible ways and we're maximizing wherever we can, in terms of the revenue we're able to generate. We take that and we pour it right back into the organization so that we can continue to expand our footprint. We put a lot of emphasis on making sure we can get people enrolled in coverage because we know that if you have coverage, that's a reduced barrier and you're more likely to access health care. But that's not the only barrier you will have to face and figure out. We also spend a lot of time and resources and energy in cultivating a fantastic culture internally. We believe that people who are joyful at work are more likely to do a better job and will pour that energy back into our patients and community. We make it a priority to care for our workforce, to really give them opportunities to advance, to grow and level up. What we find more and more often is that our patients are a direct reflection of our staff, and our staff is a direct reflection of our patients. Pouring into one is pouring into the other, and we're proud of that because health care is daunting – not just for the patient in terms of navigating, but it's also really hard work. One of our VPs many years ago said, “Michelle, we do noble work.” And I was like, “Yeah, this is noble work.” That's exactly what we do.  

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

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

Perry wasn’t worried about pay or even the tasks he would be doing. He simply wanted an opportunity to gain some hands-on experience. 

It wasn’t an easy sell, even if CSUSM is known for high-impact, experiential learning. Perry wasn’t a physics major (he was studying mathematics at the time), and he didn’t have any lab experience. 

Perry wasn’t having much luck when he knocked on the door of physics professor Stephen Tsui. 

“He just said, ‘Sure, why not?’ ” Perry said. 

The simple gesture was the catalyst for Perry’s switch to physics and the beginning of his journey to co-founding TP Engineering Services, a Poway-based company that builds laser and electro-optic systems for defense and fusion applications.  

The company has flourished since its founding in 2017, but a fusion contract that it secured three years ago has accelerated its growth. 

“It’s pretty insane to think about us getting to this point already,” Perry said. “Did I ever think we'd get here? Yeah, but I had no idea what it was going to look like, and I had no idea how it was going to happen.” 

The experience is similar to the one Perry had at CSUSM, where he practically lived in Science Hall 2 as a student. In fact, he was there so early and so late that the physics department eventually entrusted him with keys and after-hours access to conduct his work. 

“That was my thing – just being in a lab setting, being around hardware, being around something that was tangible, something that wasn't just theoretical,” he said. “It was where I could put my hands on hardware and get some experience.” 

After graduating in 2016, Perry headed north to UC Santa Cruz, where he earned a master’s in phototonics. His master’s thesis – on the design and development of a deep ultraviolet fiber laser system – caught the eye of a defense contractor who funded the project, leading to the formation of TP Engineering with his mother and father. 

TP Engineering quickly grew from an optics table in Perry’s bedroom where they navigated every project to the Poway lab it calls home today. The company has expanded from the initial trio of co-founders to over 20 employees, including two from CSUSM. 

The university still holds a special place in Perry’s heart. It’s where he met his wife, Amanda, who earned a bachelor’s in kinesiology. More than a decade after they met while both lived on campus in the University Village Apartments, they welcomed daughter Elli, who will be 3 years old in December. And he still returns to campus every year for Super STEM Saturday, an annual one-day science festival that brings thousands of community members to campus. 

A longtime supporter of CSUSM Giving Day, Perry increased his contribution last year with a matching gift for the physics department. 

“He's an alum who really believes in giving back,” Tsui said. “It's nice that so many of our graduates remember us so fondly and want to see younger alums and students do well.” 

That’s certainly the case for Perry. He doesn’t take for granted the impact that people like Tsui had on him and his career. 

“CSUSM took a chance on me a long time ago, and I want to support them being able to give other students a chance as well,” Perry said. “My professors gave me a unique perspective on life. If Dr. Tsui hadn't given me that opportunity to work in his lab, I don't know if any of this would have happened. They gave me a chance, and that changed me forever.” 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

That's when his mom, Ivonne Mancilla, knew this was something more.  

It was the summer of 2023. Wright – who had just completed his second year at Cal State San Marcos, where he plays for the men’s soccer team – was experiencing pain like he had never felt before. 

“He has a high pain tolerance,” Mancilla said. “I started noticing how much he was sleeping and how he was walking very fragile. I realized it wasn’t a normal headache.” 

On the third day of the headache, Mancilla took Wright to urgent care. Doctors treated it as a migraine, giving him some medication and sending him home. But the pain continued to be unbearable. Wright told his mom that he felt like he was dying.  

On day four, Wright went to the emergency room. It saved his life.  

Wright spent the next 40 days in the hospital, undergoing three brain surgeries with no idea what the future would bring. No certainty if he could return to school, let alone soccer, his passion from the time he was a young child. 

But Wright defied all odds. 

“I hope to get my story out to people so that they can see anything is possible,” Wright said. “I am trying to bring people inspiration and give glory to God. That was my thing in the hospital, having faith and staying faithful to God, knowing that I'll be OK and he's got me.” 

Wright was guided by his faith throughout his hospital stay. He and his mom prayed throughout the journey, and she kept a bible verse at the edge of her son’s bed that they read every day as he fought for his life. It’s Psalm 30:2: 

Lord my god, I called to you for help, and you healed me. 

Those prayers began virtually the moment Wright arrived at the emergency room. A CT scan showed that his brain was filling with fluid, and an MRI revealed a cyst in the third ventricle of his brain. 

When a neurosurgeon came to review Wright’s scans, she was horrified. No one had informed her of his highly critical state. He was dying. 

“They said his brain was like a balloon and that it could burst at any moment,” Mancilla said. “I had to sign a paper giving them permission to go in and drain his brain immediately because he could have brain damage or die.”  

There was not space available or time to get Wright into an operating room. Instead, ICU nurses rushed into his room to assist the neurosurgeon, who numbed and drilled a hole in Wright’s head to drain the fluid.  

Doctors initially wanted to place a permanent shunt in Wright’s brain. Mancilla was a fierce advocate for Wright throughout his hospital stay, earning the nickname “Bulldog” from nurses. She was resistant to the shunt, worried it would affect Wright's ability to pursue his dream of becoming a firefighter. After she expressed her concerns, the lead neurosurgeon opted for a temporary shunt instead.  

Wright was in and out of consciousness for much of his time in the hospital, but a strong support system – including his mom, his aunt Vanessa, members of the family’s church, and coaches and teammates from CSUSM’s soccer team – played a crucial role in helping him through the process. 

The constant stream of visitors led Mancilla to discover the positive impact that Wright has had on so many people. His manager at Casero Taqueria, where he still works, reached out to Mancilla asking for permission to start a GoFundMe. The community raised $14,000, the exact amount needed to cover the family’s maximum out-of-pocket medical costs. 

“I didn't realize how many people Malachi has impacted,” Mancilla said. “Sometimes as a parent, you don't get to see all that until these types of things happen. Sometimes we focus a little too much on what they're doing wrong and not on all the other good things that they're doing that maybe they don't tell you about. 

“I told him, ‘This is all because of the seeds that you've planted out in the world, and this is how it's all coming back to you. So continue to be who you are.’ I am so proud of that. I was such a proud parent.” 

Wright endured three brain surgeries during his hospital stay. The first removed the majority of the cyst, the second cleared residuals of the cyst and the third addressed blood clots.  

It was a physically and mentally draining process. After the first surgery, Wright was temporarily paralyzed on his left side. He couldn’t sleep and was in constant agony. 

“It was the worst pain I felt in my life. It was excruciating,” Wright said. “It was really hard. I was confused, wondering where I was. It was a lot of scary stuff.” 

It wasn’t until Wright’s 35th day in the hospital that Mancilla felt like her son would be OK. His pain levels were reduced and he could walk again. But the biggest sign to Mancilla that Wright was doing better? He asked for his phone, which he hadn’t been able to use for most of his hospital stint. 

Though Wright’s pain was finally under control, other challenges remained once he left the hospital. He underwent cognitive, physical and speech therapy. Doctors expected the recovery process to take two years, but Mancilla knew her son had the fortitude for a quicker recovery. She could see that Wright was capable of more than he was initially allowed to do in the rehabilitation process, and her tireless advocacy paid off. 

Wright returned to CSUSM in the fall of 2023, just months after his hospital release. He eased back in by taking one class before increasing his load to three courses in spring 2024. He is grateful for the support he received throughout this time from coaches, teammates and athletic department staff, also noting the important role that CSUSM’s Disability Support Services played in helping him return to the classroom.  

 A little more than a year after his three surgeries, Wright was back as a full-time student and soccer player. Wright didn’t just settle into classes, he thrived in them. He received a 4.0 grade-point average, making him the highest academic performer on the soccer team.  

“Not only did he heal perfectly, he's a better version of himself,” Mancilla said. “He turned something that caused him so much pain into good. He continues to make good choices for himself. He uses that painful experience and turns it into good.” 

That includes his efforts on the soccer field. Returning to the sport he loves was an impressive milestone for Wright, especially because it was considered virtually impossible just months earlier.  

Perhaps the most powerful moment of the 2024 season came in a match against Biola University. As the first half was winding down, Wright scored his first goal since the health scare. Mancilla, who never misses a game, ran down to the field. Coaches welcomed and hugged Mancilla as she rejoiced over the milestone.  

“It was a great, raw moment of emotion, love and gratitude,” said Ron Pulvers, CSUSM’s men’s soccer coach. “An experience I will never forget. 

“Malachi is a tireless worker in all aspects of life. He lives our core value of unconditional gratitude at the highest levels and lives his life with unequalled faith.” 

Wright is back on the field this fall as he continues work toward a bachelor’s degree in human development. He is scheduled to graduate in fall 2026, with an ambition of becoming a firefighter. 

While his time spent in the hospital was scary, the support he received helped him overcome adversity and his faith helped him remain positive. He now uses his experience to encourage others and push himself to perform the best he can.  

“People meet Jesus at the end of the rope. And that was the end of my rope,” Wright said. “Going through this whole experience with my brain really changed my perspective on life and it changed my character as a man.” 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

The grant funding will build on the early success of the Aspiring Scholars program, which was launched in 2023 by CSUSM education professor Rebecca Brooks. Now in its third year, the program has grown from four students to 19, offering them an opportunity to learn and grow in the CSUSM community while earning a certificate in higher education academic and career studies.

The largest of the grants is $2.44 million over five years from the Transition and Post-Secondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) in the U.S. Department of Education. Brooks is the principal investigator, with psychology professor Allison Jobin as the co-PI.

The pair also secured grants of $75,000 from the California Center for Inclusive College and $50,000 from the CSU Commission on Professional and Continuing Education.

“Seeing my dream for this program, and for our students, come to life through the collaborative efforts of our incredible CSUSM community has meant the world to me,” Brooks said.

The new funding will enable Aspiring Scholars to hire its first full-time staff members, secure dedicated campus space, increase its support and training to peer mentors and professors, enhance student support, and obtain essential materials for daily operations, program orientations and events.

The program is built on four core pillars:

• Academics: College courses aligned with students’ interests and career goals
• Internships: Career development and employment readiness
• Life skills: Fostering independence and self-advocacy
• Campus life and student engagement: Supporting full participation in campus life

This semester, Aspiring Scholars welcomed its third cohort of 10 students, raising the total to 19. The program has collaborated with nearly 70 faculty members, and the number of peer mentors (CSUSM students who provide essential one-on-one support) has increased from a dozen in 2023 to an average of 60 per semester.

The program recently launched on-campus internships for students. Among the internship sites are the Kellogg Library, Cougar Pantry, Center for Children and Families, Campus Recreation, Innovation Hub, and Office of Recruitment & Outreach.

Additionally, Aspiring Scholars has been recognized as a Comprehensive Transition Postsecondary (CTP) Program, allowing participants to apply for federal student aid.

“Our ultimate goal is to build a sustainable, long-term program that continues to evolve and thrive,” Brooks said.  

The application period for the fall 2026 cohort opened Oct. 1 and will close Nov. 30. The first class will graduate in May 2027.

Media Contact

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

That commitment received a boost recently, as CSUSM was awarded a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to create a learning community for chemistry and biochemistry majors and award scholarships to qualified students. The program will incorporate a Vertical Mentoring Learning Community (VMLC) for up to 30 chemistry and biochemistry students each year, with eight first-year students receiving a renewable $15,000 scholarship based on financial need.

The program is led by chemistry and biochemistry professor Robert Iafe, the principal investigator, and co-principal investigators Afra Panahi, a chemistry and biochemistry professor, and Aswad Allen, CSUSM’s chief diversity officer.

Together, they plan to create a community of high-achieving, motivated students recruited from introductory chemistry classes. Students who prove proficient and committed to their studies will be invited to join the learning community, and those who qualify financially will be able to apply for the additional scholarship to help with tuition and housing.

“The community aspect of it gives it a supportive place to really go for your goals, but also a safe and secure place to experiment,” Iafe said.

Students selected for the VMLC also will receive priority enrollment for chemistry classes and labs required for their major.

The vertical mentoring learning experience highlights a discipline-specific learning community of students supported by each other, faculty members and professionals. This offers students a comfortable learning environment filled with like-minded individuals guiding them toward their futures in STEM, whether that be graduate school or pursuing a career.

“We make sure they participate in professional development activities so they can build a strong science identity and become more competitive for graduate school and the job market,” Panahi said. “The supportive environment from their peer mentors, academic advisers and professional mentors can really help them build a stronger network.”

The smaller, more intimate setting of the vertical mentoring program provides a comfortable space for students to ask questions freely and create a closer relationship with faculty. This environment creates a rewarding experience for all and promotes a sense of happiness and job satisfaction among the faculty involved.

“There are concrete benchmarks along the way for students to actually see themselves progressing,” Allen said. "Vertical learning allows students to visualize their futures and see themselves where they want to be.

“We're going to create the right atmosphere, the right environment and all the right ingredients for them to thrive.”

Learn more on the Vertical Mentoring Learning Community website.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

Pending approval by the California State University Board of Trustees, the ISE Building will be named in honor of Hunter Industries, a San Marcos-based leading global manufacturer of products for landscape irrigation and lighting, dispensing technologies, and custom manufacturing since 1981. Construction began with a groundbreaking in July, and the building is scheduled to open to students by fall 2027. It will be funded through a combination of CSU systemwide funding and external contributions.

The ISE Building is critical to meet the growing demand for STEM education in San Diego County and Southern California, where regional industry needs have outpaced the production of qualified engineers and scientists. The building will allow the university to expand its enrollment of students in engineering disciplines from 500 to nearly 2,000.

CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt revealed the donation on Friday, the same day that the university publicly announced its $200 million “Blueprint for the Future” campaign, the most ambitious fundraising effort in its history.

“This gift represents an extraordinary investment in the future of our region,” Neufeldt said. “Hunter Industries has been part of CSUSM’s story since our very beginning, growing as we grew, believing in our mission and sharing a vision for the future. I truly cannot imagine a better partner to walk alongside us in this next chapter. This will have such a great impact for our campus and region – opening doors to higher education and preparing the next generation of highly skilled engineers and scientists.”

“An educated workforce is the foundation of a thriving economy,” said Greg Hunter, CEO of Hunter Industries. “We are proud to deepen our partnership with CSUSM and invest in a facility that will empower students, strengthen our community and drive innovation for decades to come.”

Long a visionary philanthropic partner of CSUSM, Hunter Industries is included on the campus founder's seal listing original donors from the school’s early years. The company has supported CSUSM through pivotal growth projects, including capital and programmatic contributions toward areas such as the College of Business Administration, University Student Union and the Clarke Field House.

Hunter Industries has championed CSUSM’s STEM programs, contributing to the creation of the Hunter Design Lab in the Viasat Engineering Pavilion, funding state-of-the-art physics laboratories and providing internships, mentorship and faculty support through its software development division. Today, Hunter is a model of corporate partnership in higher education and the largest private employer in San Marcos, employing many CSUSM alumni and interns.

With Hunter Industries’ gift, CSUSM’s “Blueprint for the Future” campaign is more than 70% of the way toward the $200 million goal. The campaign’s theme reflects both the physical growth on campus and the forward momentum building at CSUSM as one of the CSU system’s fastest-growing campuses. Founded in 1989, CSUSM serves 17,000 students and is proud to be ranked in the top 1% nationally for advancing social mobility. To learn more about “Blueprint for the Future,” visit the campaign website.

About Hunter Industries

Headquartered in San Marcos, Hunter Industries is a leading global manufacturer of products for landscape irrigation and lighting, dispensing technologies, and custom manufacturing. Founded in 1981, the family-owned company offers thousands of products, including a full range of water- and energy-efficient solutions for residential, commercial, municipal, agricultural and golf course applications. Hunter’s core mission remains unchanged: to deliver valued products and services backed by unwavering customer support. Learn more at hunter.global.

CSUSM officially launched its “Blueprint for the Future” campaign on Sept. 19. It’s an effort that combines philanthropy with grants and research funding. The campaign’s theme reflects both the physical growth on campus and the forward momentum building at CSUSM. 

To underscore this momentum, CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt launched the campaign with the announcement of a transformational $10 million philanthropic investment from Hunter Industries to support the construction of CSUSM’s new Integrated Science and Engineering (ISE) Building. This ranks among the largest philanthropic gifts in CSUSM’s history – joining landmark contributions from Price Philanthropies and the Epstein Family Foundation at the same level.

“The ‘Blueprint for the Future’ campaign is our commitment to reimagining what’s possible in higher education,” Neufeldt said. “We are a university that is different by design, which means we are truly intentional about how we meet our mission of student success. This campaign is more than a call to give – it’s a call to transform lives, uplift families and power the future of our region.”  

Building on a strong foundation of student success, career readiness and community impact, “Blueprint for the Future” is guided by three pillars:  

• Innovate – driving bold ideas and solutions that expand opportunity.  
• Accelerate – advancing student success and creating lasting impact. 
• Cultivate – strengthening community connections and pathways from education into careers.  

“What excites me most about CSUSM is how innovation here directly translates into workforce opportunity,” said Simon Kuo, chair of the CSUSM Foundation Board and vice president of corporate quality at Viasat. “The ‘Blueprint for the Future’ campaign is about fueling new ideas and building the pipeline of talent our region needs to thrive – from health care and technology to education and the arts.”  

With more than 70% of the goal raised at the time of the public launch in September, “Blueprint for the Future” is off to a strong start. Thanks to philanthropic gifts and research funding, CSUSM has been able to:  

• Launch the Scholars in Wellness and Innovation Fast-Track (SWIFT) Health Programs, a unique accelerated three-year degree with dual enrollment starting in high school.  
• Break ground on the new ISE Building, expanding STEM programs and increasing enrollment capacity.  
• Significantly grow the endowment to support the work of the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center (CICSC).  
• Advance research in areas such as quantum information science and technology, further develop undergraduate STEM education and expand workforce development through the Veterans to Naval Careers program.  
• Strengthen the work of the CSU Shiley Haynes Institute for Palliative Care by expanding to other CSU campuses. 

Discover how you can be part of CSUSM’s historic “Blueprint for the Future” campaign. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

Martinez Mendez contended with social anxiety herself as a teen, and she was eager to ensure that her younger siblings knew there were resources and support systems to help if they faced similar challenges.

“I was like their second mother, especially with my sister,” Martinez Mendez said. “It made me think, ‘How can I implement and help with mental health and related issues?’ Because growing up, I never really had the support system.”

Martinez Mendez arrived at Cal State San Marcos initially planning to major in psychology and work toward becoming a clinical psychologist or family therapist. But working at Student Health & Counseling Services (SHCS) inspired her to pursue a slightly different path.

Martinez Mendez spent two years during her undergraduate studies working in CSUSM’s HOPE & Wellness Center as a peer educator. The experience was life-changing, inspiring Martinez Mendez to pursue a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at CSUSM after she graduated last May as a double major in child and adolescent development and Spanish.

“I realized that I love doing more community outreach than working one on one,” she said.

The HOPE & Wellness Center is among several groups on campus devoted to providing mental health services for CSUSM students. Last year, the university received a $250,000 grant from the Conrad Prebys Foundation to advance those services, part of a larger $6 million investment by the Prebys Foundation in grants to 23 local organizations. 

The Prebys Foundation’s funding helped CSUSM launch a mental health intervention program called the Community of Care that brings together the Cougar Care Network, SHCS and the Crisis Response Team. The grant also served as a catalyst for additional philanthropic support, including funding from the San Diego Foundation’s mental health program for MSW interns and a matching contribution from the Epstein Family Foundation.

 The Community of Care’s efforts to decrease mental health challenges and crises for students include the following strategies: 

• Providing counseling through SHCS for students seeking mental health support. 
• Providing basic needs resources and expanding mental health referral support through Cougar Care Network and its mobile Care Cart. 
• Providing response to time-sensitive mental health crises on campus. 

Martinez Mendez is part of those efforts as a MSW graduate assistant this year for the HOPE & Wellness Center. She works closely with Cathy Nguyen, the coordinator of health promotion and a senior health educator, and Rosa Hunt, a health educator.

Martinez Mendez became more interested in social work through her undergraduate work with psychology professor Aleksandria Grabow. It was Grabow who taught her about the many different areas that social work touches. A self-described introvert, Martinez Mendez also credits psychology professor Kimberly Vanderbilt for helping her grow and become more comfortable working with families.

As a MSW student, Martinez Mendez attends classes two days a week while working 20 hours a week at schools in San Marcos Unified School District to earn her pupil personnel services credential, which authorizes individuals to work as school counselors, school psychologists or school social workers.

It’s all part of her goal of becoming a school social worker or therapist to continue advocating for mental health for school-aged children.

Visit the Student Health & Counseling Services website to learn about free mental health first aid trainings. SHCS will host the “Suicide Awareness Walk and Candlelight Vigil”  on Sept. 25 at 5 p.m. Learn more about other upcoming events to support mental health on the SHCS events calendar.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

For the 2025-26 academic year, the MSW program has secured or is finalizing six major grants totaling more than $3.5 million. The funding will provide 125 full tuition and fee scholarships or training stipends, covering 60% of the program’s 210 students. Many recipients will receive additional financial support for living expenses, making graduate education more accessible than ever.

“This support is about more than just lowering financial barriers – it’s about assisting students to graduate without the heavy burden of debt, so they can build their lives and careers in the very communities they’re dedicated to serving,” said Blake Beecher, chair of the social work department.

In addition to the grant-funded scholarships and stipends, the MSW program also entered a new partnership with the San Diego Pay It Forward Loan Program this fall. This program offers zero-interest, no-fee loans to CSUSM MSW students, with loan forgiveness after five years of service in public behavioral health settings. Graduates who remain in these roles also earn retention-based loan credits, further incentivizing long-term community impact.

Another area in which the MSW program is supporting students is through employment-based internships. Due to a change in the most recent social work accreditation standards, the MSW program has developed a process in which select students can complete their required internships in qualifying employment settings. This year, 33 MSW students have been approved to participate in the employment-based internship program.

"This is a game-changer for social mobility," said Jennifer Ostergren, dean of the College of Education, Health and Human Services. "Our MSW students are not only gaining access to graduate education, but they’re also being positioned to thrive in the workforce and make lasting contributions to the health and well-being of our region."

The MSW program also continues to deepen its community engagement. Students complete 16 to 20 hours per week in field internships across San Diego and Riverside counties, with expansion underway in Orange, San Bernardino and Imperial counties. These placements allow students to work with diverse populations and provide essential services in real-world settings.

During the 2024-25 academic year, MSW students contributed more than 70,000 hours of pro bono social work services to local organizations and agencies serving at-risk populations.

"Our students are embedded in the community in meaningful ways," Beecher said. "They’re not just learning - they’re leading, advocating, and making a difference in people’s lives."

Media Contact

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

The grants come from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The faculty members involved from CSUSM include assistant biology professor Mallory Rice, associate biology professor Jane Kim, biology professor George Vourlitis, kinesiology professor Todd Astorino and assistant math professor Kim Ayers.

Rice is the principal investigator (with Kim and Vourlitis as co-PIs) of a three-year, $499,970 grant from the NSF’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program). The project aims to increase student success by ensuring that every CSUSM biology student participates in multiple research experiences while enrolled in their lower- and upper-division courses. Research projects will investigate how urban development impacts wildlife and natural resources in North San Diego County.

The grant will be supported by the CSUSM-based National Latino Research Center, with Konane Martinez (faculty director of the NLRC and chair of the anthropology department) serving in a senior personnel role.

Astorino received a $442,590 Academic Research Enhancement Award (AREA) from the NIH. He will conduct a randomized controlled trial with 60 inactive adults, who will complete 24 sessions of reduced exertion high-intensity interval training (REHIT), a variation of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that requires only two 20-second sprints within a 10-minute session. Astorino then will compare the resultant changes in cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), substrate metabolism and psychological response to a non-exercising control group.

The trial will expand work in the field showing that REHIT increases CRF and other health-related outcomes, but that has been criticized due to its small sample size, serving to question the broad application of REHIT in adults.

Ayers received a $173,098 grant from the NSF in collaboration with Florida International University and the University of Virginia. The three universities will adapt and implement the Modeling Practices in Calculus (MPC) approach, which has been shown to significantly improve learning and success for a broad collection of introductory calculus students. At the core of MPC is the opportunity for students to work cooperatively and discuss key mathematical ideas in a face-to-face, small-group setting. After adoption and implementation, CSUSM and its partners will identify three additional sites that will join the project in its second year. 

Media Contact

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

In partnership with CCAE Theatricals, CSUSM’s College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences (CHABSS) launched Pathways to Purpose, a career readiness program that provides structured, paid internships for students in arts education and theater arts. Future educators gain experience designing curriculum and teaching in Escondido elementary schools, while theater students gain an introduction to administration, performance opportunities and invaluable production experience through set design, prop creation and behind-the-scenes work on live performances. 

“While there are clear career paths in fields like nursing or business, the pathway for liberal arts students may not seem as obvious at first glance,” CHABSS Dean Liora Gubkin said. “For our students, especially those who are first-generation, paid internships open doors to opportunities that might otherwise be out of reach.” 

More than half of CSUSM students are the first in their families to attend college, often balancing academics with multiple jobs. For liberal arts students, especially those drawn to nonprofit and public-sector work, most internships are unpaid. Pathways to Purpose helps level the playing field by reducing financial barriers and offering real-world experience. Research shows that students who complete internships are more likely to graduate on time, secure employment and earn higher wages. And with eight out of 10 CSUSM graduates staying local, the program also strengthens the region’s cultural and educational landscape. 

“We’re proud to support CSUSM’s Pathways to Purpose program, which reflects the university’s commitment to student success,” said Joe Bowe, president of the David T. and Dorris E. Staples Foundation. “By combining paid internships, mentorship and career skills training, the program prepares students for meaningful careers in the arts and education while strengthening the local workforce.”

The Staples Foundation’s support builds on a longstanding relationship with CSUSM. Over the years, the foundation has contributed nearly $500,000 to programs such as the Alliance to Accelerate Excellence in Education, the ASI Cougar Pantry, the School of Education and the university’s All-Steinway School designation – a tribute to co-founder Dorris Staples’ love of music. 

“We’re immensely grateful to the Staples Foundation and thrilled to collaborate with CSUSM,” said Julianna Crespo, executive director of CCAE Theatricals. “The arts are essential to building vibrant communities. Partnering with CSUSM to provide students with real-world experience ensures that the next generation of artists and educators can thrive and make a lasting impact.” 

With Pathways to Purpose, the Staples Foundation is helping shape the future of the arts at CSUSM, providing students with the resources they need to transform their passions into purpose-driven careers that will benefit our region for years to come. 

“Our vision is to expand this program across all liberal arts disciplines, giving every student a chance to apply their education in real-world settings,” Gubkin said. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

Among the speakers at the groundbreaking ceremony were CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt; San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones; Assemblymember Darshana Patel, who represents the district that includes CSUSM; Jackie Trischman, dean of CSUSM’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; and representatives from C.W. Driver Companies and HGA, the general contractor and designer of the building, respectively. The emcee was Leon Wyden, CSUSM's vice president of Finance and Administrative Services and chief financial officer.

“It wasn’t too long ago when the idea of the Integrated Science and Engineering Building was but a hope and a dream,” Neufeldt said. “So it seems a little surreal that we have finally come to this day, about to break ground on the first state-supported academic building at CSUSM in more than a decade. I am filled with so much gratitude – this milestone reflects the dedication of our faculty, staff, students and partners who work tirelessly to support CSUSM’s mission of student success and social mobility.” 

The ISE building is estimated to cost $110 million and will be funded through commitments from California State University and private support. It will cover more than 70,000 square feet over three stories. The first publicly funded academic structure on campus since 2014, it’s expected to open in fall 2027.

The ISE building will be constructed at the top of CSUSM’s campus, between Markstein Hall (which houses the business college) and the Arts Building. It will feature teaching and research labs, additional classrooms, student support areas, staff offices, a café and outdoor gathering spaces.  

“It’s an incredible honor to stand here with you today as we break ground on a building that represents not just bricks and mortar, but also a beacon of opportunity, innovation and the future of engineering and technology in our region,” Trischman said. “As dean, I’ve had the privilege of working closely with our remarkable faculty and staff, many of whom met tight deadlines with determination and tremendous creativity. Your dedication to this vision has been nothing short of inspiring.”

CSUSM established its engineering program in 2018 with software and electrical engineering; computer engineering followed five years later. The ISE building will house those programs as well as computer science, computer information systems and cybersecurity, while also supporting the addition of industrial and systems engineering. The industrial and systems engineering program will be the only one at a public institution in San Diego County.

The new facility will enable CSUSM to expand its enrollment of students in engineering disciplines from 500 to nearly 2,000. It also will advance diversity in a field where fewer than 10% of workers nationally are of Latino descent. By contrast, more than half of CSUSM’s engineering students are Latino.

“This groundbreaking marks more than the start of construction – it marks the beginning of a new era for CSUSM,” said Elaine Pollard, president of Associated Students, Inc. “It's an era where student potential is maximized, social mobility is accelerated and the future of science and engineering becomes more diverse, innovative and impactful than ever before.”

With eight out of 10 of CSUSM alumni staying in the region, the influx of more engineering graduates will help fill workforce needs in an area that boasts the nation’s largest cluster of technology, life science, defense and communications companies. Data shows that, in San Diego County, there are four software engineering jobs for every one graduate and three industrial/systems engineering jobs per graduate.  

While state-funded plans call for a one-wing building, CSUSM is seeking private philanthropic donations that will be critical for long-term growth and sustainability, as well as expanding the square footage with a second wing.

Learn more about the ISE building at https://www.csusm.edu/iseb/index.html.

WHEN: Thursday, May 29, noon

WHERE:

Southwestern College – Chula Vista Campus

Instructional & Discovery Complex – In front of the University Center, 900 Otay Lakes Road, Chula Vista, CA 91910

WHO:

• Dr. Mark Sanchez, Superintendent/President, Southwestern College (confirmed)
• Dr. Ellen Neufeldt, President, CSUSM (confirmed)
• Assemblymember David Alvarez, California State Assembly (confirmed)
• Southwestern College and CSUSM faculty, deans and students

WHY:

This partnership brings accessible, high-demand bachelor’s degree programs to the heart of South County, enabling local students to complete their four-year degrees close to home. CSUSM @ SWC will launch programs in Business Administration, Computer Information Systems and Cyber Security in Fall 2026, followed by Human Development with emphasis on Wellness Coaching and Bilingual Speech Language Pathology in Fall 2027.

These fields were selected based on findings from the 2023 Workforce and Education Needs Assessment conducted by the San Diego Regional Policy & Innovation Center, Southwestern College and the City of Chula Vista. The report identified business, healthcare and technology – including cybersecurity and information systems – as among the highest-priority fields for new bachelor’s degree programs in South County. Additionally, the future-adjusted list of 147 priority occupations includes many roles that require bachelor’s degrees in healthcare and wellness-related fields, such as bilingual speech-language pathology and wellness coaching. The report notes that 73% of the region’s priority occupations are projected to require a bachelor’s degree at entry, yet the region remains underserved in terms of degree-granting institutions.

With more than 600,000 residents, South County San Diego, anchored by Chula Vista, the largest city of its size in California without a public university offering bachelor’s degrees, faces a critical gap in higher education access. This absence limits the region’s ability to produce the skilled, degreed workforce required to meet projected demand across key sectors such as technology, healthcare and education. Expanding place-based access to four-year degree programs is essential not only for educational equity but also for strengthening regional economic competitiveness. The launch of CSUSM @ SWC is a strategic response that directly addresses this need, equipping South County residents to fill high-priority, high-wage occupations that drive long-term growth.

QUOTES:

“This partnership marks a turning point for South County,” said Dr. Mark Sanchez, Superintendent/President of Southwestern College. “Together, we are not only expanding access to high-quality, affordable bachelor’s degrees, we are preparing our students to step directly into high-demand careers that power our regional economy. We are proud to welcome CSU San Marcos to South County.”

“At Cal State San Marcos, our mission has always been centered on access and student success – and this partnership with Southwestern College is a powerful extension of that commitment,” said Dr. Ellen Neufeldt, President of CSUSM. “By creating seamless pathways to higher education, we are not only expanding economic opportunity in South County, we are advancing social mobility for generations of students, families and communities.”

VISUALS:

Ceremonial signing, college leadership, local officials, students and the University Center backdrop.

CONTACTS:

Southwestern College: Armando Lamadrid, alamadrid@swccd.edu, 619-421-6700, ext. 5945

CSUSM: Jerry McCormick, jmccormick@csusm.edu, 619-549-9438

ABOUT SOUTHWESTERN COLLEGE:

Southwestern College, the only public institution of higher education in southern San Diego, serves a diverse community of students through a wide range of high-quality academic programs, comprehensive student services, and visionary partnerships, including between Arizona State University and Centro de Enseñanza Técnica y Superior (CETYS). With enrollment now exceeding pre-pandemic levels and Southwestern College’s championing of AB 91, thousands more local students are now reimagining what’s possible every day. Southwestern College also stimulates the development and growth of the region through partnerships, services and educational programs that meet the region’s economic and workforce demands. For more information, visit swccd.edu.

During a deeply moving celebration last week honoring American Indian and Alaska Native graduates at Cal State San Marcos, leaders from Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation stepped forward to make history. In an act that will reverberate through generations, they formally presented a $3 million endowment gift to the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center (CICSC), the largest single gift in the university's history dedicated to Indigenous education and research. 

The moment transcended a simple transaction. In a reciprocal gesture steeped in tradition and meaning, the CICSC presented the tribe with a one-of-a-kind painting entitled "The Gift," created by Eric Tippeconnic (Comanche), a CSUSM American Indian studies professor and celebrated artist whose work bridges Native culture through contemporary expression. The exchange served as a heartfelt tribute to an enduring relationship rooted in mutual respect, shared values and a commitment to Native student success. 

“This gift represents more than financial support; it embodies the strength of our partnerships and our collective belief in the transformative power of Indigenous education,” said Joely Proudfit (Payómkawichum, Tongva), director of the CICSC and chair of American Indian studies. “When tribal nations invest in higher education, they are not just supporting individual students; they are affirming tribal sovereignty, cultural continuity and the inherent right of our people to define our own futures. This endowment will create pathways for Native students who might otherwise never see the possibility of higher education, ensuring that our voices, our knowledge systems and our ways of knowing continue to flourish in academic spaces." 

A Partnership Forged in Vision and Reciprocity 

“We are deeply honored by this generous investment from Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “This historic gift affirms the work we’ve accomplished and progress we’ve made, while underscoring the power of tribal-university partnerships to build a more inclusive future – one that uplifts Native voices, values Indigenous knowledge systems and reflects our shared commitment to meaningful collaboration and student success.” 

The relationship between Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and CSUSM began more than a decade ago as a seed of possibility. When the tribe contributed nearly $1 million to help launch the university's CICSC, they weren't just funding a program – they were investing in a vision of what Indigenous education could become. Since then, the CICSC has evolved into a nationally recognized beacon for Native student success, groundbreaking research and transformative community engagement, serving as both a vital resource for California tribal communities and a blueprint for Indigenous-led initiatives in higher education nationwide. 

Building Legacy, Transforming Lives 

“Moments like this reflect the legacy we're building together – not just for today, but for the generations of Native leaders yet to come,” said Johnny Hernandez, vice chairman of the Yuhaaviatam Tribal Council of San Manuel. “We thank CSUSM for creating a space that truly amplifies Native voices and honors tribal perspectives with the respect they deserve. This investment will be transformational for generations to come – providing the resources needed to continue championing education, cultural preservation and the sovereignty of Native nations.” 

As students, faculty, tribal leaders and community members gathered to honor Native American graduates, the ceremony underscored the profound influence of the CICSC, the only center of its kind in the California State University system. The timing was no coincidence; this gift was presented during a celebration of achievement, surrounded by the living embodiment of what such investments make possible. 

When You Build It, They Will Come 

With one of the highest per capita populations of American Indian and Alaska Native students in California, CSUSM has established itself as more than an educational institution – it has become a thriving intellectual home where Indigenous excellence flourishes. The university's commitment goes beyond enrollment numbers; it encompasses a holistic approach to Native student success that honors both academic achievement and cultural identity, creating an environment where students can pursue rigorous scholarship while remaining deeply connected to Indigenous knowledge and community values. 

CICSC alumni serve as living testaments to this approach. They have gone on to hold leadership positions in tribal government, shape public policy at state and federal levels, and make meaningful contributions as educators who carry both Western knowledge and traditional teachings, artists who preserve and evolve cultural expression, health professionals who serve their communities with cultural competency, and cultural preservationists who ensure that Indigenous knowledge flows to future generations. 

An Enduring Investment in Tomorrow 

This $3 million endowment, amplified by a $1 million match contribution from the Epstein Family Foundation, represents more than monetary value. It is an investment in sovereignty, cultural continuity and the radical act of ensuring that Native students see themselves reflected in the halls of higher education. It will support scholarships, fund innovative research that centers Indigenous knowledge, expand community outreach programs and create new pathways for Native students to pursue their dreams while staying connected to their cultural roots. 

In a world where Indigenous peoples continue to fight for recognition, respect and resources, this partnership between Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and CSUSM stands as a powerful example of what becomes possible when mutual respect meets genuine commitment to change. It demonstrates that when tribal nations and institutions of higher education work together as true partners, they can create ripple effects that extend far beyond campus boundaries, touching communities across Indian Country and beyond. 

As the ceremony concluded and graduates prepared to take their next steps into the world, they carried with them not only their degrees but also the knowledge that their success is part of a larger story, one of resilience, partnership and the firm belief that Indigenous voices and knowledge have always belonged in every space, especially those where the future is being shaped.  

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

In recognition of his many extraordinary contributions, CSUSM bestowed Jackson with a Presidential Medal of Honor during spring commencement last week. This prestigious award celebrates individuals who exemplify the highest standards of leadership, service and unwavering commitment to the values of CSUSM. 

Jackson’s contributions to CSUSM exemplify his steadfast dedication to student success and community impact. Since joining the university’s Foundation Board in 2012, he has served in a variety of capacities, including director, chair and adviser. A passionate advocate for veterans, he was the inaugural chair of the President’s Military Advisory Council and established an endowed scholarship with his wife, Sue, to support veterans. His contributions extend to athletics, where he mentors student-athletes, fostering leadership and personal growth. 

“We are profoundly grateful for Gen. Jackson’s advocacy, mentorship and service,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “His unwavering dedication to our veterans, his mentorship of student-athletes and his enduring commitment to education and our community make him an extraordinary leader and role model. He has made an indelible mark on our university and embodies the very spirit of the CSUSM Presidential Medal of Honor.” 

With one in 10 CSUSM students identifying as military-affiliated – the highest per capita in the California State University system – Jackson’s many contributions exemplify this shared dedication to military-connected individuals and the broader community.   

A Legacy of Service 

With a distinguished career spanning more than 36 years in the United States Marine Corps, Jackson retired in 2012 after serving in pivotal roles, including commanding general of Marine Corps Installations-West and director of operations and logistics for U.S. Africa Command. As an infantry officer, he commanded at every rank, contributing to global operations in Iraq, the Horn of Africa and beyond, earning numerous decorations such as the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit. 

After his military service, Jackson continued his leadership as director of California State Parks and Recreation, where he emphasized the importance of conserving natural resources. His commitment to education is reflected in his academic achievements, including a bachelor’s and master’s degree from San Jose State University and advanced studies at institutions such as the Army War College and Harvard Kennedy School. 

Mentor, Advocate and Friend to CSUSM 

Jackson’s distinguished military career, philanthropic leadership and commitment to education exemplify his shared vision with CSUSM: to empower individuals, uplift communities and lead with purpose. A champion of higher education, Jackson has long recognized its transformative power in building equitable communities and preparing future leaders to meet society’s evolving challenges. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

Tribal leadership will join CSUSM leadership to celebrate this landmark investment while honoring graduating Native students. This momentous gift from the tribe to the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center (CICSC) strengthens a vital partnership dedicated to cultivating tomorrow's leaders, advancing transformative research, honoring tribal sovereignty and cultural heritage, and creating new educational opportunities for generations to come.

The partnership between Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and CSUSM began more than a decade ago when the tribe contributed nearly $1 million to help launch the university’s CICSC. Since then, the CICSC has become a nationally recognized hub for Native student success, research and community engagement – serving as a vital resource for California tribal communities and a model for indigenous-led initiatives in higher education.

By adding to the original endowment, the newly named California Indigenous Futures Fund will continue to grow, providing long-term sustainability for the CICSC and ensuring that the center’s work serves as a lasting cornerstone for tribal sovereignty and education.

All media are welcome to attend. For more information, contact Jerry McCormick at JMcCormick@csusm.edu or 619-549-9438.

About Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation  

Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is a federally recognized Indian tribe located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. The Tribe, formerly known as the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, proudly reclaims their ancestral name – Yuhaaviatam (pronounced "Yu-HAA-vee-ah-tahm") – honoring the deep-rooted heritage and enduring legacy of their people. Exercising their inherent sovereign right to self-governance, Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation is committed to providing essential services to their citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services and promoting social, economic and cultural development. As the Indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains and high deserts, the Yuhaaviatam have called this region home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region. For more information, visit sanmanuel-nsn.gov 

About the California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center (CICSC)

The California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center at California State University San Marcos fosters collaborative research and community service relationships between the university's faculty, staff and students and tribal communities. The Center's mission focuses on developing and conducting research projects that support the maintenance of sovereignty and culture within those communities. Founded on principles of respect and reciprocity, the CICSC serves as a vital bridge between academia and Native American communities in the state, ensuring that Indigenous knowledge and priorities are centered in all collaborative work. The Center's distinctive programs simultaneously strengthen tribal sovereignty and drive student success by creating unique opportunities for hands-on research experience through meaningful engagement with California's tribal nations. For more information: www.csusm.edu/cicsc

She'll be thinking about her primary Cal State San Marcos mentor, biology professor Carlos Luna Lopez. She'll be thinking about her impending enrollment at UC Irvine to begin a Ph.D. program in cancer research.

Mostly, though, she'll be thinking about her parents.

Rodriguez’s father and mother never got the chance to pursue higher education, with her dad stopping in sixth grade and her mom in first grade. Rodriguez grew up in Oceanside with three siblings, and for the first 18 years of her life, she and her entire family resided in a house owned by a relative. Her father would rise by 5 a.m. seven days a week to do landscaping work, and still it was barely enough to scape by.

Many parents in that situation would have urged their children to drop out of school to help earn money for the family, but Rodriguez’s parents thought differently.

“They have always supported my journey of higher education, which I’m very, very thankful for,” Rodriguez said. “They didn’t choose not to have an education. They didn’t have an opportunity to. My mom used to tell me that if she could have gone to college, she would have become a nurse.”

On her path to a science degree, Rodriguez benefited from more than just parental support. She had a sibling role model in her sister, Tanya, who’s only one year older and resembles Valeria so much that they’re often mistaken for twins. Tanya preceded Valeria at CSUSM (graduating in 2024) and, after taking a gap year, also will be starting a Ph.D. program in the fall, at UC Santa Cruz for immunology.

Then there was her high school. Rodriguez had the advantage of attending Mission Vista, the newest high school in Vista Unified School District, which offers a program called Project Lead the Way that allows students to get a head start in STEM disciplines like biomedicine and engineering.

As a result, Rodriguez arrived at CSUSM having been exposed to and liking science, specifically biology. It was at CSUSM, however, that she discovered research and the notion – previously unimaginable to her – that research could be a career.

After her freshman year, she joined the lab of Luna, the biology professor, for the Summer Scholars program in 2022. She wanted to do research involving the human body, and she liked that Luna specialized in breast cancer research.

Rodriguez has been a member of Luna’s lab ever since. She worked on a project to learn how different types of fat cells (brown and white) affect how breast cancer spreads, growing such cells in the lab and using a special microscope to examine how they change shape. She also helped the lab transition to employing 3D models to study breast cancer cells since, as she points out, “humans are 3D, so hopefully we make research a lot more relevant if we use a model that’s closer to us.”

“Dr. Luna is the best mentor I’ve ever had,” Rodriguez said. “He’s very honest when it comes to meeting realistic goals but also supports me in the path that I want to follow. And he’s a very fun guy.”

After she caught the research bug through Summer Scholars, Rodriguez set her sights even higher for the subsequent two summers, gaining acceptance to premier undergraduate research programs through Stanford University and the Fred Hutch Cancer Center in Seattle.

Outside of the lab, she became heavily involved with both the Center for Training, Research and Educational Excellence (CTREE) – the hub for research-based initiatives at CSUSM – and The Alliance, a program aimed at increasing access to college education for area K-12 students. She also maintained a 3.96 GPA while being honored as one of the first two CSUSM students ever to receive a Barry Goldwater scholarship, a prestigious national award that recognizes leadership potential in research science.  

Of being a first-generation Latina scientist, Rodriguez said: “It has been difficult. Sometimes I feel like I’m behind, like I’m sprinting a marathon rather than jogging it. But I’ve learned to appreciate the small moments, whether it’s winning an award, having a happy time with my family and friends, or just chatting about life with Dr. Luna. Those moments motivate me to continue and overcome the hardships that I’ve gone through.”

Luna and Denise Garcia, the director of CTREE, said Rodriguez is one of the most motivated and talented students they’ve encountered in their careers as professors.

“I put her in the top 1% of students that I’ve worked with,” Luna said. “She displays a great deal of dedication, intellectual capacity and compassion. She is driven to be a leader and role model in the field of cancer research.”

The drive is innate in Rodriguez. It was forged as a child as she watched her parents struggle to assimilate into American culture and establish a livelihood. It carried her through her high school years amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when her whole family was stuck inside the rented room, which simultaneously brought them closer together and drove them crazy.

Now, with her family having moved out and living in their own apartment, that inner drive will propel Rodriguez toward a doctorate in UC Irvine’s Cellular and Molecular Biosciences program, which she could start as soon as next month.

“I’ve always been motivated to get a college degree and a Ph.D.,” she said. “Yes, I want to have a better life for myself, but more importantly, I want to thank my parents and make them proud.”

Media Contact

Brian Hiro, Communications Specialist

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

San Manuel is a longtime supporter of CSUSM, having contributed nearly $1 million when the CICSC opened its doors in 2011. Since then, the center has become a home away from home for American Indian students in their higher education pursuits. The CICSC also champions groundbreaking research, publications and events to empower Native voices and inform public policy.

This additional funding will enable the CICSC to expand cultural preservation programs, strengthen student success, foster community engagement and support operational excellence.

“This transformative gift from San Manuel, combined with the exceptional work of our American Indian Studies Department and the CICSC, positions CSUSM to better serve Native American students," CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. "We’re committed to building a comprehensive program that promotes both academic rigor and cultural empowerment. Together with our tribal partners, we aim to set new standards for Native American student achievement in higher education.”

San Manuel's gift builds on its partnership with CSUSM and demonstrates a commitment to strengthening tribal sovereignty through education. The investment will empower Native American students to become leaders, scholars and researchers shaping the future of California tribal communities.

“This endowment represents more than funding – it's an investment in the preservation and advancement of Indigenous knowledge, leadership and sovereignty," said Dr. Joely Proudfit, director of the CICSC. “With these resources, we can amplify Native voices, deepen our research initiatives and create even more powerful opportunities for our students to engage with tribal nations while pursuing academic excellence.”

"The CICSC helps to enhance the educational experience of students within the CICSC community,” said Lynn Valbuena, chairwoman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. "Through advocacy, research, leadership and systemic change, the CICSC fosters an environment where Native culture, tribal sovereignty and progress can flourish."

San Manuel’s $3 million gift, amplified by a $1 million match contribution from the Epstein Family Foundation, reflects a shared commitment to empowering the Indigenous community at CSUSM and supporting the CICSC.

For more information about the CICSC, visit csusm.edu/cicsc, contact center director Joely Proudfit, Ph.D., at jproudfi@csusm.edu, or call 760-750-3535.

About the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians

The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is a federally recognized Indian tribe located on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. San Manuel exercises its inherent sovereign right of self-governance and provides essential services for its citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services and promoting social, economic and cultural development. As the Indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains and high deserts, the Serrano people of San Manuel have called this area home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region. For more information, visit http://www.sanmanuel-nsn.gov.

Pugh, who died in 2020 at age 73, launched CSUSM’s baseball program in 2007 and quickly built it into a competitive force. Under his leadership, the Cougars achieved eight winning seasons in 10 years, earned 282 victories and made three NAIA tournament appearances. His 2015 team set a program record with 36 wins, securing CSUSM’s third Association of Independent Institutions (A.I.I.) conference championship in five seasons. 

“Coach Pugh’s dedication to excellence, both on and off the field, has left an indelible mark on our university and the community,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “By naming this field in his honor, we ensure that his legacy continues to inspire future generations of Cougars.” 

Beyond wins and championships, Pugh helped develop talent that rose to the professional ranks. Three of his student-athletes were drafted by Major League Baseball teams, while four others signed as free agents – a testament to his ability to cultivate top-tier talent. 

Pugh also oversaw the construction of CSUSM’s baseball field, which opened in 2011. Marilyn and Dennis further supported the program with a philanthropic gift to upgrade the batting cages, create a modular training facility and establish an endowed fund to maintain the baseball facilities. Thanks to their generous support, combined with community members who recognized his profound impact, CSUSM is able to name the field in his honor. 

“It was a genuine honor to coach alongside Dennis for nine years,” said Art Warren, former assistant baseball coach at CSUSM. “He was an icon in San Diego as both a baseball and football coach and was well-known for how much he cared about his students.” 

Before his time at CSUSM, Pugh was already a legend in the San Diego baseball scene. As the head coach at Mission Bay High School from 1979 to 2006, he led the team to 10 San Diego Section finals appearances and secured eight section championships. Additionally, he coached football at Mission Bay for 13 seasons, accumulating 86 wins and two San Diego Section titles. Even after retiring from CSUSM in 2016, Pugh returned to Mission Bay High in 2017 and remained active in the program until his death. 

“I am forever grateful for the lasting impact that Coach Pugh left on my life,” said Brandon Bentson, a former student-athlete. “Having the field named after him is a tremendous honor and testament to his legacy at Cal State San Marcos.” 

The naming of the field serves as a fitting tribute to a man whose impact on the game and the lives of his players will be felt for generations. CSUSM invites the community, alumni and former players to attend the ceremony and celebrate Pugh’s enduring legacy. Visit the RSVP webpage to join this event.  

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

As president and one of the founding members of the Lawrence E. and Neva B. Fenstermaker Foundation, Brooks has been instrumental in supporting STEM at CSUSM for nearly 30 years. While the Fenstermaker Foundation is now sunsetting, its legacy will live on through a $1.3 million endowment in perpetual support of STEM students at CSUSM. This transformative gift will be further amplified by a $1 million matching contribution from the Epstein Family Foundation.

“Supporting STEM has been one of the most rewarding parts of my life,” Brooks said. “Three decades ago, we chose CSUSM because it was new and so full of potential. This university is exactly what we needed in North County San Diego, and it has been wonderful to watch it grow.”

Over the years, in addition to the recent endowment, the Fenstermaker Foundation has donated $1.9 million to STEM initiatives at CSUSM, providing more than 130 STEM students with scholarships and establishing a $40,000 library endowment for science resources.

“We are deeply grateful to the Fenstermaker Foundation board of directors,” CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt said. “Their generosity has transformed countless lives, creating a ripple effect of innovation and opportunity that will benefit our community for generations to come.”

From first gen to multi-gen impact

As a first-generation college student, Brooks put herself through school at Adelphi University in Brooklyn. At the time, it was rare for women to pursue higher education or build careers in fields such as biology, making Brooks' achievements both groundbreaking and inspiring. Notably, she worked alongside pioneering scientist George Nicholas Papanicolaou, whose development of the Pap smear revolutionized cervical cancer detection.

The Fenstermaker Foundation was founded in 1995 by Lawrence Fenstermaker, who served in the 11^th Naval District in San Diego. While Fenstermaker did not attend college, he was passionate about learning and helping others obtain an education. Along with Brooks as one of the original five board members, the Fenstermaker Foundation started giving to CSUSM in 1996 and has remained a steadfast supporter ever since.    

“The Fenstermaker Foundation’s endowment will allow CSUSM Summer Scholars students to get paid, hands-on research experiences in STEM,” said Julie Jameson, director of CSUSM's graduate program in biology. “This type of opportunity truly changes lives and fulfills the university’s mission of student success.”

CSUSM proudly honors Brooks, a remarkable champion of STEM education. Through her visionary leadership, the Fenstermaker Foundation has made an enduring impact on CSUSM, fostering innovation and creating opportunities that will empower students and transform lives for years to come.

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

“This record-breaking achievement will empower our students to excel in their academics and beyond,” said Jessica Berger, vice president of University Advancement. “From hundreds of social media posts to ambassadors advocating for their programs and gifts of all sizes, your collective support is a testament to the strength of our dedicated community.”

Giving Day is part of Giving Tuesday, an international day focused on philanthropy.

The Giving Day highlights included:

·       A number of matches were met, including $200,000 from the Epstein Family, $15,000 from SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, and over $100,000 in individual area frontline matches that impacted the results for 132 campus programs.

• 79 ambassadors spread the word, bringing in a collective 238 gifts.
• 258 students donated.
• Nearly one in five gifts were made by alumni.

“Even more impressive than the total amount raised was the number of people who made it possible,” Berger said. “From students and employees to friends, parents, alumni, and community members, everyone came together to make this day a phenomenal success.

“Your support will have an immediate and lasting effect on our campus community. We couldn't do this important work without you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you!”

Did you miss your chance to donate on Giving Day? You can still make a meaningful impact on the program you love. Give today!

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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

As part of a unique program in the College of Education, Health and Human Services at CSUSM – Scholars in Wellness and Innovation Fast-Track (SWIFT) Health Programs – students at Rancho Buena Vista High School can earn college credit, giving them an early start toward a bachelor’s degree. Courses completed count toward two specialized undergraduate degrees in health and wellness designed to allow students to obtain a degree in as little as three years. 

One is in public health and the other in human development with a concentration in counseling.

To kick off the program, CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt and campus leaders from Vista Unified School District held a welcoming ceremony Friday for 22 students from Rancho Buena Vista.

“I am thrilled to welcome these students to the Cougar family,” Neufeldt said. “With social mobility a part of everything we do, this program is our mission in action. We want students to know they have a path to college and into a career that can transform their lives, their families and their communities.”

The degrees are focused on careers and preparing students for the workforce in health and wellness. In addition to a degree, students will graduate with the requirements to obtain in-demand professional certification. Public health students will complete the requirements for a Community Health Education Specialist (CHES) certificate to work as community health educators in various settings. Human development students will complete the requirements to become a wellness coach, which qualifies them in California to provide mental health and wellness support for children and young adults. These certificates set graduates up for advanced work and higher salaries after graduation.

“I hope that these students have the opportunity to reach their potential and thrive to go into a career that not only pays them a living wage, but that they are able to live comfortably here in San Diego and that they have a job,” said Cipriano Vargas, a member of the Vista Unified Board of Education and a CSUSM alumnus. “The County of San Diego needs mental behavior health workers, and this program is helping to accomplish that.”

The degrees are also designed to be highly supportive of students. For example, students can receive funding in the summer to complete internships that prepare them for careers in health and wellness when they graduate. Students also progress through their courses with a cohort of fellow students, within a supportive community of expert faculty. As part of this program, CSUSM also offers specialized career advising, employer networking and guest speakers to help students find a position and start their careers upon graduation.  

According to a recent San Diego Workforce Partnership report, the San Diego region needs an additional 18,500 behavioral health professionals to meet industry demands. The dual enrollment program will provide a direct pipeline to support the much-needed workforce.

The event, co-hosted by President Ellen Neufeldt and the CSUSM Foundation Board, welcomed nearly 300 dedicated alumni, community leaders, campus partners, tribal leaders and elected officials. University Advancement Vice President Jessica Berger opened the event as a celebration of Cal State San Marcos, taking a moment to recognize the sponsors and partners who made it possible.

"This evening is truly a celebration of the power of Cal State San Marcos, driven by the individual power of all of you – our strongest friends, advocates and supporters," Berger said during her opening remarks.

Such support extended to the evening's entertainment with a Steinway & Sons Spirio |r provided courtesy of Steinway Piano Gallery San Diego. The grand piano was featured in student performances by Daniel Cruz as well as the CSUSM Jazz Ensemble’s Troy Amos, Andrew Kelly, Andrew Marin and Michael Kuszajewski.

CSUSM Foundation Board Chair Emilie Hersh and Vice Chair Simon Kuo set the tone for the evening with their remarks.

“All of these students are committed to succeeding and bringing about change in the community," Hersh said. "This is one of the many reasons I have been inspired and honored to be part of the CSUSM community.”

The mission of social mobility at CSUSM is dedicated to creating pathways to success for every student. More than 50% of CSUSM students are the first in their families to attend college, and a large number of these students work part-time or full-time jobs in order to fund their education. By fostering partnerships with local industries, nonprofit organizations and community leaders, CSUSM builds a powerful network of support that propels student success.

“Over the years, I’ve heard from numerous students about how their education at CSUSM has transformed their lives and moved them up the economic ladder,” Kuo said. “This is a place that helps students overcome barriers and forge a better future.”

President Neufeldt took to the stage with a compelling speech highlighting CSUSM’s transformative impact in higher education.

“Together, we will continue to rise, to thrive, to be that beacon of where the future of higher ed is going,” Neufeldt said.

She reaffirmed CSUSM’s commitment to expanding access and education for all as a national leader in social mobility.

Through philanthropic support, student success programs and resources make their impact across campus to a diverse cohort of students each year. During the dinner, five members of the Class of 2024 were invited to the stage to be recognized as champions of social mobility:

• Noah Bills, an electrical engineering student who transferred to CSUSM with a focus and determination to earn a bachelor’s degree and was a recipient of the inaugural Harvey and Anne Neufeldt Scholarship (established by Neufeldt as a tribute to her parents).
• Jasmin Casas, who holds a bachelor’s in literature and writing studies with a minor in political studies. She served as a student representative for the Foundation Board and is  working toward a career as a criminal prosecution lawyer at the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.
• Dakota Freaner, a member of ACE Scholars Services, a program that supports CSUSM’s former foster youth.  This year, he received the 2024 Tom & Kim Zarro Family award and graduated with a bachelor’s in social sciences. He will pursue a master’s in social work at CSUSM this fall.
• Siaje Gideon, a student highlighted during Neufeldt’s remarks, received her bachelor’s in biological sciences and founded the Black in STEM club. She will begin her doctoral studies in immunology at UC Irvine this fall.
• Lawrence Morris, is a sociological practice masters graduate and support recipient for Project Rebound, a program for formerly incarcerated individuals seeking to pursue a degree. Morris, who also earned his bachelor's from CSUSM in 2022, has been embedded within CSUSM’s Project Rebound office since its inception.

Casas, Freaner and Morris were highlighted in the video “I Am Social Mobility,” which premiered during the event.  

The 2024 Blue & Silver Fundraising Dinner concluded the highest annual fundraising total in CSUSM’s 35-year history. The impact of the evening, as well as the two historic commitments from the Epstein Family and Price Philanthropies Foundation made in the spring, contributed to over $26 million raised for the university in fiscal year 2023-24. With the momentum of success showing no signs of slowing down, the upcoming year holds promise for CSUSM and its ongoing mission in student success.

Generous donors contributed a total of 5,290 gifts, highlighting the community’s commitment to programs that promote social and economic mobility and ensuring student success across the university’s diverse student population. For perspective, the total amount raised this past fiscal year is more than half the amount raised during CSUSM’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, “Forward Together,” which took seven years to complete.  

During the second annual Blue & Silver Fundraising Dinner in June, CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt highlighted the critical role of philanthropy 

“The success of our university and our students is built on the power of community,” Neufeldt said. “Together, we are transforming lives and creating a brighter future for all.” 

CSUSM’s fundraising efforts are crucial in maintaining and expanding initiatives that empower students from all backgrounds, providing them with the tools and support necessary to overcome barriers and achieve their full potential. 

Two largest gifts in CSUSM history 

In March, CSUSM announced two philanthropic gifts totaling $20 million. Price Philanthropies Foundation awarded a $10 million grant to create an innovative three-year accelerated bachelor’s degree and establish a workforce pipeline for behavioral and mental health professionals, and Foundation Board Director Dan Epstein and his wife, Phyllis, committed $10 million to serve as a unique dollar-for-dollar matching gift opportunity that will support areas across campus.  

“We are eternally grateful for the extraordinary investments in our students and community made possible by Dan and Phyllis Epstein and the Price Philanthropies Foundation,” Neufeldt said. 

These substantial gifts will have a lasting impact on the campus and its students, driving innovation and excellence across all areas of study. 

Foundation giving and community partnerships 

Foundation giving continues to play a significant role in CSUSM’s fundraising success. The College Futures Foundation provided a $650,000 grant to the CCC-CSU Transfer Collaborative, with $470,000 awarded to CSUSM. This collaborative, which includes seven California State University campuses (CSUSM among them) and 10 California Community Colleges schools, aims to develop a national model for transfer success and accessibility for all California students.  

CSUSM received $250,000 from the Conrad Prebys Foundation to advance mental health services for its diverse student population, and $300,000 to establish a partnership with TrueCare to address the escalating mental health needs and bolster the university’s community of care. 

Other gifts include the Hewlett Foundation donating $308,260 to support a teacher career pathway program, Henry Luce Foundation supporting CSUSM's California Indian Culture and Sovereignty Center, and additional foundation support for the Innovation Hub and Tikkun Olam Makers Club. 

Foundation giving and community partnerships are vital in helping CSUSM expand educational opportunities and foster socioeconomic growth in the region. 

The individual power of you 

Individual giving saw substantial growth this year, with alumni, faculty, staff and friends of CSUSM contributing significantly to make an impact in the region. This collective effort highlights the power of community and the impact of individual contributions in advancing the university’s mission. 

CSUSM Athletics secured nearly $1 million in support from both longtime and new donors, while colleges across campus experienced increases in their annual totals. In the College of Business Administration, alumna and CSUSM Foundation Board Director Annie Norviel continued her generous contributions toward student scholarships in accounting. In addition, CSUSM founding administrators Drs. Ernie and Leslie Zomalt expanded their endowment for study abroad programs and maintained their support for the Outstanding Service Award, which is presented annually to a CSUSM staff member or administrator. New scholarships were established throughout the year to support student veterans, nursing and several areas of studies within the College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral and Social Sciences, among others. 

Significant contributions also included planned and legacy gifts. Legacy donors play an important role in securing CSUSM's long-term financial health and empowering future generations of Cougars.  

“This past year is truly a celebration of the power of Cal State San Marcos, driven by the individual power of you – our strongest friends, advocates and supporters,” said Jessica Berger, vice president of University Advancement.  

The generosity of dedicated supporters ensures that CSUSM can continue to provide the best support system for its students to reach graduation and their career goals. 

Annual events shine bright 

Giving Day, held last November, was a tremendous success, raising nearly $460,000 from 2,410 donors in just 24 hours. The enthusiastic participation of so many individuals highlights the community’s deep commitment and showcases the true spirit of generosity. One of the funds supported through Giving Day is the library's Affordable Textbook Campaign, which provides students with low- or no-cost access to textbooks and course materials. This example and the collective effort shown on Giving Day continues to highlight the #HeartofaCougar. 

In June, CSUSM hosted its second consecutive record-breaking Blue & Silver Fundraising Dinner with over $1 million raised, marking a significant milestone in its fundraising efforts. This event, which exceeded the previous year’s fundraising record, brought together dedicated alumni, community leaders, campus partners, tribal leaders and elected officials. The evening's highlight was the celebration of students recognized as champions of social mobility, with their inspiring stories featured in the video “I Am Social Mobility.” 

A step closer: Integrated Science and Engineering Building

CSUSM continues to make significant strides toward making the future Integrated Science and Engineering Building a reality. This building is not only critical for the university’s rapidly growing CSTEM program and needs of the region, but it also will serve as a hub for community engagement, providing a space for partnerships with local industries and fostering a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship.  

Looking ahead: onward and upward 

As the new academic year begins, CSUSM is committed to maintaining this momentum and solidifying its position as a national leader in social and economic mobility.  

“A CSUSM education helps students transcend barriers faced by earlier generations and unlock their potential for lifelong success. This isn’t only a key for individuals and families but for organizations, industries and society,” said Emilie Hersh, CSUSM Foundation Board chair. 

CSUSM’s record-breaking fundraising year is a celebration of the collective power of the community and a testament to the transformative power of education. With the continued support of donors, the university is poised to achieve even greater heights as it prepares for its next and largest philanthropic campaign. 

Media Contact

Eric Breier, Interim Assistant Director of Editorial and External Affairs

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